Experiences in which students extend, apply, connect or share different ways of knowing (e.g., oral, verbal, tactile, imaginative, intuitive), often in inter-disciplinary settings.

Overview

Special projects allow students to extend, connect, or deepen their liberal arts learning in unique ways. The Special Projects category includes:

• projects that apply different ways of knowing (e.g., oral, verbal, tactile, imaginative, rational, intuitive, artistic, scientific);
• projects that bring together the methods, insights, concerns, or subject matters of different disciplines;
• projects that entail non-traditional ways of approaching a topic;
• projects that are in the spirit of engaged learning but which do not properly fit in the other Odyssey categories.

Proposals for special projects must include an explanation of how a particular project meets one of the descriptions above.

Although the projects belonging to this category will differ widely, a special project must entail at least 30 hours of work on the part of each student involved. Proposals must include an estimate of the amount of time to be spent on the project, and records of time spent must be kept throughout the project’s duration.

The outcome of a special project does not need to be a “product” per se, but proposals must indicate the anticipated outcomes of the project. Projects must incorporate a component which will allow students to reflect on their experience in writing and conversation. Proposals must indicate what form this reflective component will take. The faculty/staff sponsor will notify the Odyssey Office when a student has completed the proposed project.

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