Experiential Learning and Undergraduate Research
Hands on Learning: On-campus, in the community, and around the globe
Students at Trent have a wide variety of opportunities for Experiential Learning. No matter your field of study, Trent has options for you to learn and grow academically, personally, professionally, and as a member of an engaged community! Experiential Learning (EL) is a part of both the curricular and co-curricular life of the institution, and has been for many years. Students, community organizations, staff, and faculty work and grow together through these deep teaching and learning opportunities.
As an institution set on the banks of the Otonabee and surrounded by 580 hectares of land, Trent offers one of Canada’s most sought-after locations for environmental research. Students are able to conduct on-campus field and laboratory work, pursue community-based research projects, and take advantage of international study opportunities that offer a global perspective on all things environmental.
Trent School of the Environment (TSE) offers many undergraduate experiential learning and research opportunities, including:
- Reading Courses
- Community-based Research Courses
- Field Courses
- Honours Thesis courses
- Research Internship
- Placement Course
Experiential learning and research opportunities provide avenues for students to independently research and delve into more detail on specific topics that may otherwise not be covered in a traditional lecture-based course. As such, they should not be pursued not for the sole purpose of earning a credit, but rather because the student has an active and focused intellectual commitment to the research project.
Research opportunities all involve faculty supervision, and faculty are generally most interested in pursuing project research of interest to them in the context of their own research program. So a student interested in one of these opportunities, and with a topic of interest in mind, might start by reviewing the TSE Faculty research interests, and identify one or two potential supervisors to contact.
Important Dates for Experiential Learning
Application Deadline: May 29th, 2021 for September 2021 start
Faculty Supervisor/ Community Organization: May 29th, 2021
Registration Deadline: Term Add/ Drop date (see Academic Calendar)
Graduate Student Research Opportunities
While the Trent School of the Environment offers only undergraduate academic programs, students who complete an undergraduate degree have the opportunity to continue their environmental studies at the graduate level at Trent University.