Optimizing pathways for smart scheduling and student success 

In the ecosystem of higher education, faculty are responsible for curriculum development and implementation. Traditionally, program-level curriculum development assembles courses together to provide a diverse educational experience that includes program-specific content, general education courses, and institution-specific requirements.  

In the best of all worlds, curriculum includes relevant and engaging content with opportunities for continuous improvement. The desired outcome of curriculum development is to produce students as program completers competent in the skills, knowledge, and attributes associated with the program.  

So, what does that have to do with the academic schedule? The academic schedule is the most influential infrastructure at an institution. The schedule impacts every unit, from IT and Finance to Student Affairs and Facilities. Most significantly, the academic schedule connects the primary triad within academic operations: students, faculty, and curriculum.  

It brings together the opportunities of the curriculum delivered by the faculty to encompass the academic experiences the students pursue while at college. However, students don’t simply pick out courses that interest them, find a room, and settle in for instruction. The academic schedule is built and published, and students choose their classes based on major, section availability, modality preference, personal life/work schedule, and so forth. 

Questions to Consider 

1. What is the love language between curriculum and the academic schedule?

2. What is the key to building an academic schedule that operationalizes program curriculum in the preferred sequence of courses and semesters?

3. What primary tools can direct students through their chosen curriculum as they engage each semester with the academic schedule?  

The mechanism that best connects the curriculum and academic schedule is the academic pathway, also referred to as a degree map, plan of study, degree plan, road map, educational plan, and semester-by-semester guide. Pathways are designed to represent the idealized way for students to complete a program of study. Complete College America (2018) defines Academic Maps and Milestones to delineate the path to graduation and highlight significant milestones that contribute to student success in a clear and comprehensive format. 

But why is it important that curriculum and the academic schedule work together as a well-oiled machine? These are two quintessential pieces of the student success puzzle. Analyzing a population of 1.3 million students, Ad Astra’s 2024 Benchmark Report included findings of 57% of degree-seeking students blocked in their chosen Completion Path (the when, how, and where within a program pathway). When an institution successfully packages together its curriculum and academic schedule using academic pathways, this sets the stage for increased student completion and other student success metrics along with the improved financial health of the schedule and use of college resources.  

The following is a spectrum designed to guide the work of building program pathways.  

Define Pathways 

Lay the groundwork by creating a pathway of courses for students to follow that will lead to program completion. What is the recommended order for students to take the desired courses? Map out semesters for both full- and part-time students. Review the pathway from the lens of students with remedial needs or students transferring to your institution with credits.  

Analyze Pathways 

After initial implementation, validate and refine course sequences using data analytics. Align pathways to scheduling practices. Consider key changes that may be necessary to support scale implementation of pathways. For example, review pathways across programs to find opportunities to use common courses. This can benefit courses that are often low enrolled or cancelled and instead drive registration traffic to build enrollment from multiple programs. 

Schedule for Pathways 

Scale implementation. Schedule course offerings in alignment with pathway requirements. Plan for new and continuing students. Evaluate initial implementation and make improvements for implementation at scale.  

Refine Pathways 

Think continuous improvement. Integrate advising, scheduling, and registration processes to give the student an experience held together by program pathways. Ensure continuous improvement through data analysis to improve Degree Velocity™ and Pathway health. Metrics of interest would include first year momentum and productive credits.