Western State Colorado University
The partnership between HMI and Western State allows apprentices to obtain three credits for the following class that has been approved through their extension program:
ROE 510 Theory and Practice in Experiential Education, 3 credits. This course is designed to give HMI apprentices the skills they need to be successful in the classroom and the backcountry. It combines formal lessons with skills-based exercises designed to aid development as educators, leaders, and mentors. Specifically, the seminar covers foundational teaching skills, examines educational theory, and teaching pedagogy and helps apprentices be more aware of their strengths and weaknesses as wilderness and classroom educators. Lastly, this course provides a forum from which to reflect, analyze, and process the apprentice experience.
Each credit costs $125 and is presumably transferable if an apprentice were to pursue a graduate degree in the future. All apprentices participate in seminar in the same way regardless of whether they are taking the class for graduate credit or not. The only difference is that if one enrolls in Western State we will issue you a grade and they will collect tuition payments and award a transcript at the completion of the semester.