SIAT UCC Concentration Process
UCC Concentration Proposal
Please close laptops. I will aim to keep this brief.
How did we get here?
(brief)
Surveys and interviews
From faculty 1-on-1s, alumni and undergraduate surveys some key takeaways:
- Keeping breadth
- Enabling more depth
- Better balance of required and electives
- How to 'maintain' a modern curriculum?
External review
While much more depth in the document (linked above), in summary:
- Consider how curriculum can help students 'critically dismantle' their existing consumption of media and design.
- Consider alternative frameworks for the program that address Ethics, Computation and (digital) Experiences.
- Introduce more flexibility and ability for students to engage in low-risk exploration and experimentation.
Action Plan
Our action plan (linked above) indicates we will:
- Establish principles for creating, maintaining, and eliminating concentrations from the curriculum in a more flexible manner.
- Define a transition process from the current curriculum to the new structure.
- Implement changes to the curriculum structure by defining new concentrations, revising existing courses, and creating new ones.
Process proposal
What is the timeline?
Concentrations for Fall 2024 are due this September 2023 (wave 1), while concentrations for Fall 2025 are due in May 2024 (wave 2).
Timeline
July 2023
July 11, 10-11am: Concentration drop-in session
July 26, 1-2pm: Concentration peer review session
Timeline
September 2023
September 15: Concentration proposals due (for Fall 2024)
Timeline
October 2023
October 4: School concentration retreat (for Fall 2024 concentrations)
October 25 (tentative): School meeting
Timeline
January 2024
January 19 (approx): SCUS material deadline for Fall 2024 curricular changes
Timeline
May 2024
May 10 (tentative): Concentration proposals due (for Fall 2025 concentrations)
Timeline
June 2024
June 12 (tentative): School curricular retreat (for Fall 2025 concentrations)
How do I propose a concentration?
Proposal requirements
- A faculty cluster — minimum 1 teaching and 2 research faculty.
- Concentration learning outcomes — 5-8 outcomes for establshing links between courses.
- Concentration courses — minimum 2 existing (with revisions) and maximum 1 new course.
- Infrastructure needs — what are current and prospective infrastructure requirements?
- Concentration descriptions — both for the calendar and for internal SIAT use.
Thinking of proposing?
Please get in touch! I want to support you through the process as much as possible.
You may open laptops again
Motion
Motion that the proposal for SIAT Undergraduate Curriculum Structure & Lifecycle Process be accepted as SIAT's process for concentration revision and curriculum renewal.
Concentration Drop-in
(online)
July 11 from 10-11am on Zoom. Will be in your calendars later today.