What Is Curriculum as a Service (CaaS), and What Can It Do for You?

In an era of rapid technological advancements, shifting student needs, and funding constraints, universities face increasing pressure to adapt their offerings to remain competitive and relevant. Amidst these challenges, Curriculum as a Service (CaaS) has emerged as a transformative approach to addressing program expansion and student retention.

Let’s explore what CaaS is, how it works, and why working with a provider like Tiber Health could be a game-changer for your institution.

What Is Curriculum as a Service (CaaS)?

CaaS is an innovative educational delivery model where external providers design, develop, and manage specialized academic programs, courses, or components in collaboration with universities. Think of it as outsourcing elements of your curriculum to trusted experts, ensuring high-quality, up-to-date, and scalable content without overburdening internal resources.

These services can include:

CaaS providers leverage expertise in instructional design, technology integration, and industry alignment to create engaging, outcomes-focused learning experiences.

CaaS has been slowly developing over the last 15 years, empowered by growth in cloud and mobile computing. A 2017 article in eSchool News offered a description of CaaS that still largely holds true eight years on:

“CaaS combines:

How CaaS Supports Program Expansion

Traditional program development is often slow and resource intensive.  With CaaS, institutions can rapidly roll out programs for in-demand fields (such as technology, healthcare, or data science) by partnering with providers who provide pre-designed, market-ready curricula. For universities looking to scale online or hybrid offerings, CaaS can also provide fully developed courses, freeing faculty to focus on student engagement and advising rather than content creation.

Working with a CaaS provider like Tiber Health also mitigates the risks of program expansion. That’s because we’ve conducted extensive research and refinement of our curriculum over the last 10 years to support better outcomes for students. In the case of our Master of Science in Medical Sciences (MSMS), we’ve seen hundreds of graduates achieve their goals. For example:

Boosting Student Retention with CaaS

A 2024 survey about student retention by loan provider Sallie Mae looked into reasons why students left college without a credential. 42 percent of students cited motivation or life changes as an issue, while 26 percent said academic challenges drove them to leave. CaaS has the potential to support more personalized, engaging, and relevant education that helps students persist.

Our MSMS program, for instance, utilizes a flipped classroom model where students engage with course content online as well as in the classroom. Engagement statistics allow students to spend more time with concepts they’ve struggled to master and less time re-learning what they know.

Additionally, the cloud-based nature of CaaS means that when new standards or concepts arise, we can quickly push changes to the materials to keep them relevant. When students feel they’re progressing, receive personalized feedback, and see the latest ideas reflected in their courses, they’re more likely to be motivated to continue.

Another benefit of working with Tiber Health? Our proprietary, machine-learning driven student analytics suite helps your faculty members identify struggling students early and provide targeted interventions. Students can also access their USMLE Step 1 performance prediction, providing an additional motivator.

Common Concerns about CaaS

Partnering with any outside agency to deliver courses raises concerns. Key among these are issues of quality control, academic integrity, and cost management. In terms of quality control, our MSMS program aligns with the first year of pre-clinical courses taught at Ponce Health Sciences University, an LCME-accredited medical school. It’s designed to enhance your offerings, not take control of them. The goal is to allow you to retain ownership of your academic identity while leveraging our external expertise.

Finally, while there is an upfront cost, CaaS can lead to longer-term savings. Working with a CaaS provider, you can reduce internal development costs and offer high-demand programs that can lead to higher enrollments.

CaaS: Partnering for Success

As competition intensifies, universities must innovate to remain relevant and attractive to students. Curriculum as a Service providers like Tiber Health offer a strategic pathway to expand program offerings, maintain content relevance, and improve student outcomes without overextending internal resources.

By embracing CaaS, your institution can deliver urgently needed education that meets the needs of today’s learners. It's not just a service—it's a partnership in shaping the future of education.

Interested in adding a technologically advanced pre-medical master’s degree program to your offerings? We can help. Contact Tiber Health today to learn how we can help you empower your students for success in medical and professional health careers.