UIS Graduate and Undergraduate Catalog
Academic Year 2006 - 2007

APPLIED STUDY and EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING TERM PROGRAM

Faculty William Jordan, Elaine Rundle‑Schwark
Associated Faculty Leonard Branson, Dyanne Ferk, Karen Kirkendall, Paul McDevitt
Adjunct Faculty Tammy Craig, Adriel Ippolito, Janette Kirkham, Thomas Shaughnessy, Mitch Hopper

Contact: (217) 206-6640
ast@uis.edu, or www.uis.edu/appliedstudy

The applied study and experiential learning term (AST) is central to UIS' public affairs emphasis within the framework of a liberal arts curriculum and stresses practical experience, professional development, and experiential learning. The AST fulfills this role by providing an academically sponsored learning experience that gives all UIS degree-seeking undergraduate students an opportunity to learn from the community -- about its everyday tasks, its professional life, its problems, and its unmet needs.

The AST process emphasizes self‑directed learning that provides opportunities for career exploration, integration of academic studies with practical experience, determination of additional learning needs, cultivation of independent learning skills, and development of increased awareness of community, diversity, and public affairs.

The campus and AST faculty recognize the diversity of backgrounds and academic and career needs of students. A variety of curricular options are described more fully in the AST course descriptions. Some programs (i.e., social work and clinical laboratory science) have an experiential component integrated into the academic curriculum of the program. 

Requirements
UIS provides an opportunity for all degree seeking undergraduates at UIS to take 2 to12 semester hours of applied study. Only 8 semester hours of applied study may be used to satisfy the UIS requirement. An additional 1 to 4 semester hours may be taken for elective credit with the adviser's permission. The AST may be taken after admission to an academic major at UIS, selection of a major adviser in the academic discipline, and completion of three core courses in the academic major at UIS. Some programs have additional prerequisites for applied study terms. Scheduling is flexible and a variety of options are available to meet individual student needs.

Early in their third year, students should make an appointment with their program advisers and an AST faculty member to discuss plans for the integration of academic studies and experiential learning.

Early in the semester preceding enrollment in the AST, students should arrange all details of placement with the AST faculty. Registration can be completed only with the permission of the program adviser and an AST faculty member. 

Credit for Prior Learning
Undergraduate and graduate students with extensive paid work, community service or volunteerism, and other non-classroom learning experiences may earn credit in appropriate academic areas. Enrollment in AST 305 Prior Learning Portfolio Assessment or AST 501 Graduate Prior Learning Portfolio Assessment is strongly recommended for students preparing prior learning portfolios. Undergraduates may elect to use successful completion of AST 305 to satisfy four semester hours of UIS requirements. Applicability of awarded credit for prior learning credit hours toward a UIS degree is at the discretion of individual academic programs. All students should contact the Credit for Prior Learning office for more information. Information is also available online at www.uis.edu/cpl.