Academic Plan

The academic plan is a conceptual model, proposed by Joan Stark and Lisa Lattuca, that describes eight elements of a college or university course, program, or college curriculum and the contexts and factors that influence that curriculum. As a comprehensive conceptualization of the influences that can shape curriculum at the course, program, or institutional levels, the academic plan model is intended to enhance understanding and examination of curricula across diverse disciplines and institutions of higher education.

The model is grounded in empirical findings from quantitative and qualitative studies conducted in the 1990s by Stark and Malcolm Lowther and their colleagues and is supported by subsequent research findings, as well as observations of professional practice in higher education institutions. The model’s assumptions reflect its origins in research ...