SET Domain: Professional Experience

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Domain Description

The goal of this domain is to highlight the professional experiences that students take part in during their academic career. These experiences may involve academic credit or they may be co-curricular in nature. Regular full-time or part-time employment is typically not eligible for this domain; however, if the experience is directly related to your field of study, these may apply.

Examples and Criteria

Examples of academic credit activities that satisfy this domain include:

  • Internship—faculty-monitored work experience for which students earn academic credit as part of their curriculum. Internships can be part-time or full-time, and can be paid or unpaid.
  • Practicum—faculty-monitored work experience that relates to the student's academic curriculum and may or may not earn academic credit. Practica are generally offered in departments that do not offer internships.
  • Student Teaching—faculty-monitored teaching experience for which students earn academic credit as part of their curriculum. It is generally unpaid.
  • Clinical—a faculty-monitored experience associated with a healthcare organization.

Activities or experiences that do not earn academic credit may also be used in this domain. Examples include:

  • Field Experience—experience applying to the student's field of study (a completed Employer Verification Form will be required).
  • Non-academic internship—work experience that does not earn academic credit, but that is applicable to the field of study (a completed Employer Verification Form will be required). 
  • Completion of the Professional Development Portfolio (see details below).

Professional Development Portfolio (PDP)

The Professional Development Portfolio (PDP) is a way to showcase your participation in various Professional Development events and activities.

To complete the PDP, you must participate in at least five eligible PD events and/or activities such as workshops, conferences, trainings, online courses including Big Interview (Fast Track). These experiences should be related to your field of study and/or help you develop relevant knowledge and skills for your future career.

Getting SET Category Approval

Internships

Academic internships can be added to a student’s SET upon request after grades are posted (send an email to set@rmu.edu).  If a student attempts to submit an internship electronically, it will be declined.  If an internship is not listed on the student's SET by the end of the first month of the following academic term in which the internship was completed, please email set@rmu.edu. 

Students who complete a non-academic internship will need to have their supervisor complete the Employer Verification Form and submit it to set@rmu.edu. If approved, the experience will be added to their SET.

Other Professional Experiences

Internships

Upon successful completion of a practicum, student teaching, or clinical experience, the experience will be reported by authorized staff in the student's department (not a self-reported activity).

If a student attempts to submit such an experience electronically, it will be declined.  If the experience is not listed on the student's SET by the end of the first month of the following academic term in which it was completed, please email set@rmu.edu.