It’s easy to earn credit on tour

There’s no learning experience that can compare to traveling with your students to the sites where American history was shaped. They’ll return home with a new outlook on learning and great memories they’ll never forget.

But did you know there are even more benefits to taking your students on tour with Smithsonian Student Travel? You and your students can also earn credit just by traveling and completing associated coursework. You can also take part in trainings led by Smithsonian museum educators, who are experts at facilitating inquiry-based and object-based learning that builds students' observation and critical-thinking skills.

It's easy to earn professional development credit while leading a class trip. Our course provides a formal structure for educators to document the work that goes into leading a tour and providing students with valuable learning experiences outside the classroom. This program also provides educators with a way to quantify the knowledge and experience they have gained on tour and to help bring that knowledge to their students.

Coursework includes completing a reading assignment and pre-tour overview before your trip, keeping a travel journal on tour and preparing and sharing a curriculum unit with your administrators along with a summary essay of your experience. The time required is approximately 60 hours, and you can earn 2 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) or Professional Development Points.

For more details, ask your tour consultant for our Professional Development Credit Booklet.

Click here to learn about our student credit program.