In the junior and senior years, students will review and revise their ELCP as necessary, and continually add to their Professional Development Portfolio. The ELCP will vary depending upon the needs and desires of the individual student and the availability of experiential learning opportunities, both intramural and extramural. Any individual student’s ELCP will fall along a spectrum of learning possibilities. At one end of the spectrum, students might wish to rely heavily upon traditional coursework. However, they might also want to enhance their undergraduate curriculum by engaging in some experiential learning outside of the classroom. These students will complete senior-level courses, so-called "hands-on labs," and at least one capstone course requiring evidence of ability to synthesize information from a number of academic areas and the completion of a "real-world" project.

Other students might be more focused on a single academic area (or a special interdisciplinary approach) and desire a higher level of experiential learning in that area. These students might be planning to pursue employment or advanced degrees in a focused area of research, outreach education, or teaching in higher education. These students might choose some "hands-on labs," but focus mainly on intramural and extramural experiential learning courses.

With an advisor’s consent, exceptionally strong students might elect to propose a project leading to a Senior Thesis (NRS 499). The Senior Thesis is intended for those students who have a demonstrated desire to pursue an extensive and focused topic in research, outreach education, or teaching. The Senior Thesis proposal will be submitted to a 3-member faculty committee for approval, and supervised by an NRS faculty member designated as the student’s Senior Thesis Advisor. Six credits will be given for the course.