Duke Service-Learning is a signature program of Trinity College of Arts & Sciences. We connect academic courses to real partnerships across Durham, so students put what they're learning into practice — and community partners help shape what gets taught.
Service-learning and community engaged (SLCE) courses practice dynamic pedagogy that combines academic coursework, real community engagement, and structured critical reflection.
SLCE courses give students a chance to apply what they're learning in their academic courses to real-world settings. Depending on the experiential learning activities, SLCE courses build reciprocal, mutually beneficial relationships or deepen cultural knowledge and social interactions with community.
Research on high-impact educational practices links well-designed service-learning to:
- Increased personal and social responsibility
- Stronger critical thinking and learning gains
- Improved graduation and retention rates
- Career-related skill development
A decade of service-learning at Duke
A ten-year look back at what we've built together — in the classroom and in the community.
52.7% | 300+ | 1,550 | 4+/5 |
|---|---|---|---|
of the Class of 2025 took an SLCE course | community partners across Durham | SLCE courses offered since 2016 | average rating across learning outcomes |
Local, national, and international service-learning and civic engagement organizations:
- NC Campus Engagement
- CIRCLE (The Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement)
- Community-Campus Partnerships for Health
- International Association for Research on Service-Learning and Community Engagement
- National Society for Experiential Education
- National Youth Leadership Council
- The Talloires Network
- The Research University Civic Engagement Network (TRUCEN)
Want to bring service-learning into your course