Experiential Education Policies

• Revised Experiential Education Program Proposal
• Academic Approval/Program Design and Administration
• Procedures for Student Portfolio Submission, Assessment, and Approvals
• Portfolio and Military Veterans
• General Curriculum Guidelines
• Career Advisor and Planners (CAPS) Position Description
• Faculty Travel Expenses Reimbursement
• Experiential Education Placements
• Travel Class Policy

Revised Experiential Education Program Proposal

In the fall of 1993, the Faculty members of Monmouth University voted to approve an experiential component of the core curriculum and directed the Faculty Council in the spring of 1995 to evaluate the academic and administrative mechanisms for the implementation of an Experiential Education Program. Subsequently, a subcommittee of Faculty Council was formed to create academic and administrative guidelines for the program. As a result, the subcommittee asked Faculty Council to approve the following proposal and it was sent to the faculty for general approval.

I. Definition of Experiential Education Components

Internships are credit-based supervised pre-professional learning experience taken during junior or senior year, which offer students work opportunities directly related to their career goals. Internships enable students to learn about a specific field, test career choices, gain real world experience, and develop professional competence under the supervision of practicing professionals. The internship experience enhances the learning of those enrolled and includes structured time for student reflection and writing on the internship.

Service Learning is a credit-based experience that enables students to learn and develop through thoughtfully organized service. This is conducted in and meets the needs of non profits, schools, civic or governmental organizations and is coordinated with an institution of higher learning. This experience helps the development of aptitude, knowledge, and skills; fosters leadership and social responsibility; is integrated into and enhances the learning of those enrolled; and includes structured time for student reflection and writing on the service experience. This can occur at any time during a student's college career.

Co-operative education is a credit-based career and academically related experience that occurs during a student's junior or senior year. Students work and learn in business, industry government or agency. Students receive compensation in the form of salary or stipends and provide employers with meaningful work while developing aptitude, knowledge, and skills. The experience enhances the learning of those enrolled and includes structured time for student reflection and writing on the co-operative experience.

II. Governing Principles

As a mark of distinction, Experiential Education courses will contain an academic component, which links class assignments and student interaction with external constituencies or career sources, either on or off campus.

It will remain the prerogative of the various academic departments to explore and devise appropriate courses and pedagogical methods for the application of experiential learning for students (majors).

Students will be required to complete at least one "E"-designated course or submit a portfolio for review in order to satisfy the GER. As a rule, students will fulfill their Experiential Education requirement either in their junior or senior year.

III. Satisfaction of the Academic Requirement

Students may satisfy the Experiential Education requirement through the following course or portfolio options:

Course Options

• Core or elective classes with an "E" designation
• Co-op Education
• Internships
• Service Learning
• Practicum/Field Work Classes
• Approved Study Abroad trips

Portfolio Options

• Portfolio of career accomplishments
• Portfolio of peer education activities as approved and supervised by faculty

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Academic Approval/Program Design and Administration

In order to insure the academic integrity of the Program, all Experiential Education courses must be approved by the Undergraduate Studies Committee and run under the supervision of faculty members.

The Experiential Education requirement will not add to the 128 credit hours necessary for student graduation. Students will satisfy the Experiential Education requirement by taking at least one designated course cross-listed by various disciplines or through the portfolio option.

The Experiential Education Program will be managed by a faculty director. The Associate Vice President of Academic Program Initiatives and an Experiential Education Oversight and Advisory subcommittee of Faculty Council will oversee the program.

At a department level, the Career Advisors and Planners (CAPS) will oversee the development and offering of "E"-designated courses. They will also evaluate student portfolio applications and make recommendations for acceptance or denial to the Faculty Director. CAP faculty members will receive a stipend for their work based on the number of majors in their department.

