CDI helps you design, redesign, or improve your course with the guidance of expert GW facilitators and takes place during one intensive week (May 18–22, 2026). For more information about the Course Design Institute (CDI), including benefits, testimonials, and frequently asked questions, please visit the CDI main page.
Dates, location, and schedule
Dates: May 18–22, 2026
Location: CDI 2026 will be fully online. There will be an option to attend on Wednesday in person with lunch on the Foggy Bottom campus.
Schedule: CDI is designed to engage you from 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. on Monday through Thursday and 9:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m. on Friday. However, we will not be on Zoom the entire day. There will be breaks for work on your own consultations. See this sample schedule from last year's CDI. See this sample schedule from a recent CDI.
How to apply
The CDI: May application is available as a Google form. Any GW faculty member who has a new course to design or an existing course to redesign is welcome, and all undergraduate and graduate courses are eligible. CDI frequently receives more applicants than we can admit. We strive for a balanced cohort that is interdisciplinary, includes instructors with a variety of experiences, and impacts as many GW students as possible. We will inform applicants of our decision approximately one week after the application closes. If you have applied in the past, feel free to apply again!
Applications for CDI are now closed.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does CDI work? How is it structured?
CDI is led by a team of GW faculty and Center for Teaching Excellence staff. We guide a multi-disciplinary group of about 40 faculty from across all of GW’s disciplines and schools. Together we spend 4.5 days designing or substantially redesigning courses to promote significant, long-term learning. To make this a valuable cohort experience, everyone is expected to clear their schedule for the week and participate fully. The schedule at a glance, linked in "Dates, location, and schedule" for CDI above, provides a breakdown of each day to give you some perspective.
We will first explore learning-centered design principles in a large group session. Then you will be broken out into small teams to work on your course with peer faculty. Teams provide brainstorming, individualized feedback, and on-going support opportunities; experienced CDI alumni lead the team activities.
CDI will be fully online (with two optional in-person days) again this year, using a continuous combination of synchronous and asynchronous work throughout the week. One-on-one consultation opportunities are available throughout the week and after. We promise you won’t be simply sitting online. Rather, you will engage with faculty colleagues in live, interactive sessions and work on your own to apply larger principles to your course documents.
I have a commitment during the week of CDI and will need to miss some time. Can I still apply?
CDI is an intensive experience. We ask that people clear their schedule during the day (9:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m.) and make time for some evening work as well. If you need to miss a small window of time—for example, a brief medical appointment, childcare drop-off, or pickup, teaching a class—we will likely be able to accommodate you. If you anticipate missing a larger block of time, please apply in a future year.
Reach out for more information and questions
If you have additional questions about CDI, please don’t hesitate to email the Center for Teaching Excellence.
