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Beyond the Classroom

College is more than what's learned in the classroom, teaching lab, or studio.

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A world of opportunities

The College of Liberal Arts provides opportunities for learning that will enable student success at UM and long after graduation. In a national survey of employers by the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AACU), the types of experiences that employers value among college graduates are:

  • Community Service M PartnerInternships
  • Community project with people from diverse backgrounds
  • Collaborative research project with peers
  • Service learning project in the community
  • Advanced senior project/thesis
  • Multiple courses with significant writing
  • Study abroad

Therefore, get off campus to learn about the world and apply ideas to novel situations, learn to work with many different kinds of people towards a common goal, volunteer your time and talents both on and off campus, and exercise your critical thinking and communication skills by engaging in research and creative activities. 

Student Organizations

The CLA has over 70 student organizations and there are hundreds of student organizations on campus. Gain professional development and networking opportunities critical now and for future careers; engage with the campus and community.

The ForUM

Community Engagement

The UM Center for Community Engagement coordinates opportunities with Mississippi communities and beyond, offering a minor in Community Engaged Leadership, along with initiatives that provide scholarships and support student-led economic development in Mississippi.

Community Engagement

Events on Campus

Get the most of your education and engage with the university community through guest lectures, Science Cafe, astronomy nights, Spooky Physics, art and film events, music and theatre performances, student research poster sessions, UM Museum exhibitions, Ford Center events, and more.

Events Calendar

Academic Travel

See the world outside of Oxford, deepen your knowledge, apply concepts to new situations, gain professional connections, and make lasting friendships.
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African woman handing a bag to a university student

Study Abroad

Earn credit for general education, major, or minor requirements by enrolling at a partner university or study abroad organization for as few as two weeks or as long as an academic year. Even better, travel with a CLA professor during a 2-week term. Generous donors help many CLA students participate in these faculty-led programs.

Office of Study Abroad
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student shaking the hand of a female politician in her office

Study USA

As the name implies, the Study USA program is an academic travel opportunity with faculty-led courses to locations across the United States. Donors support CLA student participation in the CLA faculty-led travel courses.

Study USA

Research and Creative Activities

The University of Mississippi is designated as a R-1 Highest Research Activity university by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, placing us in an elite group of 2.5% of universities nationwide.
image of a student seated in a chemistry lab with the vent hood behind her

Why does the R1 designation matter to students?

They will have world-class faculty members bringing new discoveries and techniques into the classroom, lab, and studio. In the College of Liberal Arts, both undergraduate and graduate students work alongside faculty, gaining the kind of deep mentorship and education that will reap benefits for a lifetime.

We welcome you to learn about the opportunities to follow your passion while gaining the skills needed for life and your career.

Internships and Career Development

Internships provide practical experience and industry connections, enhancing employability and bridging the gap between academic knowledge and real-world application. As with many topics in the College of Liberal Arts, there is not a "one-size-fits-all" or one way that internships and career preparation happens for a particular major or career goal. Here are just a few examples from across the College.

Internships allow students to explore careers and experience how psychology can contribute to our understanding of human behavior and improve people’s lives. Local internship sites include senior living facilities, after-school programs, behavioral healthcare facility, and daycare centers.

Students who hope to work in archives, museums, or historic sites can take part in department internship workshops. They earn history credit for working in a variety of settings, including the recent examples of the National Archives; Burns Belfry Museum & Multicultural Center and William Faulkner’s Rowan Oak in Oxford; the Tennessee Library and Archives; and Shiloh National Military Park.

Some students have internships built into their academic programs. Forensic chemistry students work in a crime lab during the summer before their senior year. They also conduct a research project while on their internship experience, an opportunity that sets our forensic chemistry apart from many, resulting in it being highly ranked in the nation.

Some students have internships built into their academic programs. Music education students are placed in student teacher positions during their senior year. The students would have taken professional education courses as preparation. Also, the Bachelor of Music in Music degree program offering an emphasis in music education meets the requirements for educator licensure in the state of Mississippi. 

Students tend to focus their internship efforts on public service at the local, state, and national levels. There are department initiatives, networks, and scholarships to help students participate in these critical professional experiences.

Study Abroad and Internships in Classics

Weston spent a semester studying Greek and Latin and the ancient world on site in Athens, Greece, and a month in Rome on a faculty-led program Ancient Italy in Context.  He also worked as an antiquities intern for two semesters at the UM Museum preparing a new exhibition of ancient artifacts. “When I placed a coin under a bright fluorescent light to analyze the small writing, jolts of excitement raced through me. This is what I’d dreamed of doing at Ole Miss. Working with the objects and seeing my contributions to the exhibition has been the culmination of my career in classics to this point. It is my hope that that the exhibition will inspire kids to become excited about classics and perhaps to pursue that interest in college.” 

Weston Liefer

BA Classics with an emphasis in Classical Civilization and a minor in Political Science '18

University Resources to Enhance Career Preparation

As internships and job shadowing are the most desired experience on college resumes, the departments, College of Liberal Arts, and broader campus devote time and effort to help students solidify their career goals, gain workplace experience, and develop skills for successful job search and success once hired.

  • Career Center

    The Career Center provides a full range of services related to career and internship exploration and development from freshman year and graduating seniors to recent alumni.

    Ole Miss Career Center

  • Internship Experience

    The UM Internship Experience, a year-long internship exploration program for rising juniors and seniors, combines professional development, skill enhancement, and professional coaching. Their full range of services includes before, during, and after the internship.  

    UM Internship Experience

  • Career Development & Internships

    The College of Liberal Arts Student Services and CLA departments provide a range of career development and internship services. 

    CLA Student Services Office