Abstract: Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming higher education by reshaping how knowledge is generated, accessed, and applied. Although institutions have responded through initiatives emphasizing AI literacy, digital competence, and responsible technology use, these approaches primarily address technological proficiency rather than the broader curricular implications of AI-mediated learning. This paper argues that the rapid integration of AI necessitates not only new instructional practices but also a reconsideration of curriculum theory itself. Drawing upon the historical evolution of curriculum scholarship, the paper proposes the Conscious Intelligence Curriculum Framework (CICF) as a curriculum theory for AI-mediated higher education. The framework positions Conscious Intelligence as the organizing curriculum competency through which higher education intentionally cultivates reflective awareness, discernment, metacognitive regulation, ethical reasoning, and epistemic responsibility while preserving human intellectual agency in increasingly AI-supported environments. Operationalized through four recursive curriculum processes Curriculum Reorientation, Curriculum Integration, Curriculum Enactment, and Curriculum Adaptation CICF provides a coherent approach for aligning educational philosophy, curriculum design, teaching, assessment, and continuous improvement. The framework extends established curriculum theories by reconceptualizing curriculum purpose from the transmission of disciplinary knowledge toward the intentional development of the uniquely human capacities required for responsible collaboration with intelligent technologies. As a conceptual theory, CICF establishes a foundation for future empirical research while offering curriculum scholars and higher education leaders a theoretically grounded approach for reimagining curriculum in the age of artificial intelligence.
Keywords: Artificial intelligence, curriculum theory, curriculum transformation, Conscious Intelligence, higher education, AI literacy, curriculum design.
Title: Reimagining Higher Education Curriculum in the Age of Artificial Intelligence: A Conscious Intelligence Approach
Author: Dr. David Augustine Bull
International Journal of Social Science and Humanities Research
ISSN 2348-3156 (Print), ISSN 2348-3164 (online)
Vol. 14, Issue 3, July 2026 - September 2026
Page No: 177-199
Research Publish Journals
Website: www.researchpublish.com
Published Date: 01-August-2026
