The Office of Experiential Learning

The mission of the Office of Experiential Learning (OEL) at Berklee College of Music is to provide practical internship and service-learning opportunities to our students. All OEL programs are credit-bearing and allow students a deliberate opportunity to connect the Berklee curriculum with practical development.

An internship allows a student to explore career options, provides on-the-job training, and encourages mentorship. Attaining this goal will require sustained commitment, attention, and effort from the student, the college, and the employer. Internships should be a supervised experiential learning experience designed to broaden the student's knowledge of music and to provide the student with a more comprehensive understanding of his or her career objectives.

Service-Learning is a pedagogy through which students enhance their academic experience, gain an understanding of civic engagement and important social issues, and work to meet a real community need. In a mix of classroom and service hours, the program aims to find creative outlets for students, no matter their musical expertise, which will allow for exploration of how their talents can contribute to the larger community while augmenting their skills. In addition, the program seeks to engage students in critical discussion and reflection about their own identities as members of a community and all of the roles and responsibilities associated with active citizenship.

The responsibility of the Office of Experiential Learning is to assist any qualified student in obtaining and maintaining an internship or service-learning experience. Acting as a channel of communication between the student and organization, the OEL staff will provide internship guidance and counseling, search information, and develop and monitor student application and evaluation procedures. The coordinator will screen students, assist in student placement, market the program to students, and develop and nurture organizational relationships.

Photo by Phil Farnsworth