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Experiential Major Maps Collaborative for University Deans

EAB’s Experiential Major Maps Collaborative will help you scale the experience of your most engaged students through structured pathways available to all.

Students often struggle to navigate siloed academic, cocurricular, and career development opportunities on campus. College leaders, faculty, and academic and career advisers can guide students in their decision-making by clearly articulating how these opportunities fit together. To promote a cohesive, well-rounded educational experience, colleges can create experiential major maps that help students make informed coursework decisions, encourage the integration of complementary activities, and drive engagement throughout the pathway to a degree.

Challenges to making progress

  • Typical academic plans rarely guide students beyond planning schedules and picking courses
  • Separation of academic advising, career planning, and experiential learning opportunities impacts student outcomes, both on campus and after graduation
  • Siloes between colleges, departments, and central career or advising services inhibit collaboration
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A four-year academic plan looks like a list of hurdles, but the four-year maps feel more like an experience.

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VP of Strategic Planning and Initiatives

About the collaborative

EAB’s Experiential Major Maps Collaborative will help you develop and embed experiential major maps that illustrate academic, co-curricular, and career preparation pathways across your college’s departments and programs.

Through EAB’s new collaborative experience, you will:

  • Help students explore majors, identify skills, gain hands-on experience, and create success pathways from classroom to career
  • Promote your college’s majors and programs through a holistic lens
  • Identify pilot team roles and responsibilities and create a template and project implementation plan
  • Expand your skills and capacity with 1:1 expert coaching and project management support

Successfully implement experiential major maps in your college through four expert-led workshops

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    1. Why Your College Needs Major Maps

    January 22, 2025

     

    Sample activities:

    • Differentiate major maps from traditional degree plans
    • Articulate value of major maps for diverse campus constituents—students, advisors, faculty, and staff
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    2. Cultivate Your Major Maps Strategy

    February 12, 2025

     

    Sample activities:

    • Create a project plan, process, and timeline
    • Name college and cross-campus stakeholders
    • Diagnose common obstacles and identify solutions
    • Customize the EAB major map template
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    3. Hallmarks of Effective and Impactful Major Maps

    March 5, 2025

     

    Sample activities:

    • Inventory characteristics of successful maps
    • Identify KPIs and qualitative metrics to assess the usage and impact of major maps
    • Create annual review and update plan
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    4. Learn From the Experts and Share Next Steps

    March 26, 2025

     

    Sample activities:

    • Panelists from fellow research institutions answer your questions about implementation, design, and engagement
    • Share your progress and get live feedback from fellow participants
    • Troubleshoot challenges and celebrate successes

How to participate

If you are interested in participating in EAB’s Experiential Major Maps Collaborative, please complete the form below. You may also contact [email protected] to learn more. Once we receive your request, we will be in touch with further details.

In the form, please nominate:

  • An Executive Sponsor (ES): This person will offer leadership-level support and advice to the Implementation Leader as they lead the charge to implement major maps in the college. Required role: Dean of the college; member of Deans Advisory Services.
  • Two Implementation Leaders (IL): These team members will participate in the collaborative on your college’s behalf. To benefit most from this experience, the ILs are expected to come to each synchronous session of the collaborative and complete 30-60 minutes of work between each session.

EAB’s recommendation for Implementation Leaders:

  1. Assistant or associate dean. This person will serve as the general manager of the project and oversee the implementation and additional staffing. Example titles: dean of undergraduate affairs, dean of teaching and learning, dean of assessment, dean of curricular affairs, dean of academic affairs.
  2. A representative from college career services or college advising services.

Your EAB Strategic Leader will be in touch with more information after you express your interest.