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Research Learning Experiences are 100 and 200-level courses that engage students in inquiry, research, and creative activity that is hands-on, open-ended, and shaped by discoveries that occur during the course. RLEs support our students’ transition from passive knowledge consumers to active knowledge producers. All RLE courses involve student-focused, student-directed, and student-led inquiry, research, and creative activity that has meaning students can see outside of the classroom.
First-year RLE’s are restricted to new, first-year students only. These RLEs include immersive, experiential, and hands-on learning experiences early in the semester, normally outside of regularly scheduled class times. For our in-person RLE classes, the RLE class schedule in Maine Street provide details on dates and activities for our first-year RLE immersion experiences. Immersion experiences involve students in fun, hands-on learning in USM’s experiential learning spaces and off-campus locations, building relationships with other students and with instructors and, developing skills of inquiry, investigation, and application that students can apply in the course, throughout their first year, and beyond.
Advanced RLE’s are open to first and second year students. Our in-person A-RLEs also involve hands-on and experiential learning, but the immersive experiences occur during regularly scheduled class times, or are of shorter duration outside of regular class meetings. Immersive experiences in online RLEs can be completed completely asynchronously.
Whether first-year or advanced, in all of our RLE courses, student-initiated and directed inquiry is key. Within the context of first- and second-year students’ knowledge and experiences, RLEs and A-RLEs help students themselves define, pose, and address the questions, to see how their work has relevance outside the classroom, and to understand how it connects to questions and activities that professionals in the field might ask or engage in. All RLE courses satisfy the Engaged Learning requirement and at least one other requirement in the Core Curriculum or in the major.
Spring 2026 RLEs:
ART 124 Cre8, Kim Bentley
ENG 102 Academic Writing, Marni Berger
ENG 102 Academic Writing, Tim Erwin
ESP 102 Fundamentals of Environmental Science Laboratory, Linda Woodard
ESP 102 Fundamentals of Environmental Science Laboratory, Matthew Oberholtzer
GEO 101 Human Geography, Miramanni Mishkin (USM Online RLE)
HON 215 Thinking and Writing in Honors, Amy Amoroso
HON 215 Thinking and Writing in Honors, Bernadette Esposito
Fall 2025 RLEs:
ANT 101 Cultural Anthropology, Sarah Lockridge
ART 124 Cre8, Kim Bently
EGN 199 CharisMATHics, Carlos Luck
ENG 100 College Writing, Marni Berger
ENG 102 Academic Writing, Elizabeth Dodge
ENG 102 Academic Writing, Tim Erwin
ESP 101-102 Environmental Science and Sustainability, and Lab, Karen Wilson and Linda Woodard
HON 115 Introduction to Honors
Mark Mullane
Bernadette Esposito
Jamie Picardy
Ashley Emmons
Netty Provost
HON 215 Honors Academic Writing, Amy Amoroso
USM Online:
ENG 102 Academic Writing, Marni Berger
ART 124 Cre8, Kim Bentley
GEO 101 Human Geography, Miramanni Mishkin
Grant Support:
RLEs are supported through the generosity of the Alfond Foundation funding for UMS Transforms. Grant funding may be used to pay for a range of expenses associated with the development and launch of RLEs, including stipends for faculty course redesign, and course mini-grants to fund student access to and engagement with immersive, experiential learning on and off campus.
UMS Transforms- Research Learning Experiences Program Learning Outcomes and Assessment
Cognitive Outcomes (changes in cognitive skills
1. Students will formulate appropriately scoped topics or questions that will guide their scholarly exploration.
2. Students will describe their iterative approaches to exploration for work without a defined answer.
3. Students will effectively communicate with collaborators about their experience.
4. Students will demonstrate responsibility for the discovery process.
Dispositional Outcomes (changes in beliefs or attitudes)
1. Students will identify the relevance/applicability of their experience beyond the RLE course.
2. Students will reflect on how their exploratory process has helped them develop as learners.
3. Students will explain the importance of belonging to a community for their learning.
For faculty: RLE Course Proposal Information
For more information, contact Susan McWilliams.