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Find your

EDGEuwaterloo.ca/edge

https://www.uwaterloo.ca/edge

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Welcome to EDGE 3

Meet the EDGE team 4

Where are we located? 5

Program overview 6

What is EDGE? 7

Program components 7

Skills identification and articulation workshop 8

Overview 8

Frequently asked questions 8

Career development course 9

Overview 9


Work and community experiences 10

Experiential learning courses 10

Overview 10


Course list 11

On- and off-campus experiences 11

Overview 11


Experience list 12

Professional development courses 12

Capstone workshop 13

Overview 13


Sample EDGE paths 14

Applied Health Sciences 14

Kinesiology 14

Arts 14

Global Business and Digital Arts (GBDA) 15

Environment 15

Math 15

Science 15

Registering for EDGE 16

Parting thoughts 18

Links and resources 19

Students 19

Faculty and instructors 20

Advisors 21

Partners 22

On behalf of our entire department, I’d like to thank you

for your interest in EDGE, the University of Waterloo’s

new experiential education certificate. EDGE is designed

to help our traditional (non-co-op) students explore

career options, identify the skills they’re gaining both

inside and outside of the classroom and learn how

to market themselves to employers. As identified in

our institution’s 2013 Strategic Plan, the University of

Waterloo aims to provide experiential education for

all. EDGE makes Waterloo’s world-leading experiential

education expertise available to students on learning

paths that don’t include a co-op program. Here at

Waterloo, we know that participation in experiential

education helps students gain a competitive edge upon

entering the job market. We’re delighted to extend the

breadth of experiential learning activities through this

initiative and support graduate outcomes for students

in non-co-op programs of study.

While EDGE lives within the Waterloo Professional

Development Program (WatPD), the program is the

product of a collaborative effort between many of the

University’s faculties, offices and services. The Centre

for Career Action’s expertise in career management

and career development theory lead EDGE’s content

development process and the Centre’s career advisors

facilitate the program’s workshops. Together, our two

departments are focused on supporting students as they

enter the job market and providing a program rich in

curricular and experiential offerings alike.

There are numerous ways to complete EDGE.

The program has been designed to support a wide

variety of student types, interests and areas of study.

We like to joke in our office that EDGE’s flexibility

is also the source of its complexity — in other words,

we know the breadth of ways in which students can

complete EDGE can be overwhelming. That’s why we’ve

created this handbook: we want to help our stakeholders

across campus and beyond understand the ins and

outs of EDGE. Whether you’re a student interested in

participating in the program, a parent supporting your

child’s development, a student advisor making referrals,

an instructor interested in designing an experiential

learning course or an employer interested in partnership,

this brochure will answer your many questions.

Of course, if you’d like to connect with anyone

on the EDGE team, we’d love to hear from you.

Best wishes,

ANNE FANNONDIRECTOR, WATPD, UNIVERSITY OF WATERLOO

HELLO,

Welcome to

EDGE

EDGE CERTIFICATE PROGRAM | 3

4 | UNIVERSITY OF WATERLOO

Ben McDonald Instructional Support Co-ordinator, EDGE

[email protected], ext. 36968

Jessica Lang Manager, EDGE Program


Anne is responsible for overseeing the entire WatPD department and strategically aligning its programs and services with institutional priorities. Contact Anne:

› To discuss the benefits of work-integrated learning and experiential education

› For information regarding EDGE’s history and its positioning in higher education

› For media inquiries

Anne Fannon Director, WatPD


Jessica is responsible for EDGE program development and oversees the program’s operations. Contact Jessica:

› To learn more about EDGE› To discuss opportunities for curricular integration› To discuss opportunities for experiential partnership› To develop specific pathways for student progression

in the program

Ben is responsible for EDGE’s student-facing aspects. His primary objective is helping students succeed in the program. Contact Ben:

› To receive one-on-one support and guidance as you navigate the program

› To inquire about registration› To discuss the various options for attaining

EDGE milestones

Jamieson supports WatPD’s communication and outreach efforts. Contact Jamieson:

› To request marketing materials or support with custom communication initiatives

› To request the presence and participation of EDGE staff at events

› To request edits or additions to the EDGE website

Jamieson Cox Communications Specialist


Erin is responsible for evaluating the programs and services within WatPD. Her key focus is ensuring our certificate program, courses and workshops are meeting their designated learning outcomes. Contact Erin:

› To discuss program evaluation methods and findings

Erin Smith Associate Director, Program Improvement


Meet the EDGE Team


Jaclyn Halliwell Career Advisor


Katie Denomme Manager, Centre for Career Action


Jennifer is the instructor of PD1 EDGE. As a subject matter expert in career development theory, Jennifer provides support and guidance regarding EDGE content. Contact Jennifer:

› To discuss the Centre for Career Action’s collaborative partnership with WatPD

› To discuss the benefits of bringing a career management, skills and employability lens to programming and initiatives across campus

Jennifer Woodside Director, Centre for Career Action


Katie co-ordinates the Centre for Career Action’s resources as they pertain to EDGE. She’s a key consultant for EDGE and oversees content development for programmatic offerings. Contact Katie:

› To explore opportunities to develop customized skills and employability-related programming options available through the Centre for Career Action

Jaclyn is the lead facilitator on a team of career advisors who facilitate EDGE workshops. Her expertise as a career advisor is critical in helping students make connections between what happens inside and outside of the classroom. Contact Jaclyn:

› To inquire about existing EDGE programming in the classroom

If you have a general question or aren’t sure who to directly contact, send us an email at [email protected] — we’ll help you find the answers you need.

