It’s Not in the Syllabus: Revealing the Hidden Curriculum that Fosters Student Success

October 22, 2026 | 12:00 p.m. EST - 1:15 p.m. EST | $425

In this webinar, explore what students don’t know about the rules and expectations of college, such as how the bursar or office hours work, and how to make that hidden curriculum explicit to support student success.

Why is This Topic Important?

The hidden curriculum is made up of the unspoken rules and expectations of the college culture that we so often don’t share with new students. Without explicit instruction, many students have difficulty meeting these invisible expectations, negatively impacting their academic performance and lowering their confidence (Winkelmes, Mary-Anne, et al., 2016). The hidden curriculum can also make lower students’ sense of belonging, causing them to feel lonely and isolated (Aubrecht, Katie, 2019; Billings, Martha E. et al., 2011).

Academic advisors, student sucess staff and faculty require best practices and concrete strategies to make the hidden curriculum explicit, ensuring students have the information, tools and resources to succeed.

Who Should Attend?

This program is ideal for higher education professionals who are looking to better support students, especially:

• Academic Advisors

• Faculty

• Academic Affairs Leadership

• Student Success Staff

• TRIO and Student Support Services Staff

Overview

Every institution runs on unwritten rules—what office hours "really" mean, how to speak up in a meeting, what counts as "professional." For students, especially first-generation and historically marginalized students, decoding these unspoken norms can be the difference between thriving and just surviving. This interactive session helps faculty and staff spot the hidden curriculum in their own courses, advising, and daily interactions—and gives them practical tools to make the implicit explicit. Participants will leave with a better understanding of how to reveal the hidden curriculum so students can succeed on their own terms. This interactive webinar will help attendees:

• Define the hidden curriculum: the norms, values, and expectations that are taught implicitly rather than stated outright.

• Discuss why uncovering the hidden curriculum matters.

• Ground the conversation in research with consideration for equity gaps, first-generation student experience and sense of belonging.

• Consider where hidden curriculum shows up and how to make it explicit with success strategies.

• Explore a practical toolkit to explicitly teach this curriculum, including addressing syllabus language, advising scripts, "permission-giving" statements, transparent grading/assignment design, explicit on-boarding for staff processes, etc.

Pricing and Webinar Connection Information

Live Webinar Site Connection and On-Demand Recording    $425

Includes:

• 5 connections for staff members from your institution with each registration

• Connection information sent one week prior to the event and again the day before the event. Any questions can be emailed to the program contact at the bottom of this web page.

• An electronic link containing a recording of the webinar and resources emailed to you within 7 business days following the live webinar date (active for 30 days). The link can be shared with your entire staff to view the recording.

• Follow-up resources to help you implement your learning.

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