Experiential Learning Syllabus Template

See below for a template for an Experiential Learning Syllabus for 491, 495 or 497 courses in any discipline. 

These courses provide students with an opportunity to develop as a scholar through independent study, research or field experience. Students can earn 1, 2 or 3 credits by completing 45, 90 or 135 hours toward their Honors EXCEL project and completing the academic components of this course. These courses can be repeated in subsequent semesters, but the syllabus must be updated to reflect the updated project and learning goals each time.

Please complete this fillable syllabus template [PDF] and submit as a PDF with your Experiential Learning Credits form.

Basic Information

• Semester:
• Discipline:
• Course Number:
• Number of credits:
• Instructor Name:
• Instructor Email:
• Instructor Office: 

Short Answer

Please use this template to describe how this course will meet the requirements for Honors College EXCEL program experiential learning.

• Project goals
  Please describe the work that you will do this semester toward your Honors EXCEL project. Here, work is defined as reading, writing, thinking, doing or creating. Include an estimate of how much time each task will take, either weekly or over the course of the semester. Note that for 1 credit, you should work 3 hours a week on your project, or ~45 hours over the semester.
• Learning objectives
  Please describe what you hope to learn from this course. This may include new background information, theories or frameworks, skills or personal traits that you hope to develop.
• Class meetings
  Please describe how often and how long you will meet with the instructor of this course to discuss your progress. While there is no maximum number of meetings, plan to meet once a month at a minimum. If your instructor is not your project mentor, please explain how you will communicate with your mentor and instructor separately. 

The Honors EXCEL program requires each of the following in a course that is used for experiential learning. These assignments are intended build connections between the student's Honors EXCEL project and the knowledge and skills developed in and around academic settings. Please describe how you will complete these requirements.

• Reflective writing
  Reflective writing can be the home to a variety of ways of thinking through your experience, but the common thread is that writing is a way of thinking in that it encourages you to flesh out your basic thoughts into sentences and paragraphs. You may use this space to reflect on your experience, evaluate your own performance, think through new issues or document the things you encounter through your experience. It is important to remember that this is a professional journal that will be read by others: keep the tone comparatively formal and the content professional.
  
  In the space below, please outline the format, expected content (questions you hope to answer, etc.) and frequency of your journals.
• Portfolio of documents or data
  Your portfolio will be a unique creation, just as each project is a unique experience. Your portfolio is created for your use. It may include samples of your work or prototypical ideas for a new design. It may be a research notebook where you note your processes and collect data. Your portfolio should demonstrate your knowledge and skills, as well as provide evidence of the work that you have done toward your Honors EXCEL project.
  
  In the space below, please outline the types of documents or data that you expect to collect and the frequency with which they will be reviewed and assessed by your project mentor or instructor.
• Summative report
  Your summative report can take many formats, including a thorough literature review, a progress report, a technical report or a research paper. The summative report is distinct from your portfolio of documents in that it should put your documents or data into a scholarly context. While there is no maximum length for this report, the minimum length is five substantive pages (~1500 words). You may substitute the summative report with a formal presentation of at least 20 minutes to an audience appropriate to your project.
  
  In the space below, please outline the format, proposed length and due date of your summative report.
• Supervisor review
  Project mentors should provide both a narrative review and a final grade. In some cases, mentors or community partners may provide that information to the instructor who will enter the grade. In the space below, please outline how each piece above will be assessed and how those pieces will contribute to your final grade. When in doubt, give as many details as necessary to clearly explain how the final grade will be determined. If needed, please attach another page.

Additional policies and procedures: Work completed in this course is subject to the rules and regulations set forth by West Virginia University. For information regarding Academic Integrity, Academic Dishonesty, Accessibility, Inclusivity and other relevant policies, please see the website here.