WHERE ARE WE LOCATED?EDGE staff are located on the University of Waterloo’s main campus in Waterloo, Ontario. All staff listed on page four are located on the second floor of the East Campus 1 building (EC1). Staff from the Centre for Career Action are located in the Tatham Centre. EC1 is located at the northeast corner of campus near the intersection of Columbia Street and Phillip Street. See the map beside for more information.

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REGISTRAR’S OFFICE, NH 2001 519-888-4567, ext. 32268 uwaterloo.ca/registrar uwaterloo.ca/quest

GRADUATE STUDIES OFFICE, NH 2201 519-888-4567, ext. 35209 uwaterloo.ca/graduate-studies

CO-OPERATIVE EDUCATION AND CAREER ACTION, TC 519-888-4026 uwaterloo.ca/ceca

HEALTH SERVICES, HS 519-888-4096 uwaterloo.ca/health-services

ACCESSABILITY SERVICES, NH 1401 519-888-4567, ext. 35082 uwaterloo.ca/disability-services

ALUMNI RELATIONS, EC1 SECOND FLOOR 519-888-4567, ext. 32038 uwaterloo.ca/alumni

OFFICE OF ADVANCEMENT, EC1 SECOND FLOOR 519-888-4567, ext. 32036 uwaterloo.ca/advancement

POLICE SERVICES, COMOpen 24 hours519-888-4911uwaterloo.ca/police

TURNKEY DESK, SLC24 hour information519-888-4434uwaterloo.ca/student-life-centre/turnkey-desk

VISITORS CENTRE UNDERGRADUATE RECRUITMENT, SCH 102519-888-4567, ext. 33614

uwaterloo.ca/find-out-more

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PARKING

Accessible Parking

Meter Parking/Pay and display

Motorcycle Parking

Permit Parking

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COLOUR CODES

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CONTACT INFORMATION

uwaterloo.ca/map

Visit our online map for searchable campus

information:

main campus, 100+ buildings, six Faculties

1,000-ACRE

for 25 consecutive years (Maclean’s)

CANADA’S MOSTINNOVATIVE UNIVERSITY

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CODE BUILDING — LOCATIONACW Accelerator Centre Waterloo — G2

AHS Applied Health Sciences — G3

AL Arts Lecture Hall — G4

B1 Biology 1 — G4

B2 Biology 2 — G4

BMH B.C. Matthews Hall — G3

BRH Brubacher House — F2

C2 Chemistry 2 — G3, G4

CGR Conrad Grebel University College — F5

CIF Columbia Icefield — G2

CLN Columbia Lake Village North — B2, C1, C2

CLV Columbia Lake Village — B2, C2, D2

COG Columbia Greenhouses — D2

COM Commissary — H3

CPH Carl A. Pollock Hall — H4

CSB Central Services Building — G3

DC William G. Davis Computer Research Centre — H3, H4

DWE Douglas Wright Engineering Building — H4

E2 Engineering 2 — H4


E5 Engineering 5 — H3, H4


E7 Engineering 7 — H3, H4

EC1 East Campus 1 — H3





ECH East Campus Hall — H3, H4, I3, I4

EIT Centre for Environmental & Information Technology — G4

ERC Energy Research Centre — G3

EV1 Environment 1 — G5



ESC Earth Sciences & Chemistry — G4

FED Federation Hall — F3

GH Graduate House — G4

GSC General Services Complex — G3

HH J.G. Hagey Hall of the Humanities — G5

HS Health Services — F4

LHI Lyle S. Hallman Institute for Health Promotion — G3

LIB Dana Porter Library — G4

M3 Mathematics 3 — G3

MC Mathematics & Computer Building — G3

MHR Minota Hagey (Velocity) Residence — F5, G5

MKV William Lyon Mackenzie King Village — E3

ML Modern Languages — G4

NH Ira G. Needles Hall — G4

OPT School of Optometry and Vision Science — G2

PAC Physical Activities Complex — G3

PAS Psychology, Anthropology, Sociology — G5

PHY Physics — G4

QNC Mike & Ophelia Lazaridis Quantum-Nano Centre — G4

RAC Research Advancement Centre — F1

RA2 Research Advancement Centre 2 — F1

RCH J.R. Coutts Engineering Lecture Hall — H4

REN Renison University College — F4

REV Ron Eydt Village — E3

SCH South Campus Hall — G4, G5, H5

SLC Student Life Centre — G3

STC Science Teaching Complex — G4

STJ St. Jerome’s University — F4

STP St. Paul’s University College — F4

TC William M. Tatham Centre for Co-operative Education & Career Action — G4, G5

TJB Toby Jenkins Applied Health Research Building — G1

TH Tutors’ Houses — E3

UC University Club — F3

UWP University of Waterloo Place — I4, I5

V1 Student Village 1 — E3, F3

BUILDING INDEX

PARKING INDEX

VISITOR PARKINGAll Day, Every Day

C, N, W, X: $5 per day — pay and display

Lot X is free on weekends

HV: Weekdays: $2 per hour up to daily maximum of $10. $5 flat rate after 4:00 p.m. VISA or MasterCard

M: $6 pay and display

D: Weekdays: $2 per hour up to daily maximum of $15. After 5 p.m. and weekends: $5 flat rate, VISA or MasterCard only

P: $4 coin entry for St. Jerome’s University, Renison University College; $5 coin entry for St. Paul’s University College; $1 per hour up to a $4 daily maximum at Conrad Grebel University College

OV: $5 coin exit

J, S, V: $5 pay and display. Pay in lot S.

