Description

Create innovative curricular and co-curricular models that support a holistic student experience.

 

Sample Projects

  • Build connections with Lifetime Learning
    • Explore resources and programs available in the Lifetime Learning College that could be made available to enrolled students such as professional education courses
    • Explore connections for research and teaching that relates to the graduate student  
  • Explore curriculum models that expand upon the traditional models
    • Expand degree programs that offer internship tracks (this project also appears in the academic enrichment theme)
    • Increase program flexibility to increase options for practical knowledge and experiences 
    • Have courses that include development of professional competency as a core component
      • This practice is core to most professional programs (MBA, PMASE).  
      • Some programs do this through capstone courses (Analytics), specific targeted courses such as leadership (PMASE), communications (ECE), professionalization (GIS, Robotics) 
      • Examine how the undergraduate programs had to embed career competencies into their courses
    • Develop a 1-credit optional seminar focusing on building career and professional development skills for PhD students, targeting those who complete their comprehensive exam. 
      • This can be applied to OMS students (Self-faced career and professional development course) as many of them often seek career transition during or after their OMS training. 
    • Build in opportunities for Study Abroad/internship etc.
    • VIP has been an interesting success story for one kind of curricular and co-curricular innovation.
    • Facilitate novel BSMS options where the BSA and MS degrees are obtained in different schools/colleges
  • Explore creating a PhD+ curriculum from existing programs which has an additional coherent credentialed component to the PhD 
    • A goal might be to address the Georgia Tech mission “develop leaders that advance technology and improve the human condition” and include relevant supporting courses or activities 
      • This topic may be related to the project on creating a cohort-based interdisciplinary program
        • Example PhD Plus at UVA  
          • “Our goal is to enable versatile academics who are deeply engaged with society’s needs to become influential professionals in every sector and field.”
  • Create co-curricular activities that expand access to training programs for professional skills like leadership, data science, collaboration, networking, conflict resolution, and mentoring programs
    • For example, the MSEEM program has had a leadership retreat before the Semester; a “sustainability problem solving night” that brings companies to campus and engages them with students; the Drawdown Georgia Business Compact has worked with students and connected them with area companies committed to reducing carbon emissions... etc.
  • Create and promote micro-credentials  
    • Create and track credentials that can be transcripted and that show skills and knowledge beneficial to career advancement. Micro-credentialing and certificates might reach across professional education and traditional educational learning
    • Graduate Minors is a new type of credential that can be used to expand a student’s knowledge to topics outside of their discipline –such as entrepreneurship or analytics. 
  • Create a cohort-based interdisciplinary program between PhD students (may relate to the PhD+ project) 
    • A model can be the Knight-Hennessy Scholars program that develops leaders and facilitates interdisciplinary collaborations. Example implementations: 
      • A semester or year-long program where PhD students meet regularly (1x/month) in smaller groups of similar interest to present research or work on a challenge problem. This may be a way for them to see a link to their interests and possibly develop some joint research. Provide some professional development to the cohort (like leadership).
      • Offer a required “Jan-term” type of option that is week-long with high quality interdisciplinary options.  This could be tied to the courses outside the discipline that Ph. D. students are required to take and be offered for credit as a part of the curriculum.  Given the time constraints that Ph. D. students face, this may be an alternate way to enhance interdisciplinary perspectives and knowledge in the Ph. D.  curriculum.
  • Explore the role of AI  
    • What is AI literacy? How do we use AI ethically?  
    • Explore efficient and ethical ways to use AI in research, in courses, and in professional settings
  • Consider more flexible types of programs 
    • A practice done elsewhere (e.g. Harvard Extension School) is to have a wider range of delivery methods beyond “online” and “in person”. For example, some programs allow a mix of online and in-person learning. Or Executive education style where you’re online but then have a weekend or two in person or other in-person touch points. 
  • Provide programming and opportunities to OMS students 
    • Extend professional and career development opportunities to OMS students.
    • Providing access to research experiences for OMS students interested in PhD programs and academic careers