Learning through experience at the University of Toronto involves the deliberate integration of students’ disciplinary outcomes with competency development and authentic community engagement. Community engagement refers to genuine practice with stakeholders inside or outside the university setting. Reflection is an essential element of all experiential learning activities. Reflection is a process that allows students to consider what they have learned in their experiential learning opportunity and integrate this with their disciplinary knowledge.
Types of Experiential Learning

You can facilitate experiential learning in your courses or programs in a number of ways. Below you will find five general categories of experiential learning, each containing multiple possibilities for engagement. The categories below are necessarily broad and allow for varied interpretation depending on the context. This is necessary to capture the breadth and depth of opportunities that exist at the University of Toronto. We hope, however, that this overview will support you as you seek to develop experiential learning opportunities.
In community-engaged learning opportunities, students work in partnership with communities or community organizations to support community-identified priorities. These opportunities allow students to learn from community expertise, enhance their disciplinary knowledge, and develop their social and civic responsibility. These opportunities typically involve engagement with community, non-profit, and / or public organizations.
- Co-curricular Community-Engaged Learning
- Community-Engaged Research
- Curricular Community-Engaged Learning
Co-curricular community-engaged learning consists of a structured learning experience that takes place outside of a course, in partnership with community for the purpose of supporting priorities identified by the community, enhancing students’ disciplinary knowledge, and sense of social and civic responsibility. It occurs in non-profit, community and/or public organizations.
Pedagogical Rationale: Why Co-curricular Community-Engaged Learning?
- Community-engaged learning experiences allow students to integrate the theoretical and the practical by using their disciplinary skills and knowledge in an applied setting.
- Community-engaged learning encourages students to consider the public role of their discipline as well as how their field can learn from, and contribute to, the work of communities and community organizations.
- In community-engaged learning placements and projects, students learn new knowledge and skills while also offering fresh insight to community organizations through a context of partnership and reciprocity.
- Community-engaged learning provides students with opportunities for development in a range of areas including personal, career, and civic development.
Next Steps and Resources
- Reach out to your divisional experiential learning or community outreach office (if applicable) or the Centre for Community Partnerships.
- Continue or begin conversations with any of your existing community partners; ask what shape a mutually beneficial partnership might take.
- Review the Guidelines & Procedures section to understand issues related to intellectual property, confidentiality, and research ethics.
- If you are planning a co-curricular community-engaged learning experience, consider adding it to the Co-Curricular Record (CCR) so that students can receive credit for participating on their transcript.
Profiles / Examples
Community-engaged research provides students with a structured research experience within the context of a course that equitably involves active engagement with community in the research process for the purpose of supporting priorities identified by the community.
Pedagogical Rationale: Why Community-Engaged Research?
- Community-engaged research encourages students to consider the public role of their discipline as well as how their field can learn from, and contribute to, the work communities and community organizations.
- In community-engaged research, students consider their projects and placements through a disciplinary lens which may support them in understanding the applicability of their degree.
- In community-engaged research placements and projects, students develop their applied research skills while also offering fresh insight to community organizations through a context of partnership and reciprocity.
Next Steps and Resources
- Reach out to your divisional experiential learning or community outreach office (if applicable) or the Centre for Community Partnerships.
- Continue or begin conversations with any of your existing community partners; ask what shape a mutually beneficial partnership might take.
- Review the Guidelines & Procedures section to understand issues related to intellectual property, confidentiality, and research ethics.
Profiles / Examples
Curricular community-engaged learning consists of a structured learning experience, embedded in a course, in partnership with community for the purpose of supporting priorities identified by the community, enhancing students’ disciplinary knowledge, and sense of social and civic responsibility. It occurs in non-profit, community, and/or public organizations.
Pedagogical Rationale: Why Curricular Community-Engaged Learning?
- Community-engaged learning experiences allow students to integrate the theoretical and the practical by using their disciplinary skills and knowledge in an applied community setting.
