diff --git a/drjax/__init__.py b/drjax/__init__.py
index 95f1dbf..1cecb25 100644
--- a/drjax/__init__.py
+++ b/drjax/__init__.py
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 # limitations under the License.
 """The DrJAX package."""
 
+import collections as _collections
 import functools as _functools
 import sys as _sys
 
@@ -29,10 +30,30 @@
 
 
 @_functools.wraps(_api.drjax_program)
-def program(*, placements):
+def program(**kwargs):
+  """A decorator enabling calling the DrJAX API."""
+  try:
+    [(placement, value)] = kwargs.items()  # pylint: disable=unbalanced-dict-unpacking
+  except ValueError as e:
+    raise ValueError(
+        f'The program API expects a single keyword argument but got {kwargs=}.'
+    ) from e
   # We wrap here and send in this module as the one to be modified, as it
   # will be the one that users interact with and requires the API changes.
-  return _api.drjax_program(
-      placements=placements,
-      self_module=_sys.modules[__name__],
-  )
+  if placement == 'placements':
+    if not isinstance(value, _collections.abc.Mapping):
+      # pylint: disable=f-string-without-interpolation
+      raise ValueError(
+          f'When using the `placements` argument, value must be a mapping but'
+          f' got {{type(value)=}}. `placements` is a reserved name and not a'
+          f' validate placement name.'
+      )
+      # pylint: enable=f-string-without-interpolation
+    return _api.drjax_program(
+        placements=value, self_module=_sys.modules[__name__]
+    )
+  else:
+    return _api.drjax_program(
+        placements=kwargs,
+        self_module=_sys.modules[__name__],
+    )