Community-Based Learning (CBL) courses offer students a learning experience with an external partner organization and can include internships, co-ops, independent studies, clinical experiences for credit, capstone projects, and culminating educational experiences.

 Each CBL course should meet the following criteria:

1. Involves a community experience or project with an external partner that applies knowledge and integrates theory and practice
2. Course includes service (direct service, research, or practice) with the community (local, state, national or international) based on course content
3. Course includes learning objectives related to the application of disciplinary/course concepts to community activities
4. There is mutual benefit  to the community partner and the student

If you are interested in designating your course as a CBL course, contact the Office of Community Engagement.  The office can also provide assistance if you are interested in developing a CBL course or revising an existing course to meet the CBL criteria.

Resources on CBL Courses

References for Impact of Community-Based Learning on Students

Designing and Delivering a Community-Based Learning Course

Community Based Learning (CBL) Listserv  - open to UofL faculty, staff, and graduate students who would like to learn more about CBL. The listserv provides a forum for open discussion and information sharing on topics related to Community-Based Learning.

How to Develop a Service-Learning Course (PDF)

Models of Service Learning in the Curriculum (PDF)

The Service-Learning History Project Archive - housed at Stanford University, contains freely accessible and downloadable audio and video interviews, films and manuscripts and other documents, which tell the story of the emergence and ongoing institutionalization of the field of service-learning (community-based learning) from its beginnings in the 1960s to the current time.