Student Opportunities
To enhance students' experiences during their degrees, we offer a wide range of co-curricular learning opportunities.
Experiential Learning Programs
Try something. Reflect on it. Adjust as needed. Try it again.
Experiential Learning opportunities through the Werklund School of Education create space for students to grow and develop as educators. These co-curricular programs and placements, while not mandatory for degree completion, are guided by pedagogy and coursework. This creates a low-risk way for students to try something new, expand on their current skills, and connect theory to practice.
The Werklund School of Education is committed to working alongside and learning from Indigenous Elders, leaders, and communities. These opportunities connect students with the land and help them to embed this work in their teaching.
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Land-Based Field Trip and Workshop Series
There will be learning experiences for students spread throughout the Summer and Fall semesters. These learning experiences will focus on how land-based understandings, holistic understandings, and Indigenous pedagogical practices connect. The learning experiences will also explore language and story connections of the land and work to uncover program of study connections in this place.
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Asynchronous Place-Based Learning Program
Continue your journey to connect or reconnect with the land. This program is designed to be completed where students may be and at their own pace throughout the academic year. Complete a series of activity prompts and reflections based on place, land, and more.
Mentorship programs connect students with one another and with educators in the community. These programs use individualized supports to help you connect, navigate, and progress as a professional.
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Professional to Pre-Service Mentorship
Final year undergraduate students in the Professional to Pre-Service Program, are mentored by alumni, partner teachers, and community members.
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Peer to Peer Mentorship
The Peer to Peer Program connects students from across the years so they can support each other, share resources, and meet new people!
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Graduate to Undergraduate Mentorship
The Werklund Graduate to Undergraduate Mentorship Program connects EDUC 400 and 500 level BEd students with students in Werklund graduate programs.
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Community-Based Student Support Network
The Community-Based Student Support Network connects Community-Based undergraduate students to each other, ask questions, access peer mentorship, and share experiences. Organized primarily through a D2L, Community-Based students from all different years can hear from each other, access resources, and learn about Experiential Learning opportunities available.
Professional Learning Opportunities connect students with experienced educators in the community. These opportunities build on students' coursework and field experiences to support their growth as educators.
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Arts Co-Curricular Enhancement (ACE)
The UCalgary ACE Program encourages (and recognizes) students to pursue five different arts experiences as part of their education at the University in Calgary, in addition to their academic programs. This program takes place at your own pace, throughout your degree program.
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Books to Build On
The Books to Build On: Indigenous Literature for Learning workshop is intended to equip participants with all necessary tools and information to weave Indigenous ways of knowing through story.
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Canadian Wildlife Federation Workshop Series
Join CWF to explore the fundamentals of environmental education. Participate in a series of interactive workshops including Environmental Education 101, Project WILD, and Below Zero.
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Self-Directed Experiential Learning Framework (SELF) Program
The Self-Directed Experiential Learning Framework (SELF) program recognizes and enhances the paid and volunteer work that BEd students are already engaged in outside of the Werklund School of Education.
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Mountains to Mole Hills
Engage with local primary research papers, develop skills in translating science to a broad audience, and create teaching tools that are useful for both teachers and students.
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Teacher as Naturalist Series
Join the Biogeosciences Institute (BGI) team for a variety of exciting opportunities to explore your skill set with the Teacher as Naturalist series.
Service-Learning connects students with community organizations in the community. The program places equal emphasis on student learning and serving community needs while reflecting on their own professional growth.
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Co-Curricular Service-Learning
Co-Curricular Service-Learning takes place outside of your courses. There are opportunities available in both the Fall and/or Winter semesters. There are placements available for all students, regardless of your year or program.
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Volunteering with Diverse Communities
The Volunteering with Diverse Communities Program (VDC) is an optional offering connected to the EDUC 450: Diversity in Learning course in the winter semester of our BEd program. Tied in with the regular course work, students undertake a weekly service-learning community placement at an agency partner. Led and collaboratively designed by our community partners, this program offers Education students the chance to gain first-hand experience working with children and youth from a variety of diverse backgrounds.
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Building Community & Connection in Classrooms
Building Community & Connection in Classrooms is a collaborative opportunity with schools across Alberta. This early Fall service-learning placement gives students entering their final year of the BEd program the chance to work alongside teachers as they begin a new school year. Participants support the school start-up process and work with teachers to develop classroom community and foster relationships with students from August until the end of September.
Teaching Across Borders (TAB) is an opportunity to teach in international communities during the final fall semester of their BEd Program. Participants volunteer teach, experience a new culture, and share and receive knowledge about the teaching profession.
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Outgoing TAB
Teaching Across Borders students participate in a placement in the Fall semester of their final year of their program. Students volunteer teach, experience a new culture, and share and receive knowledge about teacher education and teaching practice.
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Incoming TAB Service-Learning
During the Winter semester, Werklund School of Education welcomes students from our TAB partner institutions to our campus. Incoming TAB students learn more about education in an Albertan context. There are a number of events and opportunities for Werklund students to volunteer to support these students while they are with us.
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International Doctoral Research Seminar
The Werklund School of Education is proud to partner with the Faculties/Schools of Education at Beijing Normal University (BNU) and Queensland University of Technology (QUT), in promoting research collaborations among doctoral students and faculty members at the three universities. This initiative involves a joint annual International Doctoral Research Seminar hosted by partner universities in alternate years.
The 2025 Application is now closed.
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Canadian Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Scholarship (QES)
Our Changing Climate: Community Resilience and Education
This opportunity increases research collaboration, deepens peer relationships and networking among scholars, and facilitates personal and professional growth. Scholars will focus on community resilience and education in adaptation, response and resilience to a changing climate, taking into account diversity and inclusion of identities and perspectives. They will participate in research and leadership activities, including working with a range of community-engaged projects.
Applications for Fall 2025 will open soon on Elevate.
Looking to build your leadership skills, get involved with your faculty, and promote your Werklund School of Education program? Join our Ambassadors Volunteer Team!
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Werklund Undergraduate Ambassador Team
As a Werklund Undergraduate Ambassador, you'll have the opportunity to represent the Bachelor of Education and Werklund School of Education at great events, from Open House to student conferences. Provide peer-to-peer knowledge, support Future Students in their transition into university, and network with faculty, instructors, staff, and fellow Bachelor of Education students.
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Undergraduate Research
Werklund School of Education Bachelor of Education students have the opportunity to engage in undergraduate research, through undergraduate research awards.
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Graduate Research Awards
All Werklund Graduate Programs offer an element of research as part of the degree program. There are a number of awards that for which Werklund graduate students may be eligible.
So many options, how is one to choose?
With over 30 Experiential Learning program options available, sometimes finding the best fit for your education and career goals can be overwhelming. To give yourself a break from decision fatigue, you can navigate your choices using the different program breakdowns:
- Experiential Learning Outcomes
- Use the list of learning outcomes below to see which programs identify that specific outcome as part of their program
- Opportunities Available to Community-Based Students
- Find online or remote in-person programming opportunities accessible to community-based students
- Graduate Student Opportunities
- Many programs are open to all Werklund students, and some programming may only be open to Werklund graduate students.
- Global Learning Opportunities
- Abroad or at home, search through programs that have been identified as opportunities that connect to Global Learning Initiatives
- Programs by Time Commitment
- Get a sense of the overall time commitment for our programs so you can work in some experiential learning and avoid overloading your schedule!