Academics

Implementing the Common Curriculum: Progress and milestones

Megan M Rogers — Wed, 18 Mar 2026 19:16:02 +0000

Implementing the Common Curriculum: Progress and milestones Megan M Rogers Wed, 03/18/2026 - 13:16

��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� is moving from planning to implementation of the Common Curriculum, an innovative, faculty‑driven framework that ensures every undergraduate student achieves a shared set of learning outcomes by graduation, regardless of their degree or major.

Through the learning outcomes of the Common Curriculum, ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� faculty make a commitment that all ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� students will graduate with foundational, durable skills and habits of mind that will enhance and support their future learning, well-being, career paths and civic participation.

The Common Curriculum will roll out in fall 2027 and will apply to all new students, including first-year and transfer students.

Why we are adopting a Common Curriculum

��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� Academic Futures strategic initiative recommended it.
��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� accrediting body, the Higher Learning Commission, requires it.
��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� faculty developed and approved it.

What the Common Curriculum is (and isn’t)

It is a shared set of learning outcomes embedded within existing degree requirements.
It is a faculty pledge that every ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� undergraduate academic experience includes agreed‑upon skills, habits of mind and overarching learning goals.
It is not a prescribed set of required core courses.

How the Common Curriculum is designed

Theme and overall purpose: Sustainable Futures: Self, Society, World
Framework includes:
- Three habits of mind (discovery, reflection, engagement)
- Three essential skills (communication, information literacy, critical thinking)
- The overall purpose (sustainable futures)
Three learning outcomes apply for each component of the framework:
- Total: 21 learning outcomes (19 included in the initial fall 2027 rollout)

Key implementation decisions

A Boulder Faculty Assembly working group representing all schools and colleges offering undergraduate degrees, including all three divisions of the College of Arts & Sciences, developed foundational principles for implementing Common Curriculum learning outcomes that Provost Ann Stevens has accepted.

College and school requirements will deliver 11 learning outcomes connected to discovery, reflection, engagement, communication and information literacy, primarily through existing general education or core requirements.
Required courses within each major will deliver six learning outcomes, including all critical thinking outcomes and select learning outcomes connected to engagement, information literacy and sustainable futures.
A required school or college course for incoming students will deliver two learning outcomes focused on reflection and information literacy.
Most “overall purpose” learning outcomes related to sustainable futures will be addressed through future curricular development, allowing colleges, schools and departments time to innovate and adapt.

What the Common Curriculum means for students

Students will not enroll in separate Common Curriculum courses.
Learning outcomes are met through the courses already required for their degree and major.
The structure supports:
- Changing majors or colleges
- Transfer students
- A cohesive undergraduate experience from entry through graduation

What’s happening this spring semester

A draft policy for a new standing campus curriculum committee, advisory to the provost and responsible for oversight of the common curriculum among other responsibilities.
Colleges and schools align degree requirements with their designated Common Curriculum learning outcomes, supported by the Division of Academic Affairs and the Office of Undergraduate Education.
Expanded staffing in the Office of Undergraduate Education to support curriculum, the first‑year experience and residential learning communities.

What’s next

Late spring to fall 2026: Departments identify required courses that deliver their major’s designated Common Curriculum outcomes, supported by Academic Affairs and the Office of Undergraduate Education.
Fall 2026: Campus curriculum committee policy is adopted and a committee is appointed.
Ongoing work on assessment planning, operational planning and student‑facing clarity.

Send questions to commoncurriculum@colorado.edu, or visit the Common Curriculum webpage for more information.

Implementing the Common Curriculum begins, with the full roll out in fall 2027.

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New graduate student fellowship honors planetary science leader

Megan M Rogers — Thu, 05 Mar 2026 16:54:45 +0000

New graduate student fellowship honors planetary science leader Megan M Rogers Thu, 03/05/2026 - 09:54

The Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics has established a graduate fellowship honoring LASP planetary scientist Frank Crary to support students studying the impact of the space environment on planets in our solar system.

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Sesquicentennial Scholars program created to commemorate ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ��'s 150th anniversary

Megan M Rogers — Thu, 05 Mar 2026 16:08:18 +0000

Sesquicentennial Scholars program created to commemorate ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ��'s 150th anniversary Megan M Rogers Thu, 03/05/2026 - 09:08

The new program was established to support exceptional student leaders who demonstrate academic excellence, community engagement and a commitment to positive impact during ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ��'s sesquicentennial year. Applications are due March 23.

