Experiential Learning, Undergraduate Studies

Experiential Learning provides instruction and instructional support for applied learning courses at UCF. Its mission is to

1. encourage all UCF students to include some form of experiential learning in their academic programs before graduation;
2. instruct co-op and internship courses and support faculty in other academic departments to create and instruct internship and service-learning courses;
3. promote the measurement of student learning outcomes across disciplines for students in applied learning courses;
4. provide faculty training and quality assurance processes for the creation and instruction of high quality experiential learning courses;
5. create meaningful and productive educational partnerships with employers and community partners locally, nationally, and internationally; and
6. collaborate closely with Career Services in Academic Development and Retention to provide integrated programs and services.

Experiential Learning at UCF has received national recognition for its quality instruction and broad-based collaboration. It provides a menu of applied learning options to undergraduate and graduate students in all Colleges, resulting in half the student body participating in experiential learning experiences each year. Students are encouraged to come to the Experiential Learning office as early as possible to receive advising and assistance to obtain opportunities and include these courses in their academic programs.

The Experiential Learning department instructs cooperative education (co-op) and internship courses and facilitates and supports department faculty in the development and instruction of internship and service-learning courses. It also administers the Florida Work Experience Program (FWEP) through which additional paid, major-related experiences are created for students with documented unmet financial need. Additionally, it supports ArtsBridge, a program in which Art, Music and Theatre majors teach course content through the arts in local schools. All of these options provide major-related, real-world experience that helps students clarify career goals, apply classroom theory, and gain the personal, academic and professional competencies that they need to be work-ready and contributing community members upon graduation.

• Internships are available to students on all campuses in all Colleges. They are courses that provide one-term of major or career related work experience, structured for learning with reflection, supervision and evaluation, paid or unpaid, and most often for credit. Internships usually occur toward the end of a student’s program of study and can be part-time (usually during the school year) or full-time (usually during summers). They are available through the Experiential Learning department or through other academic departments in Colleges. Contact information for department internship coordinators is on the Experiential Learning website.
• Co-op opportunities are available to students on all campuses in all Colleges. They are courses that provide a series of progressively responsible internships, always major- or career-related, paid, and multiple terms with progressively responsible duties. They are either part-time around class schedules (parallel) or full-time alternating terms (alternating), structured for learning with reflection, supervision and evaluation, and available for non-credit or credit when it will count in a student’s academic program.
• Service-Learning is a means of incorporating experiential learning into academic courses so that students learn course content through service experiences. Through this process, students gain an appreciation for civic engagement while learning course content in a real-world environment. Courses using this approach are designated with SL in course listings so that students can choose to participate in this type of learning experience. A service-learning certificate, noted on a student’s transcript, is available for students who complete four service-learning courses.

Current co-op and internship opportunities through Experiential Learning, requirements for participation, and information and materials for service-learning are all listed on the Experiential Learning website. To participate in co-op or internships, students may complete an application online any time during the year, preferably during the term before they want to participate to allow time to obtain an appropriate learning experience. Once students apply online, they meet with Experiential Learning faculty to be referred, obtain opportunities and register for courses.

National Consortium for Academics and Sports (NCAS)

The mission of the Southeast Regional Office of the National Consortium for Academics and Sports (NCAS) at the University of Central Florida is to help create a better society by focusing on educational attainment and using the power and appeal of sport to positively affect social change. The NCAS reaches this goal in the Central Florida community and in southeast region by making programs available in the areas of diversity training, gender violence prevention and alcohol education. The NCAS also cultivates partnerships between the University, local schools, community organizations, and other non-profit agencies that also are committed to serving the community. For additional information, visit the National Consortium for Academics and Sports website at http://www.ncasse.org.