School subject
Overview
A school subject (敎科) refers to an area or course of study in which the content taught in school education is organized according to the system of knowledge and the learner's developmental stage. In general, it denotes the subjects established in the curriculum, and they are usually taught and learned through textbooks. In South Korea, the types and contents of subjects are determined on the basis of the national curriculum, the 'General Outline of Elementary and Secondary School Curriculum'.
Main content
Concept and types of subjects
A school subject is a reconstruction of academic knowledge and experience for educational purposes. The number and content of subjects vary according to school level, and they can be broadly divided into general subjects and specialized subjects. General subjects are subjects that cultivate foundational knowledge and skills, such as Korean, mathematics, English, social studies, and science, while specialized subjects deal with knowledge and skills in specific fields. Subjects can also be classified by their nature into required subjects and elective subjects, or into common subjects and general elective/career elective subjects.
Historical development of South Korean school subjects
Before the Japanese colonial period, learning was centered on Confucian texts; after the Gabo Reform introduced a modern school system, subjects such as 'moral training, Korean, history, and geography' were established as major subjects. After liberation, influenced by the American educational system, the term 'course of study' came into use, and the curriculum was periodically revised from the 1st Curriculum (1954) to the current 2022 Revised Curriculum. In particular, the 2015 Revised Curriculum introduced a 'competency-based curriculum' emphasizing core competencies, and was followed by the 2022 Revised Curriculum, which reflected future social changes such as digital transformation and climate change.
Subject organization and system
In South Korea, the organization of subjects in elementary and secondary schools is based on the 'General Outline of Curriculum' announced by the Ministry of Education. Elementary schools include Korean, mathematics, social studies, science, practical arts, physical education, arts (music/fine arts), English, and Right Living. Middle schools include Korean, mathematics, English, social studies (including history), science, technology and home economics, physical education, arts, and moral education, along with free semester activities. High schools apply common subjects (Korean, mathematics, English, integrated social studies, integrated science, etc.) and a selection-centered curriculum, so students choose subjects according to their career paths. Under the 2022 Revised Curriculum, this was reorganized into a 'common curriculum' for all students and an 'elective curriculum' for personalized choice.
Subject curriculum and class hours
Each subject provides achievement standards and content systems in the curriculum, allocating class hours by grade and school level. For example, grades 1 and 2 of elementary school operate 448 hours for Korean and 256 hours for mathematics; middle schools allocate between 204 and 340 hours per subject. High schools use 180 credits per grade as a standard (1 credit = 50 minutes of class), which forms the basis of the high school credit system fully implemented from 2025. Class hours are also adjusted according to the results of international comparative studies such as PISA and TIMSS or to social demands.
Textbook system
Textbooks, the core medium of subject content, are generally supplied after state review and approval. In South Korea, state-authorized (government-designated), government-authorized (commercially published but state-examined), and locally approved textbooks are used in elementary and secondary schools. Starting in 2025, AI digital textbooks were introduced for mathematics, English, and informatics in grades 3 and 4 of elementary school, making edutech-based learning possible alongside paper textbooks. As a realization of the curriculum, textbooks have a significant impact on teachers' lesson design and students' learning.
Recent trends
The period 2024–2025 is a major turning point in South Korea's curriculum. The 2022 Revised Curriculum was implemented sequentially from grades 1 and 2 of elementary school and, in 2025, was expanded to grades 3 and 4, first-year middle school students, and first-year high school students. The high school credit system was fully applied to all grades from March 2025, firmly establishing a system in which students choose various subjects based on their career paths and aptitudes and earn the required credits. In addition, AI digital textbooks have been introduced in some subjects in elementary and middle schools, and the curriculum now emphasizes digital literacy, ecological transition education, and democratic citizenship education. These changes are moving in the direction of making subject boundaries more flexible, and expanding student-participatory instruction and process-based assessment.
Related topics
- [[Curriculum]]
- [[Textbook]]
- [[High school credit system]]
- [[2022 Revised Curriculum]]
- [[AI digital textbook]]