Outdoor & Experiential Education Program Partnerships

ROE class hikes single file across a mountain meadow.

Western Colorado University’s Center for Learning & Innovation program has developed partnerships with quality outdoor wilderness education and other experiential education programs to offer college credit.

The Center for Learning & Innovation offers students the opportunity to earn credit while participating in valuable learning opportunities provided by our contract partners through field expeditions and cultural exploration, as well as leadership training and various certifications.

Apply Online Here

To register, use the Center for Learning Application.

Center for Learning Application

Credit Registration Process:

Applications should be completed and submitted at least 30 days prior to your course start date.

Once your application is completed and submitted, WCU works with your outdoor program partner to provide the cost for your outdoor program. WCU can’t fully admit you until we have confirmation of your program cost from your outdoor program.

While our outdoor programs operate on rolling calendars, we must adhere to the WCU academic calendar. We register for the fall semester in mid-May; we start registering for winter/spring semester courses in mid-November, and we can start registering for summer courses in mid-April. We register students in order of their course start date.

When you receive your registration email confirmation, we will also provide the homework assignments for your course(s) (if applicable) and an invoice (or access to your financials in your student Workday account).

Please initiate your payment once you have the total amount of your program costs and credit costs. Payment methods include out-of-pocket (personal check or credit card), 529 funds, AmeriCorps, or a combination of methods. (See questions below for detailed payment instructions depending on your payment source.)

Once WCU is paid in full, we will pay out our outdoor partners for the program costs.

You will begin receiving auto-generated emails from WCU about obtaining credentials to eventually log in and access your WCU student information. Once your registration is complete, you will receive a confirmation email and an email with WCU Work Day credentials.

Please ensure you have your space secured with your outdoor partner as courses often have limits on class size. WCU does not have a course size limit.

We register for the fall semester in mid- May; we start registering for winter/spring semester courses in mid- November and we can start registering for summer courses in mid-April.
We try and register students in order of their course start date.

Your WCU invoice will include WCU academic credit cost and the program course fee (if you indicated you wanted to be billed for both) for a total balance eligible to utilize your529 plan funds.

529 Payments: 529 Plans may disperse funds directly to the student to pay with a personal card other plans only disperse funds to a university and will pay WCU directly by check upon request.
- Requesting the funds to be sent directly to WCU is the student/plan holders’ responsibility and should include student ID and/or name.
Please reach out to your 529 provider ff you need assistance with disbursing funds from 529 Plan.
If you plan to pay with 529 Plan funds, it is imperative that you check with your 529 Plan and your tax accountant regarding any tax implications or potential deductions.
If your WCU invoice/account does not contain your program course fee and you want to use AmeriCorps award/529 plan funds for both WCU tuition and the course fee, contact the Center for Learning and Innovation to revise. This is important for 1098T (tax form).
Typically, funds need to be paid directly to an accredited university (WCU), and you will only be able to deduct funds paid to the university.
The 1098-T tax form is produced for the year the account was paid to Western and not upon receipt of invoice or when class occurred. As required by the IRS the 1098-T tax forms are sent in January of the year following your payment.
Outdoor education partners do not qualify as institutes of higher learning and cannot provide 1098-T forms if you pay your outdoor partner directly.
Mailing address for 529 Plan Checks: Western Colorado University, Taylor 303, 1 Western Way, Gunnison, CO Please include student name and WCU ID number (the number is on the attached invoice.)

Your WCU invoice will include WCU academic credit cost and the program course fee (if you indicated you wanted to be billed for both) for a total balance eligible for AmeriCorps award funds.
- If your WCU invoice does not contain your course fee and you want to use AmeriCorps awards for both WCU tuition and the course fee, contact the Center for Learning & Innovation for a revised invoice.
Request AmeriCorps award be dispersed to WCU for the balance on the WCU invoice.
- AmeriCorps: Log into your AmeriCorps portal,https://my.americorps.gov/mp/login.do, and submit a payment request to the Western Colorado University Financial Aid Office upon receipt and for the balance of the WCU invoice.
  - AmeriCorps award requests take a minimum of 2 weeks to be verified by WCU from the date the student initiates the request.
- AmeriCorps’ payments may take up to 90 days to be paid out. Please monitor your AmeriCorps portal to make sure you have requested the full amount.
  - Double check the amount of AmeriCorps funds you have available, if your AmeriCorps funds does not pay your entire balance you will need to initiate payment through another method for the remaining balance ASAP.
  - Western can only pay out to outdoor partner(s) when your Western account balance is zero.

