Reimagining Humanities Coursework for Career Readiness: A Workshop for Teachers of Languages and Literatures at Small and Midsize Institutions

Overview

What

A professional development opportunity for faculty members and program leaders in languages and literatures at small and midsize institutions seeking support for initiatives in undergraduate career readiness.

Who

Eighteen faculty members and program leaders in languages and literatures at small and midsize institutions join experienced facilitators in undergraduate humanities career preparation. Prospective participants from tribal colleges, Hispanic-serving institutions, historically Black colleges and universities, and community colleges are especially encouraged to apply.

When

Six 50-minute virtual workshops will run from February to April 2024; the deadline to apply is 12 January 2024.

Thanks to generous funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities, Reimagining Humanities Coursework for Career Readiness: A Workshop for Teachers of Languages and Literatures is open to faculty members and program leaders from small and midsize institutions working to integrate student learning outcomes and career preparation in undergraduate language and literature study. This six-session virtual workshop will run February through April 2024:

Thursday, 15 February
Thursday, 29 February
Thursday, 14 March
Thursday, 28 March
Thursday, 11 April
Thursday, 25 April

All sessions will begin at 11:00 a.m. ET and last for 50 minutes.

Prospective participants must teach at a small or midsize institution (enrolling fewer than 20,000 undergraduates) in order to be eligible and should seek to support students of color, first-generation college students, and Pell Grant recipients. Priority will be given to those working at tribal colleges, Hispanic-serving institutions, historically Black colleges and universities, and community colleges.

Program Details

Eighteen participants will be selected through a competitive application process. Topics to be covered are titled “Student Learning Outcomes and Career Competencies in Languages and Literatures: Developing a Shared Vocabulary,” “Addressing Student Concerns about Job Prospects: Leveraging Data and Stories,” “Equity and Entering the Workforce: What Humanities Students Need,” “Taking Stock: What’s Already Happening on Your Campus with Career Readiness? What’s Missing?,” “Career Preparation and the Humanities Curriculum,” and “Building Capacity on Campus.”

Workshop participants must attend all six sessions. Participants are expected to complete an action plan and final report at the conclusion of the workshop and will be invited to share their work at the 2025 MLA convention in New Orleans. Workshop participants will receive a $750 stipend as well as a certificate of completion for their records upon fulfillment of all requirements.

Application and Selection Criteria

Applications open on 15 November 2023 and close on 12 January 2024. Applications include a brief description of institutional context, a description of current efforts to integrate career readiness with humanities learning outcomes, and a description of the planned impact of these efforts on undergraduate career readiness at the applicant’s institution. Applicants must attest to meeting eligibility criteria and program requirements. Applications will be reviewed by MLA staff members, and notifications of acceptance will be sent in late January 2024.

Selection criteria include:

the relevance of workforce training to participants’ existing and planned humanities curricula
the appropriateness of the institutional context and student population to the program’s goals
the commitment of both the faculty members and the institution to full participation in the workshop program and aligned activities
the likelihood that participation will lead to effective career-readiness outcomes for underserved humanities students