Strategic Plan

Goal 2: A 21st-Century Curriculum

21st Century Curriculum Student Image
Photo: Jacob Boll '12

Our demanding interdisciplinary curriculum blends the best of creative and media arts, liberal arts and business. Technological and entrepreneurial skills are also essential to ensure our students are prepared for creative practice, employment, and citizenship in the 21st century. Our challenge is to thoroughly assess content, examine all programs and making necessary changes and new investments so our programs align with our mission, have real-world relevance, and equip students with transferable knowledge and skills.

During the 2015-16 academic year, the college focused its resources on developing the foundation for a new, 21st-century curriculum through the following initiatives:

1) The foundation of Columbia’s new curriculum began with the creation of Universal Learning Outcomes this year. The ULOs were developed by a 14-member committee of faculty, staff and students. They present a new set of guidelines for curriculum changes that will guarantee every Columbia graduate is work-ready in a contemporary, global and technologically dynamic culture. Each department will adjust their own curriculum to ensure it is meeting ULO standards, and will begin implementation in the Fall 2017 semester after a rigorous review process.

2) An exciting, new First Semester Experience (“Big Chicago”) was launched this year to provide incoming students with an immersive focus on Chicago. The new seminar challenges students to understand the city both intellectually and experientially, and gives students the opportunity to network and interact “in-the-field,” which are all at the core of this introductory seminar.

The expertise of faculty members and academic leadership are at the core of building a new curriculum. This year, the college invested in promoting outstanding faculty members into new leadership roles and recruiting externally; supporting the launch of new interdisciplinary programs; and creating new offices (such as Digital Learning, and Continuing and Community Education) that will support 21st-century learning at Columbia.

To learn more about our impressive faculty, academic leaders and more:

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