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#'''UIF examples'''.There are many Fellows that have created individualized majors with exceptional success and have left legacies of curricula, programs, and support in our institutions. Pointing to success stories similar to your pursuits at similar universities can be extremely helpful for them to visualize.
== <span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 21.2999992370605px;"></span></span></span>Curriculum<span style="font-size:small;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 21.2999992370605px;"></span></span></span><br/> ==
Designing your is an important step, as this is the actual proposal of your courses. Make sure you're taking a competitive amount of courses, but also stress that a main part of your creation is outside the classroom- you'll want room to apply what you're learning and share it with others. In any case, look at the best ranked schools in your field. Basing your curriculum of those schools will give you more credibility, but kept in mind that many institutions don'nt exactly offer the same resources and course offerings as Stanford or Cornell.
In these cases, where your institution doesn't offer the exact component classes, refer back to your mission statement. What classes fall in line with your vision? What classes can be repositioned? What classes can be substituted for requirements out of your range? Will the institution consider Directed Independent Studies, Research, or creating a new course?
= Presentation =
Many schools will have formalized processes for presenting proposals regarding curriculum suggestions. In the event your school does not have a formalized process, a few stakeholders you will want to involve in this conversation are:
#'''Individual Faculty Members'''. If a professor has a vision aligned with yours, they are a great person to start with They may also have dreams of starting programs like yours, and could be interested in backing a pilot program (you!) to test their assumptions.
#'''Department Heads'''. Heads of departments you want to take classes in will most likely have to serve some role in the approval process. It will be important to solicit their help early on in the design process.
#'''Academic Deans'''. These individuals often make decisions in areas where there are no precedents to draw from.
#'''Provosts/Presidents/Trustees., etc'''. Soliciting support from the top can expedite any process. relationships with these individuals should be used responsibly, but in the event you have the opportunity to bring the issue up, be prepared as their support can open multiple doors at once.
Make sure that all of this is together in a coherent, easy to visualize and understand, physical proposal that you can give to interested parties. Be prepared to make concessions and have alternatives to courses planned. You will have to be positive and confident, but humble- especially if you're the first student. They may ask for revisions. They may also ask for you to validate the choices you've made for classes or focuses. Be ready for a two way conversation.
= University Fellows Resources =
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