Applying for an ALE credit with Education Abroad

All education abroad experiences may fulfill the Active Learning Experience (ALE) but will not automatically be counted as such. For each specific type of education abroad program, certain procedures must be followed to ensure that the ALE requirements are met, specifically that sustained reflection and synthesis of the international learning experience are demonstrated.

General Guidelines

Students participating in most education abroad programs—including Berea Term Abroad, KIIS summer programs, or other non-Berea summer programs—may fulfill the ALE requirement as follows:

Prior to departure, request permission from the Education Abroad Advisor.
While abroad, maintain a reflection journal. This will require keeping a physical written (NOT online) journal.
- For shorter programs (2 weeks or less), students will need to write 5 entries per week (5 out of 7 days).
- For programs that are 3 to 6 weeks long, students will need to write 4 entries per week (4 out of 7 days).
- For programs longer than 6 weeks, students will need to write at least 2 journal entries a week (2 out of 7 days).
At the end of the program, write an elaborate and thorough final entry (of at least 1200 words) that synthesizes the daily reflections.
Upon returning to campus, submit the journal and sustained reflection to the Education Abroad Adviser by the appropriate deadline:

- - 30 August for Spring Term or Summer
  - 30 January for Fall Term

The Director of International Education will then check the journal and serve as the teacher of record for the ALE portion of the education abroad program. If the journal seems sufficient, the Director will notify the Office of the Registrar that the student’s ALE requirement has been fulfilled.