Cavalier Education

Introduction

Through StudCo’s Cavalier Education Program (Cav-Ed), students create and teach their own courses that appear alongside faculty courses in SIS.

The program, run by StudCo’s Academic Affairs agency, aims to give students the opportunity to take charge of their academic experiences and share their passions outside of the normal curriculum. Committee members review all Cav-Ed applications and make formal recommendations to the interdisciplinary studies (INST) faculty. If you have any questions about the program, contact Directors Anjana Rajesh and Hiba Khan at studco-academic@virginia.edu.

SPRING CAv-ed Applications open march 1.

Courses during this application cycle will be taught during the Fall 2024. To apply, you must have previously taken INST 3150: CavEd Pedagogy Seminar. After taking the class, you may apply to the Cav-Ed program during any application cycle.

Application Process

As Cav-Ed is limited to 8 courses per semester, Student Council is committed to a thorough and balanced review of all applications. Application review is first conducted by the Academic Affairs Agency, which makes a formal recommendation to INST faculty. INST faculty then make final decisions.

Step 1: Cav-Ed Pedagogy Seminar (INST 3150)
Students wishing to apply for Cav-Ed must take the prerequisite one-credit pedagogy seminar, listed as INST 3150. The seminar provides students with the necessary knowledge and skills to teach courses, but also provides guidance on crafting a quality Cav-Ed application.

The seminar can be taken any time prior to the start of teaching, but it is recommended that students take it the semester prior to the semester during which the applicant hopes to teach. For example, a student can take the seminar in Fall 2020, apply during the fall application cycle, and teach the course in Spring 2021.

Step 2: Craft your course
Seminar-style courses: If you have a passion for a specific area of study (Italian Renaissance Art, Egyptology, stem cell research, video game design, etc.), consider teaching a seminar-style course on that specific subject.

Survey courses: Generally one-credit courses which overview a broad topic, usually connected to faculty members’ personal research projects.

Each course caters to its own style of teaching - pick whatever works best for you. Course type has no influence on the application process.

Step 3: Find a faculty sponsor
Faculty sponsors work with applicants to write a letter of support to the application committee and work with you to craft a course syllabus. The sponsor is responsible for grading students’ assignments and awarding final CR/NC grades.

Communication with the faculty sponsor should be consistent over the course of the semester. Start looking for a sponsor early - it’s a big time commitment for faculty. Try to pick a faculty member you are close to and/or who has an interest in a similar area as your proposed course. Courses which are accepted to the program will be listed in SIS under the faculty sponsor’s name, but it is your duty to teach the course. Sponsors are welcome to sit-in on classes or serve as guest lecturers. Sponsors cannot be graduate students or non-faculty administrators.

Contact one relevant faculty member to email a letter of recommendation on your behalf to studco-academic@virginia.edu, with the subject line "Cav-Ed Recommendation (Student Last name), (Student First name)- (Faculty Last name)". All recommendations should be in by the application deadline.

Step 4: Apply
The CavEd application consists of:

• Proposed course information

• Short answer question(s)

• Your course syllabus, including a course description, explanation of course requirements and expectations, and a list of readings and lecture/discussion topics for the full semester

• A letter of support from your faculty sponsor

• A budget proposal (if applicable)

• An unofficial transcript

• A resume

When applying, remember to consider:

• All students must take the one-credit INST 3150 before beginning to teach

• The proposed course syllabus is the centerpiece of your application. Successful syllabi include a course description, class expectations, a grading scale, a weekly schedule of classes and topics, guest speakres (if applicable), readings, and assignemnts. Be as thorough as possible, although we understand alterations may be made in the time between the application and beginning of the course. If, for example, you only have a tentative date for guest speaker(s), list this on the syllabus.

• The budget proposal, if applicable, lists line items such as handout printings, textbooks, or other relevant course materials. Student Council will attempt* to compensate you for these materials. The application review is need-blind - the budget review is separate from the course review. In the event a course is accepted by the budget is rejected, Student Council will work with you to identify other sources of funding. We encourage students crafting courses to use free or low-cost course materials.

  *Availability of Student Council funds varies. In the event no funding from Student Council is available, we will work with you to identify other sources of funding.

Step 5 - Approval
If your course is accepted to the Cav-Ed program, the Office of the University Registrar (UREG) will handle room scheduling and assignment. Work with them to complete this process, and decide early on what equipment you will need.

Student Council will help you advertise your course to the student body, but feel free to spread the word independently. Target publicity to departments and student groups with interests/subject areas similar to your course. Keep in mind the faculty sponsor, not the student instructor, will be listed in SIS. Students must enroll via SIS until after the semester has begun, at which point Course Action forms will be accepted.

Student Council will hold evaluations over the semester to ensure the course is operating appropriately. Faculty sponsors are required to be actively involved with you throughout the semester. Students enrolled in the course will be asked to submit a midterm evaluation.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Who is eligible to apply?
   All currently enrolled undergraduate students, groups of students, or student organizations may apply to teach courses with Cav-Ed. No more than 4 students may teach a course. All names must appear on the application.

2. What student credit is given for CavEd courses? What appears on transcripts?
   Cav-Ed courses are given INST mnemonics in the College of Arts & Sciences (CLAS), and may be worth between 1-3 credits. This credit counts towards the semesterly 17 credit-hour maximum for undergraduate students, and counts toward the 18 non-College credit maximum in the 120-credit degree requirement. CLAS students may count no more than 2 INST courses - a total of 3 credits - towards their degree. INST courses are taught on a CR/NC basis, and do not count towards GPA. Cav-Ed classes cannot be taken to fulfill degree requirements.

3. What is INST?
   INST is the mnemonic for interdisciplinary studies. INST courses are administered by the College of Arts & Sciences, with authorization delegated from the Committee on Educational Policy and Curriculum (CEPC).

4. How do I make sure my course fits with my schedule?
   The Cav-Ed application includes a request for the day/time you would like to teach the course and how many credits you would like the course to count for. These requests are usually honored by the University Registrar. Please contact the Registrar to make changes after your course has been approved.

5. Can I teach a course again?
   Courses can be submitted anew each semester, although it will undergo the same application process each time and is not guaranteed a spot. Individual students may only teach twice.

6. Do student instructors get course credit?
   Student instructors receive one credit for teaching their Cav-Ed course via the Pedagogy Seminar, which is taken at least one semester prior to the one in which they will teach. Student instructors may not enroll in their own courses. For additional credit, student instructors may establish an independent study in a department relevant to the course. Please speak with your faculty sponsor about this as early as possible after your course has been accepted, and please notify us.

7. How specific should my syllabus be?
   Syllabi should reflect thorough thought about the semester and what content will be covered. Reading and assignment schedules, for example, should have outlines of what will be read, where it can be located (Collab or elsewhere), and what assignments are associated. Remember, students enroll in your course for 1-3 credits, so the level of work should reflect the credit hours (3 credits being a full course load, 1 credit being a lighter load).

8. Can I modify my syllabus after my course has been accepted?
   While modifications may be necessary in some cases (guest speaker dates/time, for example), the syllabus submitted with the application should be as close-to-intent as possible. Once the semester has started, it is strongly encouraged to stick with the syllabus.

9. What if I take the Pedagogy Seminar but my course is rejected?
   A large component of the seminar is helping students craft their courses and applications to the program. If, however, your course is not ultimately selected, please reach out to the Academic Affairs Agency for feedback on your course and application. We strongly encourage students to re-apply during the following semester.