Step outside the classroom and into the community.
Have you considered taking a Service Learning course next semester? Nearly 40 departments across campus are offering a class in fall 2017.
Service Learning courses (also known as Community-based Learning courses) are just like any class available for credit at UW-Madison, but these courses also get students involved in service and real-world experience by including a hands-on project with a local community partner.
The listing of fall 2017 Service Learning courses can be found here, and more classes will be added in the coming weeks.
In Service Learning courses, students engage in at least 25 hours of volunteer work with a community partner in addition to regular classroom learning. This volunteer work can come in the form of direct service, project-based service or community-based research that directly compliments the course content.
Students learn about the concepts and theories of a subject, and then go out and experience that subject in the real world. It’s the opportunity to move beyond the classroom and textbooks.
“If you have a hands-on experience that ties the class to real-world issues, you have a lot better connection to the material,” said past Service Learning student Corey Little.
Fall 2017 courses range from the hard sciences, to the liberal arts. A few sample classes include:
Afro-American Studies 151: Intro to Contemporary Afro-American Studies
Life Sciences Communication 314: Introduction to Digital Video Production
Management and Human Resources 401: Management of Teams
Computer Sciences 402: Introducing Computer Science to K-12 Students
Curriculum & Instruction 506: Strategies for Inclusive Schooling
Courses are designed both to meet the needs of the community and also to provide students with the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of course content through the knowledge and expertise of their community partner.
UW-Madison class surveys consistently find Service Learning classes help students better understand course content. One survey recently found that over 91 percent of Service Learning students at UW-Madison got more out of their Service Learning course than a traditional course.
Additionally, research shows that students enrolled in Service Learning courses earn higher GPAs and gain better critical thinking skills.
Students interested in enrolling in a Service Learning course should browse the fall 2017 course listing here or talk with their advisor.