INST 1550-001: The World  of Dinosaurs and Human Imagination

Wednesdays, 3:30-5:20 PM; 2 Credits

Taught by Ashley Stevenson

This course is an introduction to paleontology, with a focus on the age of the dinosaurs—and a twist. We will examine dinosaurs and other extinct animals not only from a scientific perspective, but also through the sociological, cultural, and religious influences fossil discoveries have had on our society. Fossil discoveries have significantly influenced diverse cultural zeitgeists: religion, science, literature, art, and almost any other discipline you can imagine. Whether you realize it or not, paleontology has directly affected your life today (did you know Thomas Jefferson was a fossil hunter?). The class will thus offer a broad-ranging overview of the incredible world of the dinosaurs and their surrounding environment, while also surveying human history for paleontological influences. You are not expected to have any scientific knowledge or background; all necessary concepts will be explained in class. Through the use of multimedia, several guest lectures, and a broad perspective throughout the semester, I hope to introduce you to a remarkable world too few people understand, much less appreciate.

INST 1550-002: Introduction to Political Demography

Wednesdays, 6:00-7:30 PM; 2 Credits

Taught by Ben Bissell

In this course, students will chart an alternate perspective of the evolution of political relationships, one based on Political Demography. Political Demography is a field which examines the political strength, (in)stability and weakness of countries from the prism of their population dynamics. Case studies, such as Israel-Palestine and the PRC-Tibet, will be used to highlight key theories of of the course.

INST 1550-003: Political Satire and the New Media Age

Wednesdays, 3:30-6:00 PM; 2 Credits

Taught by Courtney Stokke

This course will offer a look into the controversial, yet alluring nature of political satire. By exploring its origins, political effects, international relevance and various other real world connections, the course will elucidate the various ways that this genre changes, and is changed by, the world which it critiques.

INST 1550-004: Advocacy and the American Judicial System

Tuesdays, 4:00-6:00 PM; 2 Credits

Taught by Benjamin Wallace and Megan O’Donnell

This class will explore various forms of advocacy across the American Judicial System. In addition  to lectures from a variety of guest speakers who have been involved in some way in the courts, students will spend the semester preparing a case for trial. The capstone experience of the class will be a mock trial competition, where students try their case.

INST 1550-005: The Implications of Adult Neurogenesis in Regenerative  Medicine

Mondays, 5:00-6:45 PM; 2 credits

Taught by Lansdale Henderson

This course studies of the biological mechanisms and therapeutic implications of the mammalian phenomenon known as Adult Neurogenesis— the birth of new and functional neurons in the adult central nervous system. Students will be exposed to some of the quintessential scientific manuscripts that led to the discovery of Adult Neurogenesis and those that have shaped and ignited the field over the past 15 years to present day. Additionally, the course will survey a number of neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. This course is recommended for first and second years interested in or already involved in biological research. Assignments include weekly readings, one scientific presentation and one final paper.

INST 1550-006: Contemporary Chinese Cinema

Wednesdays, 6:30-8:30 PM; 2 credits

Taught by Tianhao Lu

We will cover filmmakers from Mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan, with works ranging from the early 1980s to 2006. I have carefully selected twelve filmmakers from the three areas, and I believe their works sufficiently (although not exhaustively) represent the various aesthetics, contents and social ideologies that this course will expose students to.

INST 1550-007: Young Adult Fantasy and Popular Culture

Mondays and Wednesdays, 6:00-6:50 PM; 2 credits

Taught by Rachel Lim

This course aims to unravel elements of contemporary popular culture through the analysis of Young Adult Fantasy texts. The continuing influence and popularity of such texts will be probed beyond the aesthetic, transforming these works into cultural insight. This multimedia course will develop close reading skills of visual, literary and audio material, as well as shed light on contemporary American concerns such as identity, race and religion.

With the CavEd program currently capped at eight courses per semester, the application process is competitive. The Academic Affairs committee is committed to a thorough and balanced review of all applications. The review is split up into two parts: a review by and recommendation from the Academic Affairs CavEd committee, and a final review by the INST faculty.

