Experiential Education

Hampshire students have studied experiential education in depth through offerings in OPRA. The program maintains an active involvement with the Association for Experiential Education as well as with a number of local and regional alternative education and wilderness education programs. Students have used internships with such programs as the Wilderness School, Outward Bound, and many environmental education schools as a vital part of their academic work at Hampshire. Each semester, students host students of color from local community organizations for an intensive day of experiential learning at Hampshire.

Classes

Outdoor Adventure Sampler

This is an opportunity to experience the many activities that make up outdoor adventure. Students will be introduced to natural areas in the local region and will engage in activities on a variety of levels. Activities include canoeing, sea kayaking, climbing, hiking, outdoor cooking, martial arts, ropes course, caving, and group initiatives.

Wild Foods

Explore the local area while searching for wild edible plants. Students learn plant identification, ethical harvesting techniques, and preparing wild edibles. Backcountry cooking and preserving will also be covered.

Experiential Education: Theory to Practice

An overview of the theoretical tenets of experiential education and how they can be applied in a variety of settings, including alternative and traditional classrooms and the outdoors.

More information about classes is available on TheHub and CEL-1 credit is available.