Community Service Learning (CSL) offers students the chance to link academic study and course credit with community involvement and critical reflection. Students enrolled in a course offering a community service learning opportunity split their time between classroom instruction, service in the community, and reflection upon the service experience. Community service learning enhances academic learning by allowing students to make connections between their academic study and its application, to clarify their career goals and acquire work-related skills, to develop a heightened sense of civic responsibility and awareness of moral and ethical issues, and to provide work of value to the community.
Opportunities to participate in CSL exist throughout the curriculum. To assist students in identifying courses that provide this opportunity, such courses will be designated with a CSL-R if the course requires the community service learning experience or with a CSL-O if the CSL experience is optional. There are over 47 departments currently offering CSL opportunities. Interested students should check with the instructor. CSL courses have a service learning laboratory, project option, or module.
The Office of Community Service Learning, part of the Urban Institute, is the campus unit responsible for coordinating campus community service learning activities. For more information, call (415) 338-6846.