Service Learning for Academic Credit
As a CIS Abroad participant on a service learning program, you will automatically be enrolled in our service learning course and earn credit that you can work to transfer back to your home college or university. This service learning course is a required part of the program and built into the overall program structure.
How is credit awarded?
All students will be enrolled in our online course entitled JU 330: Global Citizenship Service-Learning (3 U.S. credits), developed in collaboration with our school of record, Jacksonville University. Credit is awarded based on successful completion of service hours, the online modules, and a variety of assignments listed below.
Course Description
Global, community-based learning combines community service outside the U.S. with academic instruction, focusing on critical, reflective thinking and personal and civic responsibility. In this interdisciplinary course, the student will collaborate with a community partner abroad to complete a signature service project that addresses a significant problem, issue, or question as identified by the local host community.
Prerequisites: Junior Status, GPA 2.5 or more depending on program
Credits: 3 credits (Course-work plus service hours = 135 hrs minimum)
Assignments & Learning Outcomes:
10 online modules with related written reflections are required to complete the course.
- Modules 1 & 2 | Pre-Departure Introduction
- Modules 3 to 8 | First Two Weeks of Program - Exploring Global Citizenship
- Modules 9 & 10 | Final Week of Program - Service-Learning Capstone Presentation
The two pre-departure sections address: 1) the student’s motivation for engaging in this project; 2) the student’s personal goals, objectives and anticipated outcomes. During the first two weeks onsite, online lessons will cover the following broad themes: 1) personal values & ethics; 2) what service in an international context means; 3) steps the student intends to take to ensure that their service results in an ethical, mutually beneficial relationship between them and their local host communities. At the end of their program, the course concludes with a two-fold capstone assignment that prompts the student to: 1) synthesize their academic learning and personal reflections; and 2) share the outcomes of their experience with an external audience. Learning outcomes include NACE Core Competencies of Critical Thinking, Global Equity & Inclusion, Cross-Cultural Communication, Career & Self Development, as well as Teamwork.
Credit Transfer
Jacksonville University Transcript
If your home university requires an official U.S. transcript, you can request to obtain a transcript through CIS Abroad’s School of Record, Jacksonville University (JU). To receive credit via JU, students must have achieved Sophomore status prior to the start of the program, and have a minimum GPA of 2.5. There is an additional fee of $225 ($75 per credit for 3 credits) for students who wish to receive credit and an official transcript from Jacksonville University. Please talk with your study abroad office, academic advisor, or career services office to see what will be needed in order to transfer your credit back to your home institution.
Jacksonville University, CIS Abroad’s accrediting partner, is a SACSCOC-accredited institution.