- Community-engaged learning encourages students to consider the public role of their discipline as well as how their field can learn from, and contribute to, the work of communities and community organizations.
- In community-engaged learning placements and projects, students learn new knowledge and skills while also offering fresh insight to community organizations through a context of partnership and reciprocity.
- Community-engaged learning provides students with opportunities for development in a range of areas including personal, career, and civic development.
Next Steps and Resources
- Reach out to your divisional experiential learning office (if applicable) or the Centre for Community Partnerships.
- Continue or begin conversations with any of your existing community partners; ask what shape a mutually beneficial partnership might take.
- Review the Guidelines & Procedures section to understand the partnership agreements, insurance and liability coverage, and health and safety policies that are applicable for your curricular community-engaged learning experience.
Profiles / Examples
Working on-campus provides students with closer connections to their institutions, an enhanced sense of community, and helps develop key transferable skills that will support them in future careers. Students have the opportunity to meaningfully contribute to projects being undertaken by academic divisions or units, or those led by individual faculty or staff.
Faculty-led research opportunities allow students to work directly with faculty members on research. These opportunities may be funded or supported in various ways, including, but not limited to: grants, the Work Study program, summer studentship programs, Tri-council and / or USRA awards, the University of Toronto Excellence Award Program, the Jackman Scholars-in-Residence program, Engineering Sciences Theses, or the research abroad program.
Pedagogical Rationale: Why Faculty-Led Research?
- Engaging in research with a faculty member contributes to increased rates of student retention and student engagement.
- Students learn new skills in research and practice through supporting faculty research.
- Faculty can identify students with potential for future positions (e.g. work-study or research assistantships) or study opportunities (e.g. graduate or post-doctoral work).
Next Steps and Resources
- If you are looking to engage undergraduate students in your research, you may wish to create a profile on the Research Catalogue.
- Visit the Research & Innovation website to review the services and tools for faculty and staff.
- Review the Guidelines & Procedures page to understand issues related to intellectual property, confidentiality, and research ethics.
Profiles / Examples
The Work Study program allows faculty and staff to hire students into on-campus positions that provide students with an opportunity to gain practical work experience. Approved Work Study positions receive central funding to cover 70% of the pay to a maximum per-cycle. Students do not have to be OSAP eligible to participate in the Work Study program and all students are able to participate (including graduate and international students).
Pedagogical Rationale
- Through the Work Study program, students develop their knowledge and skills in areas of interest.
- The work experience students gain through the program allows them to explore how their academic studies translate into career pathways.
Next Steps and Resources
- Visit the CLNx to find full details about the Work Study program, including program requirements and eligibility, upcoming program dates and the step by step process for hiring work-study students
- The Work Study program offers a Professional Development Workbook to support student’s reflective process.
Profiles / Examples
Organization partnerships allow students to participate in project-based research, artistic projects and performances, design, or consultancy work supervised by an instructor or staff member from the University. Students connect with industry, community, public, NGO, or other external partners in order to apply their knowledge and skills, learn from their partners and contribute to the development of new knowledge, products, technologies, or services.
- Entrepreneurship
- Organization-Partnered Project
- Organization-Partnered Research
- Simulated Work Experience
Entrepreneurship opportunities allow students to create, organize, and manage a product development or business venture for the purpose of fostering innovation, social impact, and / or contribution to the local and global marketplace. This may take the form of partnership with a startup or offering students the opportunity to work on the development of their own business idea. These opportunities can be curricular or co-curricular.
Pedagogical Rationale: Why Entrepreneurship?
- Students consider the challenges and opportunities of starting and scaling a business through the lens of their area of study, helping them understand the applicability of their degree.
- Provides students with opportunities to gain experience in the world of social enterprises and tech startups and to develop their professional skills.
- Students will gain innovation skills that will support them in any future pathway.