Start a CavEd Course

Have an interesting or unique idea for a course? If you’re serious about initiating it with care, commitment, knowledge, and passion, we are interested in working with you to make it happen.

Step 1: Decide what kind of course you want to initiate. Do you want to…

• Teach a Course You Have Initiated?: Maybe you just spent a semester studying art in Italy and want to bring your knowledge back to Grounds. Or maybe you’re a History major who dabbles in Egyptology on the side. Or maybe you just love video games and want to share their social context with your fellow Hoos! If you have a passion and are qualified to spend a semester passing it onto your peers, then consider the challenge of initiating and teaching a course.
• Initiate a Course?: Maybe you want someone to explain to you what caused the financial crisis. Or maybe you’re fascinated by crumping. Or you’d like to see some more course offerings on global development. If you have a great idea for a course but don’t feel qualified to teach it yourself, consider the option of finding and working with another student or a student group to create the course of your dreams.
• Initiate a Survey Course?: Maybe you’re a psychology major who wants to see what your professor researches in the lab after leaving the lecture hall. Or an English major who wants to listen to what the faculty writes in their spare time. Or you just want to know just what kind of crazy discoveries are being made in the UVa biology department. There’s a lot going on behind the scenes at UVa, and past courses that have coordinated professors to share their research and outside-the-classroom work have been a big hit. Survey courses are generally one-credit courses.

Step 2: Find a Faculty Sponsor
The faculty sponsor is an essential part of your CavEd course. The role of the faculty sponsor is to work with you to craft your course syllabus and make sure that your course runs smoothly and effectively throughout the semester. Your faculty sponsor writes you a letter of support for your application and is responsible for grading class assignments, if applicable, though they may do so based on the student-teacher’s recommendation.

Your faculty sponsor should know you well, be familiar with your topic, and be someone with whom you feel comfortable working closely. Start looking for a faculty sponsor early; sponsorship is a big time commitment for busy faculty and you want to make sure you’re not looking for someone last-minute. Also, talk to your sponsor about how you will work with each other throughout the semester – this will help when it comes to answering one of the questions on the application!

Step 3: Apply!
The complete CavEd application consists of two copies of each of the following (photocopies are fine), with the exception of the CCT form, which should be turned in electronically:

• The application form, available here
• A separate sheet with responses to the application’s bullet-point response question
• Your course syllabus, including a course description, an explanation of the course requirements and expectations, and a list of readings and lecture and/or discussion topics for the entire semester
• A signed letter of support from your faculty sponsor
• A budget proposal, or a note stating that such a proposal is not applicable
• A copy of all student-initiators’ transcripts (unofficial is fine)
• A copy of all student-initiators’ resumes
• A completed CCT form (to be turned in electronically to cavalier.education@virginia.edu by 5 PM on the due date)

In addition, please be ready to answer any questions the CavEd committee may have about your application during the review process. We may ask you to sit down with a committee member for a brief, informal interview.

Some things to think about when applying:

• The Syllabus: Your syllabus will be the centerpiece of your application. Past successful syllabi have included a course description, class expectations, and a grading system as well as a week-by-week schedule of classes and assignments, though please feel free to include any and all relevant information. Though we understand that your syllabus may change between the time you submit your application and the time your course begins, please be as thorough in your syllabus as possible. For example, if you want to bring outside speakers into your course but can’t finalize them by the application deadline, make sure it’s clear on your syllabus that you have contacted the speaker about coming to your class, have a tentative date and subject matter, and have a backup plan in case the speaker falls through.
• The Budget Proposal: Line items of your budget may include handout printings, selected textbooks, and other relevant course materials. If approved, Student Council will compensate you for these materials on a reimbursement basis. The application review is need-blind, that is, the budget review is separate from your course review. In the case that your course is accepted but your budget is denied in part or in full, we will help you to find alternative sources of funding.

The best way to learn about what makes a successful syllabus or application is to check out the “Past Successful Courses” section of our website.

Step 4: If Your Course is Selected…
Congratulations! You’ve initiated a course! Now what?

