Augsburg Experience - What You Need To Know
The Augsburg Experience enables students to link the liberal arts, classroom knowledge and skills with the larger world and gain first hand, community-based experience beyond the campus. This signature element is part of Augsburg's general education requirements and underscores the college's commitment to support student engagement in the community and the world as part of their overall Augsburg education, as expressed in the Augsburg 2004 Vision document.
The Augsburg Experience can be completed through at least one of five learning options typically done in the Junior and Senior years. Ideally students will have multiple experiences across the variety of opportunities throughout their years at Augsburg. Each will strengthen their skills and reinforce their knowledge and understanding, equipping them for professional lives and service following graduation.
- The Augsburg Experience may be done as part of the major or outside the major.
- The opportunities may be scheduled during the academic year or summers.
- Augsburg Experiences may be for credit or not for credit.
Augsburg Experience options:
- Internships, Cooperative Education (work-based experience related to your major), practicum, field work, clinical, student teaching, including domestic semester programs such as HECUA's MUST, City Arts, et al
- Extensive Service-Learning or Community-Based Learning Projects that may or may not be course related or embedded (Note: service-learning in a LAF course is not considered an Augsburg Experience)
- Study Abroad programs at worldwide program and partner university locations, ranging in length from one week to an academic year.
- Faculty-student research with a community/professional application component
- Approved special/individualized off-campus immersion experiences (domestic or international)
Ideas and suggestions from the Chemistry department...
Though any Augsburg student may complete an Augsburg Experience outside of his or her major program, the Chemistry Department offers a number of specific chemistry-related opportunities for students to complete an Augsburg Experience:
Faculty-student research projects
Qualifying research projects would include either Department Honors projects, or projects done as part of an independent study. Students must do perform research under the supervision of a Ph.D. chemist in order for this to qualify as an Augsburg Experience. It would be appropriate to present this research off-campus in any of several venues: Local, Regional, or National ACS, NCUR, or National Academies of Science meetings. Chemistry majors who complete this option may also be eligible for Departmental Honors in Chemistry.Off-campus research projects.
REU (Research Experience for Undegraduates) programs or research assistant positions would qualify. For these, the student needs a sponsor at Augsburg (which should be the academic advisor from department). Students must submit a written report including a general summary of the methods and findings and present it to the faculty sponsor for evaluation. Chemistry majors who complete this option may also be eligible for Departmental Honors in Chemistry.Internships.
The Chemistry Department has offered numerous internships over the years. Ask in the Chemistry Department for the latest internship opportunities; or, see your faculty advisor for more information. These may be taken for credit or for no credit.Student teaching.
Students who are seeking teaching licensure will receive Augsburg Experience credit for student teaching.Chemistry-related study abroad.
See Augsburg Abroad about study abroad opportunities that include chemistry curricula
Contact the following people or offices to help you plan your Augsburg Experiences:
Department Faculty liaison: Ron Fedie, fedie@augsburg.edu, Science 306, CB 87, x1069
Your Academic Advisor
The Center for Service, Work and Learning - x1148
Augsburg Abroad - x1159