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Criteria & Eligibility

The Curriculum Innovation Challenge is designed to inspire and provide support for faculty to create innovative academic offerings that will attract new students to the University and help to differentiate WVU in the higher-ed marketplace.

The Challenge asks faculty teams to submit their most creative ideas for new programs – at any level, in any modality – that are forward-thinking and transformative for their discipline, their students, or the institution.

Submissions must come from a team of three or more full-time faculty in any academic unit(s) responsible for degree programs. Cross-unit teams (i.e., faculty from more than one academic unit) are encouraged to apply. Programs developed for any modality (including multiple modalities) are eligible.

Proposals should:

  • Reflect programs that play to the University's strengths and could be differentiators for WVU
  • Offer new or substantially reinvented academic programs 
  • Demonstrate the potential to attract new students to WVU
  • Respond to regional employment trends
  • Reflect current and relevant content areas and pedagogy

Participants should also consider the following when developing their proposals:

  • Priority will be given to proposals for intercollegiate programs in this year’s competition, and cross-college and interdepartmental teams are strongly encouraged to apply. (NOTE: This is specific to Application Year 2022.)
  • Priority will be given to undergraduate programs, revenue-generating master’s programs, and professional graduate programs.
  • Priority will be given to programs designed to attract students in underserved or nontraditional populations.
  • Priority will be given to proposals in which diversity, equity and inclusion are part of the rationale for the program design.