The University of the Nations has developed a modular approach to education. The modular system enhances learning by providing students with intensive and focused time on each topic. Typically, visiting teachers spend a full week or two on their area of expertise, which allows the students to focus upon and absorb one subject at a time. The concentrated study of a single subject during a twelve-week term prepares the student to work effectively in a subsequent field assignment in a missions setting.
Another benefit of the modular system is the mobility it allows the students and faculty. For example, a communication student may take an introductory communication course and a photography course at one U of N campus, followed by a photography internship on the mission field. Then he or she may choose to take video and graphics courses at UofN locations in other countries. The student will not only acquire academic training, but also will gain the invaluable opportunity to live in the context of various cultures. These experiences impart a broader understanding of the world and how the student’s gifts and knowledge could best be applied to the needs in different nations. The mobility of U of N students also permits friendships among people of different nationalities, creating networks of international exchange.
The modular system allows for a different learning strategy. General principles across a whole subject area can be laid out first. Specific details are then introduced as needed to build a working knowledge and ability in the subject area. Thus the student moves “down” into more and more details as they are needed, but these are always in the context of the objectives and applications. This learning strategy has proven to be highly motivational for students because they relate the basic information to the overall purposes for attending the course.