CL, UWP: $5 pay and display

AFTER 4 P.M. AND WEEKENDSA, B, EC, R: $5 coin entry

PERMIT PARKING Faculty and Staff: A, B, H, K, L, N, O, Q, R, T, X

Resident: CL, J, S, V, UWP, T Parking in any ungated lot after 4:30 p.m. with valid Faculty/Staff Permit

MOTORCYCLESPurchase a term or day pass from Parking Services, in the COM building for use at motorcycle pads

ACCESSIBLE PARKINGAccessible parking for persons with disabilities is available in most lots. For details visit: uwaterloo.ca/parking

SHORT-TERM PARKINGFifteen-minute parking is available on the Ring Road at Environment 2 and Ira G. Needles Hall. Meter parking is available, visit the Parking website for locations at: uwaterloo.ca/parking

WATCARD PAYMENTAvailable at Lot C, N, W, X, M, UWP

EC1

Program Overview


WHAT IS EDGE?EDGE is an opt-in experiential education certificate for undergraduate students in

traditional (non-co-op) programs of study. EDGE is designed to support regular students

by providing a framework for incorporating experiential education into their degree.

Students who complete EDGE connect the experiences they enjoy inside and outside of

the classroom to career preparation and skills they’ll use in the workplace. These students

will develop key professional skills like communication and teamwork, explore their career

options and learn how to market themselves to employers.

EDGE is designed to fit into a wide variety of student schedules. Students can complete their

EDGE milestones during any term and in almost any order depending on their schedule

and interests1. Students can also mix, match and combine experiential learning courses,

employment and volunteering opportunities to find the EDGE that’s right for them.


PROGRAM COMPONENTSTo complete the EDGE certificate, students must

earn six milestones:

in which students develop core career-seeking skills and align their career goals with their values, skills and interests.

Skills Identification and Articulation Workshop

in which students practice recognizing their skills and expressing them to employers in a confident, concise fashion.

1Career Development Course1

Capstone Workshop1Academic or

Work Experiencesin which students explore a wide variety of opportunities both inside and outside of the classroom and reflect on their personal growth.

3in which students tie everything together and develop an action plan for post-graduation success.

1 For more information, consult the Capstone Workshop section on page 13.

Overview

The skills identification and articulation workshop helps students

identify the skills they have developed through academic study

and previous work and/or volunteer experiences. Students also

identify the skills they may need to strengthen to reach their

career goals. As a result, students who complete the workshop are

able to express their skills to employers in a confident, concise

manner and target other skills for improvement. The workshop is

facilitated by a career advisor from the Centre for Career Action.

Students can complete the skills identification and articulation

workshop in one of two ways:

› They can sign up for a standalone workshop offered by the

Centre for Career Action on the EDGE website;

› They can successfully complete an academic course that offers

the workshop as part of its course content.

Frequently asked questions

Q

Which academic courses offer the skills workshop as part of their course content?

A

The following academic courses offer the skills workshop as part of their course content:

Faculty Course Description

Applied Health Sciences

AHS 107 Sociology of Activity, Health, and Well-being

Mathematics ENGL 119 Communications in Mathematics & Computer Science

Courses that add the skills workshop to their course content in the future will be listed on the EDGE website.

Q

How long does it take to complete the skills workshop?

A

The skills workshop lasts approximately 1.5 hours.

Q

If students have completed a workshop with the Centre for Career Action, does it count as an equivalency for the skills workshop?

A

Students won’t be able to receive their skills identification and articulation milestone for attending any Centre for Career Action workshop other than official custom or standalone offerings of the skills workshop. However, they may be eligible for the milestone if they completed a pilot version of the workshop as part of certain academic courses during the 2016/2017 academic year.


Skills Identification and Articulation Workshop

Overview

The career development course helps students develop core

career skills like résumé writing and interviewing. Students

completing the course will also learn how to align their

career goals with their values, skills and interests. The course

is rooted in the Centre for Career Action’s expertise in career

development theory.

Students can complete their career development course

milestone in one of two ways:

› They can complete the version of PD1: Career Fundamentals

designed for EDGE students;

› They can successfully complete an academic course that

includes an equivalent amount of career development

as part of its course content.



Q

Which academic courses count as equivalencies for the career development course?

A

The following academic courses count as equivalencies for the career development course:

Faculty Course Description

Arts ARTS 111 Career Development and Decision Making

Arts PSCI 299 Political Science Beyond the Classroom

Courses that add sufficient career development content in the future will be listed on the EDGE website.

Q

If students have completed PD1 as part of a co-op program, does it count as an equivalency for the career development course?

A

Yes, students can complete their career development course milestone by completing PD1 as part of a co-op program. When students register for EDGE, their transcripts will be reviewed by the EDGE team for this and other milestone-eligible opportunities.

Q

Do students need to opt into EDGE before taking the EDGE version of PD1?

A

The EDGE version of PD1 is open to students who haven’t yet enrolled in EDGE. All students in traditional programs are welcome to successfully complete the course and develop fundamental career skills, even if they’re not ready to opt into EDGE. If students take the PD1 version of EDGE and decide to opt into the certificate later, they will receive their career development course milestone.

