Service Learning (SL Designation)

Marymount University’s mission, consistent with its Catholic identity and the traditions of the Religious of the Sacred Heart of Mary, emphasizes service to others. This commitment to service is expressed in the classroom through service learning. Service learning is a pedagogical method in which classroom learning and service to a community partner are integrated. In a service learning course, students are expected to draw upon their classroom learning to help meet the needs of a community partner, and, in turn, this service experience enhances students’ classroom learning.

Marymount students engage in service in a number of ways, including classroom projects, but certain courses are designated as Service Learning (SL) to communicate that the service learning pedagogy is central to the course. This designation helps the university ensure that best practices for community partnerships are being met and provides faculty and students with clear expectations for the course. Courses designated as SL must meet a number of criteria:

• Students engage in an experiential service project.
• The service project is performed on behalf of or in collaboration with one or more community partners.
• The desired goal of the service project is defined primarily by the community partner(s), and the community partner(s) should be able to give feedback on the project both during and after its completion.
• Service projects are a pedagogical tool for achieving the learning outcomes of the course.
• The course includes at least two learning outcomes specifically linked to service learning.
• Students must devote at least 20 hours, or approximately 20% of students’ total time devoted to out-of-class coursework, to the service project(s) and related assignments in a 3-credit course.
• The course must include assignments in which students critically reflect on their service experience in light of course content.
• Students should be assessed on their service learning experience, both in terms of the course’s learning outcomes and outcomes specific to service learning.

The following graduate courses are currently designated as SL, and others will be offered in the future:

• HPR 570 Evidence-Based Programs for Older Adults
• NU 539 Global Service Learning for the Advanced Practice Nurse