Abstract

Curriculum representation is an important concern within higher education, yet less empirical attention has been given to how students perceive racial and cultural representation within their curricula and how these perceptions intersect with experiences of recognition and belonging. Drawing on survey responses from 108 students across multiple disciplines at a post-92 university in England, this exploratory study combines descriptive analysis with reflexive thematic analysis of open-ended responses. Findings identify differences in perceptions of curriculum representation and belonging and illustrate how some students connect curricular visibility and omission with recognition within disciplinary contexts. The study does not establish a causal relationship between representation and belonging; rather, it identifies an under-examined intersection requiring further qualitative investigation. It contributes to curriculum scholarship by foregrounding students’ interpretations of representation as part of their encounters with disciplinary knowledge and participation.