| Summary/Abstract |
The intricate nature of curriculum construction is not always apparent to academics especially those who have not studied in the area of education. This article addresses the issue of curriculum construction or design in the field of international relations. Specifically, we discuss issues of constructive alignment, disciplinary knowledge structure, and cognitive load – issues we found most generative in the process of redesigning the undergraduate international relations curriculum at the University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa. Reflections by staff members provided here suggest that we have been successful in creating environments conducive for learning. However, extraneous factors hindered us from fully realizing our objectives; the resolution of the socio-political problems that create such extraneous factors is beyond the ability of curriculum design. We argue that the contribution of curriculum design lies in a reflective educational response to societal needs based on sound pedagogical theory.
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