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FIPSE Civic Engagement Courses

Page history last edited by Ariane Hoy 9 years, 2 months ago

Overview | Pillars | Courses | Campus Profiles | Essays | Sample Syllabi

 

Course Structure 

This section contains a close look at the five institutions participating in the FIPSE Civic Engagement Project. While analysisreveals a varied approach to how best each campus integrates basic themes as well as how each institution navigates the academic landscape of their campus. Still, there are common approaches, design and structure as to how to create and implement the civic engagement certificate. 

 

These include:

1) A Lead-In or Gateway Course

2) Coursework about poverty and strategies for addressing poverty (such as economic development)

3) Coursework that exposes students to issues in global context

4) Issue-based Service Learning and Community-based Research Courses (also involving methodological research exposure)

5) Coursework on politics and policy (systematic forms of making change in a democracy)

5) Full-time Internship Component

6) Capstone Experience

 

To view a diagram of the course structure, see page 7 of FIPSE Blueprint, which also has a helpful set of questions to go through to map out your campus's approach: FIPSEBlueprintforCivicEngagementMinor.doc

 

See also the final page of Blueprint for a summary of the curricular and co-curricular components of the model.

 

Types of Courses to Include in a Civic Engagement Program

 

(1) Lead-In Course

Many schools have a lead-in course as part of the first year experience. This can be found in freshmen seminars, learning communities, first year orientation courses, and other expressions of first year academic design. Within the broad parameters that these academic boundaries often operate, there is an opportunity to include readings, writings, and discussions about service and justice.

 

(2) Domestic Poverty

A survey of dozens of campuses confirms the assumption that most, if not all, schools have within their existing curriculum courses that expose student to issues of domestic poverty. These courses can be found in any number of disciplines but most frequently are located in U.S. history, sociology, political science, public policy and literature.

 

(3) International Exposure

Much like courses involving domestic poverty, there are many different academic disciplines and multi-disciplinary courses that introduce, inform, educate and require thoughtful analysis of international affairs. In these courses, students will be required to integrate the service experiences with at least one course related to international issues.

 

(4) Service Learning and Community Based Research Courses

Over the last fifteen years, there has been an explosion of service learning course all across the curriculum. When offered, a student is required to take a service-learning course in his or her academic major field of study. If no such course if offered, the student would be required to take a service-learning course from a different discipline. Where possible, students are encouraged to take a minimum of two courses identified as having a significant service learning component, one course in his/her discipline and one outside of his/her academic major.

 

(5) Full-Time Service Internship (not necessarily for credit)

A full-time service activity is required to complete the civic engagement certificate. These service placements may be for credit through an internship program or may not be credit barring but still require a certain level of preparation, reflection, and writing. Students can serve either at domestic or international service sites. Placements should offer students an opportunity to witness and encounter issues of poverty, cultural diversity, and public policy.

 

(6) Senior Capstone

A cornerstone of the civic engagement certificate and the service-based scholarship is a final presentation of service and learning that will come near the end of the student’s college or university academic experience. Students will engage in an intense and demanding service placement that will integrate academic work. This senior service capstone may take place as part of a senior seminar, an independent study, or community-based research. 

 


Back to Civic Engagement Academic Resources


 

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