ICCE is committed to providing high-quality and meaningful public service, leadership development, and collaborative problem-solving opportunities for SF State students across the university.
Students: Below you will find more information about the various connection points and where to go to complete the required documents for your service-learning/academic internship course(s).
Faculty/Staff: Please refer to the Faculty/Staff site placement webpage for more information and guidance.
For Students
Students: Community Placement Information
Community engagement is when the university works collaboratively with community-based organizations* to address issues important to the well-being and lives of community members; the outcomes of which benefit the common good.** Through community engagement, university and community-based organizations exchange and share resources and work together to advocate for positive systemic change.
*Community-Based Organization - Public or private organizations that represent a community or members of a community, providing related services to individuals in the community. CBOs may work at local, regional, national, or global levels to meet the needs of communities as defined by location, identity, need, or interest. They include schools, social service agencies, nonprofit organizations, government organizations, and private entities that work in this capacity.
**The term "common good" refers to the material, cultural or institutional interests and goals that members of society have in common that embody sustained mutual respect, e.g. arts, civic engagement, community health/well-being, economic development, education, equity, sustainability. (Adapted from Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy.)
Why is community engagement a part of a college education?
Community Engagement is an important part of the mission of the California State University system. Rooted in our communities, each CSU campus collaborates regionally to contribute to community growth and enhance student learning. SF State values community engagement as a way to 1) foster a vibrant, innovative learning environment that promotes academic, professional, and personal development, and 2) contribute to the health and strength of our communities—economically, socially, environmentally, educationally, and politically. Within the classroom, community engagement has four purposes.
For students to:
- apply learning in a real-world environment;
- deepen their connection to course learning and career goals;
- prepare to be engaged citizens and socially responsible contributors to society;
- realize that knowledge is a living force, meant to be used, that changes and grows once applied.
Community engagement can take different forms, which impact how people work together, and the collaboration of university and community members.
Volunteering and Community Service
Student participation in events and activities that focus on the service and its benefit to the community. Students learn about community issues and how their service makes a difference in the world. These are mostly co-curricular in nature, organized through student clubs and university departments. Many students come to the university primarily having experienced community engagement by volunteering and community service through home life and extra-curricular activities.
Community-Engaged Courses
There are a variety of courses at the university that connect students with applied, real-world learning experiences. The university and community–based organizations collaborate to identify activities that are appropriate for students, relevant to student learning, and beneficial for the community. Please see the tab “Understanding Community-Engaged Courses” for more information.
Public Scholarship/The Scholarship of Engagement
Students may also have the opportunity to participate in research projects related to community engagement. The scholarship of engagement connects faculty and student research to understanding and solving social, civic, or ethical problems. This knowledge is developed and shared with the community, through mutually respectful and beneficial partnerships.
There are a variety of courses at the university that connect students with applied, real-world learning experiences. These courses may use different descriptive words like: applied, capstone, community engagement, fieldwork, internship, practicum, service-learning. In general, this means that students are engaged in off-campus learning ("community-based") activities as part of course learning.
The expectations and requirements for these courses and assignments differ depending on the type of course and the department, including:
- the learning outcomes or purpose of the assignment;
- hours requirements;
- how students find an external organization;
- the process for “placing” with the organization or confirming the community-based learning experience;
- how much of the course grade is based on the community-based assignment.
Students should always check with their instructor to ensure they know course expectations and requirements. ICCE specifically supports community engagement courses.
Community Engagement is a special type of "community-based" or off-campus learning. We identify community engagement courses by the student learning experience and community impact, not by course title or label.
These courses include a variety of community-based activities* that enhance student learning, benefit the common good**, and take place in collaboration with community partner organizations. Courses vary in how much the community-based assignment is integrated into the course.
Service-Learning Courses
Service-learning is a distinct type of community engagement. It is characterized by critical reflection and a collaborative partnership among the instructor, students, and community, with a focus on both student learning and community impact. An academic course (in any discipline) that provides students opportunities to participate in organized service activities that meet community needs while linking the community service experiences to the course content. This makes service learning a very different experience than community service. Course learning focuses equally on the community impact, collaboration with the partner organizations, and student learning specifically related to civic learning, equity, social justice, or responsibility.
