The VIP+ Model

The VIP+ model is a transformative approach to enhancing higher education by engaging students in ambitious, long-term, industry-scale, multidisciplinary project teams. The proposed program encapsulates an initiative to instill entrepreneurial confidence in students and empower them to launch successful startups. Students will work within vertically-integrated teams that are led by faculty, coached by graduate students, and co-mentored by industry partners. Students will acquire knowledge of professional (e.g., documentation, leadership and teamwork, communications, project management, intellectual property) and technical (e.g., hands-on lab skills, scientific concepts related to the project) skills.

VIP+ involves a 1- to 2- hours team meeting (class) each week, plus time on the project outside of team meetings in addition to sub-team meetings.  Time spent outside of class varies by the number of credit hours students register for, which is similar to the ratio for traditional courses.

• Students who register for 1-credit hour can expect to spend about 2-3 hours outside of class working on their projects each week.
• Students who register for 2-credit hours can expect to spend 4-5 hours outside of class working on their projects each week.
• Students who register for 3-credit hours can expect to spend 6-8 hours outside of class working on their projects each week. 
• For each VIP+ credit, students shall expect to spend 8-10 hours per semester on accompanying workshops. The workshop on Start-up Lab 1 is mandatory to all.

 The recommended number of credits per rank are:

• Sophomores are limited to 1-credit hour per semester.
• Juniors can take 1-2 credit hours per semester*.
• Seniors and Graduate students can take 1-3 credit hours per semester*.
• VIP+ credits can count as free electives.  In case students already satisfied their free elective requirements, then they are advised to check with their respective departments for credit substitution. Students may need to petition for this substitution.  

Selected VIP+ students will be placed in a summer internship before the start of the course. The Internship requires the intern to undertake a minimum of 120 hours within 4 weeks in August 2021 with one of the projects’ industry partners. 

** For the AY 2021-2022 year juniors and seniors are expected to register for 2 credits in Fall 2021 and 1 credit in Spring 2022.