curriculum

[kuh-rik-yuh-luhm]

noun

plural

curricula, curriculums 

1. the aggregate of courses of study given in a school, college, university, etc..

   The school is adding more science courses to its curriculum.

2. the regular or a particular course of study in a school, college, etc.

curriculum

/ kəˈrɪkjʊləm /

noun

1. a course of study in one subject at a school or college

2. a list of all the courses of study offered by a school or college

3. any programme or plan of activities

Other Word Forms

• curricular adjective
• precurriculum noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of curriculum¹

First recorded in 1625–35; from Latin: “action of running, course of action, race, chariot,” equivalent to curr(ere) “to run” + -i- -i- + -culum -cule ²

Word History and Origins

Origin of curriculum¹

C19: from Latin: course, from currere to run

Example Sentences

These areas include a school's curriculum and teaching, its early years provision, its levels of achievement and how inclusive it is.

Read more on BBC

And California’s youth are being groomed to hate Israel with hostile curriculums, setting up a whole new generation of antisemitism in the future and in the meantime putting Jewish teachers at risk.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Australian schools were Wednesday investigating how a curriculum blunder ended with pupils mistakenly studying Augustus instead of Julius Caesar.

Read more on Barron's

There are also mandatory chores: “Developing a work ethic is part of the curriculum, part of what we’re teaching kids.”

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Mr Coton, who works full-time for the National Trust, said his long-term dream was for it to become part of the curriculum.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• educational program www.thesaurus.com
• syllabus 

When To Use

Plural word for curriculum

The plural form of curriculum can be either curricula or curriculums, although curricula is more commonly used. The plurals of several other singular words that end in -um are also formed in the same way, including memorandum/memoranda, and bacterium/bacteria. Irregular plurals that are formed like curricula derive directly from their original pluralization in Latin. However, the usual plural -s ending is often also acceptable for many of these terms, as in curriculums and memorandums.