Department of
Educational Leadership
Minnesota State
University, Mankato
115 Armstrong Hall
Mankato, Minnesota 56001
Phone: (507) 389-1116
Fax: (507) 389-5863
The Master of Science degree program in Experiential Education at Minnesota State University, Mankato is the oldest graduate degree program in experiential education in the United States. Originally started in 1971 as a joint venture between Mankato State University (now Minnesota State University) and Minnesota Outward Bound School (now Voyageur Outward Bound School), the Master's program is now housed in the Department of Educational Leadership and has expanded its vision and developed an ever–increasing number of options for graduate students. Although there is a strong and still viable tradition of involvement in outdoor oriented activities, the department is committed to the idea that experiential education is much broader than wilderness programming.
The first fundamental assumption of the Master's program is that there is more to the knowing process than much of what the traditional education process assumes. Graduate students in the program are encouraged, even required, to leave the classroom and develop meaningful learning experiences for themselves. Whether their interest is outdoor programming, classroom teaching, administration, psychological interventions or others, the program gives students academic credit for testing ideas. The program is designed for strongly self–directed individuals who want to experiment with new educational ideas.
The other fundamental assumption of the Master's degree program in Experiential Education is that raw, direct experience must be complemented with careful thought and reason. In this light, the core seminars are oriented toward the analysis and questioning about the fundamental theory of experiential education. In addition to the core seminar courses, students can develop their reasoning abilities by taking graduate level elective courses of the student's own choosing. The goal of the program is to unite practical skills with scholarly abilities in the interests of the individual student.
