The descriptions below highlight the academic civic engagement component of each class. Please check the Academic Catalog for complete course descriptions and prerequisites.
American Conversation
AMCON 102A American Conversations- Democratic Vistas: 1800- 1900
Instructor: Eric Fure-Slocum
Students will work with a group to research and prepare a presentation about a Northfield-area site. They will approach this site as a dense fact, examining it from a number of different angles and at different points in time. Students will be expected to look closely at this site – historically, culturally, socially, environmentally, physically, etc. –and consider what the site can tell us about both the 19th -century development of this area (especially 1850-1900) and the longer-term use and sustainability of this landscape.
Environmental Studies
ENVST 276 Environmental Politics
Instructor: Dan Hofrenning
Students will learn about the complexity of environmental politics by examining the Cannon River as a case study. Various community leaders will be serving as guest speakers. Some students may work on projects for the Cannon River Watershed Partnership.
ES 399 Senior Seminar: Environmental Studies
Instructor: Schade, John
Students will work on various local environmental projects, with a emphasis on projects connected to the Northfield Energy Task Force Report.
Independent Study
IS 216 Ideals to Action: Cultivating Social Change
Instructor: Eric Fure-Slocum
Students will explore social change academically and practically. Students will work on “social change projects” for various community organizations. Specifically, students will be required to create plans for developing, improving, implementing or marketing a program or initiative that would help to foster social change.
Social Work
SW 258 Social Policy
Instructor: Mary Carlsen
A small group of students will critically examine a draft of a book written by Rep. David Bly and present their findings to him.
SW 381 Community Engagement in Social Work
Instructor: Mary Carlsen
Students will understand community-based research project as a social work practice of planned change. Students will complete community-based research projects for agencies/organizations/departments for a need/benefit that they request.
Sociology and Anthropology
SOAN 373 Ethnographic Research Methods
Instructor: Chris Chiappari
Students will complete community-based research projects for Tacking Obstacles Raising College Hopes (TORCH) and various after school programs in Northfield. Students learn research, political, civic engagement skills; community-based research experience; and knowledge of Northfield and Rice Co.