Next Steps and Resources
- The University of Toronto’s Entrepreneurship site provides links to the various entrepreneurship programs (incubators/accelerators) across the institution that can support you in considering the best model for incorporating entrepreneurial activities into your course or initiative. You can also sign up for the Entrepreneurship e-newsletter for regular updates on entrepreneurial activities and events.
Profiles / Examples
An organization-partnered projects could incorporate project-based design, artistic projects and performance, or consultancy work supervised by an instructor or staff member from the University. Students liaise with an external partner organization and engage in processes authentic to professional practice in their field. This includes the exchange of ideas and consultation/critique from the partner.
Pedagogical Rationale: Why Organization-Partnered Projects?
- Students consider an organization’s challenge / project through the lens of their area of study, thereby allowing them to understand the applicability of their degree to potential future career pathways.
- Organization-partnered projects allow students insight into various types of organizations and industries.
- These projects provide students with opportunities to enhance their professional skills as they engage with professionals in a structured manner.
Next Steps and Resources
- Connect with your faculty, academic unit and / or divisional experiential learning office (as applicable) to explore the resources available as you seek to develop an organization-partnered project.
- Review the Guidelines & Procedures page to understand issues related to intellectual property and confidentiality.
Profiles / Examples
Organization-partnered research offers a structured learning experience whereby students work with an external partner organization on a research project sponsored or initiated by the partner. The research project addresses specific questions set with the partner and produces new knowledge relevant to the student’s field of study.
Pedagogical Rationale: Why Organization-Partnered Research?
- Organization-partnered research may expose students to methodologies, ideas, and resources (e.g. equipment, data, expertise) that are not available in other settings.
- These projects ask students to consider an organization’s research question through the lens of their area of study, thereby allowing them to understand the applicability of their degree.
- Organization-partnered research provides students with the opportunity to enhance their professional skills as they engage with professionals in a structured manner.
Next Steps and Resources
- Connect with your academic unit and / or divisional experiential learning office (as applicable) to explore the resources available as you seek to incorporate organization-partnered research into your course or initiative.
- Review the Guidelines & Procedures page to understand issues related to intellectual property, confidentiality, and research ethics.
Profiles / Examples
Simulated work experiences allow students to practice authentic learning activities that present most of the cognitive demands the student would encounter in the “real world”. The experiences occur within environmental circumstances and surroundings that mimic those present while engaged in the activities outside of the university. Common forms of simulated work experiences include hackathons, boot-camps, and job shadowing placements that incorporate a simulated hands-on experience. These opportunities can be curricular or co-curricular.
Pedagogical Rationale: Why a Simulated Work Experience?
- By working through a problem, whether real of simulated, students are able to apply their disciplinary knowledge and competencies to challenges that are faced by industry and community partners.
- Simulated work experiences provide insights into the perspectives and challenges faced by various types of organizations and industries.
Next Steps and Resources
- If you are planning a co-curricular simulated work experience, consider adding it to the Co-Curricular Record (CCR) so that students can receive credit for participating on their transcript.
Profiles / Examples
In these practice-based workplace experiences students meet, shadow, and sometimes assist professionals working in a particular field or instructors leading an off-campus experience. These experiential learning opportunities aim to support students with their professional and disciplinary-based competency development.
A field experience is a practice-based experience where students participate in components of a discipline or profession through the hands-on application of disciplinary concepts. Field experiences typically occur under the direction or supervision of a faculty member or a non-licensed professional. This type of experience is primarily intended to support professional and discipline-based competency development, but is not required for professional licensure or accreditation. Experiences where students are only observing professional activities (e.g. field trips) are not considered field experiences in this context.
Pedagogical Rationale: Why Fieldwork?
- Field experiences provide students with an opportunity, often for the first time, to turn their theory into practice in more applied settings.
- Field experiences provide a direct link to program content while also preparing students for professional environments.
