Crafting authentic curriculum: Conception to implementation

Authentic curriculum requires imagination, exploration, contemplation, and re-examination of strongly held beliefs about teaching and learning. It further entails engagement with multiple stakeholders who can respond to the emerging vision. Curriculum committees too often begin by configuring course content shortshrifting the critical intellectual work that provides the foundation for curricular decisions. This presentation illustrates a process that resulted in an undergraduate public health curriculum based on a two-year period of activity. It demonstrates how establishing a sound curricular infrastructure, a curriculum development group was able to make considered choices that led to a creative, coherent curriculum that embodies their shared values and serves the intended curriculum goals. Faculty participants who ultimately constituted the work group were solicited by virtue of interest in undergraduate education. Those who responded were representative of the major public health disciplines and reflected diversity of thought and experience both in public health and in education. Although the group was facilitated by a curriculum specialist and a faculty member with depth of experience in CEPH accreditation, every member of the work group had equal voice in decision-making. A parallel group of external stakeholders representing a target population of students was assembled to provide input and feedback to the work group. The resultant integrated public health curriculum serves six major themes, comports with the new ASPH Undergraduate Learning Outcomes, satisfies progressive levels of approval for establishing a new degree program, and attracts undergraduate students.