Franklin College reforms curriculum

Franklin College is launching its most comprehensive curricular reform, called The Pursuit at Franklin College, as students return to campus for the fall semester.

The college of about 1,000 students located in Johnson County said the four-year Pursuit program makes engaged learning an integral part of every student’s college experience.

It hinges on six educational practices:

1. A robust first-year experience. All new students will participate in a topic-based seminar and a subsequent series of workshops, peer interactions and skill-building opportunities, as well as from individualized guidance by trained staff and advisers. A program called Launch will span the entire first year, providing resources to help with the transition to college.

2. A relevant and responsive liberal arts experience. Specially designed courses will help students learn to see the world through a variety of lenses and to understand how values are formulated from different perspectives.

3. Immersive, applied experiences. The college will expand opportunities so that every student will complete one internship. Also, every course students take during January’s immersive term will be experience-based.

4. Overt opportunities to use technology. Whenever possible, both in- and out-of-classroom experiences will involve technology.

5. Undergraduate research opportunities. Over four years, students will conduct research of a professional caliber to gain the confidence and ability to pursue and answer meaningful questions.

6. Cohesive professional development opportunities. Every major will integrate customized opportunities for a student’s professional development.•