Program Overview

Program Overview

The Department of Political Science at the University of Waterloo offers a unique experiential learning course, PSCI 424 Experiences in Political Science Beyond the Classroom. This course provides students with the opportunity to select a learning experience that takes them beyond the classroom and connect it to their theoretical learning in political science.

Course Description

PSCI 424 allows students to engage in a self-directed, experiential, and reflective learning framework, designed to scaffold and empower students to design their own learning experience. Using the SLICC Framework, students outline their proposed learning experience and plans for completing it, including an audit of the skills they currently possess, those they would need to develop, and their plans for developing those skills.

Course Expectations

Students begin the course by submitting a course proposal that defines their individualized learning experience, the final project they will be working on, and a roadmap for completing their project. Throughout the term, students document and reflect on their learning experience, reflecting on not only the product but also the process of their learning. At the end of the term, students present a creative final output, such as a blog, website, video, podcast, or poster board, at the Political Science Symposium attended by their peers and professors.

Examples of Projects

• Type of learning experience : Research Project
  • Project title : President Re-Elect: Donald Trump's First Six Months in Office
  • Final project output : An Anthology of Poems
• Type of learning experience : Arts International Exchange in Switzerland
  • Project title : A Comparative Study of Canada and Switzerland’s Youth Populations and Political Engagement
  • Final project output : Video
• Type of learning experience : Internship/Volunteer position at Community Healthcaring, Kitchener-Waterloo
  • Project title : Community Healthcare Centers: An Effective Model for Healthcare in Ontario?
  • Final project output : Poster Board

Grading

Grading in this course is a combination of student self-assessment and instructor assessment. Students are responsible for assessing their progress towards the learning outcomes defined in their proposal, worth 30% of the total grade. The remaining 70% of the grade will be assessed by the course instructor and will comprise the proposal and the final project.

Role of the Course Instructor

The course instructor advises, provides timely feedback, and supports students in the achievement of the learning outcomes they define for themselves. The instructor acts as a mentor, rather than a traditional lecturer.

Enrollment

Students will be contacted by the PSCI Advising Team when they are entering their level 3B, 4A, or 4B term to determine when they should take this course. They will then be enrolled automatically. Note that this course is only offered in the Winter term. Once enrolled, students will be asked to fill out a form outlining their planned learning experience by the first day of class.