How Inquisitive Dogs Dig Deeper and Go the Extra Mile

Independent Study and Experiential Learning

Why does UMBC rank so highly annually in US News and World Report Rankings?

Or why do hundreds of employers set up recruitment tables in the RAC every year to recruit current UMBC students and alums?

Or why does our annual Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievement Day (URCAD) include hundreds of student presenters (from all UMBC majors) and thousands of visitors?

And why are so many of our students awarded significant prestigious scholarships – like the Rhodes, Fulbright, Marshall, Gates-Millennium, and Truman? And finally, how do so many fellow students gain acceptance to some of our nation’s best graduate and professional schools?

One common thread throughout these outcomes is student engagement in experiential learning – applying what you have learned in the classroom in real-world settings. Encouraging, fostering, and rewarding students for these opportunities is a distinctive hallmark of a UMBC education. Applied learning is often transformational – enabling you to differentiate yourself from others in the region and beyond! Are you ready to learn more about how you can gain this distinguishing advantage and benefit from the confidence it often instills? Read on!

Independent Study & Research

Independent study opportunities exist in every single major at UMBC. Yes, that’s right – every department has a course or courses that allow you to propose and execute an academic project with the support and direction of a UMBC faculty member. Independent study and research coursework can earn students anywhere between 1-6 credits – depending on the scope and nature of the project.

Moreover, these courses carry upper-division credit value and can sometimes count toward your major (or minor) requirements. Your relationship with a faculty member is a critical driver; thus, taking at least one or more classes with a faculty member specializing in the subject or topic you are pursuing is ideal.   Departmental websites proudly highlight their faculty’s disciplinary research interests and expertise, which can also help you identify a prospective faculty member to approach.

It is also crucial that your proposed study or project not replicate the content of an existing course in the department. Lastly, please remember that you must be exceptionally motivated and organized to complete the project – as you will indeed be working “independently” without the structure of a class that regularly meets each week. This dimension – working independently to propose and complete a scholarly project that you demonstrated leadership and discipline to execute, is what employers and admissions committees from prestigious graduate and professional schools love to see. Your cover letters, personal statements, and admissions essays will be especially compelling – with these achievements to reference. And, think of how much more meaningful and impactful your letters of recommendation will be from faculty members who have helped you direct such work.

Two examples of departments with helpful and enlightening descriptions are Sociology, Anthropology, and Public Health for independent study and Biological Sciences for research. Other excellent resources to consider include:

Undergraduate Research Opportunities and Resources

Undergraduate Research & Prestigious Scholarships

USM LSAMP Research Program

Internships

An internship is a professional learning experience that offers meaningful, practical work related to a student’s field of study or career interest. An internship enables students to engage in active career exploration and development as well as the opportunity to learn new skills. It allows the employer to bring new ideas and energy into the workplace, develop talent, and potentially build a pipeline for future full-time employees. Our Career Center provides leadership and oversight of UMBC’s excellent internship program. Several UMBC majors require internships like Media and Communication Studies and Social Work. Yet almost all departments sponsor internship credit options managed similarly to independent study and research Economics and Information Systems departments don’t require internships. Still, they are often helping students secure opportunities to work at incredibly diverse businesses and organizations within our region’s for-profit and not-for-profit sectors.

Service Learning

Another significant hallmark of a UMBC undergraduate education is our campus’s commitment to providing student service-learning opportunities. Service learning helps students explore their career interests, network with and interview professionals in their fields of interest, and offer their time and efforts to local organizations needing assistance. While many campuses across the country have various experiential learning centers, the Shriver Center’s diverse portfolio of programs, initiatives, and fellowships – raises its profile as a national leader in applied learning, community engagement, and community-based service delivery. To be sure, students have benefitted dramatically in their career planning through opportunities hosted by the Shriver Center and Career Center – including their co-sponsorship of a fund to help students receive stipends for their applied learning experiences.