Service Learning

Students may participate in a curricular or meta-curricular component that deepens their social awareness and heightens their motivation to bring their technical expertise to bear on societal problems.–NAE

 

Learning Objectives

The learning objectives for the Service program area are centered around the Social Responsibility AFC (AFC5). In addition to the three core learning objectives, students will select one personalized learning objective.

  • Community Engagement: Participate in community action, including campus community, neighborhood/city/state community, national community, global community, and others.
  • Civic Agency: Regard themselves as connected to communities and social groups, and as able to proactively interact with them. Seek ways to make positive change.
  • Capacity for Reflection: Consider role as social actor, impact on community, and effect of community involvement on self. Seek to strengthen and multiply skills for sustainable social solutions.

Pre-approved options for completing experience requirement:

 

GOLD

  • Completion of a significant public service-related internship.
  • Participation in
    • Engineers Without Borders travel team.
    • Shriver Center Living Learning Community, including completion of PRAC 096 (Community Service & Learning Practicum).
  • Significant multi-semester outreach or community service (e.g., through UMBC’s Breaking Ground program, Shriver Center service-learning program, alternative spring break, Habitat for Humanity, or Scouting program)
  • Substantial, sustained volunteer work with an organization related to the student’s Grand Challenge.

 

SILVER

  • Completion of a
    • Project-based service learning course (e.g., AMST/POLI/SOCY 205 (Civic Agency and Social Entrepreneurship)), with a course project connected to the student’s GC focus area.
    • Shorter public service-related internship.
  • Participation in a Global Brigades project.
  • Continuous multi-year involvement with Engineering Without Borders (without travel).
  • Significant semester-long outreach or community service (e.g., through UMBC’s BreakingGround program, Shriver Center service-learning program, alternative spring break, Habitat for Humanity, or Scouting program).

 

BRONZE

  • Substantial involvement with individual outreach or community service experience.
  • Year-long involvement with on-campus Engineering Without Borders activities.