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Course vs. Curriculum: What's the Difference?

Edited by Huma Saeed || By Sawaira Riaz || Updated on September 18, 2023
A structured program of study on a specific subject, often a part of a broader curriculum. An organized plan of educational courses and content intended to fulfill specific academic goals.

Key Differences

A Course is a single, specific educational program that focuses on a subject or a set of related subjects. It generally includes lectures, assignments, and assessments designed to impart knowledge and skills. A Curriculum, in contrast, is a comprehensive framework that encompasses multiple courses, aiming to provide a well-rounded education in a specific field or across disciplines.
Sawaira Riaz
Sep 18, 2023
While a Course is a building block in the educational journey, a Curriculum is like the blueprint of that journey. A Course could be something as simple as "Introduction to Chemistry," which might have weekly lessons, labs, and exams. On the other hand, a Curriculum in a science degree would include multiple courses in biology, chemistry, physics, and perhaps even some courses in ethics and communications.
Sawaira Riaz
Sep 18, 2023
Both terms, Course and Curriculum, can be used in varying educational contexts. For instance, high schools, colleges, and even online educational platforms offer courses. Curriculums are similarly diverse, ranging from early education plans to graduate study programs. However, you're likely to encounter multiple courses within any given curriculum.
Sawaira Riaz
Sep 18, 2023
From a grammatical standpoint, the word Course usually serves as a noun but can be used adjectivally in phrases like "course material" or "course outline." Similarly, Curriculum is generally a noun, but adjectival forms like "curricular activities" exist. In both cases, these terms serve as the focus of educational discussions, but their scale and scope differ considerably.
Janet White
Sep 18, 2023
The success of a Course is often evaluated through grades or feedback on specific assignments and exams. A Curriculum, however, is usually assessed more holistically—looking at student outcomes, skill acquisition, and even job placement rates. Therefore, the evaluation metrics differ for a Course and a Curriculum.
Janet White
Sep 18, 2023
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Comparison Chart

Scope

Single, specific program of study
Comprehensive plan covering multiple courses
Sawaira Riaz
Sep 18, 2023

Components

Lectures, assignments, assessments
Multiple courses, extracurriculars, general education
Sawaira Riaz
Sep 18, 2023

Assessment

Grades, assignments, exams
Holistic: student outcomes, skill acquisition
Sawaira Riaz
Sep 18, 2023

Grammatical Use

Mainly a noun, can be used adjectivally
Mainly a noun, can be used adjectivally
Aimie Carlson
Sep 18, 2023

Time Duration

Often a semester or academic term
Usually spans multiple years
Janet White
Sep 18, 2023
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Course and Curriculum Definitions

Course

A unit of educational instruction.
He took a Course in advanced calculus.
Janet White
Sep 18, 2023

Curriculum

A planned set of courses in education.
The school’s Curriculum was updated this year.
Sara Rehman
Sep 18, 2023

Course

A path or direction.
The ship changed its Course.
Harlon Moss
Sep 18, 2023

Curriculum

A guide for educational policies.
The Curriculum sets the guidelines for teaching methods.
Sawaira Riaz
Sep 18, 2023

Course

A continuous layer in a building.
The Course of bricks was evenly laid.
Janet White
Sep 18, 2023
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Curriculum

A scope and sequence of learning.
The Curriculum outlined the skills to be acquired.
Janet White
Sep 18, 2023

Course

Development in a particular way; progress
The course of events.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 18, 2022

Curriculum

A comprehensive educational plan.
The Curriculum covered both arts and sciences.
Aimie Carlson
Sep 18, 2023

Course

Movement in time; duration
In the course of a year.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 18, 2022

Curriculum

A specific study program in a subject.
The Curriculum in biology was quite challenging.
Sawaira Riaz
Sep 18, 2023

Course

The direction of continuing movement
The boat took a northern course.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 18, 2022

Curriculum

All the courses of study offered by an educational institution.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 18, 2022

Course

The route or path taken by something that moves, such as a stream or vehicle.
Sawaira Riaz
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Curriculum

A group of related courses, often in a special field of study
The engineering curriculum.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 18, 2022

Course

A designated route or area on which a race is held
The course of a marathon.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 18, 2022

Curriculum

The set of courses, coursework, and their content, offered at a school or university.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 18, 2022

Course

See golf course.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 18, 2022

Curriculum

(obsolete) A racecourse; a place for running.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 18, 2022

Course

A mode of action or behavior
Followed the best course and invested her money.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 18, 2022

Curriculum

A race course; a place for running.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 18, 2022

Course

A typical, natural, or customary manner of proceeding or developing
A fad that ran its course.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 18, 2022

Curriculum

A course; particularly, a specified fixed course of study, as in a university.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 18, 2022

Course

A systematic or orderly succession; a sequence
A course of medical treatments.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 18, 2022

Curriculum

An integrated course of academic studies;
He was admitted to a new program at the university
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 18, 2022

Course

A continuous layer of building material, such as brick or tile, on a wall or roof of a building.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 18, 2022