AmeriCorps students can be reimbursed for qualified expenses for their course. Request an AmeriCorps reimbursement form from outdoorprograms@western.edu. Reimbursement funds will not be paid until the student has received a passing grade of “C” or above or “S”. The reimbursement form and all receipts must be submitted within 30 days. WCU is required to review and process your reimbursement request.

Receipts for AmeriCorps Reimbursement Policies:

Students must depart from the address listed on their original registration form.
Students are expected to travel to and from their courses in a reasonable period surrounding their courses (1-2 days at either end of the course)
The car rental receipt must clearly show dates in a reasonable period surrounding the course.
Gasoline receipts show dates and locations along the route, from the student’s home address on file with our office to the course location and back. Please submit a screenshot of your route along with your gas receipts.
Air ticket receipts must clearly show dates in a reasonable period surrounding your course dates.
Baggage fees will be approved upon presentation of a paid receipt.
Daily transport services to and from the course venue (such as light rail or bus) during the course dates are reimbursable with valid receipts showing dates and locations.
Lodging and meals while traveling to and from a course from the home address on the original course registration forms are reimbursable with valid receipts showing dates and locations along the travel route, and within 1-2 days of the course beginning and ending.
Total meal reimbursement per day may not exceed the domestic (CONUS) per diem rates set by Western, in compliance with the State of Colorado Travel Fiscal Rule.
Be sure alcohol is not listed on your itemized receipts from hotels or eating establishments. (Request a separate receipt from your server for any alcoholic beverages.

You must notify the Center for Learning & Innovation (outdoorprograms.western.edu). A $50 transfer fee will be assessed to the student’s account.

Explanation of Assignments, Homework, Grades and Transcripts?

You are taking a college course, and we are held to Higher Education Rules.

The homework assignment(s) will be attached to the registration confirmation email.
Students will not be able to see the grade until two weeks after the end of the semester, per Western’s Academic Calendar.

General Assignment Guidelines:

Within 15 business days of completing your course, you must complete and submit your assignment. Your assignment must be completed and submitted in either Microsoft Word or PDF format. Keeping track of your assignment due date is your responsibility. Please mark your assignment due date on your calendar, as you will not receive reminder emails for this assignment. The due date of your homework is your responsibility. You will be able to obtain your official transcript at the end of the current WCU semester (i.e., spring semester, end of May, summer semester, end of August, fall semester, end of December). To expedite getting a grade, you should track down your outdoor partner instructor's completed evaluation and submit it with your homework. If you do not submit your instructor evaluation, our office will work to obtain it from your instructor, but it may take weeks to receive and submit it with your completed assignment.

CONTENT INSTRUCTIONS: It is recommended that you keep a detailed journal throughout your course to track your thoughts and experiences for each objective. The purpose of these assignments is for you to get the most from your expedition experiences. They should solidify in your mind the course events, help you analyze the pieces involved, and transfer lessons to your life.

ASSIGNMENT FORMAT: Written assignments must be typed, double-spaced, and include a cover page that states your name, using a running header and page number on each page of the text. The instructor expects correct grammar and spelling. Use 12-point Times New Roman font and APA style for citations. Send them as Microsoft Word attachments, or .pdf attachments only. Do not mail assignments through the USPS. We cannot accept Google Docs, pass-coded files, zipped files, or Dropbox-type services. Written assignments are evaluated on the following basis: 20% for proper format and clarity in your writing, and 80% for content, including adequate and honest coverage assessing your fulfillment of the learning objectives.

Once we have received both the homework and the outdoor partner instructor evaluation, we submit them to our WCU instructor of record for grading. Your grade will be calculated based on 60% Instructor Evaluation and 40% written assignment content. Please note that even if an Instructor Evaluation is received, if your written assignment is not submitted, a Technical Failure (TF) will be recorded on your permanent transcript from Western Colorado University.

STUDENT RESPONSIBILITY: Please remember that to earn a grade and your requested credit(s), you must complete the self-evaluation/reflection/written assignment no later than 15 business days from the last day of your course. If your assignment is not completed and submitted in either a Word format or a PDF to Western Outdoor Programs within 15 business days from the last day of your course, you will receive a TF (Technical Failure) on your permanent transcript. There is no refund of the credit cost.

You will be able to obtain your official transcript at the end of the current WCU semester (i.e., spring semester, end of May, summer semester, end of August, fall semester, end of December). To order a transcript, please go to www.parchment.com. You will need information that you came to WCU, your student ID number can assist with the process.