Career Center > Resources > Career & Life Design > Career & Life Experiences

Career & Life Experience Courses

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Earn academic credits and fulfill your Experiential Learning (EL) credit while engaging in workplace learning at your internship or job.  ​

​Work & Learn Courses​

​CLD 250: Navigating the Workplace

CLD 250 connects students' work experience with  academic curriculum, promoting ongoing career learning, development, and reflection. Through structured coursework and reflection, students will have the opportunity to explore their career, goals, skills, and a variety of career development topics, using their work experience as an extension of the classroom. ​​​Note: CLD 250 is completely online asynchronous and fulfills DePaul's Experiential Learning requirement. It is open to all undergraduate students, and if you have already completed the EL requirement, the course will be counted as a general elective. Your work experience must be approved by the department, and applications can be submitted through Blue Demon Internships: go.depaul.edu/bluedemoninternships.​


All current DePaul undergraduate students can apply for enrollment using both paid and unpaid work experiences. We accept the following work experiences, so long as they meet our enrollment requirements: internships, on-campus employment, part-time and full-time jobs, and research positions. 

In order to receive academic credit for your work experience through enrollment in CLD 250, your position must meet the following qualifications:

1.  The work performed should provide you with clear opportunities to practice and hone analytical, technical/professional, and/or interpersonal skills.

2. The work experience should also serve as an opportunity and space for you to explore career development issues, career and academic interests, and potential career options.

3. The work should act as an extension of the classroom, serving as both a learning space and a space to apply concepts learned. 

4. Your work experience must run for the duration of the course, accumulating a minimum of 80 hours during the quarter you are enrolled.

5. The position should provide you with substantial interaction with professional staff who offer feedback and mentorship and who can discuss your goals, interests, and professional development. Your supervisor must be a paid professional within the organization. 

If you think your job/internship may not meet the requirements for enrollment, we encourage your to reach out to cld@depaul.edu directly. We approve applications on a case by case scenario, and depending on the work experience and specifics of your job function, we may be able to work with you and your supervisor to develop a special project or temporarily elevate your roles and responsibilities for the duration of enrollment. 

 

If you are an F-1 or J-1 international student, you need to recieve approval from International Student and Scholar Services (ISS) prior to accepting an off-campus position. If you have any questions regarding employment authorization, contact ISS. For information on applyig for CPT/OPT or AT, please visit the ISS' page on employment.

Apply for enrollment in 4 easy steps:

1. Secure a Work Experience

Before you can apply for enrollment in CLD 250, you must first secure an internship, campus employment, a research position, or a job that will run synchronously to the quarter you’re applying for. We cannot approve previous work experiences. The Department of Career & Life Design will review each position individually ensuring that it meets the requirements (see FAQ below).

2. Visit go.depaul.edu/BlueDemonInternships

Log in with your Campus Connect info, and complete your registration: filling in your contact information and student profile. You can access this at any time via the My Profile tab on the left-hand navigation bar.

 

3. Complete and submit your application

 

From the homepage (dashboard), Click on Apply for Enrollment button inside the Internship Course Application box. Follow the prompts to complete your application, and click save to submit. You are required to include an official job description that includes a breakdown of your role and responsibilities. You will receive a confirmation email once submitted and are able to view the status of your application by checking the approval workflow under My Internship Records. 

4. Get enrolled

Once your application is approved by both the Department of Career & Life Design and your supervisor, our team will enroll you in CLD 250. We accept applications on a rolling basis and fill the sections as applications are approved. We encourage you to apply as soon as possible, as our application will likely close prior to the start of the term (the application will close no later than the third day of each academic quarter). If your application is not approved before the sections fill or the enrollment cut off period (end of the first week of the term), we cannot enroll you. CLD 250 can be repeated two times; if you have previously enrolled in CLD 250 (or UIP 250) and/or you have already fulfilled Experiential Learning requirement, the course will be counted as a general elective. 

If your internship is unpaid, you can apply for funding through the Internship Plus Award, which was established to support DePaul University students in unpaid internships. This program awards up to $2,500 in financial assistance to eligible undergraduate students working in a quarter-long unpaid internship.

LAS students who have an internship with a non-profit, non-governmental organization, or government entity can submit an application for funding through the Community- and Project-based Learning (CPBL) Internship Scholarship. 

You can also find additional funding sources here.

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​​​​​​Career Trek Courses

Explore careers beyond the classroom! Career Treks offer you the opportunity to learn about career paths, clarify career interests, and build your network, taking the learning beyond the classroom. 

Washington DC: Careers in Government, Politics & International Affairs​

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In partnership with Study Abroad, this Career Trek includes a two-course series, connected by a trek to Washington, D.C. over spring break. You must apply and be accepted into Washington DC: Careers in Government, Politics & International Affairs in order to enroll in either course. Participants of this Career Trek will receive Experiential Learning (EL) credit from DePaul upon completion of the courses and trek.

To learn more about Washington DC: Careers in Government, Politics & International Affairs, please visit the Study Abroad program website.

This program will not run during the 2023-2024 academic year.

  

CLD 330: Careers on Capitol Hill (Winter Quarter)

This course is designed to introduce students to Washington, D.C. and career opportunities in the nation’s capital. The substantive part of the course will examine the American legislative process, the operations of the Federal Government, and the mechanisms by which one can find employment in Washington, D.C.  The class will also examine the dysfunction of the current political environment and what leading analysts think can and should be done to fix it. In conjunction with CLD 335: Landing a Job on Capitol Hill, the two courses will provide an overview of the different aspects of Washington as an “industry town” and how one can find employment in the fields of government, public policy, and international affairs. While in Washington, D.C, we will meet with a variety of professionals and DePaul alumni who will discuss their career tracks and other issues related to the course.  

During your time in D.C., you will engage with DePaul alumni/industry professionals as you learn about career paths, clarify your career interests, and build your network on “The Hill.” Upon your return, you will take CLD 335: Landing a Job on Capitol Hill.

CLD 335: Landing a Job on Capitol Hill (Spring Quarter)

Having just returned from a week on “The Hill,” you will be ready to reflect on your experience, share your insights, and start thinking about your job or internship search in Washington, D.C. While there are a wide range of employment opportunities, securing a position on Capitol Hill is competitive. This course will help to position you for success in your search. Building off of what you learned in CLD 330 and your week in Washington, D.C., you will develop a customized search strategy for working or interning on "The Hill," taking into account industry-specific trends, rules, and best practices. 

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United Kingdom: International Careers​

In partnership with Study Abroad, this Career Trek includes a two-course series, connected by a trek to London over spring break. You must apply and be accepted to the United Kingdom: International Careers program to be enrolled in the courses. This program is for students interested in living and working abroad. Participants will receive Experiential Learning (EL) credit from DePaul upon successful completion of the courses and trek.

 

This program will not run during the 2023-2024 academic year. Applications for the 2024-2025 academic year will open in Fall of 2024.

 

CLD 340: Exploring a Career Abroad (Winter Quarter)

Opportunities for working, studying, and/or volunteering abroad post-graduation are plentiful, but you need to know where to look. Before embarking on any search, you need to explore more about yourself and potential career paths. In this course, you will analyze your strengths, values, and interests as you explore career options and paths to work, study, or volunteer abroad. You will learn about London as a global city and connect with DePaul alumni living overseas, learning from their experiences.

CLD 345: Designing a Career Abroad (Spring Quarter)

Upon returning from a week in London, you will continue reflecting on your experience and sharing insights with your peers as you begin considering future work/study/volunteer opportunities abroad. While there are a wide range of international opportunities available to you, securing a position with an employer, university, or volunteer organization is not only competitive but also requires careful reflection, research, and planning. This course will help give you the knowledge and skills needed to create a personal career toolkit that you can use to apply for future opportunities. Building on what you learned in CLD 340 and your week in London, you will also develop a customized search strategy for working, studying, or volunteering abroad, taking into account country-specific rules, regulations, and trends.

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