Career Development Course


EDGE students use work and community experiences to explore their interests and develop their skills by learning in the field. Students who complete experiences are exposed to real-world situations and problems and enjoy deeper learning as a result.

Students can earn their work and community experience milestones in three ways:

› They can complete experiential learning courses, which are academic courses that include a work-integrated learning component;

› They can complete on-campus experiences, which are work or volunteer opportunities linked to the University’s faculties, student societies, clubs, offices and services;

› They can complete off-campus experiences, which are work or volunteer opportunities unaffiliated with the University.

EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING COURSES

Overview

Experiential learning exists in many forms both inside and

outside the classroom. EDGE-compatible experiential learning

courses are academic courses that involve an industry or

community partner, one who works with the course’s instructor

to provide students with valuable coaching and mentorship.

These partners are immersed in their industries and can help

students understand how their skills align with their chosen field.

Experiential learning courses must be weighted for academic

achievement at 0.25 credits or higher. They must involve at least

18 hours of work with an industry or community partner in a

term. Students who want to complete an EDGE milestone with

an experiential learning course need to pass the course and

submit a reflection assignment to the EDGE team. The industry

or community partner also needs to submit an evaluation

of the student.


Q

Where can students see all of the pre-approved EDGE courses?

A

Students can see all of the pre-approved EDGE courses by visiting the full list of EDGE courses on the EDGE website.

Q

If students are taking a course that includes experiential learning but hasn’t been pre-approved, how can they submit the course to the EDGE team for approval?

A

If students want to complete an experiential learning course that hasn’t been pre-approved, they should submit the independent studies and special topics enrolment form available on the EDGE website. A member of the EDGE team will contact the course’s instructor to discuss the course’s compatibility with EDGE.

Work and Community Experiences


Q

If students have completed a pre-approved experiential learning course during an earlier term, will the course retroactively satisfy one of their work/community experience milestones?

A

Unfortunately, students can’t retroactively satisfy their milestones using experiential learning courses. EDGE students only complete their milestones with experiential learning courses if they pass the course, submit a reflection assignment and receive an evaluation from the course’s work or community partner. All components need to be completed within the same term. If students complete the course before opting into EDGE, they won’t have the reflection assignment and evaluation needed to complete the milestone.

Course list

The following faculties and departments have already pre-

approved experiential learning courses for use with EDGE:

Applied Health Sciences

› Health Studies

› Kinesiology

› Recreation and Leisure Studies

Arts

› Fine Arts

› Germanic and Slavic Studies

› Global Business and Digital Arts (GBDA)

› Legal Studies

› Peace and Conflict Studies

› Political Science

› Psychology

› Religious Studies

› Sexuality, Marriage and Family Studies

› Social Development Studies

› Sociology

› Theatre and Performance

Environment

› Environment and Business

› Environment, Resources and Sustainability

› International Development

› Knowledge Integration

Science

› Science and Business

Visit the EDGE website for a full list of course codes

and descriptions.

ON- AND OFF-CAMPUS EXPERIENCES

Overview

On- and off-campus experiences are work or volunteer

opportunities completed outside of academic courses.

Students who complete these experiences develop

new skills, explore their career options and reflect

on their personal growth.

On-campus experiences are work or volunteer

opportunities linked to the University’s faculties, student

societies, clubs, offices and services. Off-campus experiences

are work or volunteer opportunities unaffiliated with the

University. These experiences could include a part-time

position in the Waterloo region, a summer job in a

student’s hometown or volunteer opportunities during

Reading Week, as examples.

On- and off-campus experiences must involve at least

36 hours of work in a given term. Students who want to

complete a milestone using these experiences need to complete

a professional development (PD) course during the same

term as their experience. They also need to submit a reflection

assignment and their supervisor must submit an evaluation.


Q

Where can students see all of the pre-approved experiences?

A

Students can see all of the pre-approved experiences by visiting the full list of EDGE experiences on the EDGE website.

Q

If students are completing an experience that hasn’t been pre-approved, how can they submit their experience for approval?

A

Students can submit their experience for approval by signing up for one of the online professional development (PD) courses associated with EDGE. They will need to submit a job information form through LEARN on the day they first open the course.

Once they’ve submitted the form, the EDGE team will contact their supervisor to vet the experience and give them the tools they need to provide quality feedback. If their experience isn’t approved, the EDGE team will contact them to discuss next steps.

Q

How can students ensure the EDGE team receives their reflection assignment and evaluation from their supervisor?

A

Students will find everything they need to complete their reflection assignments within the EDGE LEARN community, including assignment details, associated rubrics, timelines for completion and a dropbox for submission.

As for their supervisor evaluations, someone from the EDGE team will make direct contact with their supervisors and give them links to the evaluation tool. The evaluation is designed to take 10-15 minutes to complete, and it will be due at the end of the given term’s exam period.

Experience list

The following faculties, departments, offices and services have

already pre-approved experiences for use with EDGE:

› Athletics and Recreation

› Central Stores

› Centre for Career Action

› Clubs (various)

› Community Relations

› Conflict Management and Human Rights

› Faculty of Applied Health Sciences

› Faculty of Science

› Feds

› Food Services

› Health Services

› Housing and Residences

› Imprint

› Information Services & Technology

› Library

› Marketing and Undergraduate Recruitment

› Renison University College

› St. Jerome’s University College

› St. Paul’s University College

› Student Societies (various)

Professional development courses

Students can pair the following professional development

(PD) courses with their experiences to complete their EDGE

milestones. Learn more about these courses by visiting the

WatPD website at uwaterloo.ca/watpd.

