Humanities Connections

Humanities Connections, a new NEH grant opportunity, seeks to expand the role of the humanities in the undergraduate curriculum at two- and four-year institutions, offering students in all academic fields new opportunities to develop the intellectual skills and habits of mind that the humanities cultivate. Grant projects focus on connecting the resources and perspectives of the humanities to students’ broader educational and professional goals, regardless of their path of study.

Through this new grant program, NEH invites proposals that reflect innovative and imaginative approaches to preparing students for their roles as engaged citizens and productive professionals in a rapidly changing and interdependent world. Grants support the development and implementation of an integrated set of courses and student engagement activities focusing on significant humanities content. A common topic, theme, or compelling issue or question must link the courses and activities. The linked courses (a minimum of three) may fulfill general education or core curriculum requirements but could also be designed primarily for students in a particular major or course of study.

The Humanities Connections program gives special encouragement to projects that foster collaboration between humanities faculty and their counterparts in the social and natural sciences and pre-service or professional programs in business, engineering, health sciences, law, computer science, and other non-humanities fields. Humanities Connections projects have two core features: 1. faculty from at least two separate departments or schools at a single institution must collaborate to devise new curricular arrangements; and 2. projects must include provisions for high-impact student engagement activities that relate directly to the topic(s) of the linked courses. These activities could include individual or collaborative undergraduate research projects; opportunities for civic engagement; or a structured experience with community-based, project-based, or site-based learning. Community organizations and cultural institutions can play key roles in this regard.  Awardees may use grant funds to engage faculty in joint study, bring in outside experts, organize seminars on substantive issues, and bring relevant parties together to plan the student engagement. Funding of $100,000 is available for a grant period of 18 months to three years.

NEH Humanities Connections grants must

• support collaborative teams of faculty members from two or more schools, departments, or disciplines, at least one of which must be within the humanities as defined by NEH;
• result in a coherent set of at least three new or substantially revised undergraduate courses;
• integrate the subject matter and perspectives of multiple disciplines, either within the humanities or (more broadly) with fields outside the humanities; and
• encourage student engagement through structured opportunities for undergraduate research or experiential learning.

INTERNAL APPLICATION PROCESS

Develop a one-page single-spaced concept paper that succinctly addresses the following points:

• Present the Intellectual Rationale:  What topic will the project address? How will you involve two different schools or departments?  Why is it a significant topic in the humanities? How will it advance the academic mission of City Tech as a college of technology?
• Identify the three courses into which this content will be integrated. Identify the leadership team and qualifications related to the topic.
• Describe the key student research or experiential learning opportunities.
• Identify relevant cultural or community resources to be engaged.

Submit the concept paper to Barbara Burke, Director of Sponsored Programs bburke@citytech.cuny.edu no later than Wednesday, September 7th.  An internal review committee will select one concept paper for further development and will notify the proposers no later than Tuesday, September 13th. The NEH deadline is October 5, 2016 for projects beginning in May 2017.

The full solicitation can be found below.

http://www.neh.gov/files/grants/humanities-connections-edit.pdf