The New Centre for Research and Practice

The New Centre for Research & Practice is conceived upon the idea that the space of knowledge is a laboratory for navigating the links between thought and action. Our pedagogical approach bootstraps the conventional role of the Arts and Sciences to construct new forms of research and practice alongside, within, and between the existing disciplines and technologies. The New Centre’s aim is a constructivist one, to assemble an environment, both virtual and actual, that inspires our members to invent alternate understandings that can be put into collective practice.The New Centre is a non-profit, higher education institute offering graduate-level certificate programs, workshops, seminars, exhibitions, residencies, and conferences in Critical Philosophy, Social & Political Thought, Curatorial Practice, and Transdisciplinary Research & Practice. Our carefully selected network of thinkers and scholars advise and assist those seeking to make the transition between undergraduate and graduate schools, as well as from graduate school to the professions. Through studying at the New Centre, students practice graduate level research in a manner that does not interrupt their existing academic aspirations, but instead complements, enhances, and intensifies them.

Frequently Asked Questions

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1. What is The New Centre?

The New Centre for Research & Practice is a non-profit Licensed Proprietary School authorized by the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) of the State of Michigan, USA as of August 29, 2014. Our LPS license authorizes us to provide graduate-level seminars and certificates of competency in the arts, transdisciplinary studies, critical philosophy & social and political thought, amongst other fields. The New Centre is not a degree-granting institution and does not seek this form of social recognition. The New Centre provides graduate-level seminars in a range of fields and disciplines to open new paths in artistic, philosophical and political practice. We aim to provide advanced college and university students as well as junior faculty with seminar and research experience in theoretical frameworks outside the conventional canons and in their most recent stages of development.2. What is the The New Centre’s policy on discrimination?
The New Centre for Research & Practice does not discriminate on the basis of sex, disability, race, age, religion, color, national or ethnic origin, ancestry, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, physical characteristics, or any other category protected by federal, state, or local law, in its educational programs, admissions policies, financial aid, scholarships, fellowships, employment, or other school-administered programs. The policy is reinforced by The New Centre for Research & Practice, and where applicable, federal laws such as Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Age Discrimination Act of 1975. The New Centre is an equal opportunity educational institution. Inquiries regarding compliance with these statutes, and referrals to designated coordinators under the ADA/Section 504, Title IX, and the Age Discrimination Act may be directed to the Organizing Committee of the New Centre for Research & Practice at +1 (616) 439-1338, 4417 Broadmoor Avenue SE, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49512, or to the Director of the Office for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20202-1100, 1-800-421-3481, TDD: 877-521-2172.

3. Where is The New Centre located?
The legal office of the The New Centre is located midway between Detroit and Chicago, at 4417 Broadmoor Ave SE, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49512 USA. The New Centre’s graduate-level certificate programs, workshops, seminars, exhibitions, residencies, and conferences are offered by scholars and instructors from a variety of locations including the USA, Canada, the UK and Australia.

4. Can I get a graduate degree via The New Centre?
The New Centre does not offer degree programs to its students nor does it seek this form of social recognition. We are not accredited as a degree-granting institution by Title IV-recognized regional or national accrediting bodies, and do not plan to be. We provide graduate level certificates via our Licensed Proprietary School license that complement, enhance, and intensify MA and PhD degree-seeking activities from accredited colleges and universities, as well as those who wishing to audit our seminars independently.

5. How are the seminars operated?
At present, The New Centre functions as an exclusively online institution, save for occasional hybrid online/in-person simulcasts arranged by affiliate institutions and programs. Our seminars are provided in the context of six different certificate programs, each of which require the completion of twelve 1 credit modules offered each academic year.

6. At what academic level are the seminars offered by The New Centre?
Each seminar is graded as introductory, intermediate or advanced. The introductory seminars do not require any special background, but all of our seminars involve graduate-level texts and concepts.

7. How is The New Centre funded?
The New Centre is funded by a combination of partially tax-deductible monetary donations through our fiscal sponsor and tuition-driven revenue sources. We welcome your support: we accept both monetary donations and other forms of assistance, while we are getting started.

8. How do I stay up-to-date with developments at The New Centre?
All enrollees are automatically added to the The New Centre’s newsletter mailing list, from which updates are sent monthly. For ongoing, realtime updates, please follow the The New Centre’sFacebook Page.

