Ways to learn by doing
Bridging the gap between theory and practice, experiential learning provides students with opportunities to apply what they are learning in the classroom in the real world, either on-campus, within the community, or in the workplace.
What students gain from EL
- Students contextualize and internalize what they learn in a way that is more profound than a traditional lecture-based course.
- Students’ motivation, self-esteem, and leadership skills are increased, which heightens their engagement in and out of the classroom.
- Students build their professional and transferable skills, including communication, critical thinking, problem-solving, and autonomous learning.
- Students build their resumes and their networks to advance their career aspirations.
With these benefits in mind, Concordia University is delivering on its commitment to broaden access to high-impact forms of experiential learning.
Get deeper insight into experiential learning approaches and best practices
Our students' experiences with EL
Read about how some students turned their ideas into reality by doing real world projects.
Examples of EL initiatives at Concordia
See a few of the ways that Concordia connects students with hands-on learning opportunities to help set them up for both personal and professional success.
The Institute for Co-operative Education
The Institute prepares students to meet their postgraduate goals through work-integrated learning (WIL) opportunities that equip them with valuable work experience, skills and knowledge, and contribute to their professional and personal growth.
The Connect Concordia mentorship program
This program matches undergraduate students with a Concordia staff, faculty or grad student mentor.
Experiential learning grants
These grants up to $2000 support students who have an idea for a hands-on project that they want to turn into reality.
The Innovation Lab
The Innovation Lab empowers undergraduate and graduate students to develop innovation skills and collaborate across disciplines with university, industry and community partners.
CitySchool
CitySchool connects Concordia students and city representatives, through faculty members, by integrating an experiential learning experience to solve a city problem.
Beat the Odds internship program
Beat the Odds is an inclusive and flexible internship program that levels the playing field for students in need.
Campus Ex-L
Paid internship opportunities on campus are available through the CAPS job bank.