In informal discourse the term “residential curriculum” is used to describe an intentional way of promoting learning in college and university residence life and education programs. A residential curriculum, however, is a very specific approach to structuring these learning opportunities.

First implemented at the University of Delaware in the early 2000s, the Model was detailed in a 2006 article, “Beyond seat time and student satisfaction: A curricular approach to residential education,” in About Campus magazine by Kerr and Tweedy. This approach lead to the establishment of ACPA’s Residential Curriculum Institute in 2007. Since then, the curricular approach has become increasingly common and popular. In his 2015 work, Student Learning in College Residence Halls, Blimling provides an overview of the curricular approach and related models for designing residential education initiatives. A follow up article in 2017, “Shifting to curricular approaches to learning beyond the classroom,” by Kerr, Tweedy, Edwards, and Kimmel, further refined the Model.

To be considered a “true” Residential Curriculum, an educational plan should incorporate the following “ten essential elements” (Kerr, Tweedy, Edwards, & Kimmel, 2017):

1. Directly Connects to the Institutional Mission
2. Learning Goals and Outcomes Developed and Based in a Defined Educational Priority
3. Basis in Developmental Theory and Research
4. Educational Strategies are Developed to Advance Learning Outcomes
5. Educational Strategies Go Beyond Programmed Events
6. Student Staff Are Utilized in Roles Appropriate To Their Skill Development
7. Learning is Scaffolded and Sequenced To Follow Time-Based Development
8. Key Stakeholders are Identified and Involved
9. Peer-Review is Accomplished Through an Intentional Process
10. Assessment Occurs at All Levels: From Educational Priority to Learning Goals and Outcomes

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Resources

If you’re looking to connect with others around curriculum, consider joining the Residential Curriculum Facebook Group or follow the #ACPARCI hashtag on Twitter and other platforms. There are a number of ways to connect with colleagues around this topic.

Consultation

As a professional I’ve previously implemented a curricular approach at one of my past institutions. I have also served as a Residential Curriculum Institute faculty member for a number of years.

I frequently consult with individual campuses on developing and enhancing their curricula through multi-day workshops and speaking events. I have worked with over 30 different institutions across the country. If you’re interested in bringing me to campus, you can learn more about my speaking and consulting and reach out to me with any interest.

Resources

eBooks on Residential Curriculum and Curricular Approaches:
I’ve authored a number of eBooks related to curricular development and residence life and education. The following eBooks on residential curriculum and curricular approaches are available for free and provide you with definitions, instructions, and review materials to aid you in your educational work on campus.

The following represents some of my blog posts and related content on residential curriculum development. I’ve also included a number of posts and other publications that I have found in my research on the topic.

Posts About the 10 Essential Elements of a Residential Curriculum:

• What is a Residential Curriculum? Curricular Approach? Residential Learning Model?
  • Are You Organizationally Ready To Take On a Curricular Approach?
  • Which of the Residential Curriculum Elements are the Hardest to Achieve? And Why?
  • Have We Reached The Tipping Point For Residential Curriculum Model Adoption?
  • What are the Benefits of Moving to a Curricular Approach to Residence Life?
  • Developing a Timeline for a Divisional or Residential Curriculum Implementation on Your Campus
  • A Glossary of Terms for Residential Curriculum and Curricular Approaches Outside of the Classroom

• Element #1: Directly Connects to the Institutional Mission
  • The Difference Between a “Mission Statement” and an “Educational Priority” in a Curriculum
  • How to Conduct an Archeological Dig and Write a Curricular Educational Priority
  • 21 Examples of Learning Priority Statements for a Residential Curriculum

• Element #2: Learning Goals and Outcomes Developed and Based in a Defined Educational Priority
  • Does Your Residential Curriculum Cascade?
  • What are Residential Curriculum Goals and Narratives and How to Write Them
    • 7 Learning Goal Themes Commonly Found in a Residential Curriculum
  • Breaking Down Curricular Learning Goals into Learning Outcomes
  • Utilizing National Competencies and Standards to Develop Your Curricular Learning Goals
  • Why Words Matter in a Residential Curriculum

• Element #3: Basis in Developmental Theory and Research
  • 4 Documents that Place “Student Learning” at the Core of Residential Education

• Element #4: Educational Strategies are Developed to Advance Learning Outcomes
  • 10 Different Strategies for Promoting Residential Student Learning
  • Creating Effective Curriculum Facilitation Guides and Lesson Plans for Staff

