MADMartial Arts Definitions

Program and Curriculum in Martial Arts

This page has been updated

This page originally discussed martial arts programs and martial arts curriculum together. The MAD Project now treats them as two distinct but related concepts, each with its own dedicated term page.

For the current definitions, use these pages:

A program is the organized learning container. A curriculum is the instructional content and structure taught inside that container.

Relationship Between Program and Curriculum

Programs and curricula are closely connected, but they answer different questions.

A program defines the organized learning pathway: who it is for, how it is delivered, and what purpose it serves.

A curriculum defines what is taught: the skills, concepts, standards, methods, and progression used inside that pathway.