› PD3: Communication

› PD4: Teamwork

› PD5: Project Management

› PD6: Problem Solving

› PD7: Conflict Resolution

› PD8: Intercultural Skills

› PD9: Ethical Decision Making

› PD10: Professional Responsibility in Computing


https://www.uwaterloo.ca/watpd


Overview

The capstone workshop helps students tie all of their experiences together and develop an action plan for post-graduation success. Students who complete the capstone workshop will look back on their journey through EDGE and create a post-graduation checklist designed to complement their career or study goals. The workshop is facilitated by a career advisor from the Centre for Career Action.


Q

How can students sign up for the capstone workshop?

A

Students can sign up for the capstone workshop using a registration form on the EDGE website.

Q

When can students complete the capstone workshop?

A

The capstone workshop is intended for students who have completed all of their other EDGE milestones or are on track to do so during the same term. Students registering for the capstone workshop are asked to acknowledge their completion status before submitting the registration form.

Q

How long does it take to complete the capstone workshop?

A

While the capstone workshop is still in development, it’s expected to take between 8-10 hours to complete.

Capstone Workshop


Sample EDGE Paths

Applied Health SciencesFALL TERM WINTER TERM SPRING TERM

First YearAHS 107: Sociology of Activity, Health, and Well-being (1A)

PD1: Career Fundamentals (1B)Working at a summer camp & PD7: Conflict Resolution

Second Year None (2A)REC 253: Practicum in Therapeutic Recreation (2B)

None (off)

Third YearAHS Ambassador & PD3: Communication (3A)

None (3B) None (off)

Fourth Year Capstone Workshop (4A) None (4B) N/A

KinesiologyFALL TERM WINTER TERM SPRING TERM

First Year None (1A) None (1B) None (off)

Second YearAHS 107: Sociology of Activity, Health, and Well-being (2A)


Third Year None (3A)Student Trainer & PD3: Communication (3B)

PD1: Career Fundamentals

Fourth YearKIN 492A: Clinical Kinesiology — Cardiac Rehabilitation Practicum (4A)

KIN 493: Clinical Kinesiology —Movement Assessment Practicum & Capstone Workshop (4B)

N/A

ArtsFALL TERM WINTER TERM SPRING TERM

First YearSkills Identification and Articulation Workshop (1A)


Second YearPSCI 299: Political Science Beyond the Classroom (2A)

Student Ambassador, Visitors Centre & PD3: Communication (2B)

None (off)

Third YearHousing Residence Don & PD9: Ethical Decision Making (3A)

None (3B)Volunteering with an MP & PD4: Teamwork

Fourth Year None (4A) Capstone Workshop (4B) N/A

When it comes to designing a path through EDGE, the program’s flexibility means the possibilities are endless. These sample paths through the program can serve as a helpful starting point for students, advisors and partners alike.

If you want to explore all of the options available to students depending on their faculty, program and interests, check out our Find your EDGE quiz tool at uwaterloo.ca/edge/find-your-edge.

https://www.uwaterloo.ca/edge/find-your-edge


Global Business and Digital Arts (GBDA)FALL TERM WINTER TERM SPRING TERM

First Year None (1A) None (1B) None (off)

Second Year None (2A)Skills Identification and Articulation Workshop (2B)

None (off)

Third YearGBDA 301: Global Digital Project 1 (3A)

PD1: Career Fundamentals (3B)GBDA Internship & PD3: Communication

Fourth Year Capstone Workshop (4A)GBDA 402: Cross-Cultural Digital Business 2 (4B)

N/A

Environment 2

FALL TERM WINTER TERM SPRING TERM

First Year None (1A)Skills Identification and Articulation Workshop (1B)

None (off)

Second Year PD1: Career Fundamentals (2A)Co-op term & PD12: Reflection and Learning in the Workplace (WT1)

Transfer into regular program (2B)

Third YearINTEG 452A: Real World Problem Solving A (3A)


Fourth Year Capstone Workshop (4A)INTEG 452B: Real World Problem Solving B (4B)

N/A

2 This pathway includes credits awarded for co-op work term experience. Contact the EDGE team for more information regarding co-op and EDGE credit eligibility.

MathFALL TERM WINTER TERM SPRING TERM

First YearENGL 119: Communications in Mathematics & Computer Science (1A)


Second YearMathSoc Representative & PD9: Ethical Decision Making (2A)

PD1: Career Fundamentals (2B) None (off)

Third YearStudent Computing Consultant, IST & PD6: Problem Solving (3A)


Fourth YearCustomer Service Representative, Math C&D & PD3: Communication (4A)

Capstone Workshop (4B) N/A

ScienceFALL TERM WINTER TERM SPRING TERM

First Year None (1A)Skills Identification and Articulation Workshop (1B)

None (off)

Second YearSCBUS 223: Science and Business Workshop 2 (2A)

ARTS 111: Career Development and Decision Making (2B)

None (off)

Third YearAssistant Trainer, Campus Response Team & PD7: Conflict Resolution (3A)

None (3B)Science Outreach Volunteer & PD8: Intercultural Skills

Fourth Year Capstone Workshop (4A) None (4B) N/A


If you’re a student and you’ve read this far, we’re hoping there’s only one question left for us to answer: where do I start?