Next Steps and Resources
- Connect with your faculty, academic unit and / or divisional experiential learning office (as applicable) to explore the resources available as you seek to develop a field experience.
- Review the Guidelines & Procedures section to understand the partnership agreements, insurance and liability coverage, and health and safety policies that are applicable for fieldwork.
Profiles / Examples
A professional practicum, also called a clinical placement, is a practice-based experience where students observe or assist a licensed or registered professional through the hands-on application of disciplinary concepts in a professional setting, typically off-campus. This type of experience is primarily intended to support professional and discipline-based competency development. Students do not have an independent workload while on placement.
Pedagogical Rationale: Why Professional Practica?
- Participation in a professional practicum can develop students’ skills in a particular profession.
- In many cases, a specific number of professional practica hours are required to meet graduation and / or accreditation requirements.
- Students do not typically take on their own case or work load, thereby allowing them to experience the workplace with direct supervision and support.
Next Steps and Resources
- Connect with your faculty, academic unit and / or divisional experiential learning office (as applicable) to explore the resources available as you seek to develop a professional practicum.
- Review the Guidelines & Procedures page to understand which partnership agreements, insurance and liability coverage, and health and safety policies are applicable to professional practicums.
Profiles / Examples
A work experience that supports students in connecting their disciplinary knowledge and skills in a professional environment and supports the transition of students to the workplace.
An academic internship is a workplace-based experience that integrates academic learning with application in the workplace for the purpose of enhancing students’ employability and allowing them to explore potential future pathways. These opportunities are supervised by an experienced professional and are typically organized as a single work term but can vary in length and intensity. Academic internships are directly connected to a course or program of study. An academic internship course typically includes both work experience and in-class academic components, the latter of which are intended to help contextualize and make connections between the work experience and discipline-based learning and theories.
Note: There are also internships that are not directly connected to a course or program of study (e.g. government internship programs). These typically fall outside the umbrella of experiential learning. Some academic units choose to promote non-experiential learning internship opportunities to support students who are looking to gain work experience.
Pedagogical Rationale: Why Academic Internships?
- Students receive supervised guidance over an extended period of time, leading to deeper learning and skill development.
- Internships can be tailored to fit specific course expectations and benchmarks while being structured to provide specific learning-outcomes for students.
- Internships can provide students with realistic perspectives on specific industries and professional settings.
Next Steps and Resources
- Connect with your faculty, academic unit and / or divisional experiential learning office (as applicable) to explore available resources for academic internship course development.
- Review the Guidelines & Procedures section to understand which partnership agreements, insurance and liability coverage, and health and safety policies are applicable to academic internships.
Profiles / Examples
There are two types of co-operative education programs. These programs can be accredited by Co-operative Education and Work-Integrated Learning (CEWIL) Canada and must meet specific criteria to be recognized as such:
Co-op involves alternating study and paid work terms for students in opportunities related to their field of study. Co-op programs follow the academic calendar and allow students to explore various professional environments within a specific industry or field.
Co-op Internship involves a single work term where students work for an employer for 12 to 16 consecutive months.
The work experiences offered through each type of co-op program allow students to expand their knowledge, practice the latest theories and approaches in their particular discipline, develop employment skills, explore career options, and network with potential employers.
Pedagogical Rationale: Why Co-op?
Students receive supervised guidance over an extended period of time, leading to deeper learning and skill development.
Co-op placements can be tailored to fit specific disciplinary expectations and benchmarks and can enhance students’ understanding of the value and applicability of their degrees.
Co-ops support the development of students’ professional skills as well as their understanding of professional settings.
Next Steps and Resources
- There are specific administrative steps that must be followed if your academic unit would like to develop or launch a new co-op program. The Office of the Vice-Provost, Academic Programs can provide information related to the process for developing an entirely new program or completing a major modification to an existing program.
- Once the program is developed and approved by the University of Toronto, you may choose to seek accreditation from Co-operative Education and Work-Integrated Learning (CEWIL) Canada. CEWIL also has a detailed manual for planning and implementing co-operative education programs.
