The Experiential Learning requirement engages students in the first-hand discovery of knowledge through observation and participation in activities, most often in field-based settings outside the classroom. This inductive process of “learning by doing and reflecting” is supported by theory-based information. In these courses, students compare and analyze issues, problems, and ideas through the lenses of their own personal experiences and evolving intellectual worldview.
Experiential Learning may take place in a regularly scheduled course, an approved internship, a Study Abroad program1, or in an independent study approved on a case-by-case basis (utilizing the proper Independent Study Approval Form). All such courses may be offered in the student’s major and may count for both major field and Liberal Studies requirements. When more than four credit hours are earned from such an experience – for example, an eight-hour internship – four hours may be counted toward Liberal Studies requirements and four hours toward major program requirements. Experiential Learning is typically taken in the junior year as major field or other foundational knowledge is essential to ensure a successful outcome.
Learning Outcomes
Students will be able to:
- Students will use reflective writing to apply academic concepts from class readings, lectures, and discussions to their internship, fieldwork or service learning in the settings provided by the course.
- Students will reflect on and apply knowledge gained from their internship, fieldwork, or service learning to their understanding of the academic course content.
- Demonstrate an understanding of the ethics appropriate to the student's experiential placement.
- Synthesize and articulate how the ideas and experiences provided by the course might inform their personal, academic, and/or professional pursuits.
Forms of Experiential Learning
Study Abroad
Study Abroad programs emphasize social, political, historical and cultural understanding through a total immersion into the life and culture of a foreign country. Study trips abroad range in duration from ten days to a full academic year.
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Students who participate in non-DPU study abroad programs for transfer credit should refer to the LSP Guidelines for transfer students.
Domestic Study
For students interested in diverse populations and locations outside Chicago yet within the United States, domestic study courses offer students the opportunity to pursue such inquiry.
Community-Based Service Learning
Community-based Service Learning courses provide students with the opportunity to work with a community organization or agency and to reflect upon what they have learned through this service in class discussions. Opportunities are available through the Steans Center for Community-Based Service Learning.
Internships
Internship courses offer students the opportunity to gain real world experience in hiring, employment, communication, and the culture of businesses or organizations. Students who apply and receive internship opportunities through the Career and Life Design department register for CLD 250. In addition, some Colleges and departments offer 200-level and 300-level internships that satisfy the experiential learning requirement.
Individual or Group Research Projects
