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What you didn’t learn in class: Revealing the hidden curriculum

Best Practices, Resources, Teaching, Tips

For faculty, staff, and graduate teaching assistants at NIU, understanding the hidden curriculum can make a real difference. It shapes how students connect with their learning, find academic success, and develop a sense of belonging. By identifying and illuminating these unspoken norms, we can create a more inclusive, equitable, and supportive educational environment for students.

What is “hidden curriculum”?

CCLP Doctoral students in classroom on NIU Naperville campusAs the number of first-generation college students, adult learners, transfer students, and returning students continues to grow, we need to consider how we can better support their success. While many students arrive expecting lectures, exams, and essays, they may be unaware of the hidden curriculum—the unwritten rules and invisible barriers of higher education that impact their experience. This includes implicit expectations around behavior, academic skills, and familiarity with university systems and spaces. These expectations aren’t neutral; they’re rooted in colonial educational systems that established norms based on the values and views of those in power.

How can we help students navigate the hidden curriculum?

The hidden curriculum shows up in many aspects of college life—like using the syllabus, attending office hours, or knowing how (and who) to ask for help. By being intentional and transparent in how we introduce and revisit these elements, we can help students feel more confident navigating expectations that often go unspoken.

The syllabus

  • Dr. Donna Werderich teaching Challenges: While it may be covered during the first week of class, the syllabus may not be revisited later in the semester. Students are often just expected to know how to use it and to continue to visit it throughout the course.
  • Solutions: Be transparent about the purpose of the syllabus from the beginning of the course. Revisit the syllabus beyond the first day of class to remind students that it exists as a resource and where to find it. When students ask questions that can be answered by consulting the syllabus, explain to them where they can find the information as you answer their questions.

Office hours

Two women sitting at desk with laptop on NIU Naperville Campus

  • Challenges: Unless clearly explained, students may not understand the purpose of office hours. If the office is in an unfamiliar building, it could be challenging or intimidating to find it. Students may also struggle with how to ask for help or even feel uncomfortable admitting they need it.
  • Solutions: Change the name of “office hours” to something more student-focused, like “student hours.” Explain to students where your office is located and share campus maps with them (better yet, walk them all over to your office after class if you can). Offer a variety of meeting options to encourage students to talk to you in ways that feel comfortable to them. Normalize asking for help and clarification in the classroom and explain the ways you could give additional support to students during office hours. Encourage students to attend office hours to talk more about things they aren’t being graded on.

University support and resources

  • Founders Learning Commons signChallenges: University support resources like tutoring, tech support, and equipment rentals exist to support students, but many don’t know they’re available or how to access them.
  • Solutions: Share and discuss university resources often, even if students aren’t actively asking for help. Financial barriers can be overwhelming and embarrassing to our students, but with our help, students can find out about free university resources they might not find—or even know to look for—themselves. For instance, just pointing them to the Founders Learning Commons can introduce them to valuable services like the University Writing Center, laptop rentals, accessible technology, and research assistance.

Communication

  • Challenges: Students can be unsure how to ask for help in a respectful and effective way, especially through email and messaging systems. It’s also not always clear what to call faculty—should they say “Doctor,” “Professor,” or use first names? If they address someone incorrectly, will it be held against them? This uncertainty can impede students when they want to reach out to their instructors.
  • Solutions: Clearly state the ways you want students to contact you in your syllabus, on Blackboard, and in class. Give examples of reasons why students might contact you and provide students with an example of an email a student would send to their professor. Consistently use the name you want students to use when addressing you in course materials and correspondence. In the syllabus and on the course Blackboard, clearly state what you want students to call you alongside course information. This might look like:
    • Instructor: Dr. Jamil Jacinto    Call Me: Dr. J (they/she)
    • Instructor: Sal Vidal   Call Me: Sal    Pronouns: he/him

Final thoughts

Two female presenting students holding first day of school sign in front of NIU lettersMany students face challenges in college that aren’t part of the official curriculum—but still carry real consequences. Talking openly about these hidden expectations helps students feel seen and supported, and it also helps us break down barriers that might otherwise hold them back. Transparency can show students that it’s okay not to have all the answers and encourage them to seek support when they need it. When we shed light on the hidden rules of higher ed, we give students tools they need to succeed.

Further reading

NIU Resources

Additional Resources

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3 comments

  1. Are there any mini-books or websites about the Hidden Curriculum that are written for general students anywhwere, as opposed to written by universities for their own students (containing university-specific links and branding)?

    I’m a Teaching Assistant Professor at the University of Minnesota Duluth who also serves on one of our social justice committees.

  3. This article stands out for its clarity and usefulness. The content is presented in a logical and engaging way, making it easy to understand. Thank you for your dedication to producing valuable and informative content.

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