Overview
the Director of Curriculum leads the design, development, review, implementation, and continuous improvement of nursing curriculum across all Herzing University prelicensure nursing programs. The Director ensures that curriculum is academically rigorous, aligned with accreditation standards, reflective of current nursing practice and evidence, and consistently implemented across all delivery modalities.
The Director of Curriculum provides direct supervision to assigned personnel, to support faculty driven curriculum and assessment at Herzing University. The Director coordinates curriculum strategy, ensures consistent implementation across programs, and maintains a consistent and continuous communication strategy with all stakeholders to advance faculty ownership of prelicensure nursing curriculum and assessment.
REQUIREMENTS
- An earned doctorate (DNP, DNE, or PhD).
- Active, unencumbered Registered Nurse (RN) licensure in the state of primary employment, with eligibility for licensure in additional states as required.
- Minimum of five (5) years of professional nursing practice experience.
- Minimum of three (3) years of experience in nursing education, curriculum development, or academic program leadership at the post-secondary level in a programmatically accredited prelicensure nursing program.
- Experience supervising or providing direction to curriculum or academic program staff preferred.
- Experience supporting or leading an accreditation self-study or site visit preferred.
- Experience with online nursing program curriculum design and the instructional design considerations specific to online delivery preferred.
The salary range for this position is $127,500 to $172,500.
RESPONSIBILITIES
Oversight of Curricular Operations
- Directly supervise the Associate Director of PN Curriculum, Associate Director of ASN/BSN Curriculum, and Associate Director of MSNDE Curriculum, providing clear direction, performance expectations, and professional development.
- Set curriculum strategy for each program track and hold Associate Directors accountable for translating that strategy into consistent implementation across all delivery sites and modalities.
- Establish and maintain structured communication rhythms with Associate Directors to monitor curriculum implementation progress, surface issues, and ensure alignment across program tracks.
- Conduct regular performance evaluations for direct reports, providing constructive feedback that supports growth and development.
- Ensure communication aligns with execution of faculty recommendations and evaluation of curriculum performance.
- Collaboratively develop, review, and update policies and procedures governing curriculum development, review, and implementation across prelicensure nursing programs.
- Align with the AVP of Instructional Design and Delivery on course development structure, timelines, and quality assurance processes to meet desired outcomes.
- Align with the AVP of Instructional Design and Delivery on processes and timelines associated with exam proctoring to support successful execution and accountability measures.
- Collaborate with the Director of Simulation and Lab on the development and placement of simulated learning experiences within the curriculum.
- Ensure that curriculum policies and procedures align with the university's mission, vision, and operations.
- Collaborate with the VP of Academic Operations to ensure curriculum requirements are reflected in resource planning including faculty time, facilities, equipment, and technology.
- Represent Herzing University nursing curriculum with external partners, accrediting bodies, and advisory groups on curriculum-related matters.
- Oversee work with curriculum advisory committees, including industry experts, alumni, and community representatives, to gather insights and recommendations for curriculum development.
- Ensure student feedback is incorporated in curriculum development and revision processes through Associate Directors.
- Develop and maintain relationships with professional organizations and instructional design partners to keep the curriculum responsive to external demands.
Design, Development, and Sustainability of Prelicensure Nursing Curriculum
- Establish the strategic direction for prelicensure nursing curriculum, ensuring alignment with HLC, ACEN, or CCNE accreditation standards, state board of nursing requirements, and current evidence-based nursing practice.
- Provide leadership to ensure curriculum across all delivery modalities reflects a consistent academic standard and equivalent learning outcomes.
- Oversee the development and maintenance of curriculum maps, course sequencing frameworks, and program learning outcome structures for all prelicensure nursing programs.
- Chair with the Nursing Curriculum Committee, which serves as the forum for nursing curriculum decisions across all programs.
- Collaborate with the Director of Clinical Education, Prelicensure Nursing to ensure clinical curriculum integration aligns with placement capacity, preceptor competency, course learning objectives, and clinical hour requirements.
- Collaborate with the Director of Lab and Simulation, Prelicensure Nursing to ensure that learning experiences satisfy program and course learning objectives, reinforce concepts introduced in the didactic portion of courses, and prepare students to successfully practice and apply clinical skills in a hands-on setting.
- Ensure proper curriculum scaffolding amongst courses and modalities of delivery (didactic, lab, clinical) for a cohesive, high-quality student learning experience.
- Stay current with shifts in regulatory requirements, technologies, and evidence-based practices in nursing education and direct the integration of relevant advances into curriculum design.
Oversight of Prelicensure Nursing Curriculum, Assessment, and Continuous Improvement
- Direct systematic, evidence-based curriculum assessment cycles across all prelicensure nursing programs on a schedule aligned with University Annual Program Review and Comprehensive Program Review cycles and accreditation requirements.
- Analyze NCLEX pass rate data, NCSBN and Mountain Measure data, program completion data, employer feedback, and graduate outcomes to identify curriculum gaps and direct continuous improvement strategy.
- Ensure curriculum design supports early identification of and intervention for at-risk students.
- Oversee collaboration with the Student Learning Data Analyst to review prelicensure nursing performance at the exam, course, and program level and ensure findings are translated into curriculum action.
- Review semesterly feedback from student and faculty end-of-course surveys and direct recommendations for curriculum improvement to the appropriate Associate Director.
- Direct and maintain a curriculum change management process that documents all changes, obtains appropriate approvals, and communicates updates to faculty and chairs in a timely and organized manner.
- Review feedback from clinical partners to ensure that the curriculum prepares students for the realities of clinical practice and meets the needs of the healthcare community.
Accreditation and Regulatory Alignment
- Serve as the subject matter expert on curriculum-related accreditation standards and direct ongoing compliance across all programs.
- Direct preparation for accreditation self-studies, site visits, and ongoing reporting by ensuring curriculum documentation, evidence, and analysis are maintained and audit-ready, under the guidance of the Academic Compliance team.
- Maintain current knowledge of state board of nursing rules across all jurisdictions in which Herzing University operates and ensure curriculum meets or exceeds those requirements.
- Ensure curriculum documentation (syllabi, course guides, competency maps) meets accreditation evidence requirements and is maintained in an organized and audit-ready state.
- Monitor regulatory and accreditation changes that have curriculum implications and lead proactive curriculum adjustments.
- Provide regular reporting on curriculum compliance status and accreditation evidence readiness to the Dean of Prelicensure Nursing.
Physical Requirements
- Must be able to remain in a stationary position 75% of the time.
- Must be able to occasionally move around the work location.
- Constantly operates office and/or teach equipment which may include computers, copiers, fax machines, audio/visuals.
- Frequently uses voice and hearing to communicate with students, staff or colleagues face-to-face or over the telephone.
- Visually or otherwise identify, observe and assess.
- Occasionally move, carry, or lift 10 pounds.
- Must be able to travel up to 15% of time for meetings with stakeholders.