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Research Service-Learning at Duke University

Research Service-Learning at Duke includes courses and community-based research opportunities that allow students and faculty members to pursue academic projects derived from community needs and interests. Students progress through three stages within a chosen pathway.

The Three-Stage Model

At the heart of Scholarship with a Civic Mission is a three-stage model designed to prepare undergraduates to conduct thorough research and produce a substantial product that will benefit community partners. As they move through the stages, the students gain skills and deep understanding of research methods as well as community issues and civic engagement. We define the three stages as follows:

• Stage 1: The Gateway Course includes a service-learning component and introduces students to basic research skills and ethical issues. Requires students to complete a research proposal based on their service experience.
  
  
• Stage 2: The Community Based Research Opportunity can be an internship or academic course that includes field research which students conduct in collaboration with a community partner. Requires students to keep a research journal that addresses intellectual, ethical and civic issues.
  
  
• Stage 3: The Capstone Course allows students to pursue an independent research project that builds on their collaboration with the community partner. Requires students to keep a research journal that addresses intellectual, ethical and civic issues.

Students who complete all three stages will be named Duke Civic Scholars.

Pathways through Research Service-Learning

As students progress through the stages of training in research and service, they have the opportunity to pursue studies within an interdisciplinary theme or academic discipline. Five “pathways” are currently under development:

Interdisciplinary pathways:

• Human Development and Education
• Human Rights and Humanitarian Issues
• Public Health Inequalities

Disciplinary Pathways:

• Political Science
• Public Policy

Although these pathways provide thematic connections among courses, students are not restrained by this model, and are encouraged to discuss other combinations of courses arranged in the appropriate sequence with a member of the RSL program staff. The stage model provides opportunities for increasing intellectual, ethical, and civic engagement; the pathways serve as organizers of thematic content.