Will It Bloom This Year: HEC Curriculum 2025 for English and Higher Order Learning Outcomes

Abstract

This article reviews the 2025 HEC curriculum for BS English Language and Literature and evaluates its curriculum objectives in the light of higher order learning outcomes recommended by Bloom's taxonomy and its revision by Anderson and Krathwohl. The assessment shows that the new curriculum fails to align its objectives and outcomes to emerging realities of declining student interest in this degree, unemployment scores of BS graduates, and needs of employers outside the walls of the academia. Using standards methods of curriculum assessment, and delving deep into the course contents, teaching objectives, and student learning outcomes, the study identifies the shortcomings of the new HEC curriculum vis-a-vis the requirements of standard models. It finally establishes its argument by comparing HEC curriculum objectives & outcomes with the key learning outcomes for English literature programs developed and recommended by Saudi Arabia’s Education and Training Evaluation Commission in 2024. The study offers recommendations as to what needs to be done to overcome the shortcomings.