What is co-curricular learning?

Co-curricular learning experiences enhance classroom learning and provide opportunities for further exploration, critical thinking, application of academic concepts, personal development, leadership, and/or well-being. Co-curricular activities are events that extend student learning beyond the classroom and reinforce the College’s Mission:

“Empower every learner, every day, for every goal. As an open-admissions community college within the diverse setting of Pima County, PCC provides comprehensive and flexible life-long learning opportunities to promote learner success and to empower every learner, every day, for every goal.”

Co-curricular learning experiences complement students’ curricular work and promote positive connections among their peers and with faculty, student service specialists, program directors, and/or the college community.

The Higher Learning Commission defines co-curricular as “Learning activities, programs and experiences that reinforce the institution’s mission and values and complement the formal curriculum.”

Co-curricular Assessment

Co-curricular learning must be assessed to meet HLC criteria for accreditation and is measured with department, event, or program level student learning outcomes and General Education Student Learning Outcomes(GELOs) and documented through Pima’s co-curricular Assessment Form and outcomes rubric. Student satisfaction or level of participation may be measured in addition to learning outcomes, but it is not sufficient for co-curricular assessment on its own.