All Minerva^® curricula are designed to support both our partners’ objectives and their learner populations. We construct customized academic and experiential learning journeys that introduce and consistently reinforce a defined set of practical, transdisciplinary skills. These Skills Taxonomies are first mapped to program objectives, then interwoven throughout the course sequences, including lesson plans, in-class activities, and experiential project-based programming.

By emphasizing skills instead of content, Minerva embraces the subject-matter expertise of our partners, while focusing on competencies that cut across specific disciplines. We intentionally structure curricula to foster knowledge transfer, so learners gain practical abilities that can be applied in numerous contexts.

A key tenet from the learning sciences is deliberate practice, spaced out over time. The more that learners are prompted to recall and practice what they’ve learned, with time to process and reflect, the deeper their learning. Minerva curricula are built to allow for this, with increasing complexity and layering of concepts as learning progresses.

In addition to curricula being scaffolded in this way, Minerva incorporates frequent opportunities, from in-class prompts and activities to larger assignments and projects, for learners to apply their lessons in unfamiliar situations and entirely new contexts. This allows learners to transfer their knowledge in ways that will allow them to develop creative solutions to complex challenges.

This deliberate, spaced practice leads to both mastery of skills and mental agility. Over time, learners in Minerva programs become highly adept at unconventional problem-solving, informed analysis and decision-making, and the ability to navigate and manage rapid change.

Minerva offers entirely custom curriculum design, as well as an array of pre-designed curriculum modules. These modular courses, which are derived from the undergraduate and graduate curricula at Minerva University, enable the rapid creation of new programs and institutions.

The modules can be delivered in short or long sequences, and can be configured to suit learners at various stages and in diverse educational settings. They can be integrated into existing programs, supplemented by non-Minerva courses, or offered as a complete set. As with our custom designs, the modular courses can also accommodate partner-specific content, including readings, assignments, and experiential programming.

Whether totally custom or constructed from course modules, the Minerva team works closely with partners to tailor curricula to their objectives, ensuring the skills are appropriate, the content is relevant, and the outcomes are exceptional.

Minerva’s Collegiate Foundations are a set of general education courses designed to teach transdisciplinary skills and knowledge. These courses focus on cultivating four Core Competencies, which are key factors for educational and professional success: Critical Thinking, Creative Thinking, Effective Communication, and Effective Interaction.

Depending on the specific student or institutional needs, different sequences of these courses can be offered to complement other coursework being offered. Each semester-length course runs for approximately thirteen weeks (excluding holidays) and typically provides four units of credit, depending on institutional accreditation policies. Courses can also be modified to fit a ten-week schedule, with three units of credit.