Gap Semester — North Carolina

The Gap Semester – North Carolina to Pacific Northwest course is a 42-day wilderness adventure and experiential education course all rolled into one. You’ll learn the skills you need to plan, prepare, and lead outdoor adventure-based experiential education courses. You will develop a wide-range of wilderness and leadership skills, including kayaking, backpacking, backcountry cooking, wilderness camping, travel planning, environmental and civic responsibility, leadership and communication styles, decision-making, and teamwork.

If you love spending extended periods of time in the outdoors, learning, and sharing your appreciation of wilderness and backcountry experiences with others, then this course is for you.

Your course will begin our campus in Wilmington, NC where you will complete your WFA training. Then, your group will head to the Appalachian Mountains for backpacking & river expeditions.

Finally, your group will head to the Atlantic coast to experience coastal kayaking & surfing before departing.

No. Previous experience is not required. NCOAE will teach you all the basics you need to know to thrive in the wilderness, and then let you apply them among your group of peers. We will train you in the skills necessary to become a competent wilderness leader.

While there are no predetermined distances, you may travel several miles one day and none the next. You will learn to embrace and appreciate the unknown and unexpected.

In addition to WFA & LNT trainings, you will engage in a wide range of experiential wilderness learning activities focused on outdoor technical skills, leadership skills, and environmental sustainability, including map and compass, wilderness navigation, paddling, backpacking, camp craft, backcountry cooking, kayaking, and wilderness risk management. Specific time included for relaxing and enjoying nature, journaling, engaging in rich cultural exchange, and reflecting in solitude.

Yes. NCOAE provides all necessary group gear and food, but you will want, or be required, to bring certain items for yourself. We encourage you to contact NCOAE with all of your gear questions as early as possible. Start planning now by viewing the NCOAE pack list for this course.

Physical preparation depends on your fitness level. You don’t need to be a triathlete to participate, but you will be responsible for carrying your own equipment and some of the group gear while maintaining a positive attitude. The backpacking section will require you to carry 40 pounds or more over rough and rugged terrain, through various environments. The paddling sections will require sitting and paddling for long periods of time and walking on rugged, slippery shorelines or through the water while carrying or pulling your boat.

Each group has one to three instructors and eight to 12 students. We maintain an instructor-to-student ratio of no less than one instructor for every six students.

Your tuition covers all major costs related to your room, board, and lodging, except when specified in the itinerary. You may request an optional meal out when we are in an urban area, which you would need to pay for separately. Additionally, you’ll need to budget a small stipend for your personal items, such as toiletries, personal snacks, as well as souvenirs and gifts.

The minimum age to enroll in the course is 18. The average age is about 23 years, though we get students from a wide range of ages.

Part of every NCOAE course is the solo experience. You will have the opportunity to spend a set number of days alone in the backcountry to meet your personal needs and desired outcomes.

Additionally, you will have the free time on re-supply days, in-between expedition portions of your course. You can use this time to run errands, do laundry, or spend some time alone relaxing and preparing for the next leg of your course.

We offer this course and others in a variety of locations and during different periods throughout the year to accommodate the destination and schedule that works best for you. If you are interested in an international experience, check out our 60-day Gap Semester course. You can also explore Alaska, the Pacific Northwest, North Carolina, Patagonia, and Ecuador at various times of the year.

At this time, we do not offer financial aid. However, if you are a college student you may be able to use your existing federal financial aid to help pay for your course, and you may receive college credits through a consortium agreement with NCOAE. If you are attending a college or university as part of a degree granting program, your advisor can determine whether your school will accept and transfer academic credits for participating in NCOAE courses from the University of North Carolina – Wilmington. If it does, consult your financial aid office to determine if, how, and which funds may be used toward your NCOAE course costs. For more information on the consortium agreement process, contact studentservices@ncoae.org.