These research projects involve extensive field or laboratory work. The projects are supervised, evaluated and graded by a faculty member.
Courses
Below please find examples of courses previously offered for Experiential Learning. For information on current offerings, please consult Campus Connection.
| Course | Title | Quarter Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Accounting | ||
| ACC 393 | INTERNSHIP IN ACCOUNTANCY | 4 |
| American Studies | ||
| AMS 392 | INTERNSHIP | 4 |
| Animation | ||
| ANI 380 | ANIMATION PROJECT BLUELIGHT | 4 |
| Anthropology | ||
| ANT 280 | ARCHAEOLOGICAL FIELDWORK | 4 |
| ANT 322 | COMMUNITY-BASED APPLIED PRACTICE | 6 |
| The Art School | ||
| ART 213 | SPACE DESIGN | 4 |
| ART 291 | MURAL PAINTING | 4 |
| ART 292 | COMMUNITY VIDEO PRODUCTION | 4 |
| ART 348 | GRAPHIC ART IN THE PUBLIC REALM | 4 |
| ART 382 | STUDENTS TEACHING ART IN THE ELEMENTARY CLASSROOM | 4 |
| ART 383 | SERVICE LEARNING IN THE ARTS INTERNSHIP | 4 |
| Biology | ||
| BIO 302 | STUDENT TEACHING EXPERIENCE | 4 |
| BIO 303 | INTRODUCTION TO SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH | 4 |
| BIO 318 | FIELD STUDIES IN MARINE AND ESTUARINE BIOLOGY | 4 |
| BIO 397 | MENTORED RESEARCH EXPERIENCE IN BIOLOGY | 2-4 |
| Career and Life Design | ||
| CLD 250 | NAVIGATING THE WORKPLACE | 4 |
| CLD 330 | CAREERS ON THE HILL | 2 |
| CLD 335 | LANDING A JOB ON CAPITOL HILL | 2 |
| Catholic Studies | ||
| CTH 229 | CATHOLICISM AS A SPIRITUAL PATH | 4 |
| CTH 282 | GOD, JUSTICE AND REDEMPTIVE ACTION | 4 |
| CTH 341 | LIBERATION THEOLOGY: THEORY AND PRACTICE | 4 |
| CTH 391 | VINCENT DEPAUL: THE MAN AND THE SAINT | 4 |
| Chemistry | ||
| CHE 392 | INTERNSHIP | 4 |
| CHE 397 | RESEARCH | 4 |
| CHE 398 | CHEMISTRY THESIS | 1-4 |
| Commerce | ||
| IB 350 | INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS SEMINAR | 4 |
| Communication | ||
| CMN 394 | MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR COMMUNICATION INTERNSHIP | 4 |
| CMN 395 | COMMUNICATION INTERNSHIP SPECIAL TOPICS | 4 |
| CMN 398 | STUDY ABROAD | 4 |
| Communication Studies | ||
| CMNS 205 | COMMUNICATION, CULTURE AND COMMUNITY | 4 |
| CMNS 335 | LATINX COMMUNICATION, ADVOCACY AND COMMUNITY BUILDING | 4 |
| Community Service Studies | ||
| CSS 201 | CRITICAL COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT | 4 |
| CSS 300 | INTRODUCTION TO NON-PROFIT MANAGEMENT | 4 |
| CSS 310 | RESTORATIVE JUSTICE: ENGAGEMENT WITH THE PRISON | 4 |
| CSS 378 | COMMUNITY-BASED TECHNOLOGY PROJECTS | 4 |
| CSS 395 | COMMUNITY INTERNSHIP | 4 |
| Computer Graphics and Animation | ||
| GPH 360 | MODELING SPACES | 4 |
| Computer Science | ||
| CSC 298 | INTERNSHIP | 4 |
| CSC 379 | TECHNOLOGY PARTNERSHIPS IN URBAN SCHOOLS | 4 |
| Criminology | ||
| CRIM 398 | INTERNSHIP | 4 |
| Cyber-Physical Systems Engineering | ||
| CSE 393 | CYBER-PHYSICAL SYSTEMS ENGINEERING PRACTICUM I | 4 |
| Economics | ||
| ECO 393 | INTERNSHIP IN APPLIED ECONOMICS | 4 |
| Education | ||
| TCH 320 | EXPLORING TEACHING IN THE URBAN HIGH SCHOOL | 4 |
| English | ||
| ENG 376 | CREATIVE WRITING AND SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT | 4 |
| ENG 378 | LITERATURE AND SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT | 4 |
| ENG 392 | INTERNSHIP | 4 |
| ENG 397 | NEWBERRY LIBRARY SEMINAR | 4 |
| Environmental Science | ||
