DO MORE IN FOUR: A NEW ERA AT THE COLLEGE OF IDAHO
ANDREW GADES, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR AND INTERIM DEAN OF THE UNDERGRADUATE COLLEGE, WITH CHRISTINE SCHUTZ, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR AND CHAIR OF THE UNDERGRADUATE CURRICULUM COUNCIL, AND NICOLE CAMMANN ‘14, ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT OF ACADEMIC SUPPORT, RESPOND TO QUESTIONS ABOUT THE NEW CURRICULUM AND DISCUSS HOW THESE CHANGES BETTER PREPARE STUDENTS FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE.
As The College of Idaho has consistently done throughout its history, it has once again reassessed its curriculum, continuing its tradition of innovation and commitment to nurturing critical thinking, creativity, and civic engagement – hallmarks of a liberal arts education. This fall, the College unveils its new curriculum, which incorporates the following five innovations unique to the State of Idaho.
4 COURSES – The new curriculum is constructed of fewer, deeper,
and richer courses. Every other college/university in Idaho requires
students to take five courses each semester, roughly 42 courses
altogether, to achieve the 124 credits required to earn a bachelor’s
degree. The College’s courses count for more—four credits rather
than three—so students need take only four courses each semester,
and only 31 courses are needed to reach graduation. At the College,
students are able to dwell on their learning without rushing to the
next class as often as other schools require.
FOCUSED FRIDAYS – The efficiency of the College’s new curriculum
means that all of its courses can fit into a four-day school week,
leaving Fridays filled with opportunities ranging from practicing
music, foreign language, and art; to working on collaborative research
projects or on projects with classmates; to decreasing the financial
burden of college through work-study or off-campus positions; to
competing in athletics; to preparing for a post-graduate position
through internships, research, or job shadowing.
COYOTE CORE – Studying at the College is about more than just
a student’s major, and therefore with its Coyote Core requirements,
the new curriculum embraces the liberal arts tradition of exploring
diverse disciplines. Students will participate in a first-year seminar
and a civilization course as part of a learning community as well
as take courses focused on creative expression, human behavior,
scientific reasoning, and quantitative analysis. Additionally, through
its “Career, Calling & Community” requirement, students will apply
academic skills in real-world contexts through internships, study
abroad, research, applied learning, and community engagement.
CAREER SECTORS – The new curriculum also provides unrivaled
clarity for career paths. In contrast to conventional academic
domains—humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, fine arts,
performing arts, and so forth—the College’s new curriculum is
aligned with four meaningful career sectors: Health & Scientific
Research Sector; Law, Policy & the Public Sector; Creative Sector; and
Business & Technology Sector. As freshmen, most students do not
know for certain what career they will seek after graduation, and
they often know even less about the careers associated with specific
majors. The College’s new curriculum orients students toward
general career domains, maximizing flexibility of choice while still
advancing students toward the area of their greatest career interest.
3+1 DEGREES – The College’s new curriculum provides opportunity
for students to earn a master’s degree alongside their bachelor’s
degree, requiring only a capstone summer session to complete the
last remaining graduate coursework. Even better, students complete
the majority of graduate coursework during their four years of
undergraduate study and pay no additional tuition during this time.
HOW IS THE NEW CURRICULUM AN IMPROVEMENT OVER PEAK?
The PEAK curriculum required that all students complete a major and three minors. The obligation to complete these four structured programs required students to commit to their academic pathway early and left little room to explore. The new curriculum provides much more flexibility for students to take classes simply because they are interested and not only due to requirements. It also provides more options within the curriculum. PEAK students could only earn a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree, whereas under the new curriculum students can earn either a B.A. or a Bachelor of Science, shifting the type of coursework they complete based on their needs. In addition, the new curriculum is stocked with roughly 20 certificates, typically requiring only three courses for completion, and these show skills and achievement that students earn along the way. And, of course, students can still complete minors—but only if they choose. “Our new curriculum builds on PEAK’s goal of connecting liberal arts with career prep but adds more flexibility. Students can now choose between a B.A. or B.S., add minors or pre-professional tracks, and earn skill-based certificates in areas like Python, Spanish, and ethics,” says Schutz. “These changes respond to student demand for more personalized and career-relevant options.”
