Initial Curator: Tabitha Underwood
Introduction
Institutionalization of community engagement requires both the integration of engagement into the curriculum and the dedication of permanent resources in order to provide an appropriate level of support across the campus. There are a variety of ways to accomplish integration and the commitment of resources, including developing majors, minors, certificates, and scholar programs that legitimize community engagement as a field of study. By providing these formal academic structures, institutions are better able to mobilize their capacity as educational entities to not only prepare students for responsible engagement but also demonstrate the centrality of the public purpose of higher education through the dedication of resources in a meaningful way. These opportunities have the potential for institutions to focus on comprehensive, intense, and long-term student engagement and deeper community impact. Planning efforts can chart opportunities for and challenges to the development and implementation of such academic structures as avenues to enhance their community engagement endeavors. This knowledge hub provides resource and examples for campuses pursuing new opportunities for majors, minors, certificates, and scholar programs.
Key resources
- Core Competencies in Civic Engagement (2012) Center for Engaged Democracy Publications
- Butin, D. W., & Seider, S. (Eds.). (2012). The engaged campus: Certificates, minors, and majors as the new community engagement. Palgrave Macmillan.
- Civic Engagement at the Center: Building Democracy through Integrated Cocurricular and Curricular Experiences, Association of American Colleges & Universities
- Jay, G. & Jones, S. E. (2006). "The Grassroots Approach to Curriculum Reform: The Cultures and Communities Program." Creating a New Kind of University: Institutionalizing Community-University Engagement. Anker Publishing Company, Inc.
Organizations
- Center for Engaged Democracy list of Academic Programs in Community Engagement https://www.dansarofianbutin.net/academicprograms.html
- Bonner Scholars http://www.bonner.org/
Exemplars
A) Majors
- Public and Community Service Studies, Providence College https://academics.providence.edu/public-and-community-service-studies/
- Citizenship and Civic Engagement Major, Syracuse University https://www.syracuse.edu/academics/undergraduate-majors-minors/citizenship-and-civic-engagement/
- CivX Major, University of Massachusetts - Amherst http://www.umass.edu/cesl/programs/civx
B) Minors
- Leadership Minor, Indiana University https://pace.indiana.edu/leadership/leaders-courses.html
- Value, Ethics and Social Action Minor, Allegheny College http://sites.allegheny.edu/vesa/
- Community Studies Minor, College of William and Mary
- Civic Leadership Minor, Portland State University https://www.pdx.edu/academics/programs/undergraduate/civic-leadership
- Community Service Studies Minor, DePaul University
- Community Engagement and Social Change Minor, University of California Los Angeles
- Public and Community Service Studies Minor, Providence College
- Civic Engagement and Social Entrepreneurship Minor, Christopher Newport University
- Minor in Community Development, Howard University
- Social Justice and Community Leadership Minor, California State University - Monterey Bay
C) Certificates
- University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee, Cultures & Communities General Education Certificate
- Civic Engagement Certificate Program, Northwestern University
- Certificate in Civic Engagement, Drexel University
- Political and Civic Engagement Certificate Program, Indiana University
- Civic Engagement Certificate Program, Appalachian State University
- Graduate Certificate in Service-Learning and Community-Based Learning in Postsecondary Education, Portland State University
- Community Based Learning Certificate, University of Wisconsin - Parkside
- Certificate in Civic Engagement and Public Service, University of Massachusetts - Amherst
D) Scholar Programs
- Finucane Scholars, Rockhurst University
- Urban Public Policy Fellowship, University of Illinois - Chicago
- Tisch Scholars for Civic Life, Tufts University
- Davies Community Service Leaders, Allegheny College
- Dayton Civic Scholars, University of Dayton
- Sam H. Jones Community Service Scholarship, IUPUI
- Community Service Fellows, Tulane University
- Solidarity Fellows, Tulane University
- Community Scholars Program, University of Massachusetts - Amherst