The Top 30 American Colleges With The Most Innovative Teaching Approaches: These Colleges Do Things Differently

Any college professor can talk about a subject with their students. But it takes a true innovator to teach a well known or emerging discipline in a way that inspires and leads to success. There is no one way to teach a subject. And while there are tried and tested practices that are proven to ...

Updated on December 13, 2022

Any college professor can talk about a subject with their students. But it takes a true innovator to teach a well known or emerging discipline in a way that inspires and leads to success. There is no one way to teach a subject. And while there are tried and tested practices that are proven to help with learning, many colleges in America are also implementing new and exciting approaches. US students are incredibly lucky to have the opportunity to pick from a range of colleges that do things differently. However, many do not realize the true breadth of opportunities out there. This article will correct that. Below, we reveal the colleges that teach their subjects in the most interesting, different and useful ways.

One of the problems with choosing a college, from a prospective student's point of view, is that it can be hard for different institutions to stand out. When you've got two or more seemingly very similar college options in front of you, how can you identify the best one? The answer is to look at the ways in which the colleges teach. Different people learn in different ways. Therefore, some students benefit from formal classroom settings, while others get the most from being in the field. Most need a mix of approaches. And the colleges that are finding new ways to mix and invigorate these teaching methods are serving their students the best.

If you're the sort of person that wants to reach the top of their career but needs a non-traditional way of learning it, then you're in the right place. There are many articles online that list a range of different innovative colleges in America. But this is the first article that highlights the top 30 while showing you what it is that each one is doing differently.

Perhaps there isn't a college below that suits you personally, and that's ok. This list can still be incredibly useful, as it will teach you just what it is that you need to look for in your own choices. We've included summaries of each innovative entry, which will show you what the colleges are doing for their students. Just read below and ask yourself, "Do my college options teach in any way like this?"

Methodology

For innovation to remain innovative, it needs to constantly change. That means that there are many colleges across America starting new things all the time. So we've compiled the most up to date reports on the colleges that do things differently. We've also looked at older reports and done research to see how the featured colleges have updated their practices in the years since publication. And for all entries on the list, we've also performed extensive research into the claims within the articles. This ensures that the information presented below is up to date and accurate.

Our sources are as follows:

Reuters, Reuters Top 100: The World's Most Innovative Universities – 2017: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-amers-reuters-ranking-innovative-univ/reuters-top-100-the-worlds-most-innovative-universities-2017-idUSKCN1C209RForbes, The 10 Most Innovative Business School Courses: https://www.forbes.com/2010/08/09/most-innovative-business-school-classes-entrepreneurs-management-sustainable-tech-10-innovative_slide.htmlUS News, Most Innovative Schools, National Universities: https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/rankings/national-universities/innovativeUS News, Most Innovative Schools, National Liberal Arts Colleges: https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/rankings/national-liberal-arts-colleges/innovativeCollege Xpress, The Most Innovative College Academic Programs: https://www.collegexpress.com/lists/list/the-most-innovative-college-academic-programs/238/Business Insider, 10 Innovative US Colleges That Are Finding A Way To Do Everything Better: https://www.businessinsider.com/best-colleges-for-innovators-entrepreneurs-2017-9Mashable, 10 College Courses That Didn't Exist 20 Years Ago: https://mashable.com/2012/09/10/innovative-college-courses/#WkxL5YIr1OqE

What this list does is quantify and aggregate the sources above. That means that this list is in many ways the indisputable list of lists. We've ranked colleges based on their placements on the sources and through evidence of their innovation having an impact. To see what these respectable publications agree to be the most innovative colleges in America, read below.

Our results, from 30 to one, are here:

Featured Online Programs

Figuring out where to apply? These top, accredited schools offer a variety of online degrees. Consider one of these accredited programs, and discover their value today.

Recommended Reading