WHAT PRECIPITATED THE NEED TO REVISE THE CURRICULUM?
PEAK was a solid curriculum that offered students breadth and depth. However, it was complicated and difficult to complete, particularly for transfer students. “Our new curriculum simplifies graduation for transfer students by applying transfer credits more clearly and eliminating the PEAK model’s complex minor requirements,” says Gades. Moreover, under PEAK, career pathways were not always clear. Students were required to complete a full academic program in Humanities & Fine Arts, Social Sciences & History, Natural Sciences & Mathematics, and Professional Foundations & Enhancements. “These categories and their justification were not always clear to students,” says Gades. “We felt we owed them a more functional grouping aligned with career fields.”
WHAT PROCESS WAS FOLLOWED THAT LED TO THIS CHANGE?
PEAK underwent major reform in 2019, which helped with some of the issues described above but left others intact." Interest in a radically new approach grew in the wake of that reform and ‘peaked’ in 2023 with a report from a faculty working group,” says Gades. On the heels of that report, the College’s Board of Trustees chartered a task force to review strategic considerations and ultimately requested that the faculty address the issues directly. Student input was sought and taken into account, although the faculty had (and still have) sole authority to propose, deliberate upon, and ultimately endorse any specific curricular changes. “The new curriculum is the product of a period of intense work by the entire faculty,” says Schutz.
WHY SHIFT TO FOUR 4-CREDIT COURSES PER TERM?
The decision was based on student workload data and peer comparisons. It helps ensure students stay healthy, encountering less busyness for busyness sake, and have an opportunity for reflection and absorption of and deep engagement with course material. “Our students were doing significantly more academic work than peers,” says Gades. “The four-course model acknowledges that effort, reduces burnout risk, and aligns us with top-ranking liberal arts colleges and universities
across the country.”
HOW DOES A 4-DAY WEEK AFFECT CAMPUS? WILL STUDENTS SPEND MORE
TIME IN CLASS DURING THOSE FOUR DAYS?
With the exception of teaching courses, all offices are open five days a week, and faculty and staff will be conducting business as usual throughout the week. Regarding class sessions, it is neither the case that classes will last longer or that class time will be cut. Rather, survey data demonstrates that College of Idaho students spend more time working on academics outside of class than students at other colleges/universities. “The combination of time in class and working on class material outside of class determines the amount of credit students earn in a course,” says Cammann “We have known for some time that our students were not receiving full credit for their extra effort.” The adjustment in the amount of credit earned in each of the College’s courses means fewer courses each week, each semester, and each year, and that increased efficiency means that it is possible for all students to take all classes in one fewer days each week. As a result, Fridays are available for all manner of co-curriculars, personal development, work, and enhancements. “Fridays give students flexible time to focus on what matters to them—academic support, community-engaged learning, outdoor programs, career prep, or simply rest,” says Schutz. “It’s a chance to catch up, explore interests, or participate in off-campus opportunities.
CAN CURRENT STUDENTS STILL GRADUATE UNDER PEAK?
Though the new curriculum will be in full effect this fall, all continuing students—that is, rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors who started with PEAK—will have the option to finish the programs they began under the PEAK curriculum. “A strong majority of continuing students, however, has already transitioned to the new curriculum, and we anticipate more will do so as the fall term begins,” says Cammann.
WHAT NEW MAJORS OR ADD-ON PROGRAMS ARE AVAILABLE?
New majors include biochemistry, finance, criminology, international affairs, pre-engineering, psychological science, and Spanish language for business. “We also have new minors in data science, sustainability, and water as well as preprofessional specializations in counseling and clinical psychology and social work,” says Schutz. “And, our new set of skills-based certificates, such as child and adolescent development, population health, and R programming, allow our students to stand out from the crowd as they pursue their future career.”