Program Overview

Certificate in Service Learning

The Certificate in Service Learning recognizes students' experiences in utilizing their classroom skills to meet community-identified needs. Earning the certificate involves taking classes, engaging in volunteer work, and reflecting on service learning experiences. Once earned, the certificate is acknowledged on the student's official academic transcript.

Why Get Certified in Service Learning?

Getting certified in service learning demonstrates that a student has gone beyond the classroom to help their community and further their education. It shows that the student has assisted community agencies, exposed themselves to societal inadequacies and injustices, and better prepared themselves for their career or further education. The certification also recognizes the student's greater responsibility for their learning and community.

How to Earn the Certificate in Service Learning

To earn the certificate, students must:

• Develop a critical and reflective awareness of ethical service and meaningful engagement across social, global, and cultural differences.
• Demonstrate integrity and act responsibly while addressing community-identified needs.
• Apply academic course content to community-engaged experiences by connecting activities to their field of study and assessing their impact on social change.
• Reflect on experiences and commitment to continued civic participation and engagement as an active and aware community member.

Requirements for the Certificate

The requirements for the Certificate in Service Learning include:

• Registering for the certificate through the Experiential Learning Certificates portal
• Completing Service 101: Pre-Service Orientation, which introduces students to volunteering, pathways to service, and ethical service
• Taking one service learning class and one social awareness class, with service learning classes taken for a minimum of 3 credit hours
• Completing 60 hours of service/volunteering, with all hours completed with service learning classes counting toward these 60 hours
• Completing a final reflection, which is a summary of the student's service experiences and how they tie together

Final Reflection

The Final Reflection is a summary of the student's service experiences and how they tie together. It should mention and tie together all of the student's service experiences to be approved. The purpose is to allow the student to take a step back and consider the big picture impacts of their classroom learning and service/volunteer work.

Applying to Graduate from the Certificate

To apply to graduate from the Certificate in Service Learning, students must log into Enroll and Pay. The deadline to apply to graduate from a certificate for each semester can be found on the Office of the University Registrar's calendar as "Undergraduate Application for Graduation Deadline." The certificate will be added to the student's academic transcript after degrees post for the semester that the student completed the certificate requirements.