A class above the rest: the hidden curriculum of work in higher education

Abstract

This study examines curriculum and pedagogy in three academic programs – regular, all-college honors, and core honors – at a private liberal arts college. The purpose of this research is to evaluate evidence of distinct academic ‘tracks’ within an institution of higher education. Qualitative methodology grounded in social class analysis reveal differences in curricula, classroom tasks, and interaction among the three programs. The authors suggest that there is a ‘hidden curriculum’ in college work that has implications for the theory and practice of everyday activity in higher education.