Integrating CSL into a Course

ALL instructors must access the CSL Placement Hub to submit their course intentions. To ensure that your project is considered for the upcoming Fall/Winter term, we recommend that all Instructors indicate their intention to integrate CSL into a course in the following academic year by:

  • MARCH 1 - Early Call for FALL term (This date is encouraged for permanent faculty)
  • MAY 30 - Final Call for FALL term (This date is for graduate and contract instructors)
  • OCT 15 - Final Call for WINTER term

Successfully integrating CSL into a course requires the consistent integration of students' CSL experiences into the goals and activities of the course. In a typical CSL course, each student will spend 20 hours throughout the semester working with a community organization. These 20 hours replace normal out-of-class activities, such as research or readings. Course assignments and activities should be designed to allow students to explore the relationship between their CSL placements and classroom learning. For example, students might be required to keep a reflective journal throughout their placement, write short papers engaging with their experiences, and/or create written or visual creative projects that integrates course knowledge with the insight they have gained from their community placements.

CSL has been integrated into academic courses in a variety of disciplines and programs: Anthropology, Dentistry, Drama, Education Policy Studies, English, French, German, History, Human Ecology, Humanities Computing, Linguistics, Middle Eastern + African Studies, Modern Languages + Cultural Studies, Native Studies, Nursing, Philosophy, Physical Education + Recreation, Political Science, Psychology, Rural Economy, Russian, Scandinavian, Sociology, Spanish, Strategic Management + Organization, Swahili, Ukrainian, Women + Gender Studies, and Writing.

The CSL Program offers various supports and resources to Instructors as they build CSL into their courses. If you are an instructor with questions about integrating CSL into a course, please contact David Peacock. Instructors can also refer to the CSL Instructor Guidebook, which offers definitions of CSL, an overview of pedagogical approaches centered around service-learning, resource references, and important CSL dates and deadlines. It can also be helpful for instructors to browse past course syllabi and to visit the resource library at CSL Office.

Tips for TA's Teaching CSL Courses

In March 2021, Dr. Alison Dunwoody, Teaching Professor & Associate Chair (Undergraduate) in the Department of Sociology, and the 2019/2020 CSL Engaged Scholar hosted a workshop for graduate students were hoping to know more about CSL, critical reflection and assessment strategies. Review Dr. Dunwoody's tip-sheet here.