Experiential Learning

Case Western Reserve University offers undergraduates a variety of experiences inside and outside the classroom that are built on a process of guided inquiry, preparation, action and reflection. Many research, internship, and employment opportunities are aligned with academic programs. Academic and cultural immersion characterize the study abroad experience, and all study abroad programs help students reach degree completion. In many courses, Case Western Reserve students engage in experiential learning beyond the on-campus classrooms and laboratories. Experiences that form the basis for reflection and synthesis under the guidance of faculty include working with hospitalized children, designing engineering solutions for a problem presented by a municipality, interning at a local media outlet, tutoring in Cleveland’s Hispanic community, gaining experience in public health clinics, studying history with “the city as classroom,” or collecting aquatic specimens from the ponds at the university’s 389-acre farm. Courses that incorporate community service or internships into the curriculum forge links between Case Western Reserve undergraduates and schools, neighborhoods, businesses, and governmental and health care institutions in Cleveland and elsewhere.

International Experience

Case Western Reserve University encourages students to study, research, intern, and participate in community-based experiences abroad. Students benefit personally, academically, and professionally from education abroad experiences.

The Office of Education Abroad collaborates with overseas partners to facilitate participation by CWRU students in a wide selection of education abroad opportunities. Students of all majors can stay on track to graduate while including study abroad program(s) in their degree timeline. In consultation with their major/minor advisors, four-year advisors, and study abroad advisors, students can identify which programs meet their academic and personal goals. They can choose from a traditional semester or academic year abroad, a summer study abroad with a CWRU partner, or CWRU courses that travel abroad with CWRU faculty and students over academic breaks. All of a student's financial aid can be applied to study abroad, and many students find that they are eligible for, and able to secure, study abroad scholarships. Many study abroad programs cost about the same as studying in Cleveland.

Semester and Academic Year Programs

In order to participate in semester or academic year education abroad experience, students must first

• Have completed at least 24 credit hours of coursework at CWRU,
• Have declared a major,
• Be in good academic and student conduct standing with no pending judicial actions or student conduct sanctions, and
• Be otherwise eligible to register on campus at CWRU for the proposed semester(s) (no financial holds, e.g.).

Full-time study: Students participating in semester or academic year study abroad must enroll in the equivalent of at least 12 credit hours each semester in order to maintain full-time student status for the semester abroad.

Transferring credit back to CWRU: Upon presentation of an official transcript from the study abroad program, transfer credit will be awarded for courses completed with an evaluative letter grade of C or higher, provided the student has secured accurate course articulations from the appropriate academic representative at CWRU and followed the guidance given them by the Office of Education Abroad in accordance with existing CWRU transfer credit policies.

Credit limits: After matriculation at Case Western Reserve University, students are permitted to earn a maximum of 38 credit hours of off-campus study credit towards the total required for their degree provided the credits are earned from an accredited institution or through an approved study abroad program. Of this, only 15 credit hours may be taken as part of a domestic program (including cross-registration) or as summer study in a student's home country. Additionally, any off-campus study/transfer credits beyond 15 credit hours may only be taken through approved study abroad programs. Please note that any credit earned beyond these limits will raise the total number of credit-hours required for the degree by the corresponding number.

Foreign language study: Case Western Reserve does not require students to complete any foreign language prerequisites before studying abroad, though students wishing to study in a country where the native language is not English are advised to develop their language skills to the extent possible. Students studying for at least a semester in a single location where English is not an official language must take a course that advances their skills in a language of the host country during each semester of study abroad, provided such courses are available. This may be a course of language instruction or a course taught in a language of the host country. Students participating in study abroad experiences that are comparative in nature and visit several sites within the same semester are not required to include language study in their academic programs.

Tuition: Students participating in semester or academic year study abroad pay CWRU tuition to Case Western Reserve University and maintain full-time student status at CWRU during the period of study abroad. Case Western Reserve University will, in turn, pay the tuition costs for the student's approved study abroad program. Students are responsible for paying all non-tuition costs associated with study abroad to the study abroad program directly (i.e. housing, student fees, excursions, travel costs, etc.). Students retain all of their financial aid while studying abroad. 

Education Abroad Registration: Education Abroad includes any instance where a CWRU student is traveling abroad using CWRU resources, receiving CWRU credit or transfer credit, traveling on behalf of CWRU, or traveling with the endorsement of the university. All students participating in education abroad as defined above are required to register their travel with the Office of Education Abroad and receive travel approval before participating in the education abroad experience.

Additional study abroad information is available from the Office of Education Abroad.

Short-Term, Faculty-led Programs

Case Western Reserve University offers a robust portfolio of faculty-led courses that include a short-term study abroad. These three-credit hour CWRU classes travel as a group with CWRU faculty and students. Short-term, faculty-led programs are often one to three weeks in duration and travel abroad over spring break, winter break, and during the summer. Program offerings vary each year. All Case Western Reserve University students in good academic and disciplinary standing are eligible to participate in short-term, faculty-led study abroad. 

Summer Programs

All Case Western Reserve University undergraduates in good academic and disciplinary standing are permitted to study abroad during the summer. With approval, up to 15 credit hours of summer coursework can be transferred to Case Western Reserve University. During the summer, study abroad students pay tuition and fees directly to the study abroad program.  A wide variety of summer programs is available through the Office of Education Abroad.  

