Applied Learning Experiences
Support for applied learning
Applied learning experiences allow students to enhance and expand upon the concepts they learn in class and deepen their first-hand knowledge and professional development. The College of Arts and Sciences offers many exciting applied learning experiences, including research opportunities in every department.
We also offer financial support to make the experiences more attainable.
- Undergraduate Research Awards - $1,500 scholarship for research and creative endeavors
- Internship Awards - $2,000 scholarship for internship, apprenticeship or practicum experiences
- Chapman Scholars Programs - Up to six $5,000 scholarships a year for summer experiences and tuition.
Applied learning in action
Arts and Sciences students are getting valuable applied learning experiences in all of K-State's six applied learning experience categories: research, internship, creative, global, community-engaged learning and leadership. Here are a few examples:
America, a fisheries, wildlife, conservation and environmental biology major, did migratory bird research at Konza Prairie. "It's so fun to be able to handle the birds while contributing to a bigger goal."
Media and communication students can get experience in radio, television, news and sports journalism, and more with KSDB 91.9-FM, KKSU-TV Channel 8 and Collegian Media Group.
Devon is a drummer and percussionist in multiple K-State music ensembles. "My goal is to play in a symphony, a pit-drum-set type setting, and gig around."
Spanish majors and minors from multiple colleges gained valuable research experience and Spanish language and culture immersion during a faculty-led summer program in Spain.
Camila, Maria and other graduate and undergraduate modern languages students offered bilingual storytimes with crafting and free books in partnership with Manhattan Public Library.
Josh, a sophomore Air Force ROTC cadet, helps train newer cadets. Leadership and teamwork are key skill-building components of the ROTC program.
Duru, a statistics, political science and French major, did statistical research on anti-American sentiment caused by drone strikes in Pakistan. She also studied abroad in Turkey and Belgium.
Madison, a criminology major, interned at the Jackson County Medical Examiner's office, assisting with autopsies by taking x-rays, fingerprints and photos, and supporting organ evisceration.
Music, theatre, and dance students take arts education, performance and therapy to rural Western Kansas, where there aren't enough instructors and performers.
Alexa, a fine arts major, participated in the KSU in Italy program and learned about Italian history and culture as well as photography and storytelling.
For the Hungry Heartlands project, students in media and communication and social transformation studies produced the "Empty Breadbasket" video and other exposés about food insecurity in rural Kansas.
Erin, a chemistry major, worked in a lab that is developing methods to use electrochemistry to create and deposit nanoporous materials that can be used to detect and remove harmful chemicals.
Brayden did geological fieldwork in Wyoming's Teton Range with support from a Chapman Scholarship for summer applied learning experiences.
Maggie, a pre-med biochemistry and Spanish major who studies cancer-causing proteins, had a physician shadowing experience in Argentina.
Bernie, a theatre design and technology major, was the wardrobe supervisor for the K-State Theatre costume shop.
Sam Speck, a conservation biology major, investigated trends in prairie mouse genetics to understand broader changes in grassland ecology.
Geology students in the Kansas Groundwater Geopaths program support water quality research and test rural groundwater and wells for contaminants.
Lidia, a microbiology major, conducted cell differentiation research and studied how environmental stress can cause development of a second cell type in multicellular algae.