All academic criteria and course guidelines will be devised by the Experiential Education Subcommittee in conjunction with the Faculty Director and the Associate Vice President of Academic Program Initiatives. Once completed, the guidelines will be forwarded to the School Deans for final approval. The approved criteria will then be forwarded to the Undergraduate Studies Committee to be used as a guide in the course approval process.

All proposed courses will be submitted to the Experiential Education Subcommittee for review and approval and forwarded to the School Deans and Undergraduate Studies Committee for final approval.

The Experiential Education Subcommittee will carry out a comprehensive review of the Program after three (3) years.

All portfolios must be submitted by the CAPS to the Faculty Director for review. Acceptable portfolios will then be forwarded by the CIS to the School Deans for final approval.

The Faculty Director will work jointly with Department Faculty, particularly the CAPS, and the Career Services staff of the CSS to create experiential learning opportunities, and help manage student placements.

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Procedures for Student Portfolio Submission,

Assessment, and Approvals

Students are required to satisfy theExperiential Education requirement, which they mayfulfill in a variety of ways. Under the Experiential Education program, students gain valuable professional experience by successfully completing at least one designated course in their major or minor fields, participating in a faculty-sponsored internship, practicum, service learning or corporate project, or cooperative education placement, or earning credit through the Washington Center or Study Abroad programs. Experiential Education courses are listed inthe Catalog under each academic major and minor, in the “Search for Classes” section of WEBstudent, and on this site.

In general, students will engage in experiential course work in their junior or senior year in coordination with the pre-professional practice or community service interests associated with their majors. Students who wish to learn more about Experiential Education and explore career and service learning opportunities, potential courses, and placement options in each academic discipline are encouraged to explore this Web site. Students are also invited to contact the Offices of Service Learning and Community Programs and Cooperative Education located in the Rebecca Stafford Student Center. In addition, academic departments have faculty members who serve as Career Advisors and Planners (CAPS) to help students plan for and choose an experiential course or opportunity that will enhance and advance their professional and educational development. Faculty CAPs can also aid and advise students who enter the University with substantial career experience as to the procedures forpetitioning to satisfy the Experiential Educationrequirement through the submission of a work-related and employer-supported portfolio. Interested students must gain permission of the faculty CAPand chair of their academic department, as well as the Faculty Director of the Experiential Education program, before submitting a portfolio for review. Portfolios are allowed on a case-by-case basis and only at the discretion of the program advisors. Students wishing to apply for Experiential Education credit should first consult with an advisor and the appropriate faculty member before submitting the Experiential Education application e-FORM. Thee-FORMS are accessible from the WEBstudent menu.

Experiential Education Portfolio Policy

The portfolio process was designed for the nontraditional student who has returned to school after experience in the work world that can be documented and serve as credit for the experiential education requirement within his or her major. Students who wish to submit a portfolio package for consideration in fulfillment of the Experiential Education general education requirement must produce a body of official documentation which is outlined below.

1. The departmental CAP should initiate a memo to which all copies of the documentation from the student are attached. CAPs should indicate their agreement or reservations for approval and then forward the package to the faculty director of experiential education. The documentation must include:
1. résumé;
2. a minimum 3-5-page academic piece, such as a short research paper or reflection journal on past learning activities, if the student did not carry out the internship/service learning activity for academic credit or under faculty supervision (from any post- secondary institution);
3. academic transcript;
4. company/organization letters that verify work experience for which student is trying to get credit;
5. brief statement that outlines the timeframe, circumstances, and manner under which the experience occurred.
6. Individual departments have the option to add additional requirements to this procedure.
2. After receiving and assessing such work, the CAP will send the Dean’s Office the completed academic piece and the student’s portfolio; the Dean’s Office will then forward this information to the Director of Experiential Education for final approval. After all of the appropriate signatures have been obtained, the memo will then be forwarded to the Registrar for appropriate accreditation. Students must demonstrate through a detailed dossier a substantial background of career or community service experience related to their chosen program of study. While each department will determine the guidelines for portfolio experience, it is recommended that students have engaged in a particular career or community service activity for at least four consecutive years. All portfolio dossiers must be reviewed and receive initial approval by the department CAP before they are forwarded to the faculty director of the Experiential Education Program. Students cannot exercise the portfolio option if the department of their chosen academic studies requires certain Experiential Education courses as part of their major.

