A curriculum development simulation in a graduate program

Objective. To implement and evaluate a curriculum development seminar in which graduate students experienced circumstances that occur when faculty members develop and attempt to secure colleague approval for a curriculum.Design. Learning activities for the graduate seminar included classroom lectures, active learning, and a group project in which simulated faculty committees created new curriculums for the pharmacy practice department''s 3 research areas.Assessment. Responses on pre- and post-seminar surveys indicated that graduate students’ self-confidence in their ability to conduct key curriculum development activities increased (p < 0.05). In a post-seminar focus group, graduate students stated that they valued participating in the faculty simulation, learning about curriculum development and research programs other than their own, and collaborating with their peers.Conclusion. A curriculum development faculty simulation was an effective tool for preparing graduate students for curriculum development responsibilities and generated valuable documents that the department could use in the revision of the 3 pharmacy practice graduate school curricula.