The practical stuff: The office of the University Registrar (UREG) will handle room and scheduling assignments. Contact Pam Lawson at UREG to complete your room and scheduling information. Decide early on if you will need a room with a projector or any other equipment.

Getting the word out: Student Council will help you advertise your courses to the student body, but feel free to spread the word yourself as well. Targeting publicity to departments and student groups you think will be especially interested in your course is a good place to start. While advertising your course, please keep in mind that the faculty sponsor – not the student-teacher – is listed as the instructor on the SIS. Students will initially enroll in CavEd courses through the SIS, not through Course Action Forms, although once the semester begins you can let students in off the wait list (if applicable) via Course Actions Forms.

Pedagogy Seminar: As of Spring 2011, all student-teachers are expected to attend a one-credit Pedagogy Seminar (INST 3150) during the semester in which they are teaching. There are no exceptions to this requirement, so please know that you will have to schedule other activities around this required class.

Accountability: Student Council will hold several evaluations over the semester to make sure everyone stays at the top of their game. Faculty sponsors are required to be actively involved with you throughout the semester. Students enrolled in the course will also be asked to submit a midterm evaluation.

• Political Satire and the New Media Age (Bri Rizzo and Courtney Stokke, Fall 2010)
• The Art Business (Anna Belk, Martha Byrd, Reece Mealy and Courtney Schaefer, Fall 2010)
• Anatomy of a Financial Crisis (Rahul Gorawara and James Rogers, Spring 2010)

Who can initiate or instruct a course?

A class can be initiated by any currently-enrolled student (undergraduate or graduate), group of students, or organization (for example, the Global Development Organization initiated a class for Fall 2008). It may be instructed by a single student or by a group of several students (all of whose names must appear on the application). Just remember – it is a serious commitment, so be selective in choosing a partner.

While the CavEd program is open to students from any school, it is an initiative primarily of the College of Arts and Sciences, and if need be preference will be given to student initiators from the College.

What kind of credit will my students get for taking my course?

All CavEd courses are given the INST distinction in the College of Arts and Sciences. INST courses count among the 18 hours of non-CLAS credits students may include in the 120 total credits required for a CLAS degree. CLAS students may count no more than two INST courses, or a total of 3 credits, toward their degree.

INST courses are taught on a CR/NC or Not Graded (NG) basis. This means that students who take the class can only get credit(s) from it; it will not count towards their GPA. CavEd courses can count for anywhere from 1-3 credits, as determined by the instructor and faculty adviser. CR/NC classes cannot be taken to fulfill requirements for a degree. For more information, visit UVa’s page on Grading Options.

What is INST?

INST is a subject area (formerly mnemonic) in the course catalog that stands for Interdisciplinary Studies. Courses identified as INST are administered by the College of Arts and Sciences, with the authorization for them delegated by the Committee on Educational Policy and the Curriculum (CEPC). Information about  the CEPC is available here. Questions about INST or the CEPC may be directed to Associate Dean Gordon M. Stewart (gms7y, Monroe Hall 208).

What does a faculty adviser do, and what should I look for in a faculty adviser?

In the application process, the role of your faculty adviser is to write you a letter of support and to work with you as you craft your course syllabus. The faculty sponsor is responsible for grading any assignments and for awarding final CR/NC for the class. You should stay in contact with your faculty adviser over the semester and keep them informed about the progress of the class.

Try to pick a professor with whom you are close and/or who has an interest in the topic that you chose for your class. Remember, it is a time commitment for the faculty sponsor as much as it is for you. Furthermore, the letter of support that they submit is a very important part of the application.

If your course is accepted and appears on SIS, your faculty sponsor’s name, not your own, will appear as the instructor. However, while the faculty sponsor may come and sit in on the class, or even act as a “guest lecturer,” his/her duty is not to teach the course.

The faculty sponsor CANNOT be a graduate student or non-faculty administrator; he or she must be an actual faculty member at the University.

How will I make sure my course fits with my schedule?

The application includes a request for the day and time when you would like your course to be held, as well as how many credits you would like your course to count for. These requests are usually honored by the University Registrar.

If something comes up and you need to change the date/time when your course will be held, please contact the University Registrar in order to make the necessary changes.

