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Undergraduate Research · Service Learning · Leadership · Internships · Study Abroad / U.S.

Keeping it REAL!!!

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Real-world Experiences Applied to Learning

qeplogoTarleton's QEP, "Keeping it REAL: Real-world Experiences Applied to Learning," is designed to enhance undergraduate education by integrating applied learning experiences into the students' baccalaureate education.

The mission of "Keeping it REAL" is to support the achievement of TSU's strategic goals, known campus-wide as the "Four E's," by engaging the student in applied learning in order to broaden and strengthen their real-world connections to experiences inside and outside the classroom, thus transforming the baccalaureate degree at Tarleton into a distinctive educational experience.

The applied learning experiences that will be the focus of "Keeping it REAL" are:

  • Undergraduate Research
  • Service Learning
  • Leadership
  • Internships and Practicum Experiences
  • Study Abroad/Study U.S.

What makes Keeping It REAL initiatives different from many existing curricular and extracurricular efforts is the e-portfolio content related to applied learning.  One of the requirements of an experience is that the student must submit a written reflection in his/her e-portfolio that addresses the following:

  • Describe how the applied learning experience helped you integrate your entire collegiate curriculum and experiences.
  • Analyze the impact of the applied learning experience on the development of your academic, political, social, cultural and economic global view.

The student must also submit at least one additional artifact from the experience, such as a poster presentation or photostory.  With the guidance and mentoring of faculty and staff, the students will think critically and articulate the broader impact of these activities, thus transforming their overall collegiate experience and better preparing them for life beyond college.

By successfully completing a number of these activities, students will be able to graduate with special recognition and will have a strong e-portfolio with which to market themselves to employers and graduate schools.

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