The first step in every student’s EDGE journey is registration. You can register for EDGE online using a form on the EDGE website. In order to be eligible for EDGE, you need to be registered as an undergraduate student in a traditional (non-co-op) program of study. You also need to be enrolled in a degree term; if you’re completing a non-degree term, you’ll have to wait to register until your next degree term.

When you submit your registration form, the EDGE team will vet your submission and determine whether or not any milestones can be awarded based on your existing academic record and work experiences. If you meet the eligibility requirements, the EDGE team will notify you of your successful registration and welcome you to the program with an email.

If you’re opting into EDGE, we strongly encourage you to meet with EDGE staff after your registration is confirmed. We can help you envision multiple potential paths through EDGE and navigate the milestones that make up the certificate. If you have questions or concerns about EDGE after registration, you can ask us for guidance at any point in your EDGE journey. You can also track your progress through the certificate by logging into Quest and checking for completed milestones at the bottom of your undergraduate transcript.

All of us on the EDGE team want to thank you for your interest in experiential education. You’re making an important personal and professional investment by opting into EDGE, and the time you spend outlining your future goals and making plans to achieve them will pay dividends well into the future. We’re excited to support you as you find your EDGE in the terms to come.

Registering for EDGE

Parting Thoughts


Here at Waterloo, we know that experiential education has never been limited to the

classroom. I speak for everyone on the EDGE team when I say that we’re excited to see the

impact that EDGE has on traditional students as they leave campus and enter the workforce,

graduate school or pursue a different passion. We’re hoping to support graduate outcomes

for this cohort because we know that when our students are employable, we all win.

We hope you’ve found this brochure helpful, and we appreciate your expertise as we work

through EDGE’s first year. There are bound to be hiccups along the way, and your feedback is

imperative as we refine the program to meet our students’ needs. We’ll reach out throughout

the year to learn first-hand what’s working and where we can improve.

Our goal for this year is to register 400 students in EDGE by the end of the Spring 2018 term.

We know we can reach this goal with your support.

The brochure’s final sections are designed to help you find useful resources available on our

website, on our partners’ websites and elsewhere on campus. If you’re looking for a single

starting point, I recommend visiting our website at uwaterloo.ca/edge. You’re also welcome

to connect with me directly at [email protected] if you have additional questions.

Regards,

JESSICA LANGMANAGER, EDGE PROGRAM, UNIVERSITY OF WATERLOO

https://www.uwaterloo.ca/edge


STUDENTSEnsuring student success in EDGE is our priority. We know the program can seem overwhelming, especially if you’re interested in opting into EDGE but aren’t sure where to start. Spending time with the pages and tools described below will help you understand the

program and plan your journey through EDGE.

Registration formuwaterloo.ca/edge/registration-form

You can register for EDGE by filling out the form available on our website. Remember that you need to be registered as an undergraduate student in a traditional (non-co-op) program of study to be eligible for EDGE.

Other student formsuwaterloo.ca/edge/students/student-forms

If you decide to register for EDGE, you may need to complete additional forms over the course of your journey through the program, including the following:

› The skills identification and articulation workshop registration form, through which you’ll sign up for the standalone version of the skills workshop offered by the Centre for Career Action;

› The capstone workshop registration form, through which you’ll sign up for the capstone workshop offered by the Centre for Career Action;

› The independent studies and special topics enrolment form, through which you can submit an experiential learning course for approval as a work or community experience milestone3;

› The disenrolment form, through which you can withdraw from EDGE for any reason4.

Find your EDGEuwaterloo.ca/edge/find-your-edge

If you want to start planning your path through EDGE but you’re not sure where to begin, we recommend trying out our Find your EDGE quiz tool. The tool will narrow down all of the courses, workshops and experiences you can use to complete EDGE based on your faculty, program, interests and motivations.

Please note that the quiz is just a starting point — it isn’t meant to support detailed planning or scheduling. If you want to take the next step in planning your EDGE or need help with milestone or certificate requirements, you should contact the EDGE instructional support co-ordinator Ben McDonald at [email protected].

Frequently asked questionsuwaterloo.ca/edge/prospective-students/frequently-asked-questions

We know you’re probably going to have questions about EDGE, and we’ve tried to address most of them by creating pages on our website devoted to frequently asked questions (FAQ). We recommend starting with our FAQ for prospective students before moving on to the current students FAQ and pages devoted to specific milestones.

If you can’t find the answer you’re looking for within our FAQ pages, you’re always welcome to contact us at [email protected].

LEARN communityEvery student who opts into EDGE is enrolled in the EDGE LEARN community shortly after registration. The community serves three purposes. First, it contains useful resources you can rely on throughout your EDGE journey. Second, you’ll use the community to submit any reflection assignments required as part of your work or community experiences. Third, the community will give you a space to share your questions, struggles and successes with your peers in EDGE. Students will remain part of the LEARN community until after graduation, and the community is moderated by EDGE staff.

Links and Resources

3 We recommend talking to your professor about your interest in EDGE before submitting this form.4 We recommend talking to EDGE instructional support co-ordinator Ben McDonald before initiating the disenrolment process.

https://www.uwaterloo.ca/edge/registration-form

https://www.uwaterloo.ca/edge/students/student-forms

https://www.uwaterloo.ca/edge/find-your-edge

https://www.uwaterloo.ca/edge/prospective-students/frequently-asked-questions


Job information formIf you choose to complete any of your work or community experience milestones with an on- or off-campus experience, you’ll need to submit a job information form (JIF) to the EDGE team. The JIF must be submitted at the beginning of the term in which you plan on completing the experience. You need to enrol in an EDGE-eligible professional development (PD) course to access the JIF; submitting the JIF from within your chosen PD course at the beginning of the term will unlock the course content.

