Programs of Study in Minnesota
What is a Program of Study
A program of Study is a set of aligned programs and curricula that begin at the high school level and continue through college and university certificate, diploma and degree programs.
Career Fields: the organizing structure for the 16 career clusters and 81 pathways. The six career fields represent the broadest aggregation of careers. Students are normally exposed to career field exploration in middle school and early high school.
Career Clusters: group of occupations and broad industries into a national classification of 16 clusters which are based upon common knowledge and skills. Career clusters include hundreds of occupations which are grouped into pathways around which educational programs of study can be built.
Career Pathways: represent an organization of related occupational areas within a specific career cluster. Each of these pathways has identified essential industry validated knowledge and skills which provide foundational information for development and revision of programs and programs of study. Once programs of study are developed, learners at various levels (high school, college, or at the workforce training level) will then be able to choose from several individual programs within a program of study in order to attain the specific knowledge, skills and abilities and pursue a career of their choice.
