You will learn by doing
Experiential learning (or hands-on learning) is a core element of the liberal arts and sciences education you will receive at Mount Allison.
With experiential learning opportunities available in every degree, our Experiential Learning and Career Development Office will help you create experiences that match your interests and style of learning. You will develop skills that you can apply to the workforce, make important networking connections, and figure out just what the future may hold for you.
Experiential learning opportunities at Mount Allison include:
Research
At Mount Allison you will get the chance to take part in innovative research projects as early as second year, a rarity at the undergraduate level. You will also have ample opportunities to work with world-class professors on research, including employment as summer research assistants. Many students also co-publish articles with professors before they graduate. Examples:
- Aviation and religious studies student Eri Ohashi looks at the history of women in Canada's aviation industry
- Honours chemistry student receives scholarship from New Brunswick Health Research Foundation
- Biology and philosophy student researching green deathcare in the region
Internships
Mount Allison offers exceptional opportunities to join businesses and organizations locally and internationally for internships that will allow you to gain hands-on experiences while allowing you the chance to explore your interests and test your abilities. Examples:
- Biology student does research at Upper River Valley Hospital, thanks to Loewen Health Internship
- PPE student interns with Halifax social enterprise, VIDA Living
- English and geography student combines research and internship at Joggins Fossil Institute
For more information about available internships, visit our internships page.
Student conferences
Learn from others and share your own work at student conferences, and even win an award or two. Examples:
- Mount Allison student attends prestigious Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing
- Mount Allison students present summer research at international conference, Canadian Society for Eighteenth-Century Studies
- Mount Allison students earn top spots at 2018 Science Atlantic Environment Conference
Academic and case competitions
You can put your knowledge to work on real-world issues in case competitions. Our Commerce teams have performed extraordinarily well in competitions such as a stock market simulation competition or on-campus competitions hosted by Maple Leaf Foods and J.D. Irving Ltd. Examples:
- Computer science student Graeme Zinck attends Hack the North, Canada's biggest hackathon
- Mount Allison Commerce students take top spots at Atlantic Throwdown case competition
- Mount Allison students win big at Enactus Regional Exposition
Field work and travel
You and your classmates can take trips to businesses, labs, aid organizations, and even mountaintops around the world and come face-to-face with today's realities. You will gain a wide perspective and even create valuable professional networks for the future. Examples:
- International relations student interns at Trust for the Americas in Washington, DC
- Mount Allison's Juan Facundo earns Killam Undergraduate Fellowship, studying in Tennessee this semester
- PPE student pursues public service and public policy internship opportunity in Rwanda
Recitals, performances, and art exhibits
Between the Music department (hosting more than 80 student, faculty, and guest concerts each year) and the Drama program (performing in our new state-of-the-art Motyer-Fancy Theatre), students are given ample opportunity to perform on a regular basis. The Purdy Crawford Centre for the Arts and other student-run exhibition spaces also give students the opportunity to exhibit a wide range of artwork. Examples:
- Students art exhibit opens in Fundy National Park
- 1918: Don't worry, Rejoice! Dramatic Readings from World War I
- Fine Arts student invited to participate in Winnipeg's prestigious Nuit Blanche
Special topics or independent study
In
your upper years, it is possible, in consultation with your department
and with a faculty supervisor, to create your own special topic or
independent study course that complements your degree and matches your
specific goals. Examples:
- Undergraduate Student Research Award from NSERC funds honours research project in inorganic chemistry
- International relations student studies Indigenous language education in Canada
- Biology student creates own course in Mount Allison machine shop designing research equipment
Community partnerships and volunteering
Mount Allison's close-knit and engaging community extends across campus and beyond. For a small town, there are big opportunities to immerse yourself. Examples:
- Watching Wildlife — MtA student group assists local wildlife rehabilitation centre
- Sociology class tracks accessibility in various communities using Access Now app
- Big Buddy Program grown with University-Town collaboration
See more about Mount Allison's engaging community.
Peer tutoring and teaching assistantships
Many students take advantage of opportunities to work during the academic year as teaching or research assistants, acquiring valuable skills. Examples:
- 5 questions with teaching assistant for women's and gender studies student Martha Kerr
- Mount Allison grad recognized by the Canadian Association of College and University Student Services