- If you work with first entry undergraduate students, they may be eligible to participate in the Professional Experience Year Co-op Internship. Most other co-op programs require admission directly from secondary school or an undergraduate degree program (for graduate-programs).
Profiles / Examples
- Community Engagement
-
In community-engaged learning opportunities, students work in partnership with communities or community organizations to support community-identified priorities. These opportunities allow students to learn from community expertise, enhance their disciplinary knowledge, and develop their social and civic responsibility. These opportunities typically involve engagement with community, non-profit, and / or public organizations.
- Co-curricular Community-Engaged Learning
- Community-Engaged Research
- Curricular Community-Engaged Learning
Co-curricular community-engaged learning consists of a structured learning experience that takes place outside of a course, in partnership with community for the purpose of supporting priorities identified by the community, enhancing students’ disciplinary knowledge, and sense of social and civic responsibility. It occurs in non-profit, community and/or public organizations.
Pedagogical Rationale: Why Co-curricular Community-Engaged Learning?
- Community-engaged learning experiences allow students to integrate the theoretical and the practical by using their disciplinary skills and knowledge in an applied setting.
- Community-engaged learning encourages students to consider the public role of their discipline as well as how their field can learn from, and contribute to, the work of communities and community organizations.
- In community-engaged learning placements and projects, students learn new knowledge and skills while also offering fresh insight to community organizations through a context of partnership and reciprocity.
- Community-engaged learning provides students with opportunities for development in a range of areas including personal, career, and civic development.
Next Steps and Resources
- Reach out to your divisional experiential learning or community outreach office (if applicable) or the Centre for Community Partnerships.
- Continue or begin conversations with any of your existing community partners; ask what shape a mutually beneficial partnership might take.
- Review the Guidelines & Procedures section to understand issues related to intellectual property, confidentiality, and research ethics.
- If you are planning a co-curricular community-engaged learning experience, consider adding it to the Co-Curricular Record (CCR) so that students can receive credit for participating on their transcript.
Profiles / Examples
Community-engaged research provides students with a structured research experience within the context of a course that equitably involves active engagement with community in the research process for the purpose of supporting priorities identified by the community.
Pedagogical Rationale: Why Community-Engaged Research?
- Community-engaged research encourages students to consider the public role of their discipline as well as how their field can learn from, and contribute to, the work communities and community organizations.
- In community-engaged research, students consider their projects and placements through a disciplinary lens which may support them in understanding the applicability of their degree.
- In community-engaged research placements and projects, students develop their applied research skills while also offering fresh insight to community organizations through a context of partnership and reciprocity.
Next Steps and Resources
- Reach out to your divisional experiential learning or community outreach office (if applicable) or the Centre for Community Partnerships.
- Continue or begin conversations with any of your existing community partners; ask what shape a mutually beneficial partnership might take.
- Review the Guidelines & Procedures section to understand issues related to intellectual property, confidentiality, and research ethics.
Profiles / Examples
Curricular community-engaged learning consists of a structured learning experience, embedded in a course, in partnership with community for the purpose of supporting priorities identified by the community, enhancing students’ disciplinary knowledge, and sense of social and civic responsibility. It occurs in non-profit, community, and/or public organizations.
Pedagogical Rationale: Why Curricular Community-Engaged Learning?
- Community-engaged learning experiences allow students to integrate the theoretical and the practical by using their disciplinary skills and knowledge in an applied community setting.
- Community-engaged learning encourages students to consider the public role of their discipline as well as how their field can learn from, and contribute to, the work of communities and community organizations.
- In community-engaged learning placements and projects, students learn new knowledge and skills while also offering fresh insight to community organizations through a context of partnership and reciprocity.
- Community-engaged learning provides students with opportunities for development in a range of areas including personal, career, and civic development.
