Experiential Learning FAQ

Academics / College Catalog / Curriculum / Forester Fundamental Curriculum / Experiential Learning FAQ

Frequently asked questions regarding the Experiential Learning requirement of the Forester Fundamental Curriculum (FFC-EL requirement)

The sections below are labeled and correspond to individual sections of the FFC-EL requirement.

1a. FAQ for a Course with an EL Tag

1b. FAQ for Career Advancement Center (CAC) Internship Program for Academic Credit (1.0 credit or more)

1c. FAQ for Global Engagement Office (GEO) Approved Off-Campus Study

1d. FAQ for Senior Thesis (1.0 credit or more)

1e. FAQ for Independent Research/Creative Project (1.0 credit or more)

1f. FAQ for For-Credit Summer Research (1.0 credit or more)

1g. FAQ for Fractional Experiential Credits that Sum to 1.0 Credit

2a. FAQ for Non-Credit Experiential Projects

When can I use this this option?
- If you have not yet started your experiential project, then you can get the project pre-approved to ensure that it will satisfy the FFC-EL requirement.
What types of activities will qualify?
- Some common non-credit experiential projects include: career-related summer employment; on-campus employment; non-credit internship; non-credit peer teaching; non-credit peer mentoring; non-credit peer tutoring; non-credit research; organization, publicity, senior recital performance
How many stages are involved in this process?
- The application/approval stage should be completed before the non-credit experiential project begins.
- The completion stage should be completed within two weeks of the conclusion of the non-credit experiential project.
What are the student’s responsibilities for the application/approval stage?
- Review the FFC-EL Non-Credit Application Guide.
- Select and meet with a potential faculty project supervisor.
- Prepare responses to the key questions outlined in the guide and share these responses with the faculty project supervisor.
- When the faculty project supervisor is satisfied with your responses, submit the FFC-EL Non-Credit Application Form
- Once submitted, the form will be automatically sent to the faculty project supervisor for approval. Then, it will be sent to the FFCIS Chair for review and feedback or approval.
What are the faculty project supervisor’s responsibilities for the application/approval stage?
- Review the FFC-EL Non-Credit Application Guide with the student.
- Review a draft of the student’s responses to the prompts in the application guide.
- Ensure that the student submits the FFC-EL Non-Credit Application Form
- Approve via the Form Flow
  - Once the student submits the application via my.lakeforest, the faculty project supervisor will be prompted for approval. Then, the application will be automatically sent to the FFCIS Chair for review and decision (approval, revision, denial).
What are the student’s responsibilities for the completion stage?
- Review the requirements of the FFC-EL Non-Credit Completion Guide with the faculty project supervisor near the end of the non-credit experiential project.
- Prepare the written reflection along with the other information specified in the guide. Share this information with the faculty project supervisor.
- When the faculty project supervisor is satisfied with your responses, submit the FFC-EL Non-Credit Completion Form.
What are the faculty project supervisor’s responsibilities for the completion stage?
- Review the FFC-EL Non-Credit Completion Guide with the student.
- Ensure that the written reflection meets the guidelines.
- Ensure that the student submits the FFC-EL Non-Credit Completion Form.
- Approve via the Form Flow
  - Once the student submits via my.lakeforest, the faculty project supervisor will be prompted for approval. Then, the form automatically will be sent to the Registrar for final processing.
  - The Form Flow process automatically will store the written reflection on the V: drive because the reflection is part of the completion form.
  - At the conclusion of each academic term, the Registrar will send copies of the stored written reflections to FFC_reflection@lakeforest.edu.
How does completion of the FFC-EL requirement get recorded for the FFC audit?
- After approval of the application, the Registrar registers the student for the non-credit experiential project by adding EXPR 001 to their transcript.
- After completion of the non-credit experiential project, the Registrar will assign a RS grade (requirement satisfied) to EXPR 001. Then, the FFC audit tool will automatically record the FFC-EL requirement as complete.

2b. FAQ for Retroactive Experiential Projects

When can I use this this option?”
- If you did not get pre-approved via 2a and your project is already complete, then your only option is to apply retroactively for credit. There is a risk that the project will not be approved, which is why we prefer the pre-approval process in 2a (which you seek before starting the project.
What types of activities will qualify?
- Sample retroactive (already-completed) projects: non-credit internship; off-campus study (not GEO approved); independent research/creative project completed before transferring to Lake Forest College; career-related summer employment.
What are the student’s responsibilities?
- Meet with your academic advisor to review the requirements of the FFC-EL Retroactive Application Guide.
- After the meeting, prepare the answers to the questions on the FFC-EL Retroactive Application Guide (including the written reflection) and share this information with the academic advisor.
- Once the academic advisor is satisfied with your responses, submit the FFC-EL Retroactive Application Form.
What are the academic advisor’s responsibilities?
- Review the requirements of the FFC-EL Retroactive Application Guide with your advisee.
- Ensure that your advisee properly completes and submits the FFC-EL Retroactive Application Form.
- Approve via the Form Flow
  - Once the student submits the application via my.lakeforest, the academic advisor will be prompted for approval. Then, the application will be automatically sent to the FFCIS Chair for review and feedback or approval.
  - If approved, the Form Flow process will automatically store the written reflection on the V: drive because the reflection is part of the completion form.
  - At the conclusion of each academic term, the Registrar will send copies of the stored written reflections to FFC_reflection@lakeforest.edu.
How does completion of the FFC-EL requirement get recorded for the FFC audit?
- Once the form is approved by the FFC Chair, it automatically will be sent to the Registrar. The Registrar will manually mark the FFC-EL requirement as complete and note in the student’s academic record how this requirement was satisfied.