Higher Education: Professional Practice in HESA

Professional Practice in Higher Education serves as a foundation for applying theoretical and conceptual knowledge to the everyday work of educators in various higher education spaces. It includes robust field-based opportunities for students to explore functional areas in the academy, agencies, and/or other organizations that support higher education and student affairs administration. Prerequisites: Higher Education & Student Affairs Administration student.

HESA students only; Contact instructor for location. International students register for this section. PACE students by permission and override

Students in this course participate in semester-long professional field experiences (i.e. practica, internships) in partnership with a campus unit/department at UVM or other approved institution/organization in higher education. In collaboration with the campus/organizational partner, students develop a role description and learning agreement to further develop their professional skills and understanding of the opportunities and complexities associated with educator work in higher education. The course also includes class discussions, readings, assignments, and professional application activities that focus on conceptual/theoretical connections and meaning-making of professional experience to-date, including the fieldwork associated with this course, graduate assistantship experience (if applicable), and full-time work experience (if applicable). These activities will help students more deeply understand what it means to be a professional and educator in higher education.

This course includes live class meetings, out of class assignments, and fieldwork. Class meetings will be conducted in a hyflex format or fully online depending on the week. The majority of credit hours will be spent engaged in fieldwork at UVM, another higher education institution, or a related organization. This fieldwork may be in-person, hybrid, or online depending on the nature of each students’ fieldwork arrangement.

Grades are based on fieldwork experience, reflection and application assignments, self-evaluation, and supervisor/instructor feedback.