Content update: Upcoming major changes to World History course (combined with OER Project World History) and new Career Exploration course

This summer, Khan Academy is introducing a new World History course and a new Career Exploration course designed to help students better understand the world around them and explore future pathways with confidence.

Both courses are part of Khan Academy’s 2026 back-to-school content rollout and will launch in late June.

You can view the full Back to School 2026 course overview here.

A new World History course experience

We’ve launched a newly redesigned World History course that combines OER Project’s comprehensive curriculum with Khan Academy’s videos, articles, and mastery-based practice into one cohesive learning experience.

Please note: 

• The previous World History and OER Project World History courses have been combined into a single course experience
• The separate OER Project World History course will no longer appear as a standalone course
• Previously completed work and accomplishments will not be removed

As a result of these changes, the World History course will look significantly different than it has in the past!

Mastery Impact

With these big changes, users may experience changes to course mastery percentages as exercises are introduced and/or removed. Considering these changes, users can expect up to a max mastery decrease of 83%.

This article will be updated with more specific information about mastery percentage changes once it becomes available.

Highlights from the updated course

The updated course spans 250,000 years of human history across 9 mastery-enabled units and places a stronger emphasis on historical thinking, inquiry, and evidence-based reasoning. The updated course also introduces several improvements for students and teachers

Students will experience:

• a more cohesive world history journey from early human migrations to the modern world
• opportunities to analyze primary and secondary sources across cultures and time periods
• skill-building activities focused on causation, change over time, and historical interpretation
• engaging videos, articles, and mastery-enabled practice throughout the course

Teachers may also notice:

• stronger alignment across lessons and activities
• integrated teacher resources throughout each unit
• Writing Coach assignments that support historical argument writing and evidence-based reasoning

Introducing the new Career Exploration course

Alongside these World History updates, we’re also introducing a new Career Exploration course designed to help students explore careers, industries, and educational pathways through real-world professional perspectives.

Through structured video interviews and guided reflection activities, students can learn directly from professionals working in a wide range of fields.

Students and families can use the course to:

• explore careers before committing to a pathway or major
• better understand day-to-day work across different industries
• build confidence talking about future goals and opportunities
• connect classroom learning to real-world careers and skills

Educators may also find the course useful as a structured way to introduce students to a broad range of professions and career pathways without relying solely on guest speakers or local networks.

Why are these changes being made?

These new courses are designed to give students richer, more engaging opportunities to build both academic knowledge and real-world understanding.

Whether students are analyzing historical evidence or exploring future careers, both courses are intended to help learners:

• think critically
• ask better questions
• build confidence in understanding complex topics and pathways
• connect learning to the broader world around them

We’ll continue sharing more details as these courses approach release.

If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment or reach out.