• Element #5: Educational Strategies Go Beyond Programmed Events
  • 5 Signs Your Residential Curriculum is Actually a Programming Model with Learning Outcomes
  • What are Intentional Conversations and Why Should You Use Them in Residential Education?
    • How to Structure Intentional Conversations in a Residential Curriculum
    • Developing an Intentional Conversation Curriculum Guide for Student Staff
    • 100 Questions You Can Use for Intentional Conversations in the Residence Halls
    • Don’t Be Creepy: Training Student Staff For Genuine Intentional Conversations
    • How to Track and Assesses Intentional Conversations for a Residential Curriculum
    • Presentation: Implementing Intentional Conversations into Your Residence Life and Curriculum Work

• Element #6: Student Staff Are Utilized in Roles Appropriate To Their Skill Development
  • RAs are NOT Educational Experts!
  • Hiring Professional Residence Life Staff for a Residential Curriculum
  • Implications for Staff Member Duties, Selection, Training, and Development When Transitioning to a Curricular Approach
  • RA Training and Residential Curriculum:
    • An Overview
    • Tone Setting and Basics
    • Involving RAs and Generating Buy-In
    • Sequencing and Planning
    • Resources and Examples
    • Assessment Data and Exercises
    • Throughout the Year
  • 4 Tips for Developing Buy-In for Curriculum from RAs, Student Staff Members, and Student Leaders
  • Onboarding New Professional Staff to a Student Affairs or Residential Curriculum

• Element #7: Learning is Scaffolded and Sequenced To Follow Time-Based Development
  • How To Developmentally Sequence and Map Student Co-Curricular Learning
  • Developing Your Educational Plan(s) and Putting Your Residential Curriculum Into Practice
  • Building Off of Bloom: Writing Progressive Learning Objectives
  • How to Develop Student Learning Rubrics for Student Affairs Curriculum
  • The Iterative and Reciprocal Process of Developing Rubrics (With Training Video)
  • Why the Frequency of Residence Hall Programs Matters More Than the Overall Number of Them

• Element #8: Key Stakeholders are Identified and Involved
  • Who, Where, and How to Engage Partners and Stakeholders in a Residential Curriculum
  • Five Tips for Building Residential Curriculum “Buy-in”

• Element #9: Peer-Review is Accomplished Through an Intentional Process
  • Utilizing Peer and External Review Processes for Continuous Curricular Improvement
  • Presentation: Utilizing Standards to Assess the Effectiveness of a Residential Education Curriculum

• Element #10: Assessment Occurs at All Levels: From Educational Priority to Learning Goals and Outcomes
  • Five Tips for Designing Your Residential Curriculum Assessment Plans
  • On-The-Ground Assessment of Student Learning Out of the Classroom
  • Developing A Culture of Assessment in Your Residence Life and Education Program
  • Utilizing Existing Campus-Wide Assessments and Measures in Your Curricular Approach

• The Missing 11th Element of a Residential Curriculum: Customized Student Learning

 

Case Studies

• Residential Curriculum: The Trials and Tribulations of Semester One by Tanner Anthony, Jeremy Bowersox, Kathryn Bussell, & James Devlin at Embry Riddle Aeronatical University (Credit to The SEAHO Report)

 

Further Reading on Developing a Residential Curriculum:

• 6 Tips for Staying Unstuck with a Curricular Approach by Keith Edwards
• 5 Lessons Learned from Embracing Restorative Practices in our Residential Curriculumby Kaleigh Mrowka and Lauren Teresa Mauriello
• How Colleges Use the Curriculum to Encourage Resilience(Chronicle of Higher Education, paywall)
• Transformative Residential Curricula: Lessons Learned Over 10 Yearsby Hilary Lichterman, Kathleen Kerr, and Keith Edwards
• 27 Quick Questions to Assess Student Learning
• Identify, Partner, and Develop to Create Campus Well-Beingby Grant Anderson
• Curricular Approachesby Keith Edwards
• Incentivizing the Residential Curriculum by Matt Kwiatkowski
• The Challenge of Designing Apps for Programming Models and Residential Curriculum
• The Opportunities and Challenges of a Social Media Residential Curriculum

 

Publications on Developing a Residential Curriculum:

Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles:

• Lichterman, H. & Bloom, J. L. (2019). The Curricular Approach to Residential Education: Lessons for Student Affairs Practice. College Student Affairs Journal, 37(1), 54-67.
• Stauffer, C., & Kimmel, D. (2019). A framework for increasing housing and residence life staff capacity and confidence to develop and implement a residential curriculum. The Journal of College and University Student Housing, 45(3), 26-39.

