What is the APPLE Program?
APPlied Learning Experience (APPLE) (GNED 398/399) is a
structured educational program that integrates academic studies
with learning through hands-on work experience. An APPLE
may be full or part-time and may be paid or unpaid. This
program is supervised by the Career Planning and Student
Employment director and an APPLE committee. Academic credit
is granted to each student successfully completing an approved
experience. The APPLE experience requires 120 hours of supervised
work in an approved business or professional work setting.
The course is designed to allow the student to focus on important
career topics such as organization, culture, decision-making,
leadership, values, and ethics in the workplace. Check the
course description in the General Education (GNED) section
of your course catalog for more information.
Prerequisites
• A
minimum of 61 semester hours
• At least 15 semester hours taken in residence at CSU
• A minimum cumulative 2.0 GPA
How do I participate?
All CSU students who meet the course prerequisites may participate
in the Apple program. The approval process has been outlined
below.
• Register
for GNED 398/399 through the Registrar's Office or on
Campus Web.
• Register for the Part 1 and Part 2 Mandatory APPLE Orientation Workshops.
Each session will last 1.5 hours. Upload your resume on the BucCareer Network
or bring a copy of your resume to the first workshop.
• Register and upload your resume on the BucCareer Network.
Once you are registered, you must successfully complete
the APPLE orientation workshops, submit a job plan outline
and obtain an approved APPLE contract before officially beginning
the APPLE program. The APPLE submission forms for participants
and businesses may be submitted or downloaded online. {Click
here for APPLE FORMS}
How do I sign up for interviews?
The Director of Career Planning and Student Employment will
coordinate the interview process. You will submit the placement
preferences during the APPLE Orientation Workshop. Businesses
will only interview students after successful completion
of the two-part APPLE Orientation Workshop. {Click Here for
schedule of APPLE Workshops}
Will I receive academic credit?
Yes. 3 general elective credits will be given for satisfactory
completion of the course. You must complete a minimum of
120 clock hours per semester to receive credit. Grading is
on a pass/fail basis. No more than 6 credit hours may be
awarded for APPLE experiences. Students may participate in
two APPLEs or a combination of one APPLE and one department
internship. A one-page job plan is required after the interview
to outline proposed duties and goals. A final paper is due
at the end of the APPLE experience.
Why should I participate in APPLE?
Real life work experience is a vital part of career preparation.
The CSU APPLE program gives students structured experiences
which integrate academic studies and interests. You have
the opportunity to learn through productive work experiences
in a field related to your career goal. Students should participate
to gain a competitive edge in today's job market and ...
• acquire
essential practical skills in a professional setting
• investigate full-time job leads in the future
• develop professional and personal skills
• make informed career decisions
• begin the process of networking with potential employers
• apply theories learned in the classroom to a real world setting
• ease the transition from student to professional
Why would businesses want to participate?
CSU’s
administrative structure is designed to create a win-win
experience for businesses and students. The more
experience a student gains as an undergraduate, the more
prepared he/she will be upon entering the work force. The
APPLE orientation workshops will train students in work ethics,
professionalism and realistic expectations on the job. Once
placed in a position, the students' progress is monitored
bi-monthly through an on-line process. Employers can report
satisfactory or unsatisfactory results to the CPSE director
who will mediate as needed.
