Students can engage in service learning at UConn in a variety of ways. Students can create their own service learning projects under the supervision of a faculty member, take a course which includes a service learning component, or complete an internship involving service learning for course credit. Here’s how.
Additionally, feel free to reach out to Julia Yakovich ( julia.yakovich@uconn.edu ) as well through the Office of Service Learning at any point for additional support in the process of engaging in service learning at UConn.
Option 1
Service learning through a for-credit independent study
Step 1: Identify a partner faculty member. They may have relevant interests to the desired service learning project. The project can be in your major or minor, but does not have to be. Reach out to that faculty member to discuss the possibility of serving as a service learning project supervisor. The Office of Service Learning can be as involved as the student and faculty (or community partner) wish.
Step 2: Identify a community partner. Reach out to an organization that coincides with the course of study and one that can also align with student career aspirations. Prepare ahead of time for your meeting with the partner and ask them questions about how your goals match up with their goals. Together, you can develop a plan and project that leads to a tangible product by semester end. Please be up front about the timeline and review project goals with faculty member and/or the OSL prior to agreement.
Step 3: Assess the feasibility. Be sure to confirm projects ahead of time with your faculty supervisor to determine if it is appropriate for both the timeline of the semester, and for the purposes of an independent study project, semester course, or internship.
Step 4: Once a project has been agreed upon with your advisor, confirm the details of this project with your partner organization and complete the following form for university approval.
UConn Independent Study Course Form
Option 2
University service learning course
The University is currently changing the Service Learning Designation process and therefore updated courses are not easily identifiable. Here is a list of historical courses that will most likely be current as well.
[We will send you a spreadsheet of all compiled service learning courses that we have prepared]
Option 3
Internship involving service learning for university course credit
Step 1: Reach out to an organization that coincides with your aspirations. Ask the organization about their needs to understand if there is a potential to conduct a service learning project through an internship.
Step 2: If an organization is willing to take you on as an intern, you can use the following information to help enroll in an internship for course credit.