Difference Between Syllabus and Curriculum

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When it comes to education, the two concepts which pop up in our mind which are commonly misconstrued are syllabus and curriculum. Syllabus connotes the subjects as well as the topics covered in the course of study. On the other hand, curriculum implies the chapters and academic content taught in school or college. It alludes to the knowledge, skills and competencies students should learn during study.

The fundamental difference between syllabus and curriculum is that the former is focused towards a particular subject. Unlike, the latter, which is related to the all-round development of a student. Similarly, there are other differences between these two, that are discussed in the article provided below, take a read.

Comparison Chart

Basis for Comparison	Syllabus	Curriculum
Meaning	Syllabus is the document that contains all the portion of the concepts covered in a subject.	Curriculum is the overall content, taught in an educational system or a course.
Origin	Syllabus is a Greek term.	Curriculum is a Latin term.
Set for	A subject	A course
Nature	Descriptive	Prescriptive
Scope	Narrow	Wide
Set out by	Exam board	Government or the administration of school, college or institute.
Term	For a fixed term, normally a year.	Till the course lasts.
Uniformity	Varies from teacher to teacher.	Same for all teachers.

Definition of Syllabus

The syllabus is defined as the documents that consist of topics or portion covered in a particular subject. It is determined by the examination board and created by the professors. The professors are responsible for the quality of the course. It is made available to the students by the teachers, either in hard copy or electronic form to bring their attention towards the subject and take their study seriously.

A syllabus is considered as a guide to the in charge as well as to the students. It helps the students to know about the subject in detail, why it is a part of their course of study, what are the expectations from students, consequences of failure, etc. It contains general rules, policies, instructions, topics covered, assignments, projects, test dates, and so on.

Definition of Curriculum

The curriculum is defined as the guideline of the chapters and academic content covered by an educational system while undergoing a particular course or program.

In a theoretical sense, curriculum refers to what is offered by the school or college. However, practically it has a wider scope which covers the knowledge, attitude, behaviour, manner, performance and skills that are imparted or inculcated in a student. It contains the teaching methods, lessons, assignments, physical and mental exercises, activities, projects, study material, tutorials, presentations, assessments, test series, learning objectives, and so on.

The curriculum is well planned, guided and designed by the government or the educational institution. It is aimed at both physical and mental development of a student. It is the overall learning experience that a student goes through during the particular course of study.

Key Differences Between Syllabus and Curriculum

The basic differences between syllabus and curriculum are explained in the point given below:

The syllabus is described as the summary of the topics covered or units to be taught in the particular subject. Curriculum refers to the overall content, taught in an educational system or a course.
Syllabus varies from teacher to teacher while the curriculum is same for all teachers.
The term syllabus is a Greek origin, whereas the term curriculum is a Latin origin.
The curriculum has a wider scope than the syllabus.
The syllabus is provided to the students by the teachers so that they can take an interest in the subject. On the other hand, normally the curriculum is not made available to the students unless specifically asked for.
Syllabus is descriptive in nature, but the curriculum is prescriptive.
Syllabus is set for a particular subject. Unlike curriculum, which covers a particular course of study or a program.
Syllabus is prepared by teachers. Conversely, a curriculum is decided by the government or the school or college administration.
The duration of a syllabus is for a year only, but curriculum lasts till the completion of the course.

Conclusion

Curriculum and Syllabus are the terms of education, imparted to the students by teachers. It means the knowledge, skills or qualifications that are passed on from one generation to another. A subject syllabus is a unit of the curriculum. The two terms differ in a sense that curriculum is a combination of some factors which helps in the planning of an educational program, whereas a syllabus covers the portion of what topics should be taught in a particular subject.