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Experiential Learning can mean many things across the University. It might be something you do in a class, or during your summer breaks. It might be a quick, one-time activity, or be something you engage with over several years while at McGill.  Because EL covers such a broad range of activities, here are some questions to think about when deciding which EL opportunity to pursue:

1. Do you want to earn credit for the EL opportunity? Though not all students have time to engage in extra-curricular learning, some courses include built-in experiential components. This can be a great way to gain some experience while also fulfilling major or minor requirements. It might also be a nice way to explore a new field while still making progress towards your degree. Some academic programs include EL components as an integral part of the program itself.
2. Do you want to be paid for your EL activity? Paid internships are a great way to gain meaningful experience in a field. Some academic programs include paid internships that are also credit-bearing, while other internship opportunities take place outside of the context of a course or program.
3. How much time do you want to spend on the EL activity? Some EL opportunities, such as an internship during the summer can be full-time, while others require a few hours of commitment per week. Consider also how long you’d like the opportunity to last for, whether it be for an extended internship lasting several months, or something shorter on the span of a week.
4. Where do you want the EL activity to take place? Some opportunities focus on the local, Montreal community, while others will connect you with people or industries from around the globe.
5. What interests you? Are you looking into a specific career and want to try it out to see how you like it? You might be interested in an internship in that field. Do you find that your professors’ research fascinates you and you want to learn more? There might be field or research opportunities for you to work on with your professor. Do you want to experience other parts of the world? An exchange or study trip might be right for you.