The article describes the process of incorporating a set of learning outcomes into a geotechnical engineering course. The outcomes were developed using Bloom's taxonomy and define the knowledge, skills, and abilities the students are expected to achieve upon completion of the course. Each outcome begins with an action-oriented verb corresponding to one of six levels of achievement in the cognitive domain (remember, understand, apply, analyse, evaluate, and create). The article includes a listing of outcomes articulated for several course topics. The article also summarises how the outcomes were linked to lesson plans and assignments. Example formative and summative assessment methods and results are presented with the results of teaching evaluations, which indicate that students value this approach to course design. The article concludes with a discussion of how the above approach has been implemented in upper-division courses. Outcomes are presented for a course on earth retention systems. (Contains 8 tables and 4 figures.)