9. How can I enroll in The New Centre seminars?
At present, we are an open-enrollment institution: anyone may enroll in The New Centre’s seminars. Those seeking credit must complete the seminar and certificate program requirements. To enroll, navigate to the front page of the website, select Seminars and enroll in the seminar you are interested in.

10. How much does a seminar cost?
Seminars are available in synchronous (live), asynchronous (archived), certificate-seeking and audit modes. The New Centre is primarily organized around synchronous, certificate-seeking students who join the instructors, guests and other members live in the Google+ Hangout. This mode costs $160 per 1-credit seminar.

11. How can I enroll in The New Centre’s Certificate Programs?
We are in the process of finalizing our Graduate-Level Certificate Programs and you will be able to apply for shortly. Each credit earned in the meantime will be retroactively accepted into the program you choose, or can also be accepted interchangeably into any other program.

12. What is a Membership?
General Membership is 100 USD per year and provides ibrary access to all seminars in The New Centre’s archive, access to research resources and peer-to-peer reference assistance, access to posting your own announcements on the member mailing list, attendance at The New Centre Summer School at a reduced rate and participation and voting rights in The New Centre’s Annual General Meeting. Members are added to the mailing list through which you will receive our monthly email updates regarding our internal seminars/events, as well as relevant external announcements from our affiliates and members (calls for papers or book proposals, conferences, workshops, etc.). In addition, you will be invited to join our Google+ Community, a social network of students, instructors, researchers, and affiliates involved with The New Centre.

13. What is a Friend of the New Centre Membership?
A Friends of The New Centre Membership is 500 USD for a LIFETIME membership. It provides everything available to Members, as well as one seminar per year, attendance at The New Centre’s Summer Program at no cost, receipt of tax exemption in accordance with financial support and thanks in writing in all of The New Centre’s publications for one year. As do Members, Friends of The New Centre Members also receive library access to all seminars in The New Centre’s archive, access to research resources and peer-to-peer assistance, access to posting your own announcements on the member mailing list, participation and voting rights in the New Centre’s Annual General Meeting. The Friends of The New Centre Members are added to the mailing list through which you will receive our monthly email updates regarding our internal seminars/events, as well as relevant external announcements from our affiliates and members (calls for papers or book proposals, conferences, workshops, etc.). In addition, you will be invited to join our Google+ Community, a social network of students, instructors, researchers, and affiliates involved with The New Centre.

14. Can I audit a live seminar?
Yes, however, auditors do not get a slot in the Google+ Hangout and must view instead via YouTube. Google+ Hangout slots are reserved only for students paying tuition at the regular price. To audit live seminars, members and students must register for each individual session at 5 USD, or, for the entire four-session seminar at 20 USD, at least 6 hours prior to the seminar’s commencement. If you seek to audit a live seminar or a seminar session after this time, please contact our registrar at registrar[AT]thenewcentre[DOT]org

15. How can I access the video archives from seminars previously offered by The New Centre?
Those who have already paid to audit a live seminar session or full four-session seminar are able to access them after the live events are complete. If you did not audit the live seminar sessions and still wish to access the archives, the cost is 5 USD for a single seminar session or 20 USD for a full four-session seminar.

16. What is the difference between students and members of The New Centre?
Members of The New Centre are those who have chosen to support our mission through their annual membership support which entitles them to certain resources and services. Students are those who have enrolled in our seminars as paid students.

17. How are students enrolled in seminars evaluated?
The New Centre students enrolled in seminars are not given academic grades or marks but evaluated based on three criterias of Pass, Fail and Extraordinary. The last category is saved for students who throughout the seminar have demonstrated an extraordinary ability to contribute to the research and practice involved in the course load.

18. What is The New Centre’s refund policy?
General refund policy: After tuition and fees are paid by the applicant, he or she may request them back in full upon request, if that request is made in writing or verbally within three business days after agreeing to the terms by paying for required services or seminars. All refunds will be returned within 30 days of request. The New Centre does not charge an application fee. Certificate Programs refund policy:  “All tuition and fees paid by the applicant shall be refunded if the applicant is rejected by the school before enrollment.  There is no application fee.  All tuition and fees paid by the applicant shall be refunded if requested within three business days after signing a contract with the school.  All refunds shall be returned within 30 days.” Students requesting a full refund must do so at the completion of the first seminar session via email sent to The New Centre’s Registrar. The Registrar will take the student’s request into consideration. Any request that is made beyond the first session will not be refunded under most conditions. Please direct your correspondence to:registrar[AT]thenewcentre[DOT]org.