| ENV 235 | ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION: THEORY AND PRACTICE | 4 |
| ENV 245 | URBAN AND COMMUNITY AGRICULTURE | 4 |
| ENV 361 | RESEARCH IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE | 4 |
| Film & Television Documentary | ||
| DOC 380 | FILMING WITH CHANGE AGENTS | 4 |
| Film & Television Production | ||
| FILM 298 | INTERNSHIP IN MEDIA PRODUCTION/POST-PRODUCTION | 4 |
| FILM 380 | PROJECT BLUELIGHT | 4 |
| FILM 393 | TOPICS IN STUDY ABROAD | 4 |
| Finance | ||
| FIN 205 | LEARNING AND TEACHING FINANCIAL LITERACY | 4 |
| FIN 324 | BANKING & CREDIT ANALYSIS | 4 |
| FIN 393 | FINANCE INTERNSHIP | 4 |
| Geography | ||
| GEO 133 | URBAN GEOGRAPHY - EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING | 4 |
| GEO 211 | BIOGEOGRAPHY | 4 |
| GEO 398 | INTERNSHIP | 1-6 |
| Graphic Design | ||
| GD 380 | STRATEGY AND DESIGN WITH COMMUNITY CLIENT | 4 |
| History | ||
| HST 244 | COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND CHICAGO HISTORIES: BACK OF THE YARDS | 4 |
| HST 300 | NEWBERRY LIBRARY SEMINAR | 4.5 |
| HST 382 | CHICAGO HISTORY MUSEUM EXPERIENCE | 4 |
| HST 391 | DOING LOCAL AND COMMUNITY HISTORY | 4 |
| HST 392 | PUBLIC HISTORY INTERNSHIP | 4 |
| History of Art and Architecture | ||
| HAA 394 | MUSEUM STUDIES INTERNSHIP | 4 |
| Health Science | ||
| HLTH 346 | ENVIRONMENTAL OUTREACH THROUGH EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING | 4 |
| HLTH 397 | MENTORED RESEARCH EXPERIENCE IN HEALTH SCIENCES | 2-4 |
| Hospitality Leadership Students in this major must take HSP 303 and HSP 304. | ||
| HSB 303 | HOSPITALITY & SPORTS BUSINESS INTERNSHIP I | 2 |
| HSB 304 | HOSPITALITY & SPORTS BUSINESS INTERNSHIP II | 2 |
| Information Technology | ||
| IT 300 | RESEARCH EXPERIENCE | 4 |
| IT 394 | SOFTWARE PROJECTS FOR INDUSTRY CLIENTS | 4 |
| IT 398 | TOPICS IN GLOBAL INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY | 4 |
| International Studies | ||
| INT 389 | INTERNATIONAL SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT | 4 |
| Interdisciplinary Studies | ||
| ISP 330 | PEER EDUCATION SERVICE LEADERS I | 2 |
| ISP 331 | PEER EDUCATION SERVICE LEADERS II | 2 |
| ISP 392 | INTERNSHIP | 2 |
| Latin American and Latino Studies | ||
| LST 306 | LATINO COMMUNITIES IN CHICAGO | 4 |
| LST 307 | GROWING UP LATINO/LATINA IN THE U.S. | 4 |
| LST 308 | MOTHERHOOD IN LATINO COMMUNITIES | 4 |
| LST 309 | SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT AND LATINO FAMILIES | 4 |
| Liberal Studies | ||
| LSP 301 | HUMANITIESX: TOPICS IN THE EXPERIENTIAL HUMANITIES | 4 |
| Management | ||
| MGT 393 | MANAGEMENT INTERNSHIP | 4 |
| Marketing | ||
| MKT 393 | MARKETING INTERNSHIP | 4 |
| Mathematics | ||
| MAT 390 | MATHEMATICS READING AND RESEARCH | 4 |
| MAT 397 | MATHEMATICAL PEDAGOGY: THEORY & PRACTICE | 4 |
| Media Studies | ||
| MCS 308 | 4 | |
| Modern Languages | ||
| MOL 380 | COMMUNITY BASED SERVICE LEARNING | 4 |
| Music | ||
| MUS 208 | COMMUNITY AUDIO ART PRODUCTION | 4 |
| Neuroscience | ||
| NEU 397 | RESEARCH EXPERIENCE IN NEUROSCIENCE | 4 |
| Nursing | ||
| NSG 377 | PRACTICUM: THE PROFESSIONAL NURSE AND COMMUNITY HEALTH | 4 |
| Peace, Justice, and Conflict Studies | ||
| PAX 200 | COMMUNITIES WORKING FOR SUSTAINABLE JUSTICE AND PEACE: SERVICE IN CHICAGO AND THE U.S. | 4 |
| PAX 303 | BORDER MATTERS: LITERATURE & CULTURE IN THE LATINO/A BORDERLANDS | 4 |
