Definitions
01subjects taught in a school
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Academic
n. the subjects that are taught by a school, college, or university.
n. the entire range of subjects and learning experiences provided by an educational institution.
日本語:カリキュラム※
“The school is adding computer coding to the primary school curriculum next year.”
“The faculty met to discuss how the new environmental standards would be integrated into the existing science curriculum.”
Usage
The plural form is often 'curricula' in formal academic writing, though 'curriculums' is acceptable in general contexts.
Pitfall
The school's curriculums are very modern.
The school's curricula are very modern.
The traditional plural form is 'curricula', though 'curriculums' is becoming more common in informal American English.
Synonyms
02national standards
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Academic · British English
n. a set of rules or standards that all schools in a country must follow.
n. a prescribed set of standards or a national framework that dictates what must be taught at specific educational levels.
日本語:カリキュラム※
“All students must study a foreign language as part of the National Curriculum.”
“Critics argue that a rigid national curriculum leaves teachers with very little room for creative or student-led exploration.”
Teaching tip
In the UK and Australia, this often refers to a government-mandated 'National Curriculum'.
Synonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “curriculum” in context.
Verb
01. design a curriculum
“The department spent months working to design a curriculum that meets modern industry standards.”
verb + noun
02. implement the curriculum
“Teachers are finding it difficult to implement the new curriculum without additional training.”
verb + noun
03. revise the curriculum
“The school board decided to revise the curriculum to include more digital literacy skills.”
verb + noun
Adjective
04. broad curriculum
“The private school prides itself on offering a broad curriculum that includes arts and sports.”
adj + noun
05. core curriculum
“Mathematics and English form the core curriculum for all students in the first two years.”
adj + noun
06. hidden curriculum
“Sociologists study the hidden curriculum, which refers to the unofficial values students learn at school.”
adj + noun
Noun
07. curriculum development
“She is an expert in curriculum development for primary education.”
noun + noun
08. part of the curriculum
“Environmental studies has become a mandatory part of the curriculum in many countries.”
noun + of + noun
Preposition
09. across the curriculum
“The school aims to promote better writing skills across the curriculum, not just in English class.”
prep + noun
Real-World Examples
“She has been researching the Townsend family and those they enslaved for over 20 years and works with teachers to develop curriculums to share Liss’ story, using primary documents from her research.” “Sudanese teachers have had to adjust to Chad’s curriculum while working across language differences.” “Her research covers , external the experiences of 18-24-year-olds between 2000-2020 under the sex and relationships curriculum.” Etymology
Borrowed from Latin curriculum (“course”), derived from currō (“run, move quickly”). Doublet of curricle.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
Related words
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- B2 · Upper IntermediateOxford
- Updated
- アルファベット
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/curriculum
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「日本語」「カタカナ語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0
‘외래어’ data: 한국어기초사전 (국립국어원), CC BY-SA 2.0 KR