College of Education > Student Resources > Field Experience & Student Teaching > Field Experience > Definition of Field Experience

Definition of Field Experience

Each of D​ePaul University's approved Teacher Education programs requires supervised field experiences with students​ in schools. Field experience hours are included as course assignments in specified courses within each program. The minimum number of hours required varies by program (100-200 hours). See Field Experience Courses, Hours and Levels for more information about the number of required hours for each program. Field experiences are identified as Level I (beginning) or Level II (intermediate). This practice offers education majors a gradual introduction to the full range of experiences associated with a teacher's role.

Field experiences are a part of the course requirements; therefore, field experience hours must be completed during the 11 weeks of the quarter. Students who do not complete the field experiences assigned during the quarter will be given an incomplete for the course. Assignments, which provide the basis for the field experiences, will be provided by the course instructor.

Levels of Field Experiences

Level I
Field experiences include:
  • Assisting a teacher
  • Working with small groups
  • Tutoring students
  • Completing any additional course assignments provided by the College of Education course instructor that involve interaction with students

Level II
Field experiences may involve any of the above, but should, at a minimum, culminate in:

  • Collaboration with a teacher to design and deliver one or more complete lessons to a small or large group of students. 
    -or-
  • Independently designing and delivering one or more complete lessons to a small or large group of students.