The Curriculum and Instruction Renewal Program (CIRP) is a faculty-driven program
that aims to empower academic units to facilitate program-level curricular growth, adaptation, and innovation that enrich undergraduate instruction, compensate labor associated with curriculum and instructional redesign, and prepare instructors to teach the revised curriculum.
Program-level projects such as the ones listed below that align with the mission of the Schreyer
Institute for Teaching Excellence can be submitted to this grant program. Projects
may focus on any of the following.
Redesign curriculum and instruction to reduce barriers to learning, enable all students to achieve their learning potential, and improve progression toward degree attainment (e.g., redeveloping high-enrollment courses with high DFW rates, resequencing of required or pre-requisite courses, developing learning pathways).
Align curriculum and instruction with current, evidence-based instructional practices and to meet student needs (e.g., alternative grading, experiential learning, integration of student support resources).
Revise curriculum and instruction to address significant changes or challenges to teaching and learning (e.g., artificial intelligence literacy, demographic shifts, instructional capacity, significant changes in professional or industry standards).
CIRP grants include supplemental compensation ($3,000) for a faculty member
(CIRP Fellow). In addition to financial support for a faculty member who leads the
project, units may request funds for activities that prepare faculty to teach in the
revised curriculum. Funds can also be requested for materials, student wages, or
honoraria for experts (e.g., colleagues from other institutions who have
implemented similar programs or changes). Project budget proposals should not exceed $2,000.
To participate in the 2026-27 application cycle, please meet with a SITE consultant to discuss your initial ideas before
April 10, 2026. To schedule a meeting, send an email, with CIRP in the subject, to
SITE@psu.edu. You will hear by May 1 if your project has
been selected to be developed into a full proposal. Applications are due June 30, and applicants
will be notified by July 31.
