JMU has a vision that every student will have the opportunity to complete at least one work-based learning experience during their years of study. Internships, whether paid or not, and whether they are for credit or not, count as work-based learning. Some for-credit courses are tagged as WBLE if they are designed to help develop career competencies as well.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Work-based learning experiences can be paid or unpaid, and taken for academic credit or not for credit. Some examples include internships, co-ops, a course project that involves partnering with a local business or non-profit, or community-based learning. Capstones, lab research, clinical rotations, student teachings, and field research may also qualify as work-based learning. Some campus employment may even qualify as work-based learning if there are designated learning objectives, regular supervision, and meaningful reflection activities that help the student draw connections between what they do at work and what they learn in their classes.
