---
title: "Course Design"
type: "article"
space: "The Teaching & Learning Centre"
author: "Ashley Ribbel"
created: 2020-11-03T14:23:11Z
updated: 2024-01-31T14:40:35Z
tags: ["course-design", "teaching", "teaching-and-learning", "teaching-and-learning-centre"]
url: "https://employees.senecapolytechnic.ca/spaces/39/the-teaching-learning-centre/articles/press-release/6330/course-design"
---

# Course Design

The key to course design at Seneca is meeting your course’s learning outcomes within the 14 week semester. Each semester is 7 weeks, a study break, and 7 weeks. Essentially, you have 14 weeks to ensure that the learning outcomes are taught, practiced and assessed.

As you plan your course think about what you will “teach,” the opportunities that students will have to “practice” what they learn and the ways that learning will be “assessed” to ensure that the course’s learning outcomes are achieved.

**Steps in Course Design**

1. Locate and review [Program Outcomes](https://employees.senecapolytechnic.ca/spaces/39/the-teaching-learning-centre/articles/press-release/6349/program-outcomes "Program Outcomes")
2. Complete a [Curriculum Map](https://employees.senecapolytechnic.ca/spaces/39/the-teaching-learning-centre/articles/press-release/6353/curriculum-map "Curriculum Map")
3. Write SMART course learning outcomes \(\)
4. Design assessments that will be used to measure the course learning outcomes: [Assessment](https://employees.senecapolytechnic.ca/spaces/39/the-teaching-learning-centre/articles/press-release/7601/assessment "Assessment")
5. Break outcomes into topics and create a course map \([Outcomes to Topics to Course Map](https://employees.senecapolytechnic.ca/spaces/39/the-teaching-learning-centre/articles/press-release/6470/outcomes-to-topics-to-course-map "Outcomes to Topics to Course Map")\)
6. Select [Course Resources](https://employees.senecapolytechnic.ca/spaces/39/the-teaching-learning-centre/articles/press-release/6471/course-resources "Course Resources") and draft a [Lesson Plan](https://employees.senecapolytechnic.ca/spaces/39/the-teaching-learning-centre/articles/press-release/6468/lesson-plan "Lesson Plan")

In addition to the course learning outcomes, all courses are designed to ensure that they address the Essential Employability Skills and , as well as follow the [Strategic Plan and Academic Policies](https://employees.senecapolytechnic.ca/spaces/39/the-teaching-learning-centre/articles/press-release/6283/strategic-plan-and-academic-policies "Strategic Plan and Academic Policies").

**Course Outlines**
To find a course outline, go to the [Seneca Subject Outline System](https://apps.senecapolytechnic.ca/ssos/logon.do) and enter your course code.