Curricular and Course-based Opportunities
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Curricular experiential learning opportunities are for-credit experiences that are offered through the University of Guelph's academic colleges. There are currently eight types of curricular experiential learning at the University of Guelph, approved by Senate in June 2020.
Experiential Learning Opportunities by Type
Certificate Programs
A program comprised of a required number of curated courses that promote specialized knowledge acquisition and skill development through hands-on experience and classroom learning, undertaken alongside a degree.
Currently the University of Guelph offers one experiential certificate:
- The Certificate in Leadership provides you with the opportunity to develop an historical and theoretical understanding of leadership with emphasis on contemporary theories, models and research through 2.50 credits of coursework and 120 hours of leadership practice.
Co-operative Education
A program that integrates academic with paid workplace learning and skill development in a relevant field, through alternating work and study terms. Students receive a Co-operative Education Certificate upon completion.
Community Engaged Learning (CEL) Courses
A course that requires students to connect their learning and skill development to theoretical concepts through learning activities designed with a community organization to achieve mutually beneficial outcomes.
- Download a list of community engaged learning courses across various disciplines.
- Contact the Community Engaged Scholarship Institute (CESI) for more information about community engaged learning and scholarship at the University of Guelph.
Course-integrated Experiential Learning
A course that intentionally integrates activities such as structured projects, laboratory work, design, simulations, performances, competitive practice, live or field case studies, or entrepreneurship to enable students to display their academic learning and skill development.
- Download a list of course-integrated experiential learning options across various programs.
Field Courses
A course that prepares students for professional work through first-hand investigation and analysis in a field location, led by faculty, for part of or the full duration of a semester.
- Download a list of field courses across various disciplines.
Professional or Career Practice Courses
A course or program in which students gain experience and develop skills related to a field of study and/or career by completing a practicum, internship, field placement, or externship which may be part of a professional program.
- Download a list of professional or career practice courses across various disciplines.
Research and Scholarly Creation Courses
Research conducted by a student under faculty guidance in a workplace/simulated workplace environment which may be in an academic, industry, or community setting. Students engage in systematic investigation and research in their field and are evaluated by faculty supervisors or staff.
- Download a list of research or scholarly creation courses across various disciplines.
Work Experience Courses
Intersperses one or two work terms (typically full-time hours) as an elective or core course in an academic program, where work terms provide experience in a workplace setting related to the student’s field of study and/or career goals.
- This is a new category as of June 2020. No courses have been tagged to-date.
Experiential Learning Opportunities by Interest
- For everyone: Interdisciplinary Experiential Learning Electives
- Animal Health(PDF)
- Art, Performance and Humanities(PDF)
- Biological Sciences(PDF)
- Business and Management(PDF)
- Engineering and Technology(PDF)
- Environmental and Land Resources(PDF)
- Human Health(PDF)
- Physical Sciences(PDF)
- Social Sciences(PDF)
- Guelph-Humber (PDF)
Contact your Faculty Advisor or Program Counsellor to find out more about curricular EL opportunities in your program.