To satisfy the applied learning experience requirement, students must complete a minimum of 75 hours as part of the experience and earn an S in APPL290. Applied learning experiences may fall into one or more of the following categories:
- Community-Based Learning
- Cross-Cultural Experiences
- Integrative Learning Projects
- Internships & Practicums
- Student Research & Scholarship
You may register for this experience in the following ways:
- Register for a course or take part in an experience which is on this approved list, or search for courses in a given semester with APPL credit by searching WebHopper for APPL – Applied learning on the Competency Requirement menu. Some Jan term courses may count for applied learning too; they’ll be added for an upcoming Jan Term once they are approved in the spring. Registering for a course with an APPL co-requisite will automatically register you for APPL290. Any student enrolled in APPL290 will have access to a Moodle shell into which they will submit their reflection essay at the end of the semester. Any student who submits the essay prior to the deadline will receive an ‘S’ grade for APPL290 for that semester. Any student who chooses to opt out of that particular APPL may do so by simply not submitting the required essay prior to the deadline, and the APPL experience will be removed from their transcript for that semester.
- Take part in an experience which is approved on this list. These experiences aren’t offered for course credit, so to meet the applied learning requirement this way, use this link to add the APPL courseto your schedule during the appropriate semester. The form will route to your mentor and the person sponsoring your applied learning experience for approval. At the end of the semester, you’ll be required to upload a reflection about your experiences to the Moodle site for the APPL course in order to earn an S in the APPL course.
- Propose your own applied learning experience! We want to support you pursuing the experiences that are meaningful and valuable to you. Use this link to propose your own applied learning experience. The form will ask you for a brief description and rationale that will be sent to the Applied Learning Committee for approval. At the end of the semester, you’ll be required to upload a reflection about your experiences to the Moodle site for the APPL course in order to earn an S in the APPL course.
Learning outcomes and prompts for required reflection
| APPL learning outcome | Reflection prompt question |
| Students will connect and apply their academic learning to experiences outside the classroom. | Describe how you used or built on things you learned from any of your courses at AC through this experience. Include examples of how you applied your previous knowledge or observed the application of previous knowledge during your applied learning experience. |
| Students will practice behaviors and exhibit attitudes necessary for lifelong learning and/or career after graduation. | Describe some ways that this experience (a) strengthened your skills for a career you are thinking of pursuing or (b) encouraged you to explore a new topic or develop a new interest (even if it’s not related to a future career). Include examples of activities/tasks that strengthened your skills or encouraged new exploration. |
| Students will reflect constructively on their applied learning experience as they consider decisions about their future. | Describe some ways this experience has influenced your plans for the rest of your time in college and after you graduate, whether in the short term or the long term (or both). These may be plans related to your career or job, involvement in the community, or personal pursuits. Include examples of things you did during this experience that impacted your thoughts about your future. |