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Experiential Education and Military Veterans

Monmouth University is privileged to have military veterans attending classes and seeking to graduate from several disciplines. Acknowledging the work experience many veterans bring to the table, the Experiential Education program at Monmouth affords veterans the opportunity to use their military experiences to fulfill their Ex Ed requirements. In order to take advantage of this opportunity, the veteran/student will work with the CAP in the department of his/her declared major to develop a portfolio. While certain exceptions may be made, the veteran/student will follow the same portfolio requirements, which are posted on the Ex Ed web page, as the rest of the University. If the student has chosen a major where Ex Ed is embedded in the curriculum, the student will still need to follow the curriculum of his/her major and, therefore, does not need to complete a portfolio for Experiential Education credit.

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General Curriculum Guidelines

ExEd Course Objectives:

To integrate theoretical academic knowledge with applied career-related and/or community service experiences that enable students to interact with external constituencies both in and outside of the classroom.

Course Requirements:

Syllabus must include a statement which clearly outlines the experiential objectives and components of externalized career-related and/or community service activities included in the course.

The experiential component(s) of the course must comprise at least 25% of class work including site visits, assignments, projects, etc.

Syllabus must contain course work and assignments that allow students to reflect and report on their experiences, i.e., journals, logs, group projects, etc.

Syllabus should provide for the placement and management of students engaged in the experiential component.

Syllabus must provide criteria for student evaluation by the faculty sponsor and the external constituency.

Co-op Requirements:

All co-op experiences must have a faculty sponsor in addition to an CSS oversight officer.

Only paid positions will be considered as co-op experiences.

In order to satisfy the experiential requirement, a co-op experience must have a syllabus designed by the faculty sponsor, which allows the general curriculum guidelines set for the Experiential Education Program.

In general, co-op students must spend at least 7 hours a week at a placement site, participate in discussion sessions with the faculty sponsor, and complete a minimum of one (1) significant academic assignment, i.e., a comprehensive term paper, work portfolio, media project, business plan, etc.

All Co-op courses must receive approval from the Experiential Education Subcommittee and the Undergraduate Studies Committee in order to be considered an Experiential Education course.

Internship Requirements:

Internships must have a syllabus designed by a faculty sponsor, which follows the general curriculum guidelines set for the Experiential Education Program.

Only non-paid positions will be considered internships.

In general, student interns must spend at least 7 hours a week at a placement site, participate in discussion sessions with the faculty sponsor, and complete a minimum of one (1) significant academic assignment, i.e., comprehensive term paper work portfolio, media project, business plan, etc.

All internships must receive approval from the Experiential Education Subcommittee and the Undergraduate Studies Committee in order to be considered an Experiential Education course.

Study Abroad Requirements:

Trips must run under faculty sponsorship and contain a component of academic coursework, i.e., lectures, group discussions, written assignments, reflection exercises, etc.

Passed by Experiential Education Subcommittee: April 3, 1997

Passed by Undergraduate Studies Committee: April 16, 1997

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Career Advisor and Planners (CAPS)

Position Description

The Career Advisor and Planner (CAP) will serve as the coordinator for Experiential Education in his/her academic department. The CAP will aid department faculty in developing "Ex" courses and exploring opportunities for the placement of students in career-related and service-learning activities.

The CAP will also act as the departmental representative on the Experiential Education Program Council under the Faculty Director of Ex Ed. In addition, the CAP will serve as the department liaison to the CSS'S Career Planning and Experiential Programs Office and work with its administrators to advance the development of "Ex" courses.