About Curricular Approaches:

• Kerr, K. G., & Tweedy, J. (2006). Beyond seat time and student satisfaction: A curricular approach to residential education. About Campus, 11(5), 9-15. doi:10.1002/abc.181
• Kerr, K. G., Tweedy, J., Edwards, K. E., & Kimmel, D. (2017, March-April). Shifting to curricular approaches to learning beyond the classroom. About Campus, 22(1), 22-31. doi:10.1002/abc.21279

Reference Curricular Approaches:

• Cardone, T., Stoll Turton, E., Olson, G., & Baxter Magolda, M. (2013, November-December). Learning partnerships in practice: Orientation, leadership, and residence life. About Campus, 18(5), 2-9. doi: 10.1002/abc.21131

Contain Sub-Sections on Curricular Approaches:

• Blimling, G. S. (2015). Student learning in college residence halls: What works, what doesn’t, and why. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
• Dunkel, N. & Baumann, J. (Eds.), (2013). Campus housing management: Residence life and education. Columbus, OH: Association of College and University Housing Officers-International.

 

Research on the Curricular Approach:

Dissertation: Organizational Perspective On Implementing e Residential Curriculum Approach: An Ethnographic Case Study by Hilary L. Lichterman

Abstract: How does a college or university housing department adopt and adapt to a new curricular approach? This qualitative descriptive case study describes how one, mid-size, co-educational residence life department in the Midwestern region of the United States adopted the residential curriculum approach based on “The 10 Essential Elements of a Residential Curriculum” (The 10EERC) that are a foundational aspect of the content discussed at the ACPA – College Student Educators International’s annual Residential Curriculum Institute (RCI). Research questions for the study address changes that occurred in the residence life unit when adopting the residential curriculum approach, participants’ perceptions of positives and challenges in the transition to the approach, and how residence life staff characterize their experience of adopting the approach. Findings reflect that institutional values influence the design of educational practices and tools and that participants reported positive experiences and challenges with communication. The dichotomy in participants’ accounts reveals the opportunity for transparency and inclusion of student leaders in departmental changes. Implications may inform (1) practice in housing and residence life departments, (2) graduate preparation programs and assistantships, (3) functional units in student affairs, (4) divisions of student affairs, (5) ACPA’s RCIs, and (6) The 10EERC. A new organizational tool incorporating Bolman and Deal’s (2014) four frames is presented.

 

Videos About The Curricular Approach:

 

• PechaKucha – Claiming Our Roles As Educators: Residential Curriculum and Curricular Approaches
• Central Michigan University: The Impact of our Residential Curriculum
• University of South Florida: Residential Curriculum

 

Institute on the Curricular Approach (Residential Curriculum Institute):

• What Is and Why Attend the Residential Curriculum Institute?
• ACPA’s Residential Curriculum Institute
• Residential Curriculum Institute Canada

 

2019 Institute Social Media Recaps: Day 1, Day 2, Day 3

2018 Institute Social Media Recaps: Day 1, Day 2, Day 3

2017 Institute Social Media Recaps: Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, #ACPARCI 2017 by Erin Simpson (PDF)

2016 Institute Social Media Recaps: Day 1, Day 2, Day 3

2014 Institute Social Media Recaps: Day 1 (PDF), Day 2 (PDF), Day 3 (PDF), Reflections on the 2014 Residential Curriculum Institute by Nicolas Babarskis

2013 Institute Social Media Recaps: #ACPARCI 2013 Twitter Recap by ebeeler (PDF)

 

Past Institute Showcase Institutions:

• American University (2010)
• Appalachian State University (2017)
• Carleton University (2017, 2018)
• Central Michigan University (2017, 2018, 2019)
• Clemson University (2014, 2019)
• Colorado Mesa University (2012, 2013)
• Dartmouth College (2009)
• East Tennessee State University (2016)
• Eastern Kentucky University (2018)
• Florida International University (2019)
• Georgia Southern University (2015)
• Gettysburg College (2010, 2011)
• Indiana State University (2014, 2015, 2018, 2019)
• Indiana University Bloomington (2018)
• Lehigh University (2013, 2014, 2019) *Divisional
• Macalester College (2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2016)
• Messiah College (2011)
• New York University (2010, 2015)
• North Carolina State University (2017)
• North Dakota State University (2016, 2017, 2018, 2019)
• Northern Illinois University (2011, 2012)
• Pennsylvania State University (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015)
• Quinnipiac University (2018)
• Radford University (2018)
• St. Lawrence University (2012)
• Saint Louis University (2011, 2012, 2013)
• Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2018)
• SUNY Brockport (2011, 2013)
• SUNY Fashion Institute of Technology (2018)
• SUNY Geneseo (2019) *Divisional
• SUNY University of Buffalo (2014, 2018, 2019)
• Syracuse University (2009)
• University of Central Florida (2016, 2018, 2019)
• University of Connecticut (2017)
• University of Dayton (2012, 2015)
• University of Illinois Springfield (2019) *Divisional
• University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (2016)
• University of Iowa (2019)
• University of Kansas (2018) *Divisional
• University of Kentucky (2019)
• University fo Maryland Baltimore County (2019)
• University of Massachusetts-Amherst (2017, 2018)
• University of Minnesota (2010, 2012, 2013)
• University of Mississippi (2016)
• University of New Hampshire (2009, 2014, 2016)
• University of North Carolina School of Arts (2018) *Divisional
• University of Oklahoma (2015, 2017, 2018)
• University of South Carolina (2013, 2015, 2016)
• University of South Florida (2014, 2016, 2018, 2019)
• University of St. Thomas (2019) *Divisional
• University of Texas at Austin (2019)
• University of Utah (2018, 2019)
• Virginia Tech (2013, 2014)
• West Chester University (2019) *Divisional
• Western Washington University (2011, 2012)
• Whitman College (2009)
• Wilfrid Laurier University (2017)