Next Steps and Resources
- Reach out to your divisional experiential learning office (if applicable) or the Centre for Community Partnerships.
- Continue or begin conversations with any of your existing community partners; ask what shape a mutually beneficial partnership might take.
- Review the Guidelines & Procedures section to understand the partnership agreements, insurance and liability coverage, and health and safety policies that are applicable for your curricular community-engaged learning experience.
Profiles / Examples
- On-Campus Work
-
Working on-campus provides students with closer connections to their institutions, an enhanced sense of community, and helps develop key transferable skills that will support them in future careers. Students have the opportunity to meaningfully contribute to projects being undertaken by academic divisions or units, or those led by individual faculty or staff.
Faculty-led research opportunities allow students to work directly with faculty members on research. These opportunities may be funded or supported in various ways, including, but not limited to: grants, the Work Study program, summer studentship programs, Tri-council and / or USRA awards, the University of Toronto Excellence Award Program, the Jackman Scholars-in-Residence program, Engineering Sciences Theses, or the research abroad program.
Pedagogical Rationale: Why Faculty-Led Research?
- Engaging in research with a faculty member contributes to increased rates of student retention and student engagement.
- Students learn new skills in research and practice through supporting faculty research.
- Faculty can identify students with potential for future positions (e.g. work-study or research assistantships) or study opportunities (e.g. graduate or post-doctoral work).
Next Steps and Resources
- If you are looking to engage undergraduate students in your research, you may wish to create a profile on the Research Catalogue.
- Visit the Research & Innovation website to review the services and tools for faculty and staff.
- Review the Guidelines & Procedures page to understand issues related to intellectual property, confidentiality, and research ethics.
Profiles / Examples
The Work Study program allows faculty and staff to hire students into on-campus positions that provide students with an opportunity to gain practical work experience. Approved Work Study positions receive central funding to cover 70% of the pay to a maximum per-cycle. Students do not have to be OSAP eligible to participate in the Work Study program and all students are able to participate (including graduate and international students).
Pedagogical Rationale
- Through the Work Study program, students develop their knowledge and skills in areas of interest.
- The work experience students gain through the program allows them to explore how their academic studies translate into career pathways.
Next Steps and Resources
- Visit the CLNx to find full details about the Work Study program, including program requirements and eligibility, upcoming program dates and the step by step process for hiring work-study students
- The Work Study program offers a Professional Development Workbook to support student’s reflective process.
Profiles / Examples
- Organization Partnerships
-
Organization partnerships allow students to participate in project-based research, artistic projects and performances, design, or consultancy work supervised by an instructor or staff member from the University. Students connect with industry, community, public, NGO, or other external partners in order to apply their knowledge and skills, learn from their partners and contribute to the development of new knowledge, products, technologies, or services.
- Entrepreneurship
- Organization-Partnered Project
- Organization-Partnered Research
- Simulated Work Experience
Entrepreneurship opportunities allow students to create, organize, and manage a product development or business venture for the purpose of fostering innovation, social impact, and / or contribution to the local and global marketplace. This may take the form of partnership with a startup or offering students the opportunity to work on the development of their own business idea. These opportunities can be curricular or co-curricular.
Pedagogical Rationale: Why Entrepreneurship?
- Students consider the challenges and opportunities of starting and scaling a business through the lens of their area of study, helping them understand the applicability of their degree.
- Provides students with opportunities to gain experience in the world of social enterprises and tech startups and to develop their professional skills.
- Students will gain innovation skills that will support them in any future pathway.
Next Steps and Resources
- The University of Toronto’s Entrepreneurship site provides links to the various entrepreneurship programs (incubators/accelerators) across the institution that can support you in considering the best model for incorporating entrepreneurial activities into your course or initiative. You can also sign up for the Entrepreneurship e-newsletter for regular updates on entrepreneurial activities and events.
