Office of Experiential & Integrative Learning

>> Taking tomorrow boldly, one experiential learning opportunity at a time!

Experiential Learning at BSU

At Bowie State University, experiential learning is a hallmark component of our innovative and transformational, undergraduate and graduate education. We aspire for all students to be elevated by boldly engaging in experiential learning activities.

Experiential Learning (EL) is a dynamic educational approach where students learn by doing and engage in reflection on their experiences (Kolb, 1984). Unlike traditional lecture-based methods, experiential learning immerses students in practical, hands-on activities that take place in real-world settings or simulations. These activities may occur in the community, workplace, labs, expert-led environments, role-plays, or various other applied contexts and situations, essentially turning the entire campus and world beyond into an interactive classroom. This approach places students at the center of the learning process, fostering authentic and meaningful learning experiences that unleash students' potential for growth and transformation. As a result, experiential learning enhances knowledge, develops skills, clarifies values, and empowers students to contribute to their communities (AEE, 2024).

Across the university, experiential learning is integrated into the curricular and co-curricular activities, both on and off campus. These experiential learning activities may take many different forms including capstone projects, e-portfolios, entrepreneurial ventures, freshmen seminar, internships, research, study abroad, and more.

Office of Experiential and Integrative Learning