The philosophy of the MPI Internship Program is to provide students with meaningful educational experiences that tie in with their academic plans, and that bridge the gap between classroom learning and industrial experience. The program provides for a holistic and contextual educational experience – a new paradigm in graduate education.
Some of the many student benefits:
- Strengthens real world knowledge about professional practice and research
- The internship – along with the master’s degree – often counts for two years’ experience toward professional engineer registration
- On-the-job experience helps to build confidence and shape career goals and choices
- Integrates theory and practice and enhances the practical significance of textbook offerings through clinical exposure
- Internship earnings reduce the financial burden of engineering education
- Industrial experience fosters an environment for identifying and developing thesis topics and graduate projects
- Provides students access to specialized laboratories not available on campus
Undergraduate Internships
Designed for undergraduate students who, during their senior year, must complete a major project in their discipline as a degree requirement, referred to as the Major Qualifying Project ( MQP.)
- Traditionally, two-to-four students work with a supervising professor on their MQP
- Projects identified by MPI corporate members are advertised to seniors for consideration
Graduate Internships
This program allows students to earn a M.S. degree in materials science and engineering through a combination of practical internship experiences and classroom activities.
- MPI staff coordinates the program, identifying employer needs and furnishing them with resumes of talented young men and women
- After initial contact, the student will hold discussions directly with the employer and specific work-study schedules will be determined
- The internship has no geographical restrictions and scheduling can be flexible