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Kiewit Design-Build Scholars Program extends impact through 2032

Megan M Rogers — Tue, 03 Mar 2026 20:13:21 +0000

Kiewit Design-Build Scholars Program extends impact through 2032 Megan M Rogers Tue, 03/03/2026 - 13:13

College of Engineering and Applied Science

A renewed commitment from Kiewit Corporation will empower ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� engineering students to lead in the infrastructure and construction industries for years to come.

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AI and teaching at ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ��

Megan M Rogers — Fri, 27 Feb 2026 18:15:56 +0000

AI and teaching at ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� Megan M Rogers Fri, 02/27/2026 - 11:15

Center for Teaching & Learning

Generative AI is raising novel questions about how we work, learn and create, and ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� is meeting this moment with intention, flexibility and a strong commitment to learner‑centered education.

��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� colleges and departments across campus are addressing generative AI in ways that reflect their disciplines and the university’s shared values. Currently, there are at least 13 university courses with AI in the title, with nearly 600 students enrolled this spring.

For example, the College of Engineering & Applied Science offers a variety of courses on AI, including a fully online Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence (MS-AI) via Coursera. In the College of Communication, Media, Design and Information, faculty are creating space for critical dialogues about the implications of AI for creativity, authorship and identity.

Spring Teaching and Learning Conference

Thursday, March 5 9 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
CASE, Room E390 Virtual option via Zoom
This annual conference hosted by the Center for Teaching & Learning will feature lightning talks by faculty and students showcasing diverse perspectives on AI, teaching and learning.

Deadline to RSVP for the catered lunch is Friday, Feb. 27.

Best Should Teach Award ceremony

Thursday, March 5 6–9 p.m. CASE, Chancellor's Hall
Following the conference, the Center for Teaching & Learning will host their annual Best Should Teach Award ceremony—an open-invite celebration.

A campuswide AI Literacy Foundations Canvas course, developed by the Office of Information Technology and the Center for Teaching & Learning (CTL), introduces faculty, staff and students to what generative AI is, how it works, ethical considerations and CU‑approved AI tools, among other topics. From there, students can explore AI through their coursework, career preparation and co‑curricular opportunities.

Career readiness is a central part of this work. For example, the Office of Academic and Learning Innovation provides CU students with free access to Career Academy, through which they can gain skills working with generative AI tools and earn job-ready credentials equivalent to entry-level experience at companies such as Google, IBM and Microsoft.

These opportunities complement ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� continued commitment to fostering uniquely human skills that technology cannot replace, such as critical thinking, ethical judgment, empathy, creativity and intercultural competence.

��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� is also taking a clear and values‑driven approach to academic integrity in the context of generative AI. Instructors are strongly encouraged to define course‑specific expectations through AI syllabus statements, developed with a Boulder Faculty Assembly working group and in dialogue with students.

Transparency and dialogue are key to ensuring students understand precisely what uses of AI are and are not permitted in each course, given widely varying policies. In support of creating that dialogue, instructors have access to CTL guidance and tools around teaching, learning and AI, while student academic integrity is supported via restorative justice practices that prioritize learning, trust, respect and responsibility.

Of critical importance, ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� maintains strong faculty governance. Instructors retain full autonomy over whether and how generative AI is used in their courses, with campus support provided to all campus educators regardless of their individual course policies.

For example, CTL facilitates a biweekly Teaching, Learning, and AI Community of Practice and a two-day AI Summer Design Studio to bring educators from across campus together to explore and discuss diverse perspectives on AI in the classroom. CTL and Continuing Education also host AI Literacy Ambassador programs through which instructors develop teaching and learning innovations to address AI in their discipline.

As generative AI evolves, ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� faculty, staff and students are actively shaping its role in teaching and learning. Through shared reflection, open dialogue and collaboration across campus, we are approaching AI thoughtfully and intentionally, grounded in academic freedom, ethical responsibility and a deep belief in human learning.

��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� is taking a thoughtful, values‑driven approach to AI in teaching and learning. Read more and plan to attend the Spring Teaching and Learning Conference on March 5, followed by a bonus event: the Best Should Teach Ceremony.

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The role of the Writing Center in an AI-powered world

Megan M Rogers — Mon, 23 Feb 2026 14:12:09 +0000

The role of the Writing Center in an AI-powered world Megan M Rogers Mon, 02/23/2026 - 07:12

The ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� Writing Center is an important campuswide resource for helping writers think critically, communicate clearly and develop their own voice.