Profiles / Examples
An organization-partnered projects could incorporate project-based design, artistic projects and performance, or consultancy work supervised by an instructor or staff member from the University. Students liaise with an external partner organization and engage in processes authentic to professional practice in their field. This includes the exchange of ideas and consultation/critique from the partner.
Pedagogical Rationale: Why Organization-Partnered Projects?
- Students consider an organization’s challenge / project through the lens of their area of study, thereby allowing them to understand the applicability of their degree to potential future career pathways.
- Organization-partnered projects allow students insight into various types of organizations and industries.
- These projects provide students with opportunities to enhance their professional skills as they engage with professionals in a structured manner.
Next Steps and Resources
- Connect with your faculty, academic unit and / or divisional experiential learning office (as applicable) to explore the resources available as you seek to develop an organization-partnered project.
- Review the Guidelines & Procedures page to understand issues related to intellectual property and confidentiality.
Profiles / Examples
Organization-partnered research offers a structured learning experience whereby students work with an external partner organization on a research project sponsored or initiated by the partner. The research project addresses specific questions set with the partner and produces new knowledge relevant to the student’s field of study.
Pedagogical Rationale: Why Organization-Partnered Research?
- Organization-partnered research may expose students to methodologies, ideas, and resources (e.g. equipment, data, expertise) that are not available in other settings.
- These projects ask students to consider an organization’s research question through the lens of their area of study, thereby allowing them to understand the applicability of their degree.
- Organization-partnered research provides students with the opportunity to enhance their professional skills as they engage with professionals in a structured manner.
Next Steps and Resources
- Connect with your academic unit and / or divisional experiential learning office (as applicable) to explore the resources available as you seek to incorporate organization-partnered research into your course or initiative.
- Review the Guidelines & Procedures page to understand issues related to intellectual property, confidentiality, and research ethics.
Profiles / Examples
Simulated work experiences allow students to practice authentic learning activities that present most of the cognitive demands the student would encounter in the “real world”. The experiences occur within environmental circumstances and surroundings that mimic those present while engaged in the activities outside of the university. Common forms of simulated work experiences include hackathons, boot-camps, and job shadowing placements that incorporate a simulated hands-on experience. These opportunities can be curricular or co-curricular.
Pedagogical Rationale: Why a Simulated Work Experience?
- By working through a problem, whether real of simulated, students are able to apply their disciplinary knowledge and competencies to challenges that are faced by industry and community partners.
- Simulated work experiences provide insights into the perspectives and challenges faced by various types of organizations and industries.
Next Steps and Resources
- If you are planning a co-curricular simulated work experience, consider adding it to the Co-Curricular Record (CCR) so that students can receive credit for participating on their transcript.
Profiles / Examples
- Professional Practice
-
In these practice-based workplace experiences students meet, shadow, and sometimes assist professionals working in a particular field or instructors leading an off-campus experience. These experiential learning opportunities aim to support students with their professional and disciplinary-based competency development.
A field experience is a practice-based experience where students participate in components of a discipline or profession through the hands-on application of disciplinary concepts. Field experiences typically occur under the direction or supervision of a faculty member or a non-licensed professional. This type of experience is primarily intended to support professional and discipline-based competency development, but is not required for professional licensure or accreditation. Experiences where students are only observing professional activities (e.g. field trips) are not considered field experiences in this context.
Pedagogical Rationale: Why Fieldwork?
- Field experiences provide students with an opportunity, often for the first time, to turn their theory into practice in more applied settings.
- Field experiences provide a direct link to program content while also preparing students for professional environments.
Next Steps and Resources
- Connect with your faculty, academic unit and / or divisional experiential learning office (as applicable) to explore the resources available as you seek to develop a field experience.
- Review the Guidelines & Procedures section to understand the partnership agreements, insurance and liability coverage, and health and safety policies that are applicable for fieldwork.