*Community-Based Activities - Assignments at/with/for an external organization and connected to course learning or major/department learning outcomes
**Common Good - The material, cultural or institutional interests that members of society have in
common, e.g. arts, civic engagement, community health/well-being, economic development, education, equity, sustainability.
Again, these courses use different descriptive words like: applied, capstone, community engagement, fieldwork, internship, practicum, service-learning. Based on the student learning experience and the collaboration with the community, the courses below may be Community Engaged Learning or Service Learning.
Academic Internships
Internships are formal work opportunities that integrate an academic program with career aspirations. We consider internships “community engagement” when, through an internship course led by a faculty member, a student’s academic program and professional work experience intersect with the common good, and students reflect on this intersection through course assignments.
Capstone
A capstone course requires the successful completion of a thesis, project, or comprehensive examination. The quality of the student’s work is the major consideration in judging the success of this degree component. We consider capstone courses “community engagement” when a student’s capstone experience includes community-based learning and intersects with the common good.
Field/Fieldwork
“Field or fieldwork” courses provide students with community-based learning opportunities that are central to their major/degree academic work and are organized around enhancing the student's understanding of their field of study and having students demonstrate skills related to their future profession. While students usually have a site supervisor identified at the community-based organization, they are also expected to be able to work independently. Students generally take fieldwork courses towards the end of their degree of study, or as part of a graduate program. We consider field courses “community engagement” when a student’s academic program and professional work experience intersect with the common good.
Practicum
Practicum courses provide students with community-based learning opportunities that are central to their major/degree academic work and are organized around enhancing the student's understanding of their field of study and having students demonstrate skills related to their future profession. While students usually have a site supervisor identified at the community-based organization, they are also expected to be able to work independently. Students generally take practicum courses towards the end of their degree of study, or as part of a graduate program. We consider practicum courses “community engagement” when a student’s academic program and professional work experience intersect with the common good.
Several SF State courses incorporate community engaged learning as a component of their curriculum and are included in course objectives. This may be a requirement or offered as an extra credit option.
Master list of all courses designated as community service learning (CSL)
- This complete list of courses that are CSL designated as indicated in the SF State Bulletin. Only service hours from these courses will be shown on the official transcript. Please note that not all courses are offered every semester and it is at the discretion of the course instructor to offer the CSL option.
- Learn more about service learning
Course Sections Offered: Academic Semester
View course sections that instructors have identified as CSL for a given semester.
SF State ULink is a web platform that supports the “logistics” of community engagement courses – how students and community partners begin working together. Every SF State has an ULink account and can log in via their university SSO.
Through ULink:
- Students find a community-based organization to work with.
- Community-based organizations post opportunities.
- Students may request that the university establish a partnership with an organization not currently listed.
- Students complete the required participation forms and confirm the community engagement/service learning hours they have completed with the partner organization.
- Faculty use ULink to track student hours and activities (students in community-based courses will be informed by their instructors if they are expected to use ULink).
To begin this process, it is strongly recommended that students read the ULink & Site Placement Student User Guide first. To find more information on the steps involved in finding, contacting, and securing your community engagement/service learning opportunity with a community-based organization, see below:
- Finding & Searching a Community-Based Organization in SF State ULink
- Completing the Required Forms in SF State ULink
- ULink & Site Placement Student User Guide Instructional Video Playlist
Access SF State's official community engagement ULinks online portal and log in with your University ID.
Congratulations on finding your internship / service-learning opportunity!
Now that you have confirmed an opportunity with an organization that is not listed as a partner organization in the ULink Directory, the next step is to complete a "Request Placement with Non-Contracted Site" within your ULink account.
Refer to the ULink & Site Placement Student User Guide (Road Map 2 scenario) to "Request Placement with Non-Contracted Site".
When you make your "Request Placement with Non-Contracted Site" within your ULink account, ICCE will be able to send you your required form: Acknowledgment of No LPSA (Learning Placement Site Agreement) & Student Informed Consent Packet.
Community Site Placement general email:
