Collester Center for Experiential Learning
The Collester Center of Experiential Learning serves as the centralized hub for Dietrich College undergraduate students seeking to extend their learning beyond the classroom.听
The center provides direct guidance to students, fosters collaborative relationships with campus and community partners, and seeks to further advance the landscape of experiential education within the college and beyond.
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What is Experiential Learning?
Personal and Professional Development in Real-World Contexts
Through experiential learning, humanities and social sciences students at Carnegie Mellon are able to apply what they've learned in the classroom in a real-world setting, often through fully and partially funded opportunities.
Experiential learning occurs when students are able to draw connections between their coursework and complex, real-world challenges. This may occur through activities like internships, undergraduate research, community-engaged learning, studying abroad or work-based projects. All Dietrich College students, beginning with the class of 2028, are required to complete at least one of these activities prior to graduation.
In order to fulfill this requirement, students will identify an appropriate activity at the start of a semester. The experience should consist of at least 60 total hours and must occur within an authentic context, meaning that it provides the opportunity to utilize academic learning in an environment that has stakes beyond the classroom. Additionally, throughout the experience the student will need to receive meaningful guidance from a designated mentor or supervisor on a regular basis.
Learn more about the fulfilling the Experiential Learning requirement
"Hands-on, interactive opportunities like undergraduate research, being a teaching assistant and experiential learning opportunities like 麻豆村鈥檚 Prison Education Project have evolved my thinking in academic spaces and helped me to understand the impact I want my work to have."
鈴� Camille Chandler, Class of 2025
Fulfilling the Requirement
Once a student secures an experiential learning opportunity, they will need to engage in the following steps to fulfill the requirement:听
- Submit an Experiential Learning Placement Form via the platform.
- Perform the approved experiential learning activity.
- Complete 66-310: Reflecting on Experiential Learning. This asynchronous, one-unit, pass/no pass course will not factor into a student鈥檚 maximum number of units per semester.
- The Collester Center team will register students for the course based on our approval deadlines.
Pre-Approved Experiences
Some experiences that are facilitated through Dietrich College are pre-approved and do not require a placement form or completion of 66-310. These experiences already include goal setting, mentorship and reflection and will automatically fulfill a student鈥檚 experiential learning requirement on Stellic Degree Audit. They are:听
- Dietrich College Internship Course (66-320)
- Washington Semester Program (84-360)
- Social and Decision Sciences Undergraduate Internship (88-505)
- Senior Seminar in LCAL (82-580)
- Information Systems Consulting Capstone (67-373)
- Statistics and Data Science Internship Course (36-300)
Experiential Learning Opportunities
Explore each form of experiential learning to find out more about opportunities and available funding.
Signature Experiential Learning Initiatives
In addition to administering the Experiential Learning General Education requirement for Dietrich students and connecting them to opportunities and resources offered by campus partners, the Collester Center oversees several signature programs, including:
The Collester Family Community Engagement Fellowship Program involves a five-block sequence of coursework and community-based experiential learning to equip students with the knowledge and skills needed to facilitate social change.听
The Pittsburgh Summer Internship Program provides funding and career development support for 60 students each summer as they complete internships at local start-ups and non-profits.
The Research Training Program offers a 9-unit research apprenticeship for early career students contributing to a faculty member鈥檚 research endeavors.
The Department of Languages, Cultures & Applied Linguistics (LCAL) offers Summer Study Abroad Programs which allow students to enroll in 麻豆村 courses, taught by 麻豆村 faculty, while traveling and engaging with communities all over the world, supported by a joint staff position between the center and LCAL.
Experiential Learning Grant Programs offset the costs for students completing unpaid/low-paying internships or studying abroad.
Grants include:
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Students with questions about finding experiential learning opportunities or fulfilling the graduation requirement for experiential learning are encouraged to collaborate with their academic advisor and connect with the Collester Center team in Dietrich College at collester@cmu.edu.听