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6 things you should consider asking a librarian

Megan M Rogers — Fri, 20 Feb 2026 14:28:33 +0000

6 things you should consider asking a librarian Megan M Rogers Fri, 02/20/2026 - 07:28

When it comes to class assignments and research, asking a librarian is the ultimate hack. Learn how librarians can help you get started, find items and manage sources or data.

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New SPIKE-CAAAS fellowship to support grad students

Megan M Rogers — Fri, 20 Feb 2026 12:00:00 +0000

New SPIKE-CAAAS fellowship to support grad students Megan M Rogers Fri, 02/20/2026 - 05:00

��Ҵ�ý�ƽ��'s SPIKE Center for Sustainability Education and Center for African and African American Studies (CAAAS) have partnered to support graduate students within the CAAAS in their study of sustainability and how it impacts the African and African American communities. This collaboration will support two CAAAS/SPIKE Graduate Fellows for the 2026–27 and 2027–28 academic years.

This partnership is focused upon two areas of top priority for the ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� campus: African and African American communities and sustainability.

The CAAAS (often referred to as “the Cause”) was established May 2021 by Reiland Rabaka with a mission to uphold Dr. Martin Luther King’s vision of “the Beloved Community.” In the context of ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ��, the CAAAS creates a community of support for CU faculty and students conducting research in African, African American and African diasporan studies. Within sustainability, these communities face particular challenges that require new scholarship to develop responses and solutions.

The SPIKE Center was formed in fall of 2025 in response to Chancellor Justin Schwartz’s prioritization of sustainability at CU to accelerate sustainability education. A central objective of the SPIKE Center is to support scholarship around communities bearing disproportionate impact from sustainability disruption, and thus the SPIKE Center is grateful for the opportunity to partner with the CAAAS on this important initiative.

“The solutions to the challenges we face in sustainability are so often found at the intersection of creativity, inclusion and the diverse perspectives,” said Max Boykoff, faculty executive director of the SPIKE Center. “We appreciate this partnership with the CAAAS and opportunities to improve our collective work together centering critical elements of justice and equity.”

“Because the mission of the CAAAS is to foster research in African and African American studies, we see this as an exciting opportunity to explore the specific problems our communities face in sustainability,” said Rabaka, director of the CAAAS. “This initiative with the SPIKE Center will empower much needed additional scholarship on this critical issue.”

"At ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� we have a vision of sustainability that is not concentrated in a single school or sector but one that instead sees sustainability pervading every sector, every academic unit and, ultimately, every student," said Vice Chancellor for Sustainability Andrew Mayock. "Thus in the spirt of that vision, we are so excited to partner with the CAAAS in supporting sustainability research within the African and African American communities."

The SPIKE Center for Sustainability Education is partnering with the Center for African and African American Studies to establish the CAAAS/SPIKE Graduate Fellows program.

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What are the benefits of Summer Session?

Megan M Rogers — Fri, 20 Feb 2026 07:00:00 +0000

What are the benefits of Summer Session? Megan M Rogers Fri, 02/20/2026 - 00:00

Save time and money. Enjoy hundreds of course offerings. Get back on track academically. There are many benefits to Summer Session, with enrollment beginning March 4.

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4 ways to avoid cheating, plagiarism and other forms of academic dishonesty

Megan M Rogers — Fri, 13 Feb 2026 16:30:22 +0000

4 ways to avoid cheating, plagiarism and other forms of academic dishonesty Megan M Rogers Fri, 02/13/2026 - 09:30

Rushing to finish assignments or study for tests can sometimes lead to academic dishonesty—where students engage in plagiarism, cheating or helping another student gain an unfair advantage. Whatever the intention, these actions violate the Honor Code and have consequences. Learn strategies to avoid these issues.

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Academics

Implementing the Common Curriculum: Progress and milestones

Why we are adopting a Common Curriculum

What the Common Curriculum is (and isn’t)

How the Common Curriculum is designed

Key implementation decisions

What the Common Curriculum means for students

What’s happening this spring semester

What’s next

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Academics

Implementing the Common Curriculum: Progress and milestones

Why we are adopting a Common Curriculum

What the Common Curriculum is (and isn’t)

How the Common Curriculum is designed

Key implementation decisions

What the Common Curriculum means for students

What’s happening this spring semester

What’s next

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