Common Questions Asked by Faculty

Below are some common questions that faculty ask about Ways. If your question is not addressed here, please contact waysofthinking@stanford.edu for assistance.

How do I figure out which Way(s) category my course best fits?

There are many nuances to the different type of Ways. Please review the Ways Guidelines to help identify the best Ways category that fits your course. You can submit your course for up to two Ways categories

How come I can't open the Ways portal to submit my course?

The Ways submittal system recognizes you as a student (post doc, fellow, or grad student) who do not have access to the Ways system. If this is the case, please enlist the help of your department's SSO, course administrator, or a faculty member to submit the course for you. Faculty, lecturers and staff have access to the Ways portal and can assist submit a course on your behalf. Also, the Ways portal requires web authorization, so a new instructor who does not have a SUnet ID yet will be unable to submit a course. They will also need assistance from an SSO, course administrator, or faculty member.

Why don’t I see my course listed in the drop-down menu on the Ways site?

Typically, this is because the undergraduate course number has not been created in the registrar's central system (e.g. Coursedog). Your department's SSO or course administrator can help create the course for you. Once created, there is a 1-2 business day delay before the course is exported to the Ways system and accessible in the drop-down menu. Also, graduate courses are ineligible for Ways certification although you can create an undergraduate cross listed course number using the same course ID number.

What if I don’t have a syllabus for my course yet? Can I submit something less prescriptive than a syllabus?

A full syllabus is not necessary, but we need sufficient information about the course to make a determination if it fits the rationale and spirit of the Way. A short preliminary syllabus may be submitted, along with additional supporting documentation that addresses the Ways Guidelines.

How do I know if my course was approved?

Email notifications are sent out 2-4 weeks after a quarterly deadline date. You can also check Explore Courses since it may already display the Ways designation prior to receiving a Ways decision notification.

How many learning outcomes are needed?

Each Way must have a minimum of one learning outcome from the list of examples provided in the Ways Guidelines under each Way category or you must provide at least one custom learning outcome. If helpful, you can print the Learning Outcomes Samples (PDF) for reference.

My course was approved for Ways, so why does it not show in Explore Courses?

Courses that have been certified for Ways will appear in Explore Courses approximately 1-2 weeks after approval. If after two weeks it does not appear in Explore Courses, please email waysofthinking@stanford.edu for assistance. Ways only applies to undergraduate courses, so if a course is cross-listed with a graduate course it will not appear on that graduate course listing.

Do I have to submit my course for Ways certification?

No, Ways is an opt-in program, so instructors and/or departments decide whether to submit a course for Ways certification. However, undergraduate students must take 11 Ways courses to fulfill the Ways general education requirement, so students are motivated to enroll in courses that are Ways-certified. Many instructors see increased enrollment in Ways-certified courses.

Can I offer my course for Satisfactory/No Credit (S/NC) grading?

Ways courses must be taken for a letter grade unless it is only offered for Satisfactory/No Credit (S/NC) and a letter grade option is not available. If a course is offered for "Letter or Credit/No Credit", the student must take the course for a letter grade. We anticipate few courses will be offered for S/NC grading and will be geared towards introductory science series courses such as in Physics. Prior to Autumn 2022, only CE courses were allowed to be offered for S/NC by exception.

What if a course is taught by more than one instructor or the instructor changes?

A course is Ways-certified based on the syllabus or course content, not by who teaches it. If the course meets the rationale and spirit of the Way for which it is designated, changes in instructor or details of the syllabus are acceptable. However, a course that is substantially different from offering to offering, then the department will need to resubmit the course.

Do I need to recertify my current ED course(s) for EDP?

No. Courses certified for ED will fulfill the EDP requirement. System changes will be phased in, and any ED reference will change to EDP over time.

If my syllabus, course description on Explore Courses, or department website mentions the Way-ED, do I need to change it?

Yes, but no rush. The next time you teach the course, please replace ED with the EDP name at that time.