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What is Experiential Learning?

Experiential Learning is the instructional arm of Career Services & Experiential Learning. It provides courses in which students gain the major-related work experience they need to get the job they want upon graduation. These experiences allow students to apply what they are learning in the classroom to real-world settings and gain professional, academic, and personal skills needed to be prepared to work in their chosen field when they graduate. National and local research supports that students who have major-related experience before graduation have a significant advantage in gaining major-related employment upon graduation, 80% for co-ops and 50% for interns as opposed to only 30% without this experience. These educational options are widely recognized as an important means for students to enhance their education and gain a competitive edge in the workplace.

Options Available:

Cooperative Education (Co-op) - Combines classroom study with part-or full-time paid work experience directly related to a student's academic major or career goal. Full-time experiences allow students to alternate semesters of work and classes while part-time allows working and taking classes concurrently with flexible work hours. This occurs over multiple semesters, provides progressively responsible duties, and can be for credit or non-credit. These experiences are usually local, but national and international opportunities are available for the full-time option. Students should apply as soon as possible upon becoming enrolled at UCF to provide time to gain this type for multiple semester opportunity. Transfer students already working in a co-op position through another post-secondary institution may transfer that position to the UCF Co-op program provided they meet eligibility requirements and their co-op duties relate to their UCF major and can be progressively responsible.

Benefits to Students:

Students clarify career goals, develop personal, academic, and professional skills apply classroom learning to real-world work settings, often earn competitive salaries to offset education costs, have access to flexible work hours around class schedules, gain experience with state-of-the-art equipment and professionals in the field, and enhance prospects for well-paying, major-related employment upon graduation.

Internships - Part- or full-time work experience directly related to a student's major or career goal, paid or unpaid, for credit or non-credit. These usually occur toward the end of a student's program and can be obtained either through Experiential Learning or through the student's academic department. When taken close to graduation, these experiences have been shown to provide a strong means to obtain employment upon graduation.

Service-Learning - Service-Learning course instructors use service experience in non-profit agencies to teach course content and to promote civic engagement in students. Students find these experiences personally rewarding and report that it helps them apply course material and reconsider their values and attitudes. Students may gain this experience by registering for courses designated SL in course listings.

Other options - Additional experiential options are available through other departments on campus, such as Senior Design for Engineering students, Undergraduate research courses, and Study Abroad. All these options provide a means for students to apply what they are learning in real-world settings, which will enhance their education and opportunities for finding the job they want upon graduation.

Did you know that UCF has:

• the 5^th largest Co-op Program in the U.S. with 950 students and 575 employers participating each semester
• a strong internship system in which 6650 students participate each year
• 81 Service-Learning courses and 4700 students providing 70,450 hrs of service in 435 agencies each semester