School of Innovation Foundations

Critical and Rational Thinking

In this course, students learn best practices for thinking critically. Students develop intellectual virtues of thoughtfulness, reflection, and perceptiveness, and learn proven skills for detecting falsehoods and unsound arguments. Students also learn to weigh the credibility of various sources of information and to analyze and reflectively interpret their own judgments and intuitions. These traits, skills, and practices will help students be responsible citizens, perceptive thinkers, and virtuous leaders.

Creative Problem Solving

This course addresses how to use creative thinking methods to solve problems. The course teaches the key processes in thinking creatively to solve problems. Students learn various methods to spur novel and innovative ideas and select the most promising among these. Students will, week by week, apply the lessons learned to a semester-long project to demonstrate their understanding of the learning objectives.

Diversity, Empathy, and Global Citizenship

This course helps students to develop the foundational knowledge and skills necessary to become leaders in a global society. Students develop cultural competence and empathy, which includes the ability to effectively interact, work, and solve problems with people of various cultural backgrounds. Students will identify the characteristics of global society and the challenges and opportunities created by an increasingly interdependent world with rapid digital transformation. They will recognize and respect diversity, identify and evaluate diverse perspectives on complex subjects, and analyze complex global issues while evaluating potential solutions.

Empowered Learning

This course helps to foster self-directed learning, enhance productivity, and cultivate curiosity, empowering students to become effective, autonomous learners through a blend of theoretical foundations and practical applications. Key areas of focus include defining and nurturing curiosity, enhancing productivity through time management and technology, mastering effective learning strategies such as active learning and deliberate practice, and developing emotional resilience and motivation. Students will engage with a variety of readings, videos, and activities that promote critical thinking, collaboration, and the integration of learning into daily life.

Data Analysis and Storytelling

This course addresses how to use data analysis and storytelling techniques to interpret data to create strong arguments. The course starts with a review of data analysis approaches and fundamental statistics. Next, students use visualizations and dashboards to illustrate how data can be used to influence stakeholders. Finally, students demonstrate their learning by way of a scenario-based project, where they use data visualizations and persuasive storytelling techniques to influence authentic real-world decisions.

Judgment and Decision-Making

This course explores how humans make judgments and decisions, drawing on theories from psychology, behavioral economics, and cognitive science. Students will examine key concepts such as dual-process thinking, heuristics, cognitive biases, risk perception, forecasting, and prospect theory, applying them to scenarios and personal experiences. The course emphasizes not only understanding how people do make decisions but also how they should—offering practical tools for improving reasoning in everyday and societal contexts. Hands-on activities and case studies help connect theory to action, with a final student-designed simulation game that puts their knowledge and decision-making skills to the test.

Rhetoric and Persuasion

This course offers an in-depth exploration into the mechanics of effective communication, both written and oral, with a strong emphasis on persuasive techniques. Students will engage in rigorous training to enhance their collaboration skills, learn to construct compelling arguments, and become adept at listening and responding to diverse perspectives. Students will critically analyze and respond to messages across various contexts, craft well-researched, logical, and persuasive arguments in both written and spoken formats, and develop active listening and oral communication skills to better understand and engage with opposing viewpoints.

Leadership and Collaboration

This course discusses why and how complex modern societies require leaders who can adapt themselves and their organizations to respond to changing circumstances. We consider the personal and organizational leadership skills that are required to make these changes which demand constant, critical self- and organizational analysis. We analyze the ability to identify personal and organizational problems, to respond preemptively, and to foster teamwork. Additionally, the course discusses why and how individuals must cultivate within themselves and their organizations an understanding of core values, strengths and weaknesses, an awareness of and expertise in interpersonal relations (including conflict resolution, negotiation, and collaborative decision-making skills), basic change principles, and an understanding of cross-cultural leadership traits.

Navigating Social Systems

This course helps students identify, analyze, and engage with the social systems and structures at play in the world. They learn important concepts from sociology and social psychology, and then apply those to the global community. They learn about the roles that people play within these systems and the ways that individuals from differing systems can relate through shared values. Students learn about their own roles within these systems, and how their identities may be affected by them. Students use empathy to recognize how these systems affect those with different social roles or in different social structures. Finally, they investigate challenges that arise within social structures and learn to develop and apply solutions for addressing and mitigating those challenges.

Sustainability and Equity

This course helps students learn how to apply scientific concepts to global sustainability challenges. Students are introduced to the idea of sustainability and apply their understanding by examining and evaluating the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals. Over the course of the semester, students delve into each of the areas outlined by the UN's SDGs. In doing so, they utilize ideas from many scientific, social science, and liberal arts fields including biology, chemistry, ecology, environmental science, technology, engineering, social sciences, and the humanities. They apply theories from each of these domains to analyze the UN's sustainability efforts and cultivate their own novel approaches.