-
Experiential Learning in Internships
An internship is a temporary position that will provide an on-the-job learning experience for your pursued career. Obtaining an internship during you college career is highly recommended if you are looking to sharpen the skills needed to succeed in your field. Doing so will allow you to gain valuable hands-on experience in your potential profession and may lead you to become a stronger candidate for jobs after graduation. Internships may be used for class credit depending on your academic department's requirements. They can also be paid or unpaid learning experiences and could last for up to six week or as long as a year. To view internship opportunities, you can visit our Handshake website.
-
Experiential Learning in Externships:
An externship is an experiential learning opportunity that has similar characteristic as an internship but provides a shorter experience related to your field of study. Externship opportunities offers a job shadowing experience allowing you to view the day in the life of a professional in your preferred career path. Externships are unpaid and non class credit experiences that typically last for 1 day - 2 weeks.
-
Experiential Learning in Co-ops:
A co-op is an experiential learning style, similar to an internship program, which enables you to receive career training in your field of study and provides you with a in-depth work experience. While participating in a co-op, students would refrain from learning in a traditional classroom setting to learning in a professional organization while working full-time. Co-ops are typically paid opportunities that could last from three months to a year.
-
Experiential Learning in Practicums:
A practicum is a field experience that allows students to shadow how working professionals perform the duties their job entails. Unlike an externship, a practicum can last from up to six weeks to a full semester. Practicums are typically unpaid learning experiences that can be used for class credit which may require completing practicum course assignments.
-
Experiential Learning in Research:
A research experiential learning opportunity allows you to develop an in-depth analysis on a particular subject for an organization. The results of the research study would need to be submitted in a formal report and presented to the organization once that study has concluded. Research opportunities may be paid or unpaid experiences that may or may not be used for class credit depending on your academic department's requirements. The length of this experiential learning opportunity may be determined by the subject being researched.
-
Experiential Learning in Volunteering:
Volunteer opportunities allow you to offer your services to an organization willingly without pay or class credit. You can find volunteer opportunities at schools, churches, and several non-profit organizations.