Fusing research, service and critical reflection with core public policy courses allows selected students to experience the Hart Leadership Program's research service-learning pedagogy while fulfilling course requirements for the public policy major and making a direct impact on the community partners they serve.
The Research Service-Learning (RSL) gateway option is offered in selected public policy courses. In the past, it has been offered in PUBPOL 114: Political Analysis in Public Policy and PUBPOL 116: Policy Choice as Value Conflict. Students enrolled in the course apply to participate in the RSL gateway option; in previous semesters, up to 15 students have been selected per eligible course. The RSL gateway experience generally requires a total time commitment of approximately 20 hours (in addition to the usual time commitment required by the course).
Each RSL gateway experience features a six-to-ten week service project that is tailored to the specific public policy course through which it is offered, thus ensuring that the theme of the service project complements course themes. Selected students work in groups with local community partners to directly address their assigned community partners' specific needs. In addition, participants call upon the knowledge and skills they are acquiring in the course and, through research and critical reflection, apply them to further the organizational goals of their community partners.
In past semesters, students have worked with a variety of local community organizations including the Animal Protection Society of Durham, the Latino Community Credit Union (LCCU) and Housing for New Hope. Click here to learn more about past RSL gateway projects.
The RSL gateway experience introduces students to basic research skills, and challenges them to integrate the ethical, intellectual and civic lessons from their field experiences with their public policy coursework. This combination of experience with academic study allows students to better understand complex social systems, policy change and leadership. Click here to read what former RSL gateway participants say about the experience.
In addition to offering students the opportunity to develop valuable research and problem-solving skills, participation in an RSL Gateway option makes students eligible to pursue RSL further through participation in structured community-based research and capstone opportunities in public policy studies in subsequent semesters.
Furthermore, as part of the HLP's efforts to encourage RSL gateway participants to pursue independent summer community-based research internships, current or former participants will have access to informational materials developed by the HLP on University summer funding sources and on crafting highly competitive grant applications for summer community-based research internships.
Finally, students who successfully complete the requirements of the RSL gateway option they are enrolled in and attain a grade of B or higher on the final course assignment related to the service project will receive a 1/3 grade level boost in their overall grade for the class (e.g. a B+ would become an A-).
Interested in participating in an RSL gateway option? Click here to find out how you can participate!
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