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Course Formats

The BSU Registrar and Service-Learning (SL) Program currently support three formats: fully-integrated required, optional, or SL Lab. Students’ transcripts reflect the SL designation under the course name.

Faculty weigh specific factors when deciding to make SL optional or required. Feel free to call  SL Director Kara Brascia to discuss the range of options.

1. Fully Integrated Service-Learning

  • 10-25 hours of service over the semester (3-credit course) (a single assignment or central component)
  • Class activities and writing assignments help students connect service and course theory

Courses use service experiences as the basis for papers, class presentations, discussions, and other assignments.  The instructor designs the experiences such that students of all identities can participate. Instructors deliberately link the academic content with the service experience and the community issue. These classes are labeled as “Service-Learning required” in the class details link on BroncoWeb.

2.  Optional Service-Learning

  • 10-25 hours of service over the semester (3-credit course) (optional)
  • Class activities and writing assignments help students connect service and course theory

Boise State supports two formats of optional SL:

  • Project-Based format: The course has a common project assignment that all students complete, but some students work with non-profit/government organizations, while other students may work with for-profit organizations. SL designation is granted to students who work with nonprofit/governmental organizations.
  • Blended format: This course has two or more pathways for students to achieve the learning outcomes, and one of those pathways uses the SL pedagogy. SL designation is granted to students in the SL pathway.

3. Service-Learning Lab (1 credit)

  • Optional 1 credit lab
  • 30-40 hours of service over the course of the semester
  • Biweekly discussion sessions, and
  • Journal connecting course theory and service
  • Only a few highly motivated students will choose this opportunity

Faculty may elect to offer a one-credit SL lab as an optional co-requisite to the base course. The assigned amount of credits for the base course remains the same, but the student receives an additional credit for meeting the learning and service requirements of the SL lab. Usually these requirements include 35-40 hours of service during the semester, biweekly reflection discussions with the professor, and a journal connecting course theories and service.

Service-learning labs are designated by an “SL” suffix in the Directory of Classes and on BroncoWeb (i.e. MKTG 307 base course with MKTG 307SL Service-Learning lab).  SL Labs are created by faculty using this SL Lab designation process.