Keuka College knows the value in experiential learning, as we have seen time and time again how Field Period®  has helped students grow in areas of self-exploration, career exploration, professional experience, and world citizenship.  To ensure students are not losing this crucial learning component of a Keuka College education, if a traditional site-based experience is not possible, an alternative option is available.

This option is further outlined below.  Before pursuing your upcoming Field Period®  plans, be sure to discuss your ideas with your faculty advisor and to see how these resources could be part of a worthy and successful Field Period®.  As always, appropriate Field Period®  learning objectives, activities, and the designated course number must be approved by your faculty advisor through Handshake before you can be registered and begin your experience.  The project-based option may not be appropriate for some major-specific course requirements as determined by your faculty advisor.

Project-Based Field Period® 

In developing an alternative Field Period®  option, we first had to identify the essence of what all Field Period®  experiences entail.  Here is what we came up with: 

1. Field Period®  is an experience that one enters with intent and has structured reflection before, during, and after the experience;

2. Field Period®  is completed for academic credit and happens for a significant amount of time (140 hours for a 3-credit course);

3. and Field Period®  occurs outside of the classroom.

This alternative Project-Based Field Period® option takes the essence of what Field Period®  is all about and allows students to design their own learning and development opportunities independent of working with a company or organization.   It will typically have these three components:

1. You will have to identify resources you will use to gain this new learning, such as research or online course offerings.

2. This experience will be project-based, resulting in something tangible to document the students’ substantive learning goals.

3. There must be some outward-facing or implementation component, such as teaching others, conducting informational interviews, or seeking peer reviews. 

If deemed appropriate by the faculty advisor, students can opt to come up with two projects (of about 70-hours each) to meet the minimum hour requirements of Field Period and demonstrate appropriate academic rigor.  Depending on the nature of the Field Period®, students may also partner or team up on robust projects to maximize the final outcome.

Proposals will need to be submitted in Handshake with "Project-Based” selected as the experience type and your project name in place of the organization.  You will be required to identify specific resources you will be using and, if applicable, a link to what will become your finished product.  It will go to your faculty advisor, who will also serve as your site supervisor, for approval before you can begin. A journal, critical reflection paper, and presentation are all required components in the final reflections of this Field Period®.  The created product can serve as your unique documentation.  The estimated hour breakdown is available below.

If costs accrue in the creation of a project, students can apply for possible funding through the Scholarship tab on the Field Period®  Resources website.