Historically, there was a relatively strong linkage between the fields of curriculum and educational administration. Although educational administration has always focused primarily on the education and at times the certification or licensure of superintendents, principals, and assistant principals, the field also has educated individuals who play curriculum-related roles within school districts (e.g., director of curriculum and assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction) and who play a range of curriculum-related policy roles in government.

Within the academic realm, there also was a close relationship between the two fields in the first half of the 20th century. During that time, in fact, curriculum courses normally were embedded within educational administration programs. In addition, curriculum was viewed primarily as a document that prescribed what should happen in the classroom ...