Certificate in Experiential Learning and Community Engagement

You can obtain the Certificate in Experiential Learning and Community Engagement while completing your degree at St. Thomas University. It is an accreditation that shows you have immersed yourself in experiential learning during your degree and is reflected on your final transcript upon graduation.

This is a valuable addition to your degree because it:

• Provides tangible evidence of the hands-on learning and community service completed during your studies.
• Can be used to demonstrate community involvement to potential employers or for graduate school applications.
• Will support students in applying their knowledge and conceptual understanding to real-world problems, helping bring theory to life. 
• Provides you with a foundation of analytical, reflective, interpersonal, and leadership skills through coursework and community experience.

Requirements

Part 1: Course-Based Requirement
For this section, students will need to complete 9 credit hours from the lists of approved academic courses. Students must meet the experiential learning component of each course. Course Based Experiential Learning opportunities will use teaching and learning methods that combine academic classroom curriculum, reflection, and learning objectives with meaningful experiential learning activities that take place outside the classroom. These courses have structured opportunities that link theory with learning activities outside the classroom through intentional self-reflection, self-discovery, and the acquisition and comprehension of values, skills, and knowledge.

Part 2: Volunteer Requirement
Community engaged service takes students out of familiar surroundings and routines and immerses them in new ones, helping them directly apply what they have learned in class to a “real-world” context. This section is normally self-directed and flexible to each student’s interests.

Emily Williams
Human Rights and Criminology & Criminal Justice

"The certificate allowed me to apply the skills and knowledge I gained in my academic courses and receive recognition of engaging in experiential learning on my diploma.The academic component of the certificate helped me find my passion of human rights advocacy and the service learning component allowed me to apply my passion in a local setting." 

Emily completed her volunteer hours by researching, developing and delivering a presentation on immigration strategies to the Population Growth Division of the Government of New Brunswick.

Student Frequently Asked Questions:

Q: What do I need to fulfill to complete the certificate?

A: Log in to Learning in Action as a Student, navigate to Certificate Programs > Certificate in Experiential Learning > My Certificate and enroll in the Certificate at any moment during your degree. You need to complete 9 credit hours from the approved Experiential Learning Courses, and 3 Volunteer Reflection Logs that total 30 off-campus volunteer hours. 

Q: Where can I find which courses are part of the course-based requirement?

A: All approved courses are assessed at the beginning of each academic year. We will post the official approved list of courses each year on Learning in Action > Experiential Courses. While logged in, you can also check which courses you have already completed or are currently registered for that count as part of the Experiential Learning Courses required for the Certificate.

Q: What types of volunteering count?

A: Off-campus volunteering opportunities with non-profit organizations will normally count towards this requirement. On-campus or clubs/societies volunteer hours do not count towards the Certificate, as the goal is to connect you with the broader community. Off-campus volunteer hours help you step outside of your comfort zone, make connections, and immerse yourself in the community.

The volunteer activity must be unpaid, and not for credits towards a course. Volunteering must not be remunerated and for the service of others.

COVID-19: We encourage you to practice physical-distancing and follow public health guidelines. Your volunteer hours for the past 12 months can count towards your certificate at this time. Please complete the required reflection entries and logging procedures on Moodle once you are enrolled.

Q: How do I find organizations where I can volunteer?

A: You can find a list of volunteer needs in Fredericton by visiting ConnectFredericton. If there is an organization you would like to volunteer for that is not on the website, let us know. If you are volunteering outside of Fredericton, as long as the non-profit organization is connecting you with your community, it will normally count

Q: Will I receive a physical certificate?

A: Yes! You will receive a physical certificate on your graduation day, and there will be an official notation on your final transcript.

For any other questions, don’t hesitate to reach out: experientialoffice@stu.ca