Compensation: Each CAP will receive an annual stipend following the submission of the short annual report at the end of Spring semester. The stipend amount is determined by the number of majors within the particular academic department.

Duties and Responsibilities:

1. Provide general advice and information for students regarding their future careers.
2. Disseminate information and opportunities on Experiential Education (Ex Ed) forwarded by the Faculty Director, the Assistant Faculty Director, and the CSS to faculty and students within the department.
3. Assist department faculty in the development of Ex Ed courses and insure that an adequate number of course offerings are available each term in order that student majors may fulfill their Ex Ed requirement. (For departments that do not develop Ex Ed courses: CAPs will devise alternative avenues for majors to satisfy the curriculum requirement.)
4. Coordinate and manage student internships and co-operative education placements within the department in conjunction with the CSS offices of Cooperative Education and Service Learning/ Community Programs.
5. Gather and assess Ex Ed portfolios submitted by students to the department. The CAP will forward all acceptable portfolios to the Faculty Director for Experiential Education for a final review.
6. Assist in the development of administrative policies and procedures for the coordination and management of Ex Ed campus-wide.
7. Attend CAP meetings.
8. Participate in curriculum development workshops and faculty programs, when offered.
9. Act as resource for students looking for employment and graduate schools (i.e. resumes, networking, letters of recommendation) and refer students to the CSS Placement Office when appropriate.
10. Submit annual report on end of year report form with addenda, if appropriate, detailing progress during the year.

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Faculty Travel Expenses Reimbursement

As of Fall 1997, all faculty who are teaching or sponsoring an ExEd course, internship, or co-op opportunity are eligible to submit their travel-related expenses to the Faculty Director, Experiential Education Program, for possible reimbursement. Interested faculty should complete an Employee Expense Voucher that provides the following information:

1. Course Code(s)
2. Rationale
3. Location, mode, length, cost of travel
4. Receipts (attached)

The Faculty Director will review faculty requests at the end of each semester. As a result, faculty may accumulate their travel information and submit their requests on either a semester or year-end basis for review.

After receiving final approval from the Faculty Director of ExEd and the Dean's Office, the requests will be forwarded to Accounts Payable, which disperses funds in the form of a check mailed to the requester's home address. The Faculty Director will also notify all faculty in writing as to the disposition of their requests before the start of each new semester.

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Experiential Education Placements

In order to maintain the academic quality and integrity of the Experiential Education Program as determined by the 1997 Faculty legislation, student placements will be determined by the following criteria:

1. Student service and corporate learning achieved through internships, Cooperative Education and Service Learning placements must be arranged with and occur under an office, agency, institution, and/or company external to Monmouth University.
2. Work placements, duties, and/or projects associated with and managed by on-campus academic and administrative offices will not satisfy the "external constituencies" rule established by the program definition for the Experiential Education Program approved by the Monmouth University faculty in 1997. All students wishing to pursue on-campus employment or work with University offices may do so through the Student Work-Study Program. However, this will not satisfy the Experiential Education requirement.
3. All acceptable placements will be reviewed by program coordinators and recorded for faculty and student reference in the "Experiential Opportunities" search engine located on the Experiential Education home page.
4. All acceptable placements cannot be within a family-run business, or supervised by a family member or family friend. In addition, placements must be appropriate learning experiences for students' majors.

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Travel Class Policy

Travel class is defined as any trip taken with a faculty member to be exposed to learning opportunities out of the classroom.

Faculty may request that a travel class be considered as an experiential education class if the course meets the following guidelines:

1. Students will engage in a learning project, prearranged with a supervisor at the destination (not the faculty member) for a minimum of 40 hr/1 credit.
2. Students will produce daily log, reflective essay, and a n external evaluation from their supervisor while at the destination.
3. The course will comply with all other Ex Ed Requirements regarding percentage of assignments, number of hours etc.
4. If faculty offer the class for some students as Ex Ed and some without ex ed credit classes can be cross listed as such on a case by case basis.