| PAX 320 | TRANSFORMATIVE JUSTICE: THEORY AND PRACTICE | 4 |
| PAX 331 | LIBERATION THEOLOGY | 4 |
| Philosophy | ||
| PHL 250 | PHILOSOPHY AND SOCIAL CHANGE | 4 |
| Physics | ||
| PHY 380 | EXPERIMENTAL PHYSICS I | 4 |
| PHY 398 | READING AND RESEARCH | 4 |
| Political Science | ||
| PSC 281 | MODEL UN | 4 |
| PSC 282 | POLITICAL ACTION AND SOCIAL JUSTICE | 4 |
| PSC 284 | MOCK TRIAL: CIVIL LAW | 4 |
| PSC 285 | MOCK TRIAL: CRIMINAL LAW | 4 |
| PSC 286 | CAMPAIGNS AND SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT | 4 |
| PSC 392 | INTERNSHIP | 4 |
| Psychology | ||
| PSY 305 | PSYCHOLOGY AND SOCIAL JUSTICE | 4 |
| PSY 306 | SERVICE LEARNING | 4 |
| PSY 311 | CONNECTING WITH YOUTH THROUGH RESEARCH, ADVOCACY, AND SERVICE: QUARTER 2 | 4 |
| PSY 312 | CONNECTING WITH YOUTH THROUGH RESEARCH, ADVOCACY, AND SERVICE: QUARTER 3 | 2-4 |
| PSY 359 | FIELD WORK IN COMMUNITY RESEARCH AND ACTION | 4 |
| PSY 395 | FIELD WORK/INTERNSHIP | 4 |
| PSY 396 | HONORS IN PSYCHOLOGY | 4.00 |
| PSY 397 | EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING/PSYCHOLOGY RESEARCH | 4 |
| Public Policy Studies | ||
| PPS 251 | URBAN POVERTY | 4 |
| PPS 398 | INTERNSHIP | 4 |
| Religious Studies | ||
| REL 259 | RELIGION AND SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT | 4 |
| REL 284 | CATHOLICISM AS A SPIRITUAL PATH | 4 |
| REL 351 | LIBERATION THEOLOGY | 4 |
| REL 392 | FOREIGN STUDY IN RELIGION | 4 |
| REL 393 | INTERNSHIP IN RELIGIOUS STUDIES | 4 |
| School of Continuing Professional Studies | ||
| SNC 186 | SPIRITUALITY AND HOMELESSNESS | 4 |
| SNC 198 | MINDFULNESS MEDITATION RETREAT AT STARVED ROCK | 4 |
| SNC 223 | ACTIVE CITIZENS: MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN THE COMMUNITY, WORKPLACE WORLD | 4 |
| SNC 306 | TRAVEL AND LEARN IN BOSTON: EXPLORING ITS ARTS AND HISTORY | 4 |
| Sociology | ||
| SOC 394 | COMMUNITY BASED SOCIOLOGY | 4 |
| SOC 398 | INTERNSHIP | 4 |
| Spanish | ||
| SPN 124 | INTERMEDIATE SPANISH l: SERVICE LEARNING | 4 |
| SPN 125 | INTERMEDIATE SPANISH II: SERVICE LEARNING | 4 |
| SPN 126 | INTERMEDIATE SPANISH III: SERVICE LEARNING | 4 |
| SPN 334 | SPANISH TRANSLATION III: ADVANCED TRANSLATION AND PRACTICE | 4 |
| SPN 391 | SOCIOLINGUISTICS OF HERITAGE LANGUAGE LITERACY | 4 |
| SPN 393 | LATINO MEDIA AND DIGITAL CULTURE LITERACY | 4 |
| SPN 394 | LATINO CULTURAL LITERACY AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT | 4 |
| Study Abroad | ||
For additional information, please consult the Study Abroad Website. | ||
| User Experience Design | ||
| UXD 394 | USER EXPERIENCE DESIGN CAPSTONE I | 4 |
| Women's and Gender Studies | ||
| WGS 320 | TRANSFORMATIVE JUSTICE: THEORY AND PRACTICE | 4 |
| WGS 352 | GENDER, COMMUNITY, AND ACTIVISM: COMMUNITY-BASED LEARNING IN WGS | 4 |
| WGS 387 | TEEN VIOLENCE PREVENTION | 4 |
| WGS 392 | INTERNSHIP | 4 |
| WGS 398 | TRAVEL/STUDY | 1-4 |
| Writing, Rhetoric, and Discourse | ||
| WRD 371 | MENTORING YOUTH IN COMMUNITY WRITING GROUPS | 4 |
| WRD 372 | DIGITAL STORYTELLING | 4 |
| WRD 376 | FIELDWORK IN ARTS WRITING | 4 |
| WRD 377 | WRITING AND SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT | 4 |
| WRD 378 | TEACHING ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE IN CHICAGO | 4 |
| WRD 395 | WRITING CENTER THEORY & PEDAGOGY | 4 |
| WRD 398 | INTERNSHIP | 4 |