FAQ

Experiential Learning is the process of learning through doing, generally with hands-on real-world challenges. Experiential learning assists students in developing practical skills, critical thinking abilities, and a deeper understanding of course material by linking theoretical concepts to real-world contexts.

You should have an updated and professional Resume and Cover Letter. We also recommend having a portfolio of the projects you have worked on. You should also have ready a list of people who would recommend you if a company asks for references. Your references should consist of professionals in your field such as professors or industry professionals/mentors who can vouch for your skills and ability to do the job you are applying to. If you need help with your Resume and Cover Letters, please find resources on the Projects & Partnerships tab.

Even if you haven’t had your first engineering position yet, there are plenty of ways you can gain work experience and create a competitive resume.

• Non-engineering work experiences may include skills and responsibilities that are transferable to the engineering field such as organization, teamwork, and communication.
• Joining an engineering student club can grant you new engineering skills and responsibilities that will both help you become a better engineer and boost your resume. Being in a student group can also help you network during your job search.
• Add projects that you have worked on during your engineering courses at school to your resume or create a portfolio. Include relevant courses, responsibilities during the project, and project findings to show how your course projects can relate to a real-world situation. Check out the course catalogue for your major to find courses that require design projects.
• You should also work on projects outside your curriculum to practice your skills and add to your portfolio. This will show passion, creativity, and determination towards your engineering discipline.
• Consider joining an undergraduate research program or assist a professor in their research. Research is an excellent way to gain real-world experience in design, problem-solving, product testing and development, and working with professionals.

Accessing resources always starts with your project sponsor/advisor. The project advisor would supply specialized equipment in his/her lab. Fabrication equipment, space, and assistance is available to all projects is available through the UCI Makerspace. Computing Hardware and Software for UCI affiliates is available through Engineering Computer Labs & Laptops. Space is a huge challenge. The first requirement for getting space is for your project to have a UCI-affiliated advisor. As first if they have space. If not, reach out to UCI Makerspace. Funding could come from course fees if your project is affiliated with a course. Many engineering project teams have fund raising operations where they approach external entities that might be supportive of their activities. The Office for Experiential learning might have occasional RFPs (requests for proposals) that supports experiential learning. Any RFPs would be communicated through channels that reach all School of Engineering undergrads.

If you are looking to start a UCI student club/organization, you can find requirements on the Office of Campus Organization webpage. Project teams can exist outside of a student club, but they require a sponsoring organization (e.g., Engineering Student Council) and/or a faculty/staff sponsor/advisor.

You can find a list of our engineering student clubs and project teams with links to their respective webpages or social medias on our Projects & Partnerships tab or by clicking here. You’ll have opportunities to explore the various engineering student clubs and project teams through campus events such as E-Week or the Anteater Involvement Fair during Welcome Week, or through club meetings which are advertised through email, flyers, and social media. We also encourage students who want to join project teams and student clubs to meet people in their classes and around campus to get to know members of these student groups.

Yes! You can work on projects outside of your specific discipline by joining student clubs or working on interdisciplinary projects. You can find out more about student clubs and interdisciplinary projects through the Projects & Partnerships tab. Individual interdisciplinary project opportunities will be posted on our News & Events tab.

All Capstone (Senior Design) Projects are showcased during Design Reviews. Some projects created by student clubs and project teams are entered into competitions. Some projects are supported through UROP which has bi-annual reviews. You are also encouraged to look for conferences and society meetings to present your work at.

As an undergraduate student at UCI, the intellectual property from your project belongs to you if you did not enter into any agreements with UCI, your sponsor/advisor, or other external entities. You are welcome to continue to work on your project. You might look at some of the entrepreneurial resources listed on our Projects and Partnerships tab. Access to UCI facilities would need to be negotiated with the appropriate managers.

Yes, your sponsor/advisor would probably also play a role in this, so talk to them first.

This will depend on the event. We expect most events to be open to everyone, but they will be primarily advertised to students and faculty in the School of Engineering.

It will depend on the workshop, but almost all, if not all, will be free.

It will depend on the workshop. If certification or credit is available, it will be made clear in the announcement.

You can find the MakerSpace FAQ here.

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