Propose a Course

The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at the University of Pittsburgh is a member-based learning community comprised of adults age 50 and more who are seeking intellectually stimulating courses and opportunities to interact with like-minded adults and Institute faculty.

General Information About OLLI Courses
Tips and Instructions for Preparing and Submitting a Course Proposal
How Are Proposals Reviewed?
Submit a Proposal

Fall Course Proposals are now being accepted.

Deadline for Fall 2024 Course Proposal submissions is April 12, 2024.

 

General Information on OLLI courses

When are courses held? OLLI courses are held during fall, spring, and summer terms, with each term divided into two five-week sessions. In person courses typically meet for an hour and 50 minutes once a week for five weeks, with online courses meeting for 75 - 90 minutes weekly. Most courses are scheduled weekdays from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. , although on occasion courses may meet at other times, including evenings and Saturdays.

Who can submit a proposal? OLLI at Pitt routinely seeks out course proposals from both new and established OLLI instructors. Many of our instructors are graduate, doctoral, and post-doc students, professors, lecturers, adjunct instructors and others associated with the University of Pittsburgh or other educational institutions in the area. Additionally, we welcome instructors who have both teaching experience and special expertise and knowledge from the community at large. A committee of the membership reviews the proposals and recommends courses to be offered.

How are course proposals submitted? Interested instructors must use our online Course Proposal Form to submit their course proposal.

Is there any compensation?  Yes, OLLI at Pitt is able to pay instructors for their instructional time (sorry, we cannot pay for prep time). Typically, courses are 5 - 10 instructional hours (depending on course). Instructors are paid through the payroll system and are considered part-time, temporary employees of the University. Instructors who have an incorporated entity can be paid as contractors, if they wish. 

Who can I call for information? Feel free to contact the OLLI office at osher@pitt.edu or 412-624-7308 to discuss the course you wish to propose. 

Fall 2024 Term 

Session #1 - August 26, 2024 - September 30, 2024 
Session #2 - October 14, 2024 - November 15, 2024

Tips and Instructions for Preparing and Submitting a Course Proposal

Please carefully review the overview of the information below regarding what we request from you in our online Course Proposal Submission formWe ask that all proposals be submitted through this form, even if you have taught for OLLI at Pitt previously. 

Proposed Course Title.  Please limit your course title in your proposal to no more than 60 characters with spaces.

Course Description: Your course description should be concise and clear about the topics and classroom activities so that students will know what to expect. We ask you to limit the length of this description to approximately 100 words that could be used in our course catalog. Students need to know what will be taught, the approach to the subject matter (lecture, interactive discussion, activities, films/readings, etc.), and out-of-class preparation (readings or video viewing).

Course Outline: You will type a few sentences for each week of the proposed course. It is helpful to the proposal evaluation committee to see a brief statements of what content will be covered during each week of your course. This information is especially relevant to instructors new to our program. This helps the committee to evaluate the appropriateness of the course for our OLLI program. 

Identification of course type.  Our program has three class types and you are asked to select one: 
 

  • Lecture – These courses are primarily oral presentations where information, history, theories, or ideas are presented by instructors with occasional contributions from participants through questions and answers. 

  • Discussion - These courses can be on academic, cultural, or enrichment topics where participants are welcome to talk and contribute to class dialogue through open class discussions.  

  • Active Learning - These courses require a high degree of participants' active involvement through class-time practice (language, painting, exercise, etc.).

Length of the course - Typically OLLI courses are 5 (one session); more infrequently they can be 10 (over both sessions) weeks long.

You are asked to list any suggested text in your proposal.  Books may be suggested but not required. If you suggest a book for your proposed course, you must confirm in your proposal that the book is still in print or you will not be able to use it for this course. Please include title, author, publisher, and ISBN number. Total cost of books should not exceed $25.

We ask if you have taught the proposed course before; if so, when and where did you teach the course previously?

Financial interests – Instructors must disclose any financial interests they have in a product or service mentioned in the course. These factors may be considered as the course proposal is evaluated.

Your resume or vitae is requested (you will upload it) and we ask you to submit a brief bio paragraph that can appear or be modified for use in our Course Catalog.

Note that if your professional resume or CV focuses on a different area of expertise than the course you are proposing, you may want to submit a revised version or address this issue in your bio.

Proposal Review 

Our Curriculum Committee evaluates submitted course proposals in the weeks following the deadline.  Courses are scored and selected on the basis of the following:

  • Appropriateness of the course topic for the OLLI program;
  • Instructor qualifications specifically on the topic of the proposed course;
  • Teaching, presentation, or adult education experience;
  • For instructors with prior experience in OLLI, course evaluation reports of previous courses; and
  • Alignment with OLLI policies and known interests of OLLI members.

Once courses are approved, individuals proposing courses are informed as to whether or not their course proposal has been accepted. Even though your course may be accepted, it may not be possible to offer it during the term you initially requested. These details would be discussed with you. Finally, upon selection of a course, the details of dates and times are finalized with the instructor.

If you have any questions about the course proposal process, please contact our office at osher@pitt.edu and we will make sure the appropriate staff member gets in touch with you.


SUBMIT A PROPOSAL