Transforming Curriculum
Transdisciplinary Curriculum that expands the capability of any student from any degree at WSU who has the elective space.
Choose Your Future
This year at Western, we’ve created 10 new, exciting Transdisciplinary Minors that, regardless of your degree, empower you to become the graduate you want to be.
“We are facing a disruption in the future of work and society. And the skills of the past no longer align with what that future demands.”
Simon Barrie
DVCA Academic & Exec. Sponsor of the 21C Project
We co-created 10 new Transdiscplinary Minors
Minors we’re made up of 4 subjects from different schools
In 2021, we launched 10 new transdiscplinary minors along with 25 curiosity pod designed to allow any student from any degree to gain transferable skills for the future of work.
We’re expanding what students can do with their degree.
For example, in filling a science graduates’ elective space with units from different schools we’re changing what a science degree is. We’re broadening their skillsets and their capacity to contribute to the future of work.
The Co-Creation Process
5 years ago we got together and after analysing the problems the world is facing, along with much discussion with staff, external partners and our own SCPs, we asked ourselves some interesting questions.
The creation of this curriculum started with two key questions:
“What are we offering students in our degrees that enable them to become that graduate?”
“What are the graduate capabilities we need for the future?”
Our 5 Curriculum Challenges
After much deliberation we cam up with 5 graduate capabilities that we deemed relevant for the Future of Work. These 5 capabilities ended up forming what we call Curriculum Challenges.
Within these Curriculum Challenges, we had teams of staff, external partners & students as partners working together to make the decisions that formed the curriculum. From the subject selection, naming, content creation all the way to the narratives associated with the curriculum.
Innovative Entrepreneurs
We need of Innovative Entrepreneurs - the the kind of graduate who’s adaptable and self-aware . The type of graduate who at the tip of their fingers possess a diverse set of “practical skills” they can use to solve problems, inspire people and drive change wherever they go.
Future Thinkers
We need Future Thinkers to wrestle with the unjust and unfair systems in our world, and move us towards a world that is more inclusive and equitable.
Sustainability Advocates
We need Sustainability Advocates - people who are leaders in sustainability, determined, passionate and more invested than ever to push for a more sustainable, equitable and hopeful future.
Global Citizens
We need Global Citizens - graduates who possess the ability to understand, navigate and engage with a complex, globalizing world.
STEM Capable Graduates
We need graduates with STEM capabilities.
Curiosity Pods
We also created a new piece of curriculum called Curiosity Pods. They are short free online learning experience that allow any student from any degree to learn something they're interested in.