 

Schools Referencing A Curriculum:

Although there are many schools implementing curricular approaches to residential and student life, detailed information on these approaches can be difficult to find online. The following is a list of schools that have references to curricular frameworks and/or planning documents (including learning goals and outcomes, strategies, lesson plans, etc.) online. Note that these are of varying quality, and although an institution may list or reference a curricular-type frame work, they may not implement a true approach in practice. The links providing the most detail are listed first. Schools with demonstrated student affairs divisional curricula are noted with an asterisk.

Most useful links:

• Clemson University (additional info: link) *Divisional
• Georgia Southern University (additional info: Handbook)
• Lehigh University (additional info: link) *Divisional
• Loyola University Chicago (additional info: Handbook)
• Miami University
• North Dakota State University (includes links to facilitation guides, educational plans, templates and workbooks)
• Salem State University (Handbook)
• Spring Hill College
• Stevenson University
• SUNY Geneseo (Handbook) *Divisional
• University at Buffalo (additional info: link)
• University of Illinois Springfield *Divisional
• University of Kansas

Additional institutions:

• Carleton University
• Carnegie Melon University
• The College of New Jersey
• College of Saint Benedict
• East Stroudsburg University
• East Tennessee State University
• Florida Atlantic University
• Georgetown College
• High Point University
• Indiana State University
• Indiana University Bloomington
• Marshall University
• Milikin University
• Mississippi State University
• Montclair State University
• Purchase College
• Quinnipiac University
• Radford University
• San Jose State University
• St. John’s University
• St. Louis University (additional info: link)
• Texas A&M – Galveston
• Texas State University
• Tulane University
• University of Alabama
• University of Alabama at Birmingham
• University of California at Berkeley
• University of Central Florida
• University of Dayton
• University of Illinois
• University of Iowa
• University of Kentucky
• University of Mary Washington
• University of Massachusetts at Amherst
• University of Massachusetts at Lowell
• University of Mississippi
• University of New Hampshire
• University of North Carolina Charlotte
• University of North Carolina Pembroke
• University of San Francisco
• University of South Carolina
• University of South Florida
• University of Tampa
• University of Texas San Antonio
• University of Washington Bothell
• Virginia Tech(additional info: link)
• West Chester University *Divisional

 

Presentations on Residential Curriculum

The following are presentations on residential curriculum that are publicly available online. The most useful links are in bold.

• How a Residential Curriculum Impacts the Residential Experience by Amanda Knerr, Ardell Sanders, and Matthew Venaas
• Utilizing Standards to Assess the Effectiveness of a Residential Education Curriculum by Hilary Lichterman, Ryan Lloyd, and Paul Gordon Brown
• Program Model vs. Curriculum Model: A Tale of Two Approaches – U university of North Texas by Lindsey Fields and Katie Kolkmeier
• Building a Residential Curriculum – University of California at Berkeley
• Residential Curriculum and Assessment: A Blueprint for Student Success – University of California Santa Barbara
• Learning Outside the Classroom – University at Buffalo
• Partnering for Success within the Residential Curriculum – University of Dayton
• Residential Curriculum – Lehigh University
• Reinventing Student Leader Training – Lehigh University by Taran Cardone, Kate Grady, Kerri Kloorfain, and Brandon Morris
• Residential Curriculum – University of South Florida
• Residential Curriculum for Leadership and Social Change – San Francisco State University
  
• Residential Curriculum – RA Learning Modules – Texas State University
• Residential Curriculum – by Kyle Smith
• Residential Curriculum for the First Year Experience – California College of the Arts
• Residential Curriculum – University of South Florida
• Residential Curriculum in Action – Northwestern Univesity

Student Leader Training and Curricular Approaches:

The following are links provide information on student leader training and curricular approaches including RA training and residential curriculum.

• Texas State University