Faculty, administrative staff and students are invited to propose new experiences to meet the Special Projects requirement. Students should submit the SP proposal form to the Odyssey Office after it has been endorsed by a campus sponsor. New proposals are reviewed throughout the year. Proposals requesting funding are considered October 15 for spring projects, February 15 for summer projects, and April 15 for fall projects. Note for faculty and administrative staff: Any proposed course, module, project or activity must meet the criteria listed below.

Your proposal should explain how the experience meets the following criteria.

• Does the content of the project fit one of the following descriptions?
  • Does it involve different ways of knowing?
  • Is it interdisciplinary?
  • Does it enlist a non-traditional approach to a topic?
  • Does it exemplify some kind of engaged learning not represented in the other Odyssey categories?
• Will you devote at least 30 hours to your project?
• Is there a reflective component which will allow you to review and analyze the process of your project with your sponsor and any fellow-participants?

The following checklist should help you write your proposal.

• Do you have a faculty or administrative staff sponsor for your project? Have you discussed your project with that person and taken any suggestions into account?
• Do you state whether your project will be undertaken as part of an independent study or as a project independent of a course framework?
• Does your application contain a paragraph clearly describing the aim and process of your project?
• Does your application explain how your project meets one of the criteria for Special Projects?
  • Does it involve different ways of knowing?
  • Is it interdisciplinary?
  • Does it enlist a non-traditional approach to a topic?
  • Does it exemplify some kind of engaged learning not represented in the other Odyssey categories?
• If your project is being undertaken with other students, does your application make clear how many other people will be involved?
• Does your application explain what will count as a completed and successful project? Will there be a tangible final product? Will there be a public presentation to the campus community or other relevant audiences?
• Does your application outline the time-frame for completing your project?
• Does your application make clear that at least 30 hours will be spent on the project? How will time spent on the project be monitored and recorded?
• Does your application describe what form the reflective component of the project will take?
• Does your application include any funding requests?