Credit and Non-Credit Engagement Guidelines

Guidelines for Engagement Courses:

1. Credit-based engagement courses may be offered by an academic college or department.
2. The "engaged learning experience" attribute may be assigned at the course or section level. In addition, for house numbered courses, the engagement attribute may be assigned at the student level.
3. All student engagement courses must have a syllabus detailing: (1) an Engagement Activity, (2) an Engagement Competency, (3) student learning outcomes, (4) grading policy, (5) expected work products and reflection activities, and (6) all other components in compliance with the Undergraduate Course Syllabus Policy.
4. The home department and college must approve the engagement course syllabus. No course will be identified in the Course Catalog or Schedule of Classes as meeting the University's criteria for an "engaged learning experience" without college approval.
5. Grading System: Per the course category (e.g., Individual Studies, Small Group Courses) engagement courses may be offered for the S,P,F,I alternative grading system, Pass/Fail system, or Regular Grades, as long as the system is identified in the syllabus. The grading system is determined by the offering instructor and applied consistently at the section level of that course. Note: For upper division courses with regular grades, students must earn a C grade or higher to graduate with the notation, "Engaged Learning Experience" on their transcript. Colleges may require a grade higher than C-level for their students to earn this notation.
6. Courses may be offered online, in person, or in hybrid format.

Guidelines for Non-Credit Engagement Experiences:

Students may also meet the criteria for graduating with an "Engaged Learning Experience" by registering for one of the University's approved non-credit experiences. The Office of Student Engagement maintains a list of approved non-credit learning experiences. Proposals for engagement experiences must:

1. Be submitted to the Office of Student Engagement and approved by the Student Engagement Committee;
2. Identify the Engagement Activity and Engagement Competency related to the experience; and
3. Include information on (1) supervision by faculty or staff, (2) required hours of engagement, (3) a reflection component that helps students find meaning in the experience, and (4) the way in which the supervisor will verify that the required minimum 45 hours of work and the reflection piece will be completed by the student.