Research, Service Learning, and Internship Opportunities Abroad

Case Western Reserve University offers international research, service learning, and internship opportunities as part of study abroad on many of our approved semester, summer, and faculty-led short-term programs. Study abroad advisors can help students identify and apply to these programs. With the help of the Office of Education Abroad and Case Western Reserve University faculty, students can also conduct independent research projects abroad.

Research Experience

Undergraduate Research

Case Western Reserve University is a research-intensive community with a tradition of involving undergraduates in research and creative endeavors. Regardless of a student's major or academic interests, there are opportunities to engage in research either on campus with Case Western Reserve faculty or elsewhere during both the academic year and the summer. The Undergraduate Research Office provides assistance to students throughout the undergraduate educational experience, including:

• assisting students identify research and creative project opportunities on campus or around the university during the academic year and around the world during the summer,
• providing funding for on-campus summer research,
• providing funding for travel for students presenting their work at regional and national conferences,
• providing educational research and informational seminars,
• sponsoring the Intersections Symposium and Poster Session for students to present their work to our academic community, and
• advising Discussions: The Undergraduate Research Journal of CWRU.

In many cases, students pursuing research under the guidance of a faculty member may earn degree credit by registering for “Undergraduate Research” or "Independent Study" in the appropriate department. These are advanced-level courses and require departmental approval. However, students may not earn both degree credit and pay for the same work. Students may discuss academic credit for research with their major advisor.

Work Experience 

The Center for Civic Engagement and Learning

The Center for Civic Engagement and Learning (CCEL) provides community-based opportunities that promote civic awareness and student leadership while addressing community needs. CCEL offers a variety of programs, services, and resources to connect students with the Cleveland area through responsible community service and other forms of civic engagement. These programs accommodate different student interests and schedules, including one-day Saturdays of Service, weekly opportunities through CCEL Serves, and the year-long Civic Engagement Scholars program. CCEL also serves as a hub for information about non-partisan voter registration and provides community service advising to help students get connected to organizations working on community issues they care about.

Cooperative Education

Cooperative Education (Co-op) is an academic program that enables students in majors offered by the Case School of Engineering to alternate classroom studies with career-based experiences in industry. It is a learning experience designed to integrate classroom theory with practical experience and professional development. Co-op is a paid full-time work experience designed to enhance the student’s education. Case Western Reserve co-op assignments are typically for a seven-month period, each period consisting of a summer and a contiguous spring or fall semester. While participating in co-op, students maintain their full-time student status. This program is available to students pursuing majors in all fields of engineering, computer science (BA and BS), and data science.

Professional Practicum

Practicum is a non-credit experiential education program coordinated through the Career Center that provides students with opportunities to develop and enhance skills, insights, and knowledge related to career development. The desired learning outcome of the practicum experience is intellectual, professional, and personal growth in an area related to a student's academic and career goals. Undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in the College of Arts and Sciences, the Case School of Engineering, the Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing, the Weatherhead School of Management, the School of Medicine, and the Mandel School of Social Sciences who are pursuing career-related work experience and students pursuing entrepreneurial ventures may participate. (Most Case School of Engineering students participate in experiential education through the co-op program, but may participate in practicum, depending on the duration of the assignment.) International students become eligible for Curricular Practical Training (CPT) through the practicum program.

Practicum students enroll in course sections for the semester in which they are on assignment either full-time (40 hours/week) or part-time (20 hours/week). The duration of the program can range from a minimum of 8 weeks to a maximum of 14 weeks per semester. Full-time practicum students do not enroll in other coursework, but maintain full-time student status during the practicum period; part-time participants are expected to enroll in other credit-bearing coursework. Although no credit is awarded, students who successfully complete the practicum assignment receive transcript notation. Successful completion is determined by the Practicum Coordinator with input from the faculty advisor and employer once the required deliverables are submitted by the student.

Students interested in participating in a practicum should contact the Career Center the semester prior to the intended practicum period.

Entrepreneurship

The Veale Institute for Entrepreneurship supports CWRU entrepreneurs as they think about their startups, do the work to move from idea to venture, and thrive at CWRU and beyond. The Veale Institute's mission is to give everyone in the CWRU community an opportunity to explore, develop, and demonstrate entrepreneurial skills. Educational programming such as the CWRU Entrepreneurship Speaker Series, THINKFast and Skills Lab workshops, and Pitch Playground are available for students looking to explore their interest in starting a business. Within the Veale Institute, CWRU LaunchNET is the entrepreneurship gateway on campus to help students in all majors test, validate, and turn their ideas into products and services. Additionally, funding opportunities are available through the THINK, DO, THRIVE Grant Program and the Morgenthaler-Pavey Startup Competition. Whether you have an idea or not, the Veale Institute for Entrepreneurship is an available resource to students of all majors at CWRU.

Study in Washington DC

The Washington Center Program provides students with the opportunity to complete a full-time, research-intensive internship in Washington, D.C. By participating in a semester-length program during the fall or spring (WASH 2A ), students earn 9 credit hours; for a summer internship (WASH 2D), they earn 3 credit hours. In addition, students earn 3 credit hours for participating in a seminar and attending a weekly lecture/discussion group (WASH 2B) and 3 credit hours by developing a portfolio based on their internship experiences (WASH 2C). The credits earned can be counted as general electives or applied to a student’s major or minor with the prior consent of the individual department(s).

To be eligible for the program, a student is expected to be a junior or senior and have a GPA of at least 3.000. The program director, the student’s major advisor, and the appropriate dean in the Undergraduate Advising Support Office must approve each application. Students must ensure that their participation will not prevent them from meeting on-campus residency or other university requirements.