Seattle University defines academic service-learning as:
"A credit-bearing educational experience in which students participate in an organized activity that meets community needs and reflect on the service activity in such a way as to gain further understanding of the course content and a broader appreciation of the discipline. Through this process of reciprocity, students further enhance their personal development and the leadership skills needed to work for social justice in our diverse world.” - adapted from Bringle and Hatcher, 1996

Academic service-learning is the connection of concepts in the classroom to service experiences in the community. Service-learning helps prepare you for a lifetime of civic engagement and leadership. In addition, service-learning is an important learning tool that allows you to apply the concepts, theories and other material covered in class. The community becomes a text for the class and is as critical to “read” as other textbooks.


To find courses with a service learning component, visit SUOnline. Choose service-learning from the drop down menu under "Course Comment Keywords."