Community Service Learning is a course-based learning approach founded in experiential education and community engaged learning. Students engage in experiences that are relevant to their course content, developing skills and actively contributing to their communities.
Community Service Learning connects classroom theories to practical challenges, creating opportunities to enhance your learning journey.
Community engaged learning aligns closely with the University's core values and mission in fostering community engagement, ethical understanding, and meaningful contributions toward a just and civil society, both locally and globally.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Strengthen learning and retention by connecting and applying course content to community needs.
- Improve awareness within your field of choice by reflecting on service experiences, examining personal values, considering issues of social responsibility and challenging underlying assumptions and biases.
- Boost your resume by broadening your knowledge and deepening core skills.
- Make career connections by collaborating and building networks with community members & organizations.
Want to learn more? Reach out to service.learning@smu.ca and check out these SL Student Recommendation testimonials from past SL students .
Only select courses are open to Service Learning opportunities. Courses offering compulsory or mandatory SL options are determined by faculty members for their respective courses, and are often not finalized until the start of each term.
If a course has a compulsory SL component, faculty will provide details during their introductory syllabus review class. If a course has an optional SL component, there will be a brief mention of SL within the syllabus and on Brightspace. For more information, and an up-to-date list of courses with SL options, please reach out to service.learning@smu.ca.
- Refer to your syllabus and Brightspace for relevant information.
- Send an email to service.learning@smu.ca with your name, S number and course code. We will reach out within 2 business days with next steps.
- Track your SL hours in the Career360 portal by clicking the Service Learning tab on the left-hand side navigation menu.
- Have your validation of SL participation reflected on your Experiential Learning Record.
Want to know more? Read the SL Student Handbook for all the details, or reach out to service.learning@smu.ca.
Service Learning Accessibility Bursary incentivizes students with accessibility needs to accept volunteer opportunities in the SL program. The goal of the bursary is to work towards equity, diversity, and inclusion in SL and ease barriers to participation.
Eligibility Criteria:
To qualify for the bursary, students must meet all the following requirements:
- Active domestic undergraduate or graduate students currently registered in a SL course.
- Enrolled in a SL experience coordinated by the SL Office.
- Enrolled in the SEI Program or eligible to register.
Each bursary per student is $250 and up to 10 students may be awarded per calendar year.
Courses incorporating Service Learning components often change term each term. As such, we do not maintain a published course list. However, there are always courses within each faculty that include SL opportunities. Here are some examples of past courses with an SL component:
Faculty of Arts
ATCS 4501/6501 - Public History
FREN 3315 - Academic Translation I
FREN 4400 - French Speech Strategies
FREN 4848 - Special Topics: Voices of the Francophone
GEOG 3004 - Geography Practicum
HIST 4501/6510 - Public History
Faculty of Science
BIOL 4431 - Herpetology
CSCI 2356 - Mobile App Development
CSC1 3428 - Software Engineering
ENVS 4499 - Seminar in Environmental Science
PSYC 1260 - Intro to Personality
PSYC 3332 - Adolescent Development
PSYC 3329 - Child Development
PSYC 3347 - Longevity & Aging
PSYC 4410 - Neuropsychology
PSYC 4827 - Offenders & Victims
Sobey School of Business
ACCT 4454 - Taxation II
MGMT 3480 - Ethical Responsibilities of Organizations
MGMT 4488 - International Business
MGMT 6591 - Responsible Leadership II
SMBA 6801 - Environmental & Sustainability Management
MGMT 6800 – Social and Sustainable Entrepreneurship
Service Learning is a great way to engage your students! Here are some benefits to incorporating Service Learning into your course:
- Incorporates theories and concepts taught in class with community-identified opportunities with verified Community Partners.
- Encourages students to be more involved in the class by reflecting on their experiences and drawing connections to course content
- Enriches the teaching and learning process creating space for enlivened exploration of the course material.
- Encourages innovation, collaboration and partnership building with community organizations that can potentially lead to valuable stakeholder relationships.
- As a pedagogy, SL enhances accessibility by respecting the principles of Design for Leaning (Bonati, 2019).
If you are interested in learning more about Service Learning or would like to find out how the Service Learning Office can support you with Service Learning opportunities for your course, please contact:
Interested in incorporating compulsory or optional Service Learning into your course? To get the process started, please reach out to the Service Learning Placement Coordinator, Novella Nicchitta at novella.nicchitta@smu.ca
Novella will provide support on developing a Service Learning component in your course that fits its learning objectives. She can assist in everything SL related including: modifying your syllabus and incorporating SL assignments; creating SL projects and opportunities with community partners; processing risk evaluations for each opportunity; maintaining relations with community partners; and supporting students in their community experiences.
Service Learning Community Partners are identified local organizations who have committed to providing Saint Mary's students with relevant learning opportunities, both in person and virtually, that coincide with the respective course matter.
We exclusively work with not-for-profits, publicly funded institutions and social enterprises. If there is a specific organization you would like to work with, please let us know and we would be happy to connect with them and ensure they meet all necessary requirements to be our students' co-educator.
If you are interested in becoming a Community Partner, visit the SL Community Partner page for more information.
Have questions about Service Learning? Reach out to service.learning@smu.ca.