The VIP+ Model
The VIP+ model is a transformative approach to enhancing higher education by engaging students in ambitious, long-term, industry-scale, multidisciplinary project teams. The proposed program encapsulates an initiative to instill entrepreneurial confidence in students and empower them to launch successful startups. Students will work within vertically-integrated teams that are led by faculty, coached by graduate students, and co-mentored by industry partners. Students will acquire knowledge of professional (e.g., documentation, leadership and teamwork, communications, project management, intellectual property) and technical (e.g., hands-on lab skills, scientific concepts related to the project) skills.
VIP+ involves a 1- to 2- hours team meeting (class) each week, plus time on the project outside of team meetings in addition to sub-team meetings. Time spent outside of class varies by the number of credit hours students register for, which is similar to the ratio for traditional courses.
- Students who register for 1-credit hour can expect to spend about 2-3 hours outside of class working on their projects each week.
- Students who register for 2-credit hours can expect to spend 4-5 hours outside of class working on their projects each week.
- Students who register for 3-credit hours can expect to spend 6-8 hours outside of class working on their projects each week.
- For each VIP+ credit, students shall expect to spend 8-10 hours per semester on accompanying workshops. The workshop on Start-up Lab 1 is mandatory to all.
The recommended number of credits per rank are:
- Sophomores are limited to 1-credit hour per semester.
- Juniors can take 1-2 credit hours per semester*.
- Seniors and Graduate students can take 1-3 credit hours per semester*.
- VIP+ credits can count as free electives. In case students already satisfied their free elective requirements, then they are advised to check with their respective departments for credit substitution. Students may need to petition for this substitution.
Selected VIP+ students will be placed in a summer internship before the start of the course. The Internship requires the intern to undertake a minimum of 120 hours within 4 weeks in August 2021 with one of the projects’ industry partners.
** For the AY 2021-2022 year juniors and seniors are expected to register for 2 credits in Fall 2021 and 1 credit in Spring 2022.
School | Program | Current course | Substituted by/VIP credits | |
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Adnan Kassar School of Business | Economics | Free Elective(s): 12 credits |
Vertically Integrated Project
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Accounting | Free Elective(s): 3 credits or Business Elective | |||
Banking and Finance | Free Elective(s): 7 credits or Business Elective | |||
Hospitality & Tourism Management | Free Elective(s): 7 credits | |||
Marketing |
Free Elective(s): 7 credits or Business Elective |
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School of Engineering |
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SOE signature course [3–0, 3 cr.] |
Vertically Integrated Project
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Mechanical Engineering | Technical Elective [3–0, 3 cr.]; |
VIP 401 [1–0, 1 cr.]: VIP 402 [2–0, 2 cr.]: VIP 403 [3–0, 3 cr.]: |
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Engineering Elective [3–0, 3 cr.]; | |||
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Undergraduate Research Project [3–0, 3 cr.]; or Technical Elective [3–0, 3 cr.]; |
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School of Arts and Sciences |
Communication | Free Elective(s) 7 credits |
Vertically Integrated Project VIP 201 [1–0, 1 cr.]: VIP 202 [2–0, 2 cr.]: VIP 301 [1–0, 1 cr.]: VIP 302 [2–0, 2 cr.]: VIP 303 [3–0, 3 cr.]: VIP 401 [1–0, 1 cr.]: VIP 402 [2–0, 2 cr.]: VIP 403 [3–0, 3 cr.]: |
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Multimedia Journalism | Free Elective(s) 7 credits | |||
Performing Arts | Free Elective(s) 7 credits | |||
Television & Film | Free Elective(s) 4 credits | |||
Bioinformatics | Check with your department | |||
Computer Science | Free Elective(s) 3 credits | |||
Mathematics | Free Elective(s) 7 credits | |||
English | Free Elective(s) 10 credits | |||
Arabic Language and Literature | Free Elective(s) 10 credits | |||
History | Free Elective(s) 16 credits | |||
Philosophy | Free Elective(s) 22 credits | |||
Translation | Check with your department | |||
Applied Physics | Check with your department | |||
Biology | Check with your department | |||
Chemistry | Free Elective(s) 3 credits | |||
Nutrition | Check with your department | |||
Nutrition & Dietetics Coordinated Program | Check with your department | |||
Political Science | Free Elective(s) 10 credits | |||
Political Science/International affairs | Free Elective(s) 7 credits | |||
Psychology | Free Elective(s) 18 credits | |||
Social Work & community Development | Free Elective(s) 4 credits |