Ripped from the Headlines: The Most Innovative U.S. Colleges

This article was originally going to be posted in ‘Listworthy’, but I think it also works nicely here. So many students over the years have asked me about schools that do things differently – they think outside the box in the way they work with students; allow for greater autonomy in selecting and creating majors; use different metrics in evaluating students (other than traditional grades), etc. Well, I came across an article on CollegeXpress that I wanted to highlight and share some of these innovative programs with you.

Now, you might be thinking, ‘Sure, Rob. These schools think outside the box, but I’m sure I (and everyone I know) has never heard of them, so why bother?’ Take it easy, Tiger.

Let’s start with Amherst College; you know, the college that has been ranked as one of the top 10 liberal arts schools in the nation for the last 20 years? Well, they “have no core curriculum or distribution requirements. First-year students are required to take an interdisciplinary seminar designed to stimulate critical thinking and active learning at the college level.".

How about Brown University? You know, the Ivy League school in Rhode Island. “With no curriculum requirements, Brown provides an open learning environment in which students define liberal education for themselves.”.

College of the Atlantic, a very small liberal arts school in Bar Harbor, Maine, offers students “interdisciplinary classes and independent study projects” during their time as undergrads, capped off with a Capstone program in the senior year – an excellent way to prepare for graduate school!

Grinnell College in Iowa (you know, where the most popular t-shirt on campus is ‘Where the Hell is Grinnell?’) allows students to design their own curriculum, beyond a first-year tutorial, meant to help students read, write, and think critically at the college level. The tutorial has over 35 different topics for students to choose from.

Hamilton College, in New York, boasts an open curriculum and “proseminars” that provide interaction and collaboration with faculty and fellow students, meant to promote writing skills and critical thinking.

Kalamazoo College, in Michigan, has the K-Plan, comprising four components: depth and breadth in the liberal arts, learning through doing, international and intercultural exposure, and independent scholarship.

Pitzer College, in Claremont, CA, is one of the five schools in the Claremont Consortium. Pitzer provides students with an interdisciplinary education, meant to create an individualized, self-directed program of study that incorporates learning beyond the classroom.

Reed College, in Oregon, is considered one of the most intellectually-driven schools in the nation (as well as one of its most left-leaning politically), but it also provides conference-style classes where students can pursue interdisciplinary studies, dual degrees and special programs.

Thomas Aquinas College, in Santa Paula, California (sadly, the derived name of the Thomas Fire came from the school’s title), is one of the most interesting and different schools that I have personally come across. The school does not offer traditional majors and each student completes the same essential curriculum, which equates to a BA in Liberal Studies and a double minor in math and philosophy at other traditional colleges. The college offers a four-year interdisciplinary curriculum focusing on original writings of famous philosophers, historians, scientists, mathematicians, poets, and theologians. The Discussion Method in the Socratic tradition compels students to grapple with big ideas and contribute their voices to every class meeting. The texts, more than professors (which are referred to as tutors on campus), lead the class discussion.

University of Redlands, in Redlands, California, has the Johnson Center for Individualized Instruction, which allows students to create much of their educational plan, study abroad, connect with real-world issues, co-teach a class with a professor, and enjoy a group of like-minded scholars who work more cooperatively than combatively.

There are so many more schools noted in the article to explore! For those interested in seeing the full list as well as links to the schools, please follow this link: https://www.collegexpress.com/lists/list/the-most-innovative-college-academic-programs/238/