You can find Pathways in APEX, which is located in the lower level of the Andrews/Gault Library, along with the Registrar, Global Engagement, Career Development, and the Academic Resource Center.

Typically, you’ll meet with Pathways Peer Advisors in APEX Commons, the large open area in the middle of APEX (see the map below). You can usually find them sitting at one of the tables with a Pathways sign. You can always find a Peer Advisor there during Walk-in Wednesday (1:30-4pm), so feel free to drop by then. Otherwise, it’s recommended that you make an appointment as their hours are sporadic.

The Pathways Coordinator’s office is in the short hallway on the border between APEX and the Longbrake area. The Pathways Coordinator, Becky Webb, is often in her office during business hours, so feel free to drop by or make an appointment.

Note: Activism & Social Change, Global Impacts, and Public Health all require additional career experiences. Students should refer to those Pathways’ pages for more information.

Pathways reflections and experiential learning requirements are collected into four PATH (or five) courses that function just like other courses in many ways.

Like other courses, Students need to register for these courses during the semesters they want to complete the work, and then do the assignments in the Moodle by the end of the semester. The Moodles show up in your Moodle Dashboard just like all your other classes. Like other courses, it’s wise to work these courses into your 4-year plan to make sure you complete all of your Pathways requirements on time.

Unlike other courses, PATH courses are zero-credit and so won’t cause course overloads. Additionally, there are no regular meeting times*. Rather, the course Moodle will simply serve as a collection point for work and a reminder to complete it before the end of the semester. You can register for (or drop) them at almost any point in the semester by simply completing the Registrar’s Add/Drop a Course form. Completers receive an S on their transcript, while those who drop will simply have the course removed from their transcript (no W or NC).

*There are two required in-person meetings: PATH 110 has one mandatory evening conversation and PATH 440 requires a public presentation during a Pathways Poster Session.

Learn more about each of the PATH courses and their requirements in the “PATH Courses – Reflections, EL, & Career Planning” accordion on each Pathway’s page.

You can learn a lot by reviewing each potential Pathway’s webpage. Look at the course lists; if there are exciting options and you think you can fit them into your schedule (and/or you were going to take some of them anyway), that’s a good sign! Read over the Experiential Learning (EL) suggestions in the Requirements section; if there are some there that look similar to the types of career you’re interested in, that’s another good sign.

You can also meet with one of the many people who can advise you about Pathways:

• The Pathways Program Coordinator whose office is located in APEX. You can email Pathways@wooster.edu, book an appointment, or drop in.
• Pathways Peer Advisors – there is one assigned specifically to each Pathway, but you can speak with any of the Peer Advisors about any Pathway. Book an appointment or stop in for Walk-in Wednesday in APEX each week from 1:30 to 4pm.
• Someone on the Pathway’s faculty/staff team – the collection of faculty & staff with expertise in the career field who manage the Pathway. You will find them listed on the specific Pathway’s page.
• Your academic advisor may also be able to help.

You might also consider attending a Pathways event. Look at the events box above to find out if there any events coming up.

If you’ve already been at Wooster for a semester or more, you can go into your Degree Progress in Self-Service and use the “What if…” tool to see if you’ve already completed one or more course from the Pathway(s) you’re interested in.

There are many benefits of completing a Pathway at the College of Wooster.

• You’ll earn a Pathways Certificate.
• Your Pathway will be listed on your transcript with your major(s), minor(s), any Latin Honors and/or department awards, and your IS title, drawing attention to your career development.
• You will have a stronger application for graduate school and/or employment, both by listing your Pathway Certificate and effectively detailing your quality career experiences.
• You might save time and money as your Pathways experiences help you further clarify and refine your career goals, whether toward this field or away from it, and you avoid taking ill-fitting jobs or grad programs.
• You will be guided through a career exploration process that you might not prioritize doing otherwise.
• You will be part of a community of students, faculty, and staff with similar career interests and expertise. This networking might also provide benefits after graduation.

The ideal time to declare, or “launch” a Pathway is the 2nd semester of your first year or early in your sophomore year.

The deadline to launch is the end of first semester junior year as students typically need at least three semesters to complete the Pathway’s requirements. Second semester juniors can often gain an exception to begin a Pathway by reaching out to the Pathway’s Liaison with a clear plan for completing the Pathway.

Academic courses taken before you launch will count for your Pathway, but your PATH courses and official career experience (EL) must be done after launching.

To launch, you will need to meet with someone connected to Pathways* to talk over the options and be sure you understand what will be required of you. Once you’ve done that and made your decision, simply fill out this form. It’s strongly recommended that you register for PATH 1100X at the same time that you launch.

*You can meet with the Pathways Program Coordinator, a Pathways Peer Advisor, or a faculty or staff person on a specific Pathway Team (find out who they are on each Pathway’s page). If you have additional questions, email Pathways@wooster.edu or stop in to APEX for Walk-in Wednesday between 1:30 & 4pm any week.

Not usually. There is no additional cost for enrolling in a Pathway program.

Students may encounter additional expenses related to their chosen experiential learning opportunities, such as housing and transportation for unpaid internships or study-abroad programs. Some sources of funding are available, including competitive grants and fellowships through the Experiential Learning office and the Global Engagement Office.

After you launch your Pathway, the Pathway will be tracked under your Degree Progress in Scot Web/Self-Service. As with your major and minor, you can check there to see what you’ve done and what you still need to do.

We recommend that you plan your PATH courses as part of your 4-year plan with the help of your academic advisor. This will allow you to gain the maximum benefit from you Pathway with minimum stress.

Yes. Academic courses for your Pathway can double count for your major or minor, as as well as your general requirements.

Ask someone from your Pathway’s team. For most Pathways, that person is the Pathway Liaison. For Public Health and Global Impacts, you should reach out to your assigned Pathway Team Member (ask the Pathways Coordinator if you’re unsure who that is). They are the ones who have the authority to approve Experiential Learning opportunities for the Pathway.

Once they’ve approved it to count, you’ll need to complete the EL Approval Form.

Remember that you have to complete PATH 1100X and PATH 2200X before you begin your EL experience.

You can drop your Pathway at anytime without penalty. It will simply disappear from your degree progress, though any work you did will continue to appear under your coursework.

It is important, however, that you officially drop your Pathway rather than simply decide not to continue. If you don’t fill out the drop form, it will create some extra stress when it’s time to graduate.

Use this form to drop your Pathway.