Academic Innovation

Institutions of higher education must pay attention to the quality and nature of academic programming to optimize enrollment. At the same time, it is vital to offer programs that are distinctive and meet the needs of all learners. NMU is a regional comprehensive university that also offers career and technical programs, credit / non-credit credentialing, and other alternative educational opportunities. This puts the university in a unique position to maximize available expertise to foster academic innovation. NMU is well situated to develop new academic programming that is innovative, interdisciplinary, and relevant for the students of today and into the future.

Northern’s administration and faculty foster program innovation through curriculum development, support for new content delivery methods, new policies and procedures aimed at removing barriers to timely change, and expanded marketing of academic programs. 

Strategic plan academic innovation goals, tactics, and associated metrics are listed in the table below.

Strategic Plan Academics Goal 1: Drive academic innovation of new and existing programs to attract new students

Unit/Area

Tactics

Metric

Goal

Undergraduate

Utilize academic program review and innovation grant processes to encourage creation of interdisciplinary programs

Count of new interdisciplinary programs

Create new interdisciplinary programs

Graduate

Develop program viability methods and determine viability for all existing programs to assist GPC in making recommendations

Viability method process developed

Recommendations for suspension or continuation of programs

100% programs reviewed

Graduate

Expand the portfolio of doctoral offerings to meet regional needs and leverage existing faculty expertise

Count of doctoral offerings

1 new doctoral program implemented in Summer 2024

Global Campus

Prioritize potential online academic programs to grow the online portfolio at NMU

Prioritizing process established

Done (yes, no)

Global Campus

Align with evolving higher education standards of accepting PLA and AP credit from outside institutions

Policy revised

Done (yes, no)

Global Campus

Establish transfer agreements with MiWorkforce pathways to further ease the transfer from Michigan Community Colleges

Established pathway agreements

1 agreement established

College/department level

Support new program development or revitalization of existing programs with an eye toward increasing enrollment

Number of programs explored

Number of programs launched

Positive increase

Strategic Plan Academics Goal 2: Employ new, flexible and adaptive methods of content delivery to better meet the needs of current and future students

Unit/Area

Tactics

Metric

Goal

Undergraduate

Explore alternative timelines for bachelor degree programs

List established

Develop SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis and action steps

Undergraduate

Develop a framework for offering stackable credentials

Framework developed

Done (yes,no)

Undergraduate

Development of a hyflex course definition and implementation to support student demands and expectations

Policy established

Done (yes, no)

Graduate

Expand course and program innovation through the Master of Interdisciplinary Studies (MIS) program

Count of students in MIS

Increase

Global Campus

Incorporate AR/VR opportunities in online courses to enhance the student experience

Courses utilizing AR/VR

Courses using AR/VR technologies

International

Develop a virtual exchange program to provide equitable international experiences for NMU students on-campus

Exchange program developed

Done (yes/no)

International

Increase Global Campus International Students

Headcount of International Global Campus students

Increase from baseline 1 in Fall 2022

College/department level

Support development of new content delivery methods

Description of support supplied

Done (yes/ no)

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