HIP Work-Based Learning
Work-Based Learning
Work-Based Learning is one of UWG’s High-Impact Practices (HIPs) and an important part of the university’s broader commitment to experiential learning and career readiness. These experiences help students connect academic learning with professional settings, apply knowledge in real-world contexts, and reflect on the development of career-related skills.
The Work-Based Learning (WBL) Designation
Work-Based Learning (WBL) is a broad term used to describe experience-based learning activities that are connected with employment or professional work. It is usually assessed by a faculty member and supervised by an employer who is not a faculty member. The student may or may not be paid for this experience. Usually, Work-Based Learning is connected to a class or a sequence of classes, and the student receives academic credit. However, Work-Based Learning can also occur in non-credit, co-curricular, and extracurricular settings. For example, with appropriate learning outcomes and organizational support, Work-Based Learning can be connected to student employment on campus.
Work-Based Learning can include internships, student teaching, clinical education, practicums, community-based research, and field work at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. The goal is to provide students with direct experience in a work setting—usually related to their career interests—and to give them the benefit of supervision and coaching from professionals in the field. If the experience is taken for course credit, students may complete a project or paper approved by a faculty member. Another key element is some type of guided reflection. The mission of this experience may be to support the integration of theory and practice, explore career options, or foster personal and professional development. Work-Based Learning can also connect to other forms of experiential learning, including undergraduate and graduate research, service-learning, and study abroad or study away. }
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