Part-Time Faculty Course Development Grants

Pedagogical Course Development Grants are available for Significant Pedagogical Changes to Existing Courses.

Part-Time Faculty members qualify for the grant if they have taught the same course at least twice at LMU (in separate semesters), teach sufficiently regularly at LMU (at least once in 2 years), and are projected to teach the relevant course during the next two semesters at LMU. Note, Course Development Grants are NOT given for new course development.

Applications need to thoroughly document the need for and goals of pedagogical innovation, as well as carefully argue that the suggested pedagogical change is significant and appropriate to enhance student engagement. Please observe, grants are not awarded for the development of new courses.

Grant applications have to be submitted as pdf files to teachers@lmu.edu and need to contain the following elements:

• Name and Department/Program
• Title and Number of the Course
• All instances when the course was taught at LMU by the instructor.
• A detailed description of
  • the pedagogical innovations to be implemented in the class,
  • a rationale of pursuing these innovations and their appropriateness (in terms of the subject matter, the course, and past experiences teaching the class),
  • the significant nature of the innovations, and
  • the expected effect of these innovations.
  Adding or changing course content alone does not constitute a relevant pedagogical innovation - the way the class is taught has to change. Adding technology to the course will be considered only if it is part of a significant underlying pedagogical change.
• Copies of the syllabi from the last two semesters when the course was taught.

Applications need to be accompanied by a satisfactory letter of support by the Department Chair, Program Director, or Dean (or a designee of theirs) providing:

• a brief rationale for the appropriateness of the pedagogical change from the Department/Program perspective,
• a short description of the role, if any, that the course plays in the program from a curricular perspective and in terms of course enrollments and graduation requirements,
• an explanation of the role that Part-Time Faculty member plays in the Department in general and in developing that course in particular, including information about the coordination between that Part-Time Faculty member and the Department about curricular and pedagogical aspects of the course,
• a confirmation that the Part-Time Faculty member is projected (or confirmed) to teach the relevant class at LMU during the next two semesters plus a schedule of the next 2 years when the course is expected to be taught by the Part-Time Faculty member.

Applicants should forward their application to the Department Chair/Program Director when asking for a letter of support. Deadlines are for the receipt of a complete application, including the Chair/Director/Dean letter; applicants are responsible for the submission of a complete application by the deadline.

Grant recipients will need to submit a final report discussing lessons learned and the implementation of the new pedagogical approaches as well as include all relevant teaching material; parts for the final report will be made available to the LMU community on this website. Detailed instructions for the final report to be provided. Grants will be paid after receipt of a satisfactory final report. Grant payments are $500 and will be made upon submission of a satisfactory final report.

Contact teachers@lmu.edu for questions.