Course

A complete body of prescribed studies constituting a curriculum
A four-year course in engineering.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 18, 2022

Course

A unit of such a curriculum
Took an introductory course in chemistry.
Passed her calculus course.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 18, 2022

Course

A part of a meal served as a unit at one time
The first course was a delicious soup.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 18, 2022

Course

(Nautical) The lowest sail on a mast of a square-rigged ship.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 18, 2022

Course

A point on the compass, especially the one toward which a vehicle, such as a ship, is moving.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 18, 2022

Course

(Music) A string or set of two or more closely-spaced and usually identically-tuned strings, as on a lute.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 18, 2022

Course

To move swiftly through or over; traverse
Ships coursing the seas.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 18, 2022

Course

To hunt (game) with hounds.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 18, 2022

Course

To set (hounds) to chase game.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 18, 2022

Course

To proceed or move swiftly in a certain direction or along a course
"Big tears now coursed down her face" (Iris Murdoch).
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 18, 2022

Course

To hunt game with hounds.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 18, 2022

Course

A sequence of events.
The normal course of events seems to be just one damned thing after another.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 18, 2022

Course

A normal or customary sequence.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 18, 2022

Course

A programme, a chosen manner of proceeding.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 18, 2022

Course

Any ordered process or sequence of steps.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 18, 2022

Course

A learning programme, whether a single class or (UK) a major area of study.
I need to take a French course.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 18, 2022

Course

A treatment plan.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 18, 2022

Course

A stage of a meal.
We offer seafood as the first course.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 18, 2022

Course

The succession of one to another in office or duty; order; turn.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 18, 2022

Course

A path that something or someone moves along.
His illness ran its course.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 18, 2022

Course

The itinerary of a race.
The cross-country course passes the canal.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 18, 2022

Course

A racecourse.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 18, 2022

Course

The path taken by a flow of water; a watercourse.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 18, 2022

Course

(sports) The trajectory of a ball, frisbee etc.
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Oct 18, 2022

Course

(golf) A golf course.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 18, 2022

Course

(nautical) The direction of movement of a vessel at any given moment.
The ship changed its course 15 degrees towards south.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 18, 2022

Course

(navigation) The intended passage of voyage, such as a boat, ship, airplane, spaceship, etc.
A course was plotted to traverse the ocean.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 18, 2022

Course

The drive usually frequented by Europeans at an Indian station.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 18, 2022

Course

(nautical) The lowest square sail in a fully rigged mast, often named according to the mast.
Main course and mainsail are the same thing in a sailing ship.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 18, 2022

Course

Menses.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 18, 2022

Course

A row or file of objects.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 18, 2022

Course

(masonry) A row of bricks or blocks.
On a building that size, two crews could only lay two courses in a day.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 18, 2022

Course

(roofing) A row of material that forms the roofing, waterproofing or flashing system.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 18, 2022

Course

(textiles) In weft knitting, a single row of loops connecting the loops of the preceding and following rows.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 18, 2022

Course

(music) One or more strings on some musical instruments (such as the guitar, lute or vihuela): if multiple, then closely spaced, tuned in unison or octaves and intended to played together.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 18, 2022

Course

To run or flow (especially of liquids and more particularly blood).
The oil coursed through the engine.
Blood pumped around the human body courses throughout all its veins and arteries.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 18, 2022

Course

(transitive) To run through or over.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 18, 2022

Course

(transitive) To pursue by tracking or estimating the course taken by one's prey; to follow or chase after.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 18, 2022

Course

(transitive) To cause to chase after or pursue game.
To course greyhounds after deer
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 18, 2022

Course

The act of moving from one point to another; progress; passage.
And when we had finished our course from Tyre, we came to Ptolemais.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 18, 2022

Course

The ground or path traversed; track; way.
The same horse also run the round course at Newmarket.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 18, 2022

Course

Motion, considered as to its general or resultant direction or to its goal; line progress or advance.
A light by which the Argive squadron steersTheir silent course to Ilium's well known shore.
Westward the course of empire takes its way.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 18, 2022

Course

Progress from point to point without change of direction; any part of a progress from one place to another, which is in a straight line, or on one direction; as, a ship in a long voyage makes many courses; a course measured by a surveyor between two stations; also, a progress without interruption or rest; a heat; as, one course of a race.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 18, 2022

Course

Motion considered with reference to manner; or derly progress; procedure in a certain line of thought or action; as, the course of an argument.
The course of true love never did run smooth.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 18, 2022

Course

Customary or established sequence of events; recurrence of events according to natural laws.
By course of nature and of law.
Day and night,Seedtime and harvest, heat and hoary frost,Shall hold their course.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 18, 2022

Course

Method of procedure; manner or way of conducting; conduct; behavior.
My lord of York commends the plot and the general course of the action.
By perseverance in the course prescribed.
You hold your course without remorse.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 18, 2022

Course

A series of motions or acts arranged in order; a succession of acts or practices connectedly followed; as, a course of medicine; a course of lectures on chemistry.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 18, 2022

Course

The succession of one to another in office or duty; order; turn.
He appointed . . . the courses of the priests
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 18, 2022

