A major in Curriculum & Instruction will give you the tools required to become a Curriculum Specialist. Students will focus on material currently being taught in schools, how it should be taught, and how it aligns to state standards. You will learn the most effective methods of tailoring learning to make it more effective for various subjects, grade levels, and ability levels. You will also learn how to measure the success of curriculums and how they can be improved.
Along with core courses and some education courses, you may take curriculum application, curriculum planning, curriculum evaluation, and curriculum design.
Curriculum & Instruction was the 55th most popular major in the 2020-2021 school year. Colleges in the United States reported awarding 19,832 degrees in this year alone. This represents a 8.3% increase in curriculum degrees awarded over the prior year's total of 18,195.
This year's Best Curriculum & Instruction Schools ranking compares 325 of them to identify the best overall programs in the country. Explore this or one of our many other custom curriculum rankings further below.
Those interested in developing curriculum and instruction should be up to date on current teaching strategies and the constantly changing classroom environment. This is so that you can enhance curriculum with your educational expertise and content knowledge.
To be successful in this field, organization, time management and multi-tasking are important qualities. Part of the job includes arranging professional development opportunities for teachers. It will also be your task to train teachers to adjust to the latest technology in their classroom and help them learn how to implement new teaching strategies. You will be a key support in many teachers' lives and will be responsible to help them improve their skills. You cannot be easily intimidated by headstrong teachers; instead you need to be flexible and creative in order to appeal to even the most seasoned teacher. Another task you will manage is the evaluation of the curriculum and teaching methods based on analyzing student test data.
This major appeals to those passionate about learning and education, but who want to take a behind-the-scenes position. As a Curriculum & Instruction major, you will stay up to date with the latest state standards and learn methods of teaching the new standards to those in the education field.
A high school diploma or equivalent is typically required for most curriculum degree programs and many students will need a minimum GPA and SAT/ACT score depending on the school. Specific curriculum careers may require a certain level of degree attainment or additional certifications beyond that.
Curriculum degree levels vary. Curriculum & Instruction programs offered by schools range from a to a , which is the highest curriculum degree you can get. The type of curriculum degree you choose will determine how long it takes to get your diploma.
Degree | Credit Requirements | Typical Program Length |
---|---|---|
Associate Degree | 60-70 credits | 2 years |
Bachelor’s Degree | 120 credits | 4 years |
Master’s Degree | 50-70 credits | 1-3 years |
Doctorate | Program required coursework including thesis or dissertation | At least 4 years |
A master's degree is the most common level of education achieved by those in careers related to curriculum, with approximately 62.5% of workers getting one. Find out other typical degree levels for curriculum workers below.
Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
---|---|
Master’s Degree | 62.4% |
Bachelor’s Degree | 25.4% |
Post-Master’s Certificate | 6.0% |
First Professional Degree | 2.3% |
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate | 2.0% |
70.1% of curriculum workers have at least a master's. See the chart below for the most common degree level workers in curriculum and instruction have received.
The education level required is different depending on the curriculum career you are seeking.
A Curriculum Coordinator will work in a school district and may be hired for specific grade levels or subjects. This will allow you to tailor professional development classes for your particular area. Most school districts will require at least a master's degree in Curriculum and Instruction and some may require a master's degree in your content area. Also, many districts require a minimum number of years as a classroom teacher before becoming a curriculum coordinator.
Want a job when you graduate with your curriculum degree? Curriculum & Instruction careers are expected to grow 10.5% between 2016 and 2026.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to curriculum and instruction.
Occupation Name | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
---|---|---|
Instructional Coordinators | 180,400 | 10.5% |
Recently graduated curriculum and instruction students earned an average of $50,988 in 2019-2020. Earnings can range from as low as $20,307 to as high as $133,286. As you might expect, salaries for curriculum graduates vary depending on the level of education that was acquired.
Salaries for curriculum and instruction graduates can vary widely by the occupation you choose as well. The following table shows the top highest paying careers curriculum grads often go into.
Occupation Name | Median Average Salary |
---|---|
Instructional Coordinators | $67,490 |
With over 729 different curriculum degree programs to choose from, finding the best fit for you can be a challenge. Fortunately you have come to the right place. We have analyzed all of these schools to come up with hundreds of unbiased curriculum school rankings to help you with this.
Curriculum & Instruction is one of 14 different types of Education programs to choose from.
Related Major | Annual Graduates |
---|---|
Teacher Education Grade Specific | 110,226 |
Educational Administration | 46,469 |
Teacher Education Subject Specific | 43,297 |
Special Education | 36,792 |
General Education | 29,810 |