Research indicates that online education is becoming a more prominent platform for higher education. Using a constructivist pedagogical lens, this qualitative phenomenological study was designed to explore students' learning experiences within an online masters program. The study examined the extent to which effective engagement was facilitated by experiential and collaborative learning within online courses. Using Vygotsky's Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) as a theoretical framework, the researcher conducted 30 individual in-depth qualitative interviews with 20 graduate students enrolled in an online program located at a large, public university in Southern California. The research methodology included in-depth, individual interviews. The data was coded using the qualitative online research program Dedoose. The analysis and interpretation of the findings addressed the research questions: (a) what types of learning do students' experience as being most valuable and effective in their online courses? (b) how is effective engagement in learning facilitated by experiential and collaborative class activities in students' online courses? The three most valuable modes of learning found in this study were asynchronous engagement with targeted readings, pre-recorded lecture videos, and self-reflection class posts. When online instructors offered flexibility, the potential for collaboration, reflection, and an opportunity for students to integrate their new course knowledge in their learning, optimal outcomes were achieved. Experiential and collaborative components, whether delivered or completed synchronously or asynchronously, contributed to student learning especially when the instructor facilitated or created space for discursive discussion of course material. Effective experiential and collaborative learning were dependent on a number of variables including student comfort with online technology, their investment in deep learning, the student's perception of knowledge of his or her peers, and the quality and frequency of feedback and collaboration with his or her instructors. Pedagogical recommendations are that online instructors include a diverse array of modes of instruction as well as facilitated and scaffolded collaborative and experiential opportunities within their online courses. The recommendations set forth should be considered in the context of the scale of delivery of online education. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com.bibliotheek.ehb.be/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]