Career Integrated Education

A period of full-time employment is perhaps the best form of career preparation, especially for full-time MBA students. Drexel's Career Integrated Education (CIE) option provides the opportunity to gain academic credit while pursuing professional employment.

CIE is ideal for students seeking to build resumes, for international students wanting to work in the United States, for U.S. students seeking to work overseas, and those who are pursuing the MBA with the goal of changing careers. Some students who have participated have been able to pursue permanent employment with their CIE employer. Drexel maintains a network of more than 1,600 hiring organizations-both in the United States and abroad that can be approached for CIE employment.

The standard CIE job placement period is six months. Students are linked with an on-campus faculty adviser and an on-the-job corporate mentor (usually the day-to-day supervisor). The student's professional activities are carefully integrated into the overall educational experience.

Academic Qualifications

Applicants must submit a CIE application, available at the LeBow Office of Graduate Studies, Matheson 105, and meet the following academic "preliminary qualifications" to be eligible for CIE participation:

• The student's cumulative grade point average must be 3.0 ("B" average) or above.
• When applying to the program, students must be non-provisional, "regular" students in good standing.
• A student must have an approved plan of study on file which indicates that he or she will have completed at least eight advanced (600-level) courses by the term during which he or she wishes to register for the CIE work experience.
• The approved plan of study and transcript must indicate that students have at least one concentration course and one other course remaining after completing the CIE work experience.

CIE Course Registration and Academic Credit
During the consecutive terms of work experience, the student will register for a CIE course that is conducted in two, three-credit modules. Course number and section information will be available at an initial orientation for all academically-approved candidates.

Students are eligible for academic credit during the CIE experience, earning up to three elective credit hours in the plan of study. Tuition is also assessed for CIE participation at the regular rate.

More information about the CIE program is available at the Steinbright Career Development Center web site, www.drexel.edu/scdc.