How to Propose a Global Summer Studies course

Application Process & Materials

Submit your proposal no later than October 15, 2023 at 11:59 PM. As this is a competitive submission process, late submissions will not be considered.

Locations within Africa, Latin America, Asia and South Asia are considered strategic geographies for RISD global academic engagements and a relevant cultural context for student’s global investigation and awareness.

Faculty must complete the following materials:

1. Course proposal form (form for a 6-credit course here) (form for a 3-credit course here) signed by the Department Head and Dean for each faculty
   
2. Draft syllabus (per the syllabus guidelines)
3. Draft itinerary, including details of the type of accommodations and local transport being planned and links to potential accommodation solutions if/as known
4. Draft budget
5. Signed Faculty Terms of Agreement
6. Draft syllabus for an on-campus alternate course (in the event that the travel course is under enrolled or canceled due to risk in the region of the travel course)

The relevant Department Head and Dean must approve the course proposal form and supporting materials (draft syllabus, budget, itinerary) to progress the proposal. It is the responsibility of the faculty member to check in with the Dean's office to ensure the paperwork is approved and sent to Academic Affairs by the deadline. Please note, RISD Global is not involved in these steps.

In addition, faculty must provide a document including: a short abstract/course description, including your familiarity with the proposed location (max 300 words). In this document, faculty must include the potential/preferred dates of the course.

Please note: approval from Department and Division is not connected to TU, covered by the teaching stipend, but to the approval of the 3 RISD credits offered by the faculty’s department.

Eligibility

• All RISD full- and part-time faculty are eligible to propose a Global Summer Studies course
• Global Summer Studies are not based on TUs. To submit the proposal, the faculty member must have approval from the appropriate Department Head and Dean providing the course credits
• It is strongly recommended that the faculty member proposing the course have strong familiarity with the location, and a strong preference is given to those applicants with demonstrated experience teaching students in a travel course environment.
• All faculty who lead off-campus global learning courses must comply with RISD’s policy for off-campus teaching. Before submitting your proposal, please review the policy and ensure you are willing to comply with this policy.
• Each travel course must be led by either two RISD faculty or a RISD faculty and a graduate student TA. In cases where two faculty propose to lead a course together, the stipend is divided between them.

Compensation + Expenses

Based on the RISD rates for summer teaching, faculty receive an $8,600 stipend for leading a Global Summer Studies course, which in addition to teaching the course covers:

• course planning & the pre-arrangements for student, faculty and TA travel logistics
• pre-departure orientations
• leading, and being on-call 24/7 while leading the off-campus course

In addition, course related faculty expenses such as airfare, accommodation, health insurance and per diem are covered by RISD.

Selection Process + Criteria

Based on the submissions received, RISD’s Dean’s Council -in collaboration with the Vice Provost and RISD Global- will select and recommend to the Provost 4-6 proposals to be realized during Summer 2024.

Selection Committee Review

Each year the selection process for Global Summer Studies is competitive due to the high quality of all submissions received. As such, all members of the review team consider a number of criteria to make the final annual selection of courses. We include these below:

• The strength of the academic mission, the proposed curriculum and how the itinerary supports the realization of those goals, and the proposed learning outcomes.
• Evidence that faculty are considering methodologies to prepare students for the context -cultural, socio-economic, and that of art, design and/or architecture- that the course will take place within.
• The total cost to student for the course is a consideration. Faculty must include conservative and realistic cost expectations for the course in order for the team to assess this accurately. Each year, the range is from $4,500 to $6,000 -so a high cost does not mean the proposal is not accepted- rather the team tries to ensure a good range to appeal to diverse student means.
• Locations: the team reviews the locations to ensure a diversity of locations can be offered, so that we do not run multiple courses in one country/area. The team also reviews locations to ensure we can best support travel and the health and well-being of the faculty and students to the area during the summer period.
• Locations within Africa, Latin America, Asia and South Asia are considered strategic geographies for RISD global academic engagements and a relevant cultural context for student’s global investigation and awareness.
• Diversity of offerings: many summer courses are highly successful and the team is supportive of repeat offerings. That said, it is important for our faculty and students to offer a diversity of courses, as well as a range across summer and Wintersession. To this end, courses may be selected one year and not the next, so we encourage all to submit if a course is not accepted one year as it may be in future years.
• Diversity of disciplinary course options for students: the team proactively seeks a balance of the disciplines represented as well as to ensure there are Liberal Arts, Fine Arts, and Architecture and Design offerings each summer.
  

RISD Global's Role

• Advises and supports faculty (upon request) on the location, organization, and details of travel courses and studios during the course preparation stages
  
• Promotes the course and supports faculty in outreach to students, student advising, and group info-sessions
• Supports faculty and students through the various application, scholarships, and registration processes and steps
• After the course is fully registered and confirmed to run, works closely with the faculty and other offices on campus to support all travel arrangements and confirmations
• Co-develops and leads the pre-departure meetings for faculty and students
• Provides faculty/students with pre-departure materials and student forms, registers all students and faculty for mandatory health and safety insurance
• Ensures that the International Incident Response Team (IIRT), Public Safety, and Student Affairs are prepared to support these courses, students and faculty while off-campus
• Oversees, in collaboration with International SOS, RISD Public Safety and Risk Management issues the response to issues that arise on the course while off-campus
• Presents documentation of the courses, when possible, to further promote and support these unique off-campus teaching and learning experiences