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• Define programme aims in relation to the institution’s mission, graduate attributes, and strategic priorities.
• Articulate the educational philosophy** guiding the programme (e.g. learner-centred, interdisciplinary, inclusive).
• Engage stakeholders** (students, alumni, employers, academic staff) to inform direction and relevance.

• Conduct a needs analysis: disciplinary trends, societal demands, labour market needs.
• Consider student demographics, prior knowledge, and lived experiences.
• Review professional body requirements, accreditation standards, and institutional policies.

Stakeholder mapping is useful to consider at this stage. You can see an as part of the Curriculum Essentials Moodle short course.

• Develop clear, measurable outcomes that articulate what students should know, understand, and be able to do upon completion.
• Align outcomes with national qualification frameworks and graduate attributes.
• Ensure outcomes reflect diverse knowledge systems and enable equity of participation and success.

See the section on how to write effective aims and intended learning outcomes for further guidance

• Define core and optional modules, progression pathways, and credit distribution.
• Map learning outcomes across the curriculum to avoid duplication and ensure development over time (constructive alignment).
• Embed interdisciplinarity, inclusivity, and flexibility to accommodate varied student journeys.

• Create an assessment map showing how outcomes are assessed across modules.
• Use a mix of formative and summative methods that reflect diverse ways of demonstrating learning.
• Ensure assessments are transparent, inclusive, and scaffolded to support student success.

You can find further guidance on designing assessment within ADC's Assessment and Feedback ToolkitLink opens in a new window

• Identify theory and evidence-informed pedagogies relevant to the discipline(s).
• Integrate active, authentic, and inclusive learning approaches.
• Support students’ development as independent learners, critical thinkers, global citizens, and collaborative participants.

• Align learning with real-world applications, professional practice, and transferable skills.
• Include opportunities for placements, community engagement projects, and interdisciplinary collaboration.
• Foster student resilience, adaptability, and action-oriented reflection.

• Use a curriculum map to visualise how programme-level outcomes align with module outcomes, assessments, and learning activities.
• Check for vertical and horizontal coherence, progression, and balance of workload.

• Use internal and external review processes, including student and stakeholder feedback.
• Align with institutional quality assurance and curriculum approval procedures.
• Embed mechanisms for ongoing review and enhancement.

• Clearly document programme specifications, module descriptors, and curriculum rationale.
• Communicate the curriculum logic to students, colleagues, and external stakeholders.
• Provide accessible and engaging materials that help students navigate their learning journey.