The development of external studies programs in higher education, utilizing instructional design technology, is hypothesized to require the interaction of faculty content experts and curriculum specialists in a special type of development process. A model is proposed to include: (1) delineation of individual roles, (2) specification of the variables affecting model implementation and team interaction, and (3) specification of the steps involved in implementing a structured curriculum model in the development of higher education packaged courses. Model utility and feasibility, as tested in the pilot development of external studies courses at the University of Pittsburgh, are discussed. (Author)