Despite rapid growth of quantum information science and engineering
(QIS/QISE) workforce development initiatives, perceived lack of agreement among
faculty on core content has made prior research-based curriculum and assessment
development initiatives difficult to scale. To identify areas if consensus on
content coverage, we report findings from a survey of N=63 instructors teaching
introductory QISE courses at US institutions of higher learning. We identify a
subset of content items common across a large fraction (>=80%) of introductory
QISE courses that are potentially amenable to research-based curriculum
development, with an emphasis on foundational skills in mathematics, physics,
and engineering. As a further guide for curriculum development, we also examine
differences in content coverage by level (undergraduate/graduate) and
discipline. Finally, we briefly discuss the implications of our findings for
the development of a research-based QISE assessment at the postsecondary level.Comment: Submitted to EPJ Quantum Technology, special section on quantum
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