Core curriculum

1. Core curriculum
Dr.M.Deivam
Assistant Professor
Department of Education
The Gandhigram Rural Institute (Deemed to be University)
Gandhigram, Dindigul District, Tamil Nadu – 624 302

2. Meaning of Core Curriculum
• Core curriculum is a set of school or college courses
in subjects considered essential to a suitable
education, as providing necessary skills or common
cultural knowledge. Core curriculum is a set of
courses that are considered basic and essential for
future classwork or graduation.
• In core-curriculum, there exists a set of common
learning, including knowledge, skills, and values.
The common learning usually consists of the
following compulsory subjects like social science,
geography, biology, history, etc.

3. Cont.,
• In core curriculum, along with compulsory subjects
optional subjects like Fine Arts, Home Economics,
Language, Music, etc. are also included. This
general education is considered necessary for
students, irrespective of their choices in major
subjects. Maths, science, arts, music, visual arts,
English, history, geography are examples of core
curriculum in a Middle School or High School.

4. Characteristics of Core Curriculum
• Core courses emphasis discussion and group
problem solving;
• Learning is not restricted to the classroom;
• Students’ needs and learning experiences take
precedence over subject matter.
• Courses form a coherent whole, integrated either
through disciplines, themes, content, or a
combination of these;
• Offers the study of many types of original materials,
and not only great books;

5. Cont.,
• Core course emphasises practice over subject
matter in disciplinary arts as the are applied to
original sources;
• Core programmes weave common elements
together for common reflection and discussion;
• It utilises the problems of personal and social
development common to all;
• It encourages the use of the problem-solving
technique to face and solve problems;
• It provides means for developing social competence

6. Reference
• KNOWLEDGE AND CURRICULUM, Self-learning
Material for B.Ed. Degree Programme (Open and
Distance Learning) of First Year, Published by
MANGALORE UNIVERSITY, Mangalagangothri - 574
199