If your experience has been pre-approved, you won’t hear anything further from us — you can go ahead and complete your experience (and the corresponding PD course). If your experience isn’t on the pre-approved list, the EDGE team will review your submitted JIF and vet your experience.

Reflection assignmentIn order to earn a work or community experience milestone, you also need to complete a reflection assignment focused on your professional growth, achievements and areas for development. You’ll submit your reflection assessment at the end of the term in which you’re completing your experience using a dropbox in the EDGE LEARN community. The assessment will be graded by a qualified marker and returned to you with feedback.

Professional development courses

uwaterloo.ca/watpd

If you choose to complete any of your work or community experience milestones with an on- or off-campus experience, you’ll need to pair the experience with a professional development (PD) course offered by the Waterloo Professional Development Program (WatPD). The combination of your experience and an online course focused on professional skills will help you connect your learning in the workplace to highly desirable skills like communication, teamwork and problem solving. If you want to learn more about WatPD’s courses and their connection to EDGE, visit the WatPD website.

FACULTY AND INSTRUCTORSThe faculty and instructors who teach experiential learning courses at Waterloo are a foundational part of EDGE’s success. The resources detailed below will reinforce the pedagogical value of experiential education and introduce you to some key concepts underpinning EDGE and EDGE-compatible courses.

Why experiential education?uwaterloo.ca/edge/about-edge

Students’ experiences inside and outside of the classroom can have an impact on their development and their employability, especially when those experiences take place within a solid surrounding framework. When students engage in experiential education, they complete significant tasks with tangible, real-world outcomes, and their learning is deeper as a result.

The “About EDGE” page on our website contains more information about EDGE’s history, experiential education and the ways it can benefit students.

Core competenciesuwaterloo.ca/edge/core-competencies

EDGE is designed to encourage the development of specific skills and behaviours. These skills and behaviours were chosen based on reported employer needs. The program’s core competencies frame the impact we hope to have on graduate outcomes in terms of recognizable, valuable skills.

Experiential learning coursesuwaterloo.ca/edge/work-community-experiences

Experiential learning courses are a great way for students to complete their work or community milestones while simultaneously earning academic credit. If you want to learn more about experiential learning courses, consider visiting the following pages:

› Our list of EDGE courses collects all of the academic courses affiliated with EDGE and presents them on a single page. Courses are grouped by milestone and faculty for ease of navigation.

› Our page devoted to work and community experiences contains a full section devoted to experiential learning courses, including frequently asked questions and key links. You can visit this page to learn more about the approval

https://www.uwaterloo.ca/watpd

https://www.uwaterloo.ca/edge/about-edge

https://www.uwaterloo.ca/edge/core-competencies

https://www.uwaterloo.ca/edge/work-community-experiences


process, the criteria behind experiential learning courses and our policies regarding retroactive EDGE milestones.

› Our page devoted to the types of EDGE experiences contains some more information about the types of experiential learning that can take place within academic courses, including field work, internships and practicums.

Frequently asked questionsuwaterloo.ca/edge/faculty/frequently-asked-questions

We know you’re probably going to have questions about EDGE, and we’ve tried to address most of them by creating pages on our website devoted to frequently asked questions (FAQ). We recommend starting with our FAQ for faculty members and instructors before moving on to pages devoted to specific milestones.


ADVISORSWaterloo’s community of academic and career advisors serve as valuable sources of information and connect engaged, proactive students to EDGE. The resources detailed below will help you provide students with the best possible support.

EDGE coursesuwaterloo.ca/edge/edge-courses

Our list of EDGE courses collects all of the academic courses affiliated with EDGE and presents them on a single page. Courses are grouped by milestone and faculty for ease of navigation. If you’re working with a student who’s interested in EDGE, you can reference this page when looking for courses tied to their program or faculty that are also compatible with EDGE.

EDGE experiencesuwaterloo.ca/edge/students/edge-experiences

Our list of EDGE experiences collects all of the work or community experiences that have been pre-approved as EDGE milestones. Experiences are grouped by nature and department for ease of navigation. If you’re working with a student who’s

interested in EDGE, you can reference this page when looking for experiences that are tied to their interests.

Types of EDGE experiencesuwaterloo.ca/edge/students/types-edge-experiences

Our page devoted to the types of EDGE experiences contains some more information about the types of experiential learning that can take place within academic courses and other experiences. We recommend consulting this page if you want to gain a thorough understanding of the criteria governing EDGE’s work or community experience milestones.

Milestone eligibilityuwaterloo.ca/edge/prospective-students/

edge-milestone-eligibility

Students may be able to receive EDGE milestones for courses and experiences completed before initiating

the registration process. Our page devoted to milestone

eligibility outlines all of the current scenarios in which

milestones can be granted to students opting into EDGE.

If you’re working with a student who’s interested in the

program, this page may help them understand how their

academic history and co-op experience (if applicable) will

inform their journey through EDGE.

Student formsuwaterloo.ca/edge/students/student-forms

Students who decide to register for EDGE may need to complete additional forms (beyond the registration form) over the course of their journey through the program. Reviewing these forms may help you respond to student inquiries regarding the registration and approval processes for workshops, courses and experiences.

