Academic Credit

Types of EXP

EXP 396/510/650 Experiential Education

Learning Contract required

General elective credit
Variable credit hours
Pass/Fail (letter grade with departmental permission in some colleges)

Students will need to have their academic advisors to complete the (EXP Academic Department Letter Grade Approval Form https://uky.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_823eoo0LG5Bukwl)

Departmental 399 Course (such as PS 399, COM 399, PSY 399, B&E 396/397, ENG Co-Op)

Learning Contract required
Departmental credit
Variable or fixed credit hours
Usually Pass/Fail

EXP 397 Experiential Fieldwork

Only for undergraduates doing a full-time internship and not enrolled in other classes
1 credit hour general elective credit, but grants full-time student status
Offered Fall and Spring semesters only
Learning Contract required
Pass/Fail only

EXP 397 was designed for students who may want to take a semester off from classes in order to participate in a full-time internship program. This credit option may be desirable if you are covered on an insurance policy that requires full-time student status for eligibility or discounts, or if you have student loans that may go into repayment if you are not enrolled in school. In addition, if you are eligible to receive a Pell grant and/or other financial aid you may receive funds based on full-time enrollment, even though you are only charged for a one-credit hour of tuition. This may not be the case for all scholarships, so be sure to talk with your Financial Aid Officer to confirm, based on your specific circumstances. Full-time status will also allow you to keep your priority registration privileges.

What is Academic vs. Non-credit?

An academic experience means that you will be seeking credit through a UK EXP 396/397/510/650 course - through the Stuckert Career Center or an academic department, such as PS 399, COM 399, PSY 399, B&E 396/397, ENG Co-Op. You will complete a Handshake Learning Contract, obtain a UK sponsor, receive department approval, enroll in a UK course, complete field hours and academic assignments, and receive a grade.

How do I receive EXP academic credit?

Once you have an offer and have decided that you would like to earn the credit you can schedule an appointment with the Experiential Education team in Handshake by choosing the appointment type “EXP Courses- Earning Academic Credit- Stuckert Career Center”.

Credit-Bearing Experience

The employer specifies whether the student must register for academic credit or whether the student may choose to register for academic credit.

An academic internship experience implies that you will be seeking academic credit for the experience. This means You will complete a Learning Contract, obtaining a faculty UK sponsor and department approval, enrolling in a UK course, and receiving a grade (or Pass/Fail) on your transcript. This option is recommended for most students.
A non-credit internship experience implies that you will be working for the benefit of the experience gained, but not for any type of academic recognition. This option may be preferable if you do not need additional credit hours. For-profit employers generally limit non-credit experiences to paid positions in order to comply with the Department of Labor laws. (International students are not eligible for the non-credit option due to immigration laws.)

Course Options for Academic Credit