Common Intellectual Experience

Common Intellectual Experiences (CIEs) are nationally recognized by the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) and the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) as high-impact practices that enhance student success and achievement. Dr. George Kuh (2008) recommends that all universities embed at least two HIPs into every student’s college experience.

Typically offered in the first-year experience (FYE), a CIE can refer to any curricular and/or co-curricular program designed to build a student cohort focused on a common, interdisciplinary theme. The goals of a CIE are to build community amongst participants, explore diverse academic and cultural perspectives related to the theme, and connect the curriculum to real-world experience and application.

Scholars at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) developed a five-characteristic taxonomy for their CIEs:

1. Interdisciplinary theme
2. Shared content across courses
3. Faculty collaboration
4. Co-curricular activities
5. Active learning strategies

MSU offers a variety of options for incoming students to participate in CIEs during their first year. MSU's academic units offer CIEs for various groups of incoming first-year students.  These CIE's typically link two classes around a theme, connecting that theme to activities outside the classroom.  Students who participate in a CIE cohort must enroll for both classes in the experience.

Here is a tentative list of upcoming Fall 2018 Common Intellectual Experience Courses: