Experiential Learning Requirement

Experiential Learning in the BA in English, BA in English Education, and BS in Technical Communication

All undergraduate majors in the Department of English and Technical Communication will complete at least one department-approved experiential learning activity before qualifying for graduation.  Experiential learning refers to “learning by doing” through creative and innovative activities that fall outside the realm of the traditional lecture classroom experience and contribute significantly to professional and personal development.

  • The student proposes the activity to the department by filling out the Experientail Learning Form and giving it to their  academic advisor and the department chair. This proposal should be submitted, ideally, by the third semester of enrollment in the major, but no later than a year before the student plans to graduate. The student’s advisor and the department will provide reminders.
    • Activities must be university sponsored or affiliated;
    • The advisor and department chair will ensure activities are of sufficient duration, intensity, and rigor to demonstrate successful application of learned principles appropriate to the expectations of the degree program.
  • The supervisor of the activity (which may or may not be the academic advisor) will complete the Experiential Learning Assessment form provided by the department; the student will need to rate at least acceptable on the assessment.
  • The student submits this assessment form to their academic advisor and the department chair.
  • The student will produce a written summary reflection essay that documents the experience(s) from the student’s perspective and is of quality suitable for inclusion in a portfolio that might be submitted to potential employers or graduate school admissions committees. This should be submitted to the student's academic advisor and the department chair.

Potential experiential learning activities:

  • A course that is designated as a “service learning course” which is focused on a client-based, community-service, or experiential learning project as a major part of the course content and grading.
  • Study abroad experience approved by the department—generally constituting at least three weeks.
  • Undergraduate Research, including but not limited to OURE projects, Honors Academy Senior Research Project, etc.
  • Member of a SDLEC recognized Student Design team for at least one semester
  • Officer in a student organization approved by the faculty academic advisor (e.g., Southwinds, STC, Sigma Tau Delta, etc.) for at least an academic year
  • Internship/co-op/externship approved by the department
  • Member of any service learning team/organization meeting the criteria for experiential learning (e.g., Engineers without Borders, Habitat for Humanity) for at least a semester
  • Mentor/coach/tutor for at least an academic year in an S&T sponsored mentoring program (the Writing Center, Student Success Coaches, Peer Learning Assistant, On-Track Mentor, Opening Week Mentor - which continues through the academic year with programming such as ReConnect1 and 2
  • Student Teaching (education majors) for at least one semester
  • Paraprofessional, mentoring, peer teaching positions (Resident Assistants, Programming Resident Assistants, Chancellors Leadership Academy Advisors, Peer Involvement Advisors, Miner Mentors, Joe’s P.E.E.R.S., Health-Related Careers Mentoring Program, Admissions Ambassadors, PRO Leaders) for at least an academic year
  • Year-long leadership involvement experiences (Global Leaders Institute, Chancellor’s Leadership Academy, Student Leadership Conference Chair, University Innovation Fellow)
  • Custom: if students want experiential learning credit for something not listed above, they may submit to their advisor and the chair a proposal describing the proposed experiential learning experience and justifying why it meets the requirements.

The above-referenced instructors/advisors/supervisors will submit their assessments electronically to the department administrative assistant, who will record and archive them and periodically send S&T’s Undergraduate Studies Office a list of English & Tech Com students who have met their experiential learning requirement.

Effective starting August 18, 2015

This document specifies the Department of English and Technical Communication’s implementation of the Missouri S&T Undergraduate Experiential Learning Standard & Operating Procedure approved by Faculty Senate on April 17, 2014.