Course

That part of a meal served at one time, with its accompaniments.
He [Goldsmith] wore fine clothes, gave dinners of several courses, paid court to venal beauties.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 18, 2022

Course

A continuous level range of brick or stones of the same height throughout the face or faces of a building.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 18, 2022

Course

The lowest sail on any mast of a square-rigged vessel; as, the fore course, main course, etc.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 18, 2022

Course

The menses.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 18, 2022

Course

To run, hunt, or chase after; to follow hard upon; to pursue.
We coursed him at the heels.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 18, 2022

Course

To cause to chase after or pursue game; as, to course greyhounds after deer.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 18, 2022

Course

To run through or over.
The bounding steed courses the dusty plain.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 18, 2022

Course

To run as in a race, or in hunting; to pursue the sport of coursing; as, the sportsmen coursed over the flats of Lancashire.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 18, 2022

Course

To move with speed; to race; as, the blood courses through the veins.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 18, 2022

Course

Education imparted in a series of lessons or class meetings;
He took a course in basket weaving
Flirting is not unknown in college classes
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Oct 18, 2022

Course

A connected series of events or actions or developments;
The government took a firm course
Historians can only point out those lines for which evidence is available
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 18, 2022

Course

Facility consisting of a circumscribed area of land or water laid out for a sport;
The course had only nine holes
The course was less than a mile
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 18, 2022

Course

A mode of action;
If you persist in that course you will surely fail
Once a nation is embarked on a course of action it becomes extremely difficult for any retraction to take place
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 18, 2022

Course

A line or route along which something travels or moves;
The hurricane demolished houses in its path
The track of an animal
The course of the river
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 18, 2022

Course

General line of orientation;
The river takes a southern course
The northeastern trend of the coast
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 18, 2022

Course

Part of a meal served at one time;
She prepared a three course meal
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 18, 2022

Course

(construction) a layer of masonry;
A course of bricks
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 18, 2022

Course

Move swiftly through or over;
Ships coursing the Atlantic
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 18, 2022

Course

Move along, of liquids;
Water flowed into the cave
The Missouri feeds into the Mississippi
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 18, 2022

Course

Hunt with hounds;
He often courses hares
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 18, 2022

Course

As might be expected;
Naturally, the lawyer sent us a huge bill
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 18, 2022

Course

A series of lectures or lessons.
The Course had 12 lectures in total.
Harlon Moss
Sep 18, 2023

Course

A set progression or sequence.
The medicine needs to complete its Course.
Aimie Carlson
Sep 18, 2023

FAQs

What is a Curriculum?

A Curriculum is an organized set of educational courses and content.
Sawaira Riaz
Sep 18, 2023

Does a Curriculum include only academic courses?

No, a Curriculum can also include extracurricular activities and general education.
Harlon Moss
Sep 18, 2023

How is a Course assessed?

Courses are often assessed through grades, assignments, and exams.
Sara Rehman
Sep 18, 2023

What is a Course?

A Course is a specific program of study focused on a subject or related subjects.
Sawaira Riaz
Sep 18, 2023

Can a Course stand alone?

Yes, a Course can be standalone or part of a Curriculum.
Sawaira Riaz
Sep 18, 2023

Can you give an example of a Course?

"Introduction to Philosophy" is an example of a Course.
Sara Rehman
Sep 18, 2023

Can you give an example of a Curriculum?

A Bachelor's degree in Computer Science is an example of a Curriculum.
Harlon Moss
Sep 18, 2023

Are both terms nouns?

Primarily, yes, but they can also be used adjectivally.
Aimie Carlson
Sep 18, 2023

Can a Curriculum change over time?

Yes, curriculums can be updated or modified.
Janet White
Sep 18, 2023

How long does a Curriculum usually span?

A Curriculum often spans multiple years of education.
Harlon Moss
Sep 18, 2023

How is a Curriculum evaluated?

Curriculums are evaluated holistically, looking at student outcomes and skills.
Janet White
Sep 18, 2023

How long does a Course typically last?

A Course often lasts a semester or an academic term.
Sawaira Riaz
Sep 18, 2023

Can both terms be used outside of education?

Yes, both can have broader meanings, like "course of action" or "curriculum vitae."
Sawaira Riaz
Sep 18, 2023

What’s the primary difference between a Course and a Curriculum?

A Course is a specific study program, while a Curriculum is a comprehensive educational plan.
Sara Rehman
Sep 18, 2023

Do all schools have the same Curriculum?

No, curriculums can vary greatly among schools and educational systems.
Sara Rehman
Sep 18, 2023
About Author
Written by
Sawaira Riaz
Sawaira is a dedicated content editor at difference.wiki, where she meticulously refines articles to ensure clarity and accuracy. With a keen eye for detail, she upholds the site's commitment to delivering insightful and precise content.
Edited by
Huma Saeed
Huma is a renowned researcher acclaimed for her innovative work in Difference Wiki. Her dedication has led to key breakthroughs, establishing her prominence in academia. Her contributions continually inspire and guide her field.

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