Experiential Learning Requirement

Experiential Learning Requirement (4cr)*

The experiential learning requirement provides students with the opportunity to gain hands on experience and prepare for their future careers. The requirement can be fulfilled in the various ways listed below. Students and advisors should consider a student’s future career and employment goals when making plans to fulfill the requirement.

1. Complete MSE 651 (2 credits), two times. This option is designed to maximize the student time in the research lab, as well as reinforce core coursework knowledge, and practice teaching techniques. This is a great option for a returning student, or someone from a field outside of materials science and engineering, especially if he or she already has work experience.

2. Complete MSE 651 once for 2 credits, and fulfill the remaining 2 credits with a graduate internship, MSE 590. This opportunity is recommended for traditional students who hope to go into industry or government research, as well as fellowship students who are sponsored by government labs or industry and require completion of an internship as part of the program.

 *Students pursuing the Ph.D. while employed full time, may have the opportunity to waive this requirement and fulfill the credit requirements using other graded graduate courses. This option should be completed with the full agreement of the advisor and Associate Director of Graduate Programs. Total credit requirements must still be met.

Teaching Experience

All MSE Ph.D. Program students will complete a minimum of one semester of a teaching experience, primarily through MSE 651. In MSE 651, a student will be expected to meet regularly with the instructor of the course. The student will be instructed on best practices in teaching and education and apply such lessons as a teaching assistant (TA) in an undergraduate or graduate MSE course.

A TA provides value to a course in various ways and enhances the educational experience of students taking the course. Serving as a TA provides a platform for you to supplement your education, for you to learn teaching principles, and for you to become even more proficient with materials science and engineering concepts. It is recommended that all students complete their first rotation in MSE 651 during the first year of the program. 

Internship

A student may identify and pursue an internship (MSE 590) for credit toward the MSE Degree at any approved employer including companies, government labs, and other universities. MSE 590 would be taken as P/F, and must be approved by both the ADGP and the intern employer to be approved. To enroll in MSE 590, the application form must be completed through the career center with advisor approval.  At the end of the semester, a 2-3 page reflection describing the experience must be submitted for evaluation to the internship coordinator before a passing grade can be assigned. 2 credits of MSE 590 may be applied to the experiential learning requirement

Because the goal of the internship from a programmatic standpoint is the external experience gained, a wide range of types of experiences can be applied. If you are considering an opportunity and curious if it can be used for credit, reach out to msegrad@boisestat.edu.

Registering for Academic Credit for Internship

1. Complete the Internship Orientation Workshop and download your certificate as a PDF file

2. Log onto the INTERNSHIP APPLICATION FOR CREDIT

   1. If this is your first time logging into the Internship Application for Credit, upload your certificate in Step 3

   2. If you have logged into the system previously, click “upload certificate of completion” on the left side of your dashboard

3. Click the “Start Your Application” or “Add Internship” button

4. Complete all required fields

5. Submit your application

After submitting your application, it will go to your department internship coordinator and internship supervisor for review. Your application is not considered fully approved until all parties approve it. Check your Boise State email for updates on this process or log into the Internship Application for Academic Credit to view your internship records. 

College Teaching Certificate

Historically, the Graduate College offered a Certificate in College Teaching to provide marketable skills for graduate students wishing to seek employment in higher education as instructors. MSE allowed students to complete these certificate as an alternative to TA'ing or internships to fulfill the experiential learning requirement. Unfortunately, this certificate no longer exists. Teaching training does still exist through the Center for Teaching and Learning. If a student is interested in pursuing a career that emphasizes college teaching and would like to pursue options to fulfill the experiential learning requirement through this training, they should meet with the Academic Programs Administrator and Program Director to explore options.