Profiles / Examples
A professional practicum, also called a clinical placement, is a practice-based experience where students observe or assist a licensed or registered professional through the hands-on application of disciplinary concepts in a professional setting, typically off-campus. This type of experience is primarily intended to support professional and discipline-based competency development. Students do not have an independent workload while on placement.
Pedagogical Rationale: Why Professional Practica?
- Participation in a professional practicum can develop students’ skills in a particular profession.
- In many cases, a specific number of professional practica hours are required to meet graduation and / or accreditation requirements.
- Students do not typically take on their own case or work load, thereby allowing them to experience the workplace with direct supervision and support.
Next Steps and Resources
- Connect with your faculty, academic unit and / or divisional experiential learning office (as applicable) to explore the resources available as you seek to develop a professional practicum.
- Review the Guidelines & Procedures page to understand which partnership agreements, insurance and liability coverage, and health and safety policies are applicable to professional practicums.
Profiles / Examples
- Work Term
-
A work experience that supports students in connecting their disciplinary knowledge and skills in a professional environment and supports the transition of students to the workplace.
An academic internship is a workplace-based experience that integrates academic learning with application in the workplace for the purpose of enhancing students’ employability and allowing them to explore potential future pathways. These opportunities are supervised by an experienced professional and are typically organized as a single work term but can vary in length and intensity. Academic internships are directly connected to a course or program of study. An academic internship course typically includes both work experience and in-class academic components, the latter of which are intended to help contextualize and make connections between the work experience and discipline-based learning and theories.
Note: There are also internships that are not directly connected to a course or program of study (e.g. government internship programs). These typically fall outside the umbrella of experiential learning. Some academic units choose to promote non-experiential learning internship opportunities to support students who are looking to gain work experience.
Pedagogical Rationale: Why Academic Internships?
- Students receive supervised guidance over an extended period of time, leading to deeper learning and skill development.
- Internships can be tailored to fit specific course expectations and benchmarks while being structured to provide specific learning-outcomes for students.
- Internships can provide students with realistic perspectives on specific industries and professional settings.
Next Steps and Resources
- Connect with your faculty, academic unit and / or divisional experiential learning office (as applicable) to explore available resources for academic internship course development.
- Review the Guidelines & Procedures section to understand which partnership agreements, insurance and liability coverage, and health and safety policies are applicable to academic internships.
Profiles / Examples
There are two types of co-operative education programs. These programs can be accredited by Co-operative Education and Work-Integrated Learning (CEWIL) Canada and must meet specific criteria to be recognized as such:
Co-op involves alternating study and paid work terms for students in opportunities related to their field of study. Co-op programs follow the academic calendar and allow students to explore various professional environments within a specific industry or field.
Co-op Internship involves a single work term where students work for an employer for 12 to 16 consecutive months.
The work experiences offered through each type of co-op program allow students to expand their knowledge, practice the latest theories and approaches in their particular discipline, develop employment skills, explore career options, and network with potential employers.
Pedagogical Rationale: Why Co-op?
Students receive supervised guidance over an extended period of time, leading to deeper learning and skill development.
Co-op placements can be tailored to fit specific disciplinary expectations and benchmarks and can enhance students’ understanding of the value and applicability of their degrees.
Co-ops support the development of students’ professional skills as well as their understanding of professional settings.Next Steps and Resources
- There are specific administrative steps that must be followed if your academic unit would like to develop or launch a new co-op program. The Office of the Vice-Provost, Academic Programs can provide information related to the process for developing an entirely new program or completing a major modification to an existing program.
- Once the program is developed and approved by the University of Toronto, you may choose to seek accreditation from Co-operative Education and Work-Integrated Learning (CEWIL) Canada. CEWIL also has a detailed manual for planning and implementing co-operative education programs.
- If you work with first entry undergraduate students, they may be eligible to participate in the Professional Experience Year Co-op Internship. Most other co-op programs require admission directly from secondary school or an undergraduate degree program (for graduate-programs).
Profiles / Examples