Email templatesuwaterloo.ca/edge/advisors/email-templates

We know it can be difficult to explain how EDGE works to students and co-workers. That’s why we’ve created email templates that can help you introduce the program to interested parties. You’re welcome to use these templates as resources or starting points when you need to talk about EDGE.

https://www.uwaterloo.ca/edge/faculty/frequently-asked-questions

https://www.uwaterloo.ca/edge/edge-courses

https://www.uwaterloo.ca/edge/students/edge-experiences

https://www.uwaterloo.ca/edge/students/types-edge-experiences

https://www.uwaterloo.ca/edge/prospective-students/edge-milestone-eligibility

https://www.uwaterloo.ca/edge/students/student-forms

https://www.uwaterloo.ca/edge/advisors/email-templates


Frequently asked questionsuwaterloo.ca/edge/advisors/frequently-asked-questions

We know you’re probably going to have questions about EDGE, and we’ve tried to address most of them by creating pages on our website devoted to frequently asked questions (FAQ). We recommend starting with our FAQ for advisors before moving on to pages devoted to specific milestones.


PARTNERSEDGE wouldn’t exist without the support of our on-campus and off-campus partners. These work and community partners supervise EDGE students, develop their professional skills and support them as they pursue post-graduation success. The resources below will help you understand what it means to support EDGE as a partner and talk about the program within your unit or organization.

Explaining the vetting and evaluation process

If you’re supervising a student who wants their experience with you to count as an EDGE milestone, you can expect to be contacted no more than three times per term. We want to ensure that the position meets our eligibility criteria, hence the vetting process.

1. The EDGE team will contact you to vet the student’s experience if it hasn’t already been pre-approved.

2. If the EDGE team approves your student’s experience, you’ll be notified that your student is counting the experience as an EDGE milestone. You’ll also receive a template of the evaluation you’ll be asked to complete at the end of the term.

3. The EDGE team will remind you to submit your evaluation of the student at the end of the term. The evaluation will be shared with the student at a later date.

If you’d prefer a visual representation of this process, consult the flowchart below:

Evaluation shared with student

Student enrolled in EDGE plan

EDGE staff vets JIF and connect with supervisor to confirm experience

EDGE staff connect with student’s supervisor to provide evaluation template

Evaluation instructions and link sent to student’s supervisor

Evaluation submitted

Student submits registration form to opt into EDGE

EDGE staff vets student registration

APPROVED

JIF DENIED

EDGE staff and student connect to determine why the JIF was denied and next steps

NON-PRE-APPROVED JOB

PRE-APPROVED JOB

Student registers for PD course

Student submits job information form and is encouraged to inform supervisor of EDGE

Student finds and obtains opportunity

https://www.uwaterloo.ca/edge/advisors/frequently-asked-questions


Because the evaluation you’ll be asked to complete is electronic, you’ll receive a link to the tool in an email. The email will be sent during the final month of the academic term in which your student is completing their experience. The evaluation should take 10-15 minutes to complete.

If you already have a system in place for evaluating the students you supervise, we don’t want to create extra work for you. The EDGE team will accept existing evaluations in place of our custom evaluation for the duration of the 2017-2018 academic year. If our policy regarding existing evaluation changes at a later date, we’ll notify you of the change.

On- and off-campus experiences

uwaterloo.ca/edge/work-community-experiences

On- and off-campus experiences are a great way for students to complete their work or community milestones while simultaneously exploring their interests and future career options. If you want to learn more about these experiences, consider visiting the following pages:

› Our list of EDGE experiences collects all of the work or community experiences that have been pre-approved as EDGE milestones. Experiences are grouped by nature and department for ease of navigation.

› Our page devoted to work and community experiences contains a full section devoted to both types of experiences, including frequently asked questions and key links. You can visit this page to learn more about the approval process, the criteria behind experiences and our policies regarding retroactive EDGE milestones.

› Our page devoted to the types of EDGE experiences contains some more information about the types of experiences that can count as EDGE milestones.

Core competenciesuwaterloo.ca/edge/core-competencies

EDGE is designed to encourage the development of specific skills and behaviours. These skills and behaviours were chosen based on reported employer needs. The program’s core competencies frame the impact we hope to have on graduate outcomes in terms of recognizable, valuable skills.

Types of EDGE experiencesuwaterloo.ca/edge/students/types-edge-experiences

Our page devoted to the types of EDGE experiences contains some more information about the types of experiential learning that can take place within academic courses and experiences. We recommend consulting this page if you want to gain a thorough understanding of the criteria governing EDGE’s work or community experience milestones.

Email templatesuwaterloo.ca/edge/partners/email-templates

We know it can be difficult to explain how EDGE works to students and co-workers. That’s why we’ve created email templates that can help you introduce the program to interested parties. You’re welcome to use these templates as resources or starting points when you need to talk about EDGE.

Frequently asked questionsuwaterloo.ca/edge/partners/frequently-asked-questions

We know you’re probably going to have questions about EDGE, and we’ve tried to address most of them by creating pages on our website devoted to frequently asked questions (FAQ). We recommend starting with our FAQ for partners before moving on to pages devoted to specific milestones.


https://www.uwaterloo.ca/edge/work-community-experiences

https://www.uwaterloo.ca/edge/core-competencies

https://www.uwaterloo.ca/edge/students/types-edge-experiences

https://www.uwaterloo.ca/edge/partners/email-templates

https://www.uwaterloo.ca/edge/partners/frequently-asked-questions

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