Experiential Learning Courses and Labs
Experiential Learning – Apply Yourself
Through Experiential Learning courses and projects you will have the opportunity to combine your prior work experience with the knowledge acquired in your Kellogg MBA core and elective courses to explore the ways in which management theory applies to the real-world business environment and nonprofit settings. You will be supported along the way by faculty, fellow students on your teams and sponsoring organizations to maximize your learning experience.
Kellogg offers a variety of courses to help you apply what you’ve learned. Courses fall into two broad categories:
- Industry-based Courses
- Skill Development Courses
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Course Planning Tool – Sort by Experiential Learning+
To find all of the Experiential Learning courses that are available, you can now use the Course Planning Tool to search for these courses by year, by quarter or by academic department.
- From within the Course Planning Tool application, go to “Tag Courses” section
- Select “Filter Course List”
- Make sure the “Experiential Learning” check box is selected
- Filter by the Term, Academic Year, or other criteria available
- Click “Go”
Course Applications and Due Dates+
Independent and Field Studies+
In addition to Experiential Learning courses, students can have experiential learning opportunities in the form of Field Studies. Through Field Studies, students can work with outside companies and non-profit organizations to shape and scope a project for course credit. Field Study projects are quite flexible and, as such, are perfect to help students create a personalized learning experience that is specific to their professional objectives.
When pursing a Field Study, you will need to do the following:
- Find a project (do this first and then find a faculty advisor once you have a general idea of your project topic)
- Find a project through your personal or professional contacts, informational interviews or the Kellogg alumni network
- Look on the Kellogg Job Board (Company Search = Kellogg Experiential Learning)
- Work with Experiential Learning staff to develop a plan
- Obtain a faculty advisor – this is required in order to receive course credit for a Field Study
- Ask past faculty you have had for your core and elective courses
- Look on the Faculty Experts Guide to find faculty with a research interest in the area of your project
- Work with Experiential Learning staff to identify potential faculty advisor
- Fill out the Independent and Field Study form, including signatures from your faculty advisor and their Department Chair
- Submit your form to the Registrar by the Add Deadline for the quarter in which you’ll apply the Independent Study (Please note: the Add Deadline is generally the end of the first week of courses for the quarter for a full-credit course and the end of the 6th week for a half-credit course)
For additional information, please see the Independent and Field Study page.
Resources for Student Projects+
FAQs+
Experiential Learning courses
1. What are Experiential Learning courses?
Experiential Learning courses give students an opportunity to apply what they have learned in their core and elective courses on real-world projects for sponsoring organizations within the low-risk environment of an academic endeavor.
2. How can I find Experiential Learning courses?
You can find Experiential Learning courses through the Course Planning Tool. See the “Course Planning Tool” section above.
3. What skills will I develop in Experiential Learning courses?
There are many skills you will have the opportunity to develop through an Experiential Learning project, depending on the project/course, including but not limited to:
- Project Management
- Client Management
- Teamwork
- Leadership
- Skills specific to the project you undertake – analytics, financial modeling, marketing (identifying a target market, primary and secondary research, etc.), strategic planning, and more.
Independent Studies
1. Can I take an Independent Study as an individual or a team?
Both. You can take an Independent Study as an individual or as part of a team. If you are part of a team, each person on the team will need to submit a separate Independent Study form.
2. What is the deadline to submit the Independent Study form?
The deadline to submit an Independent Study form is the same as the Add Deadline for the corresponding period. For example, if you are adding an Independent Study for the second half of winter quarter, you would need to adhere to the Add Deadline for the second 5 weeks of the quarter. That deadline is generally around the end of the 6th week of classes.
3. What are the expectations of a faculty supervisor?
The Independent Study is fairly flexible. The only requirement is that the faculty supervisor provides a grade for the student at the end of the project. Faculty supervisors also generally support the student’s research (through advising, referrals to other subject matter experts, approach to research, etc.) that is necessary to successfully complete the Independent Study. Some faculty will be more “hands on” than others and will have additional requirements for the student(s).
4. Who can be my faculty supervisor?
Any faculty member that has a Kellogg appointment can be a faculty supervisor.
5. How do I find a faculty advisor?
One of the best ways to find a Faculty Advisor is to ask a faculty member that you (or someone on your project team) has a good relationship with and who might have an interest in the area of your project. When you ask, you might consider asking the faculty member for suggestions of professors to reach out to for a project such as X. By doing so, if they are interested and have the time, they have an opening to say that they are interested. If they don’t, you have a great lead for a professor recommended by their peer.
6. How can I find a project?
Students can find a project in several ways:
- Utilize your personal or professional contacts
- Develop contacts through informational interviews
- Leverage the Kellogg alumni network
- Look on the Kellogg Job Board (Company Search = Kellogg Experiential Learning) for posted projects
7. As a student myself, can I submit a project for other students to work on?
Absolutely –If you would like to post a project or direct someone else to post one, please see the online project submission form.
Corporate Involvement+
Our corporate partners develop and enhance relationships with Kellogg faculty and students while playing a key role in student educational and career opportunities. Here are some of the ways that an organization can get involved with Kellogg students and faculty:
- Submit a project for an Experiential Learning Course or Independent Study
- Support Student Activities by providing speakers for club events and conferences, working on case development, and offering recruiting opportunities.