Community Engaged Learning Guide
Community Engaged Learning Guide
Urban Studies majors have an opportunity to participate in a community-engaged learning experience as part of their course of study. This real-life experience is intended to allow students to gain practical experience with the theories and issues that they encounter in their classes, while offering a valuable service to community partner organizations. Undertaking this experience is also an important pathway for majors to explore potential career paths and prepare for a summer fellowship, honors thesis research, or senior capstone work.
Urban Studies majors can fulfill their community-engaged learning requirement for the major in four ways:
- Enroll in an approved course such as URBANST 141, URBANST 164. Other courses may potentially count.
Please consult with an Urban Studies advisor before enrolling in a different course if you plan to count the class towards your community engaged learning requirement. - Complete an internship with a government agency or a non-profit/community organization accompanied by enrollment in URBANST 201A, or while studying off-campus by enrolling in SINY101, OSPPARIS 17, or OSPCPTWN 14;
- Conduct research with the guidance of a faculty mentor;
- Complete the Haas Center for Public Service requirements for the Cardinal Service notation.
Community Engaged Learning Criteria
The community-engaged learning experience must consist of substantive work. In all cases, majors are encouraged to work with their supervisor at the organization to establish learning goals (a template for the Placement Objectives Agreement is available as guidance), and create tangible products – such as written reports, presentations, or digital and physical artifacts – to demonstrate that they have achieved those goals.
The minimum time commitment for an independent internship is 80 hours, to be completed over approximately 10 weeks.
Students are encouraged to work with their organization longer than 10 weeks, but the 80-hour minimum should not be spread out over a longer period, except in special cases such as research projects. Internships should ideally be completed before the beginning of winter quarter of senior year, or two quarters before graduation.
In accordance with university policy, internship credit is awarded for the work that emerges from the internship, not merely for internship hours. No transfer credit is awarded for internships.
Credit and Grading
- Declared majors in Urban Studies are required to fulfill at least 3 units of credit for the Urban Studies Internship by registering for URBANST 201A, SINY101, OSPPARIS 17, or OSPCPTWN 14; or an approved course such as URBANST 141 or URBANST 164.
- Students who continue their internship work beyond the 80-hour minimum may request up to 4 additional units of credit through URBANST 194, totaling 120 hours of work.
- The internship grade (S/NC) will be based on the quality and depth of the internship learning plan, the final paper or product, and the evaluation supplied by the project supervisor and/or faculty mentor.
- Students who receive compensation for their internship - from a Haas Center Fellowship, Community Service Work Study, or the organization itself - may receive academic credit for the internship, provided all other criteria for the internship process are met.
- Students may not count more than 7 units of internship, including URBANST 194 Internship in Urban Studies and URBANST 201A Capstone Internship in Urban Studies toward their major.
Community Engaged Learning Options
Community Engaged Learning Courses (Recommended)
Urban Studies students may satisfy the community-engaged learning capstone by taking the following approved courses: URBANST 141 or URBANST 164. Other classes may count towards the requirement.
IMPORTANT: Please consult with an Urban Studies advisor before enrolling in the course to confirm whether it can meet the community engaged-learning component!
Individual Internship
Students should enroll in Urban Studies 201A during the quarter in which they carry out their internships; for summer internships, enrollment in 201A may take place the following fall. Please consult with an Urban Studies advisor at least three months prior to the quarter in which you propose to start your internship to find an appropriate placement that meets your personal and research interests.
Please keep in mind that many organizations require significant preparation and outreach to establish an internship, so it is advantageous to work with Urban Studies advisors to begin the internship search process as early as possible to ensure that you can secure their first-choice internship! Internships should ideally be completed before the beginning of winter quarter of senior year, or two quarters before graduation.
Students who intern for a for-profit, private sector organization may receive credit for URBANST 194, but cannot enroll in URBANST 201A credits to meet the capstone requirement.
Credit for the internship must be arranged prior to the internship commencing. The Urban Studies Program does not grant credit for internships mid-way through or after the internship has been completed.
Other Community Engaged Learning Opportunities
Although the faculty and staff of Urban Studies can provide more support and facilitate individually tailored internships for students who enroll in the capstone internship seminar, there are a variety of other ways to access community-engaged learning opportunities.
Students who wish to complete an internship via the programs described below must complete a Placement Objectives Agreement, describing how they plan to fulfill the internship requirement, their faculty supervisor, and theanticipated final product. The Proposal Form is available from the Urban Studies office and online.
Cardinal Quarter Opportunities
Cardinal Quarter offers you the opportunity to participate in a full-time, quarter-long public service experience designed to integrate your academic learning with field-based experience. You can pursue prearranged placements or self-designed opportunities in both domestic and international settings. Nearly 500 opportunities are offered each year through more than 30 campus partners involved in the Cardinal Quarter initiative. Learn more at:
Independent Internship
Students may establish their own internship to be carried out during summer or another quarter. Please note that academic credit cannot be arranged after the internship has started. The Urban Studies Co-Director can provide resources to assist students in finding potential placement organizations.
Stanford in Government
Stanford in Government provides a number of paid summer fellowships in government and nonprofit agencies in the Bay Area and Sacramento, Washington D.C., and internationally.
Stanford Bing Overseas Programs
Students who participate in Stanford’s Overseas Studies Programs may have access to overseas internship opportunities, depending on their interests and the availability of placements in their country of study.
Research Internship
Students who wish to pursue a specific research project under the direction of a faculty supervisor can fulfill the internship in this way. As with community-based and government internships, students should be doing substantive, academically rigorous research that leads to the learning of new skills and concepts under the tutelage of an engaged supervisor.