Modular Course
The IGERT program offers a dynamic, student-centric educational framework that seeks to bridge the gap from core coursework to self-directed learning. Instead of rigid, semester-long courses in well established, faculty-chosen topics, the framework is composed of regularly scheduled, short modules presented in a variety of formats (e.g., lectures, seminars, workshops, small-group meetings) that address areas of specialized scientific and technical interest, “hot topics,” and career advancement skills (e.g., public speaking, research ethics). The curriculum will be dynamic, interactive and responsive; it will be determined by faculty and students working in concert.
This structure benefits both students and faculty. Students are given the opportunity to learn from, question and interact with a much broader range of faculty on a much broader range of topics than is possible in a typical graduate curriculum. Faculty are given the opportunity to teach their areas of special interest — including topics that are too focused or specialized for semester-long courses — in as many or as few lectures as necessary. The flexible length and format of the educational modules will encourage wide participation. For example, a one month module on Computational Investigations of Interfacial Systems will benefit a wide variety of theorists and experimentalists who are interested in the applications of these techniques, whereas a semester-long graduate course on density functional theory (DFT) will only attracts a handful of students who plan on specializing in this area. Importantly, IGERT modules are not designed to replace core graduate courses.
