ALE Course Designation
Kansas State University is committed to providing all degree-seeking students with an Applied Learning Experience before they graduate, fulfilling our commitment to prepare students for life beyond K-State. Courses will be designated as an Applied Learning Experiences course in the course catalog.
This webpage serves as a resource to faculty, staff, and administrators interested in designating a course as an Applied Learning Experience.
- Fall Semester 2026 Courses: January 23, 2026
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Spring and Summer 2027 Courses: April 24, 2026
The ALE team is available via email at appliedlearning@ksu.edu.
Course designation process
The course designation process begins with the submission of the relevant Curriculog forms. PDF previews of the Curriculog forms are available on the Curriculum Forms page provided by the Office of the Registrar. Three options are available:
- Applied Learning Experience Form. This new form can only be used to add the Applied Learning Experience designation to an existing course. No other course changes are allowed.
- The NEW Course form, edited to include the ALE designation in newly created courses.
- The CHANGE Course form, edited to include the ALE designation in existing courses being changed.
The full ALE course designation process is outlined in the Approval, Routing, and Notification Policies for Course and Curriculum Process, or ARN, Appendix D.
For the full ARN, follow this link: This video illustrates the process:
If the course is approved and currently exists in the catalog, it will be forwarded to the registrar for inclusion in next year’s academic catalog.
Courses that are denied for inclusion will be returned to the appropriate school or college with a brief rationale, noting the option to resubmit to the ALE Course Team or to remove the Applied Learning Experience designation request and move forward by sending the proposal to the Faculty Senate committees for review.
All courses designated as an Applied Learning Experience must incorporate four components which align with the ALE framework. The ALE Course team will use the following checklist to ensure alignment.
Requirement 1 Experiences involve learner engagement at least equivalent to the intensity, depth and/or time commitment of a 1-credit-hour course, a minimum of 45 hours engagement in total. The experience is not required to be credit-bearing. Requirement 2 Experiences are intentionally designed to develop professional, technical, personal, and/or interpersonal skills. These learning outcomes and competencies are supported and assessed. a. The experience is intentionally designed to develop professional, technical, personal, and/ or interpersonal skills. b. An appropriate system is detailed for each student to have a knowledgeable mentor. c. The mentor, student, and faculty all bear responsibility to ensuring the experience provides the richest learning possible. d. There is sufficient flexibility and formative feedback to ensure the learner can react and adjust during the experience. Requirement 3 Experiences incorporate purposeful experience, active engagement, and critical reflection. The learner is responsible for the sharing and communication of new understandings and the application to new situations.
Requirement
Criterion
Evidence
The proposer has planned the required assignments within the syllabus.
The syllabus includes the required ALE assignments (outlined below). The assignments are clearly indicated as ALE assignments in the course syllabus.
Syllabus
The experience is equivalent to the intensity of a 1-credit-hour course, a minimum 45 hours of sustained engagement.
Syllabus Upload
Question box
a. The experience is authentic in nature. It involves real, current problems and/or solutions from business, industry, community, university, or other career partners. The experience does not involve simulation or contrived variables.
b.Through the reflective process, learners develop a sense of being: the sense that they are not just experiencing something, but that they are developing a professional identity.
c.There is opportunity for shared reflection with the mentor and when appropriate amongst peers. Question Box
Course Title and Number:
Reviewer:
Date:
Options for Integration of ALE Framework
The four elements—ALE Student Planning Form, ALE Activity and Mentor Log, ALE Formative Reflections, and ALE Summative Reflection—have been identified as essential elements of a high-quality applied learning experience. The ALE Student Planning form is mandatory for all experiences. Other elements may be achieved through self-designed assignments connected to ALE Canvas Outcomes, or facilitated through ready-made resources in the Canvas Commons.
Kansas State University is committed to creating clear and consistent expectations for any designated Applied Learning Experience. This approach ensures cohesion across courses and contributes to a quality educational experience for all students.
Requirement – ALE Student Planning Form for a minimum. Courses may add additional components to the form.
Measurable Outcome:
Students will complete and submit the ALE Student Planning Form with clearly defined learning goals, timelines, and mentor expectations, achieving a minimum score of 80% on the planning rubric.
Requirement – An activity and mentor log. Can be faculty-designed that meets the ALE framework or a course may use a ready-to-use version.
Measurable Outcome:
Students will accurately log/record experiential learning activities and have intentional conversations related to their activities.
Requirement – At least 3 formative reflections assignments throughout the semester. Can be faculty-designed that meets the ALE framework or course may use a ready-to-use version.
Measurable Outcome:
Students will submit at least three formative reflections that demonstrate growth in professional competencies, with each reflection meeting or exceeding expectations on a reflection rubric (e.g., scoring 3 or higher on a 4-point scale).
Requirement – A summative reflection assignment that meets the ALE framework (i.e., synthesizes their ALE experience, authentic application of knowledge, active engagement with initial goals, development of processional identity). Can be faculty-designed that meets the ALE framework or course may use a ready-to-use version.
Measurable Outcome:
Students will submit a summative reflection that synthesizes their ALE experience, demonstrating authentic application of knowledge, active engagement with initial goals, development of professional identity, and creation of new knowledge applicable to future practice, scoring at least 85% on the summative reflection rubric.
Importing From Canvas
Uploading ready-to-use versions from the Canvas Commons or transferring Canvas Outcomes to your existing assignments is a fairly simple process. Refer to these videos for specific instructions and tips and tricks.