Curriculum, pensum or study plan? What these degree terms mean
Updated on 2026-09-11 · Read 6 min
Curriculum, pensum, study plan, degree map, course catalog… they all describe the same thing: the set of courses in your degree. But the name changes depending on the country and the university, and searching with the right term saves you time. Here is the complete glossary and what each one means.
The meaning all these terms share
In every case we are talking about the official academic plan of a degree: the courses you must take and pass, organized by semesters, cycles or levels, with their credits and prerequisites.
The difference is rarely about substance: it is local vocabulary. If you are looking for your program's plan, use the term that appears in your university's documents.
How it is called in each region
- United States: degree plan, degree audit, curriculum or course catalog
- United Kingdom: programme structure or course structure
- Colombia and several Latin American countries: pensum
- Chile and Peru: malla curricular (curriculum map)
- Mexico: plan de estudios, retícula or mapa curricular
- Spain: plan de estudios (study plan)
Degree plan: the generic term in English
'Degree plan' is the neutral English term that covers all of them: the complete structure of your program with courses and levels. It is useful when you search for information without a specific country in mind, because search engines relate it to curriculum, study plan and course roadmap alike.
Differences that actually matter
- Pensum usually refers to the official document; the curriculum map is its visual representation
- A study plan can also include the graduate profile and learning outcomes
- A degree audit tracks what you have completed versus what is pending
- Course catalog emphasizes the description of each individual course
Why it pays to digitize it, whatever you call it
Whether it is a curriculum, a pensum or a study plan, the problem is the same: a static document that does not tell you which semester you are in or how much is left.
In Mi Malla you can upload the PDF or a photo of the document and it becomes an interactive plan with automatic progress, prerequisites and credit calculations. It works the same for universities in Latin America, the United States and Spain.
Frequently asked questions
Are curriculum and pensum the same?
In practice yes: both describe the courses in your degree by semester or level. Strictly speaking, the pensum is the official document and the curriculum map is its visual representation.
What is a degree plan?
It is the generic English term for the complete structure of your program: all courses organized by semester or level, with credits and prerequisites. It is used when the local name does not matter.
What is the difference between a study plan and a curriculum?
A study plan usually includes the full academic program with learning outcomes; a curriculum focuses on the list of courses and their sequence. In everyday use they are interchangeable.
Does Mi Malla work with my country's study plan?
Yes. Mi Malla works for any university: you can create your plan manually or import it from the PDF or a photo of your program's official document.
Put it into practice with Mi Malla
Import your study plan, calculate your average and manage your studies. Free.
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