Experiential Learning in the General Education Curriculum

What Is Experiential Learning? 

At the University of Pittsburgh, experiential learning is defined as an intentionally designed educational process in which learners engage in activities which are connected to real-world contexts. 

Through collaboration with others, students engage in structured guidance and feedback, critical reflection, and integrate theory with practice to develop new knowledge, skills, perspectives, and values in ways that are rigorous, meaningful, and transferable. 

Through experiential learning, students gain the ability to:

  • Use their ideas, creativity, and skills to design, create, or produce work that addresses real challenges or communicates meaningful ideas.
  • Approach problems with curiosity and critical thinking, using what they learn in the classroom to better understand and respond to real–world situations.
  • Work with and learn from people, organizations, and communities, while understanding how local experiences connect to broader social and global issues.
  • Take responsibility for their work and actions, collaborate effectively with others, and act with integrity in professional and community settings.

Experiential learning connects theory to practice and advances Pitt’s priorities in student success, career readiness, civic engagement, and academic distinction. For these reasons, experiential learning opportunities must include:

  1. Clearly articulated learning outcomes 
  2. Active skill development and engagement beyond observation 
  3. Structured reflection connecting experience to defined learning outcomes

Experiential learning may occur within or beyond the classroom and includes opportunities such as internships, community-engaged learning, undergraduate research, clinical or field experiences, global learning, applied capstone projects, making activities, among others. It is defined by intentional design, not location or modality.

Experiential Learning's Role within the General Education Curriculum

Including experiential learning within the General Education curriculum supports the application of disciplinary knowledge in structured, real-world contexts and strengthens the connection between academic learning and lived experience. 

These high-impact practices enhance student engagement, deepen understanding, and contribute to the development of transferable skills that extend beyond the classroom.

As a public institution, the University of Pittsburgh approaches experiential learning as part of its responsibility to prepare students for engagement beyond the classroom, including in the communities and regions it serves. This includes ensuring that interactions with community partners, organizations, and professional settings are structured in ways that are respectful, reciprocal, and attentive to the expertise and priorities of those partners.

Given the clear educational value of experiential learning, a credit-bearing experiential learning requirement is under evaluation within the General Education curriculum. This requirement ensures that all students complete a structured, applied learning experience as part of their academic program. 

Curricular Experiential Learning (Credit-Bearing)

Curricular experiential learning consists of credit-bearing opportunities that include structured reflection and assessment and are approved through established curricular governance processes. This category embeds applied, real-world learning within the academic program, ensuring that students engage in faculty-guided experiences that connect theory to practice, support skill development, and provide opportunities to demonstrate learning through established academic standards. 

Examples include Experiential Learning (ExL) or High-Impact Practice (HIP) designated courses which include capstones, first-year seminars, internships for credit, study abroad, undergraduate research and other eligible opportunities. 

While the curricular requirement establishes a common foundation in experiential learning, co-curricular opportunities create pathways for students to further develop and extend career preparedness. These experiences are particularly valuable for students seeking to pursue additional depth, sustained involvement, or a higher level of achievement beyond the required credit-bearing experience.

Co-Curricular Experiential Learning (Non-Credit-Bearing)

Non-credit-bearing co-curricular experiential learning consists of structured, practice-based experiences that support student engagement, skill development, and exploration outside of the formal curriculum. 

While these experiences do not fulfill the experiential learning requirement, they play an important complementary role by expanding access to applied learning opportunities without impacting time to degree. Participation in these experiences may be formally recognized through institutional mechanisms, including Interdisciplinary Distinctions, that document and validate student engagement. 

As optional opportunities, they provide pathways for students to further explore their interests or to pursue additional depth beyond the required experience, often reflecting a higher level of initiative and sustained involvement. Examples include curated activity series, professional development programs, workshops, leadership initiatives, not-for-credit internships, and similar offerings.

Interdisciplinary Distinctions

Pitt hosts a class of credential—called a “distinction”—that incorporates a curated, synergistic combination of curricular, co-curricular, and experiential learning activities that support a student’s growth and development in particular interdisciplinary areas. 

Students participate in a sequence of courses that are then blended with high impact activities outside the classroom. In this way, students learn to translate their knowledge into practical applications and are prepared to communicate these experiences to a broad audience. See Undergraduate Studies: Interdisciplinary Distinctions.

An academic distinction typically requires six to nine credit hours combined with a complementary series of high-impact practices that range from novice to advanced engagement and may include internships, service-learning activities, undergraduate research, workshops, and study abroad/away experiences.

Interdisciplinary Distinction Requirements

  • Coursework: Complete six to nine credits of courses across disciplines; primary focus is on the selected theme/topic/issue (i.e., sustainability, civic learning, global understanding, etc.). All Gen Ed courses tagged with learning outcomes connected to theme of a Distinction will automatically fulfill this requirement.
  • Co-Curricular Activities: Attend a series of events, lectures, workshops, or other activities correlated to the Gen Ed competencies and learning outcomes of the Distinction. These activities are those sponsored by academic or supporting units across Pitt’s schools and campuses.
  • High-Impact Practices: Complete one to two high-impact practices, such as internships, undergraduate teaching or research, community-engaged projects, study abroad/study away, peer mentorship, or others.
  • Capstone Project or Reflection: Complete a culminating project or reflection that connects lessons learned from student’s learning inside and outside the classroom.

 

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