Practical Knowledge For The Twenty-First Century

Practical Knowledge for  
the Twenty-first Century

93%
of employers said a demonstrated
capacity to think critically,
communicate clearly and solve
complex problems is more important
than a job candidate’s undergraduate
degree.
Source: 2013 study by the Association of American Colleges and Universities
©2015–16 MINERVA PROJECT, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. PROPRIETARY & CONFIDENTIAL 2
What is the most common job in
America today? 
 
What will it be in 10 years?
The world is  
changing rapidly
complex
interconnected
open
Universities must 
evolve in response
global
innovative
accessible
A Future-Proof Education
Practical Engaging Global   Accessible

Knowledge Classroom(s) Immersion Admissions
Students master critical All classes are small Students live and learn " Minerva is the only
thinking, creative interactive seminars, in seven of the world’s highly-selective institution
thinking, effective based on the science of greatest cities, engaging to admit students based
communication and learning, which demand with a range of diverse entirely on merit and
interaction full participation. cultures and societies. meet the full financial
need of every student
that qualifies.
8
 
Goals for graduates
Leaders
Innovators
Broad thinkers
Global citizens
©2016 Minerva Project, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Proprietary & Confidential
9
We can organize the

practical knowledge
required to achieve these
goals into four large
competencies.
10
Four Core Competencies
Personal Transpersonal
Thinking Thinking Communicating Interacting

critically creatively effectively effectively
11
Specific Aspects (examples):

Thinking critically: evaluating
claims, weighing decisions
Thinking creatively: solving problems,
facilitating discovery
Communicating effectively: writing
clearly, presenting effectively
Interacting effectively: negotiating,
working on teams

12
Each aspect of a core

competency is carried out by
specific habits of mind and
foundational concepts
13
Habits of mind
Automatic cognitive skills
14
Examples of habits of mind

Use “plausibility checks” to determine
whether claims are reasonable

Use principles of effective debating

Identify your audience and tailor oral

and written work accordingly

Ask yourself who stands to lose if a

decision is made a certain way

15
Foundational concepts
Knowledge that promotes
subsequent learning
16
Examples of foundational concepts

Cost-benefit analyses

Statistical significance, practical

significance, and effect size

Aspects of the underlying structure of

stories that make them engaging

Principles of multimodal perception that

affect design (including of presentations)
17
Minerva has designed a

four-year undergraduate
education to develop key
habits of mind and
foundational concepts
intentionally
18
Early 20th Century: Great

Books Programs
19
Early 21st Century: A Great

Cognitive Tools Program
Four Year-long Cornerstone courses 20
Four core competencies
Thinking Critically Communicating Effectively

Formal Analyses Multimodal Communications
Focus on Thinking Critically Focus on Communicating Effectively

Deep training in advanced logic, rational Learning effective reading and
thought, statistics, computational thinking, writing, visual communication,
and formal systems public speaking, roles of art and
music in communication
Thinking Creatively Interacting Effectively

Empirical Analyses Complex Systems
Focus on Thinking Creatively Focus on Interacting Effectively

Acquiring the ability to use the Understanding multiple causality,
scientific method to frame problems, multi-factor interactions, group "
test hypotheses and engage in project collaboration, negotiation,
informed conjecture leadership, and formal debate
21
A journey toward mastery

Practice over contexts and time
Habits of mind and foundational
concepts used over next 3 years
First-year grades are provisional
Primary Goal Central Curricular Design
Challenge
Year 4 Effec*ve Write and Present Begin the journey to

Communica*on; Capstone; Use deep exper*se,
Effec*ve Interac*on Senior Tutorial To synthesize, and
(plus earlier) Explore Subjects translate to real world
Deeply applica*ons
Year 3 Crea*ve Thinking Concentra*on as The crea*ve process in
(plus Cri*cal Springboard to the context of a field
Thinking) Capstone
Year 2 Cri*cal Thinking Evaluate Majors Analyzing the central

ques*ons and
methods of the major
Year 1 Founda*ons in Four Make Material Introduc*on of HCs

Competencies Intui*ve with far transfer
Continuing the journey
Five majors, providing broad
context
Four interdisciplinary
concentrations in each major
Practical knowledge culminating
in the creation of something new
Single Double Double Major
Concentra7on Concentra7on
Year 4 2 Core Required 2 Core Required 2 Core Required

8 courses 1 Conc Required 2 Conc Required 2 Conc Required
3 Open 4 Senior Tutorials 4 Senior Tutorials
2 Senior Tutorials

