Think Outside the Curriculum with NYU Shanghai’s Creativity and Innovation Minor

This spring, the first cohort of students earned the new minor. “We had courses in mind that were really focused on how we each think—and can change how we think—and less on the acquisition of existing knowledge,” explains Professor Adam Brandenburger. He’s the director for the Program on Creativity and Innovation at NYU Shanghai. “Our view was that this area would be very meaningful for students to examine as part of their educational journey. And, moreover, that creation and innovation mindsets would be very important in the 21st-century world of work. So, after going down this learning curve, we felt ready to offer something that we believe is pathbreaking: the Creativity and Innovation minor.”

While creativity is often framed as an inherent quality, Creativity and Innovation minors come from all different majors and backgrounds. Furthermore, there are no program requirements. “Any NYU Shanghai student can minor in Creativity and Innovation. This is so important to us,” says Brandenburger. “We want students from the humanities, the sciences, and business—everyone—to have the chance to complement their major with a minor devoted to enhancing their innate creativity.” Going forward, the team plans to open the minor to students across NYU’s global network, bringing in experiences and mindsets from around the world.

“I had wanted to study business, but I also consider myself a creative person. So, I took Creativity Considered, now a mandatory course for the minor, out of curiosity,” reflects Cindy Li. She’s a Global China Studies major, triple-minoring in Business of Entertainment, Media, and Technology; Producing; and Creativity and Innovation. “After the Creativity and Innovation minor became an option, I realized it aligned with how I see my career path. I feel that I will be more creative but also not entirely an artist.”

The required Experience Studio course series is a key aspect of the Creativity and Innovation minor. Just by reading the course titles, you can tell these classes are anything but ordinary. Options include Bicycle Kingdom: The Business and Culture of Bicycles in Shanghai; Create Your Digital Brand Through Storytelling; and Dine and Design: Crafting Meaningful Culinary Experiences. Isabella, who took two of the courses, says, “It allows the world—or wherever you are—to act as your classroom. I explored places in Shanghai that I would have never seen and ended up with a greater appreciation of the city.” For one Experience Studio course, Isabella and Cindy traveled to Sanqingshan, a sacred mountain several hours from Shanghai by bullet train. There, they learned about Taoism and soaked in nature to connect with their inner creators.