Collaborative Inquiry (Core 4000)

Submission information: Instructors have two options when seeking approval for a Collaborative Inquiry course: 

(1) submit fully designed syllabus and completed Core worksheet through CIM-Courses--reviewed on a rolling basis for permanent Core approval

(2) submit a more skeletal idea for an experimental CI course through our Collaborative Inquiry Experimental Course form 

Please note: proposals for experimental Collaborative Inquiry courses to be offered in the 2024-25 academic year are DUE no later than February 5th, 2024.

Welcome to the faculty development page for Collaborative Inquiry – CORE 4000. 

Collaborative Inquiry is an opportunity for students to both integrate and reflect upon what they have learned during their time at SLU. Working together in teams, students will share their acquired knowledge and experiences to explore and develop a solution to their question.  The role of faculty is to provide the question and to help facilitate the creation of an answer rather than directing students in a prescribed disciplinary approach to an expected solution.  Although all Collaborative Inquiry courses will ask different complex questions, all will share essential elements that facilitate student achievement of the Core learning outcomes associate with this Core component area.

There are many different types of courses that will be appropriate for Collaborative Inquiry.  For example, some programs will choose to develop a course that functions like a capstone.  However, other individuals and programs could develop a course that functions more as a gateway, keeping in mind that the requirements to take this component mean that most students would need to be at least juniors.  Having said that, it is perfectly acceptable, and expected, that many CORE 4000s will be a stand-alone course.  Separately, the nature of the course can range from highly conceptual and/or seminar-based to highly experiential and/or practicum-based.

While Collaborative Inquiry courses may be team taught, that is not a requirement or expectation, and individual faculty are encouraged to submit their courses.  

Here are some resources that you may find helpful for developing a Collaborative Inquiry course.

Prior to submitting the proposal, you are welcome to contact the Associate Director, David Kaplan (david.kaplan@slu.edu) to answer any questions you may have.  As part of addressing the prompts in the worksheet, please make sure that the

1- Multidimensional Question - is explicit and it is clear why/how the course is multidisciplinary

2- Signature Project - involves students drawing conclusions that are not straightforward (e.g., creative/integrative).

3 - Collaboration - state what guidance and/or structure is being provided to students

4-  Reflection -(this requirement is now satisfied by a common reflection and is no longer the responsibility of the instructor)

Additional guidance on submitting a course is also provided.