We need to reaffirm the enduring value of a broad liberal arts education at the undergraduate level, but also to ask ourselves how we can help our graduates extract the full benefit from that education. We need to demonstrate more clearly how the education we provide prepares our graduates for a lifetime of success and fulfillment, while also contributing to the economic, social and political success of the region, province, nation and the world.
President Meric Gertler, Installation Address
Experiential learning is a theory of learning that conceptualizes the process of learning from experience or learning by doing. At the University of Toronto, experiential learning informs the design and delivery of a breadth of learning opportunities for our students. In doing so, it allows students to create more deliberate and explicit connections between their learning experiences in and outside of the classroom. Students meaningfully engage with a range of stakeholders beyond the University developing skills, connections and confidence to achieve their academic, professional and personal goals.
The Experiential Learning Hub is a resource to support students, faculty, staff, and partners, as they undertake impactful, innovative teaching and learning experiences. The EL Hub provides descriptions of experiential learning opportunities at the University, learning modules to support your knowledge and understanding of experiential learning and connections to offices for further exploration.
Recognizing Experiential Learning at UofT
We are proud of the commitment of our faculty and staff who develop and lead EL opportunities for students and amazed by the impact our students have on their communities and the partners with whom they engage. Visit the Recognition page to learn more about opportunities to celebrate these achievements.
Types of Experiential Learning at the University of Toronto
Below you will find a sortable overview of all of the types of EL at U of T. This resource will help you understand the breadth of experiential learning opportunities found within programs and courses at the U of T.
While the scope of EL at U of T is broad and diverse, there are various ways to categorize the types of opportunities available. EL opportunities can be partnership-based (students engage with a third party external to the University) or university-based (students engage with other students and / or a University faculty or staff member), they can be curricular (for course or program credit) or co-curricular (not for course or program credit) and they can be paid or unpaid.
Experiential learning opportunities incorporate disciplinary outcomes, engage students in authentic experiential practices, provide opportunities for competency development and are supported by structured critical reflection.
Use the filters below to identify which type(s) of opportunities you are seeking. From there, click through to a page that provides additional details and context for each type of experiential learning.