What makes a successful CavEd application?

Your syllabus will be the centerpiece of your application. Past successful applicants have included a course description, class expectations, and a grading system as well as a week-by-week schedule of classes and assignments in their syllabi. We understand that your syllabus may change between the time you submit your application and the time your course begins, but we urge you to be as thorough in your syllabus as possible.

An application must also include a completed CCT form, a copy of your transcript (unofficial is fine), a copy of your resume, and a letter of support from the faculty sponsor. In successful applications, these letters of support explain the sponsor’s relationship with the student initiator, the student’s credentials for teaching the class, and any other relevant information. You must also submit the application form, available here. Part of this application includes an answer to one bullet-point-form question. Finally, you must submit a budget proposal, if applicable.

Please see the “Application Process” section of our website for more information on what is required of applicants.

Can I teach a course again?
The same course idea can be submitted anew each semester, although it will be subject to the same application process as new courses and thus is not guaranteed a spot.

Individual students are limited to teaching twice.

Will I get credit for teaching a course?

Student-teachers receive one credit for teaching their CavEd course via the Pedagogy Seminar (INST 3150), which they must attend during the semester in which they are teaching. Student-teachers may not enroll in their own courses. For additional credit, it may be possible to establish an independent study in a department relevant to you or your faculty sponsor that relates to the course you are teaching. If this is something in which you are interested, please speak with your faculty sponsor as early as possible after your course has been accepted to begin developing your independent study. Please also notify us of your intentions.

How specific should my syllabus be with regard to reading assignments? To what extent can a syllabus be modified after my application has been accepted?

Your syllabus should be as specific as possible, but know that we understand that your specific reading assignments may be altered as you have more time to prepare for the course. In the syllabus, we mostly want to see that you have thoroughly thought about the semester and what content you would like to cover. Having a good sense of the reading schedule is one way to show that. We would like the syllabus you submit to us to be as close as possible to what you will use during the semester; again, however, we understand that you may make modifications in terms of specific reading assignments between the time that you submit your application and the beginning of the following semester. We would suggest, however, that once the semester starts and you have distributed a syllabus to the students in the class, you stick to that syllabus.

What is a CCT Form?

The CCT (Course Catalog Topics) Form is a form put out by the University Registrar, which must be filled out for all University courses. Information on this form is used to fill in the course information on SIS. More information about the CCT Form can be found here.

How do I fill out the CCT Form?

In the version of the form on our website (found here), some items have already been filled in; leave these as they are, with the exception of the “Name of Person Submitting Form” slot, where it currently says “(name of faculty sponsor),” which you should fill in with your faculty sponsor’s name. All blank spaces should be filled in, with the exception of the “CCT File #” slot in the top right-hand corner, as well as “Topic Component 2,” which should both be left blank. The “Requisites” field will likely be “None,” unless you have very good reason (justified in your syllabus) for requiring students to have pre-requisites in order to take your class. If you don’t know about “Specific Semester(s) Previously Offered as a Topic,” it’s probably a safe bet to leave that field blank as well.

Once the form has been filled out, save it and e-mail it to cavalier.education@virginia.edu. The form can be turned in at any time before 5 PM on the due date; in other words, you don’t need to wait until you turn in the paper portion of the application to turn in the CCT Form. However, it is crucial that you do not forget to turn in the CCT form, as it is part of the application, and we do not consider incomplete applications.

CavEd courses are a great opportunity to learn from your peers, explore a new subject, and get degree credit along the way!

CavEd courses are graded Creditde/No Credit and count for anywhere from 1-3 credits depending on the course (for more information on the CR/NC grading system, click here). CavEd credits are in the INST subject area and count among 18 non-College credits students may include in the 120 total credits required for a College degree. College students may count no more than two INST courses for a total of 3.0 credits.

Bottom line: CavEd credit cannot be put towards a major or towards College requirements, but it does count towards your degree.

CavEd course offerings can be found under the INST subject area — listed as sections of INST 1550 — and registered for on SIS just like any other class.

NOTE: On SIS, the faculty sponsor — not the student-teacher — is listed as the class instructor.