Frequently Asked Questions

Q. What academic credentials do I have to have to write an educational curriculum?

A. To be the Chair of a project's committee, you must have earned a postgraduate degree, e.g. a Master's, Specialist, Licentiate, or Doctorate. We require this to ensure that FCC's curricula are respected worldwide.

Q. I'm very knowledgeable about a subject, and am interested in starting a project, but I never finished university. Can I become Chair of a project committee anyway?

A. Perhaps. If you're willing to do much of the contributing to a project, we can find someone with the right credentials to serve as the committee's Co-Chair, who can then assist you and serve as a mentor. Please contact us, if you have something to offer the world, we'll do our best to find a way to empower you to do so.

Q. Why do people participate in FCC projects if they're not getting paid?

A. Participants have many different incentives to volunteer their time and expertise. Some may be recent postgraduate degree recipients, looking for a co-authorship credit to help distinguish themselves from a sea of their colleagues. Some may be more established, and looking to lend their experience to an effort that will benefit many who otherwise would have to do without university level materials. Some may be ideologically motivated by the project’s cooperative nature. All are welcome.

Incidentally, in the future you may not necessarily remain strictly volunteer. FCC plans to start a program offering paid fellowships to those contributing specific, needed material.

Q. Who is the legal owner of FCC's curricula?

A. The Free Curricula Center is incorporating as a not-for-profit entity to be the owner of record. This allows for the protection of all of each projects' Contributors, as well as giving FCC legal standing to defend any curricula that may be used in a way that violates the license you have given it. Of course, by definition, material released into the public domain is not owned by anyone and thus is completely free for anyone to use in any fashion.

Q. Are there ways I can help other than contributing my expertise in an academic area?

A. Yes! The Free Curricula Center is establishing itself as a U.S. 501(c)(3) non-profit organization so that contributions to it will be tax deductible for Americans and U.S. corporations. If you are interested in donating and would like to know when this is available, please email us.

We also seek financial donations; any donations that exceed our operational needs will go toward funding paid fellowships for those willing to contribute curriculum material, as decribed above.