Experiential Learning

Collage

SASAH requires students to complete a 1.0 Experiential Learning (EL) credit by the end of their fourth or, in some cases, fifth year.

The EL requirement helps prepare students for post-university work by facilitating:

  • the advanced development of:
    • hard and soft/transferable skills,
    • teamwork and leadership abilities,
    • productive professional practices,
  • the opportunity to engage with the community and to network,
  • the connection between theory and practice,
  • the exploration of possible career paths.

Students gain valuable “real-world” experience and improve their self-confidence.

There are three types of placements or projects students can undertake and count toward their EL credit.

  • Internships, which offer mentored professional experience.
  • Community Engaged Learning (CEL), which usually involves work with non-profit organizations but can occur in a for-profit organization providing the focus is on service to the community.
  • Independent research or creative projects, which focus on self-directed inquiry but must be related to the student's career goals or involve the community in some way.

EL opportunities may be situated in the private, public, for-profit, and non-profit sectors and be paid or unpaid.

Length

The length of an EL opportunity can vary from 6 weeks to 8 months depending on the type of work experience and the number of hours per week students are expected to commit to the placement/project.

Academic Term

Students can count experiences toward the requirement in the Summer (May to August), Fall (September to December), and/or Winter (January to April) terms.

Commitment

Students will work 100 to 120 hours for 0.5 credit, 200 to 240 hours for 1.0 credit.

Location

Unrestricted. Students can undertake opportunities anywhere in the world, in person or remotely, as long as the EL Coordinator can be in regular contact with the student and onsite supervisor.

Program

Most students undertake the opportunities they will count toward their EL requirement in their third or fourth year. Students can count opportunities in any year of the SASAH program, although they are limited to counting 0.5 credit before their third year. Students enroll in their EL course(s) to receive credit for their experiences in their fourth (or fifth) year.

Contact

To learn more about EL program, contact the EL Coordinator, Dr. Barbara Bruce, at bbruce2@uwo.ca.