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You will need 3 experiential learning credits to graduate with your kinesiology degree.
Your credits can be achieved through internships (pre-requisite KIN 307), research, projects, or even studying abroad.
Work with your Academic Advisor to plan the best type of credits and time to take credits according to your academic plan.
One credit is equal to 30 total hours over a 10-week term, or 3 hours/week of “work” at a site. The hours go up exponentially with each credit. For example, 3 credits are equal to 90 hours over a10-week term.
Experiential learning credits are typically completed during the third and fourth year in school.
You may split your hours over several terms or do them all in one. You may repeat internships for up to 20 credits. Although, only 9 credits can be counted towards KIN Beyond the Core requirements.
Research is for everyone! The wonderful thing about research is that it is extremely versatile and flexible, allowing you to decide exactly when you want to get started. Students can start as early as their first term at OSU!
Get paid to do research! Search for student employment opportunities for available research lab positions.
Explore OSU-Cascades Research Labs.
Email the Research Lab’s faculty member(s) and express your interest to engage in research with them. Consider this first email as the first step to an interview; be sure the email reflects your best effort. Follow these email etiquette tips.
Schedule a time to meet with the faculty member/mentor. Check out these tips on interviewing to work in a research lab.
Apply for the Cascades Research and Scholarship Fellowship. Find a faculty mentor at OSU-Cascades and fill out an application to get started.
Participate in URSA Engage (Undergraduate Research, Scholarship, and the Arts). Explore current research opportunities for undergraduate students. Follow the URSA Engage Student timeline and apply! Students are required to present their work at the Cascades Research and Scholarship Symposium in Spring term. Have more questions? Check out the URSA FAQ’s.
START PLANNING EARLY! Sometimes it can take a week, sometimes months. Start planning two terms in advance.
Students are responsible for researching sites and finding the experience you are seeking. If you need assistance finding an internship site, please set up a meeting with a Career or Peer Advisor.
Follow the 6 steps outlined in the Kinesiology Internship Program page.
Kinesiology sites are broad and based on your area of interest. Consider if you want to engage in: health, fitness, sporting activities, a medical setting, or other human movement-based work sites.
Some internship sites offer paid internships, and some are not. Shadowing or practicums are not paid.
Please be kind to internship sites and give them plenty of time to respond. Sites are volunteering their time to help you grow.
Talk with your potential site about credits, how many hours you are available, dates of the term(s), start date, etc.
Once a site has agreed to allow take you on as an intern, start the Submit an Experience in Handshake process.
Internship sites may choose to have an Affiliation Agreement with OSU. This allows liability to follow you from the classroom to the site. Generating an Affiliation Agreement will be handled by the Assistant Director of Experiential Learning and may take up to a month to complete.
If using a current job as your internship, you need complete a new learning experience for hours to count towards experiential learning. This could be an additional project or working with a different supervisor at your current job site.
The Office of Global Opportunities (OSU GO) offers rich and diverse opportunities for you to travel, learn, and earn credits. You may choose an international experience for your kinesiology major, Bacc core, or elective credits.
To get started, review the different types of study abroad programs offered and decide which program is the best fit for your goals. OSU GO offers several types of abroad programs including faculty-led study tours, study abroad programs, global internships, and exchange opportunities. Check out the College of Health Study Abroad opportunities.
Follow the steps on the OSU GO Getting Started page to create an OSU GO account. From here, you will find information how to access study abroad materials, connect with OSU GO staff, and submit your application.