8 courses 2 Conc Required 3-4 Conc Required 4 Conc Required
4 Open 2-3 Open 2 Open

6 courses 3 Core Elec*ves 3 Core Elec*ves

Year 1 8 Cornerstones 8 Cornerstones 8 Cornerstones

8 courses
Business Business Business Arts
Single Double & Sciences
Concentra7on Concentra7on Double Major

8 courses 2 Conc Required 4 Conc Required 3 Conc Required
4 Open 2 Open 2 Senior Tutorials
1 Open

8 courses 2 Conc Required 3-4 Conc Required 4 Conc Required
4 Open 2-3 Open 1 Open

6 courses 2 Core Elec*ves 2 Core Elec*ves

Year 1 8 Cornerstones 8 Cornerstones 8 Cornerstones

8 courses
26
Six concentrations in each major

Systematically defined
Encourages dual concentrations
Matrix approach
Mind and Economic Global
Emo7on Markets Governance
Theore*cal SocSci 110: SocSci 111: SocSci 112:

Theories of Mind Econometrics and Construc*ng
Approaches

and Emo*on Economic Systems Theories of Good
Government

Empirical SocSci 210: SocSci 211: SocSci 212:
Cogni*ve Capital Markets World Poli*cal
Approaches Neuroscience Systems in
Prac*ce
Designing SocSci 310: SocSci 311: SocSci 312:
The Science of Taxa*on, the Designing
Socie*es Influence and Common Good, Cons*tuions

Mo*va*on and Freedom

28
These fundamental  
skills cannot easily be
taught in lectures.
Lectures are a great way
to teach, but a terrible
way to learn.
Active Learning
30
The science of learning has

demonstrated the power of
active learning.
you want to learn practical
If
knowledge, you must use
practical knowledge.

31
The Minerva Seminar

Every class is seminal
Capped at less than 20 students
Fully active learning
32
Oxford-style Senior Tutorials

Three students and a professor
Student-designed syllabus
Deep interaction
33
Oxford-style Senior Tutorials

Avoids restrictive electives (which are
often faculty hobbies)
Student centered: Allows a very wide
range of options
Personalized instruction
34
Co-curricular immersion
Live in 7 different global capitals using
the city as campus
Behind the scenes access to major
cultural, political, and business figures
Far transfer of what is learned in class
to the real world
35
“So far, most of the talk about online

education has been on technology and
lectures, but the important challenge is
technology and seminars. So far, the
discussion is mostly about technical
knowledge, but the future of the
universities is in practical knowledge.” 
 
-David Brooks, The New York Times
Practical Knowledge for  
the Twenty-first Century

Practical Knowledge For The Twenty-First Century

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Practical Knowledge for

the Twenty-first Century

Source: 2013 study by the Association of American Colleges and Universities

Practical Engaging Global Accessible

We can organize the

Four Core Competencies

Thinking Thinking Communicating Interacting

Specific Aspects (examples):

Each aspect of a core

Examples of habits of mind

Use principles of eﬀective debating

Identify your audience and tailor oral

Ask yourself who stands to lose if a

Examples of foundational concepts

Statistical significance, practical

Aspects of the underlying structure of

Principles of multimodal perception that

Minerva has designed a

Early 20th Century: Great

Early 21st Century: A Great

Thinking Critically Communicating Eﬀectively

Thinking Creatively Interacting Eﬀectively

A journey toward mastery

Year 4 Eﬀec*ve Write and Present Begin the journey to

Year 2 Cri*cal Thinking Evaluate Majors Analyzing the central

Year 1 Founda*ons in Four Make Material Introduc*on of HCs

Year 4 2 Core Required 2 Core Required 2 Core Required

Year 3 2 Core Required 2 Core Required 2 Core Required

Year 2 3 Core Required 3 Core Required 6 Core Required

Year 1 8 Cornerstones 8 Cornerstones 8 Cornerstones

Year 4 2 Core Required 2 Core Required 2 Core Required

Year 2 4 Core Required 4 Core Required 6 Core Required

Year 1 8 Cornerstones 8 Cornerstones 8 Cornerstones

Six concentrations in each major

Theore*cal SocSci 110: SocSci 111: SocSci 112:

The science of learning has

The Minerva Seminar

Oxford-style Senior Tutorials

Oxford-style Senior Tutorials

“So far, most of the talk about online

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Practical Knowledge for  

Practical Engaging Global   Accessible

Year 1 Foundaons in Four Make Material Introducon of HCs