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Service Learning & Civic Engagement

Student Resources

Enrolling in a Service Learning Course

Service Learning brings to life the subject matter of a course by involving students in some "real world" activity directly related to what is being learned. Several courses at CSUSM include Service Learning as part of their course curriculum.

  • For tips on how to enroll in a course please see the Office of the Registrars class schedule to help with enrollment. 

Contact your academic advisor learn more about course requirements, prerequisites, supplemental department forms/processes, recommended internship placement sites, major-specific internship credit limitations, and other pertinent information.

Searching for a Service Learning Site

Upon the start of the course your instructor will provide you with a syllabus and may have specific sites preselected for you. For additional information regarding these preselected sites log into the Internship & Service Learning Database. 

Service Learning can only be performed at sites which have an active agreement and are in our database. All approved sites are reflected on the Internship and Service Learning Database.  

  • Therefore, students must select a Service Learning site from the database. Only instructors are allowed to submit a Request for a New Community Partner. 
  • Also, please remember that although all sites in the database are reviewed by our office your Instructor has the final approval on if a service learning site is appropriate for the course.    

Applying to a Service Learning Opportunity

Our CSUSM Internship & Service Learning Database is only a search engine, so remember to apply for a service learning listing use the application instructions or reach out directly to the main contact listed on the site. Application instructions may ask for a resume, or cover letter.

After applying you may be asked for a TB test or LiveScan, our campus offers these services at low cost to our students. Check out the resources below to help get you started:  

  • The Career Center is also great way to get started! They provide guidance with the following and more:
    • Resume and Cover letters
    • Interview Strategies
  • Student Health and Counseling Services is located on our campus. Many Service Learning opportunities that involve working with youth/children will require students to obtain a tuberculosis test as a pre-placement requirement
    • SHCS provides TB test for the cost of $10; call 760-750-4915 to schedule an appointment.
    • In addition check with your Service Learning site to ensure this is an appropriate location to satisfy this pre-placement requirement.
  • The University Police Department is located on the further end of our campus, past parking lot O. Some Service Learning opportunities, particularly those with government agencies, will require interns to obtain a LiveScan.
    • The CSUSM Police Department provides a LiveScan service for the cost of $20.
    • Check with your Service Learning site to ensure this is an appropriate location to satisfy this pre-placement requirement.

Please Note:  Students must select a Service Learning site from the database. Only instructors are allowed to submit a Request for a New Community Partner.

Completing a Placement for my Course 

If you are in a service learning course, you will need to create an service learning placement. For guidance on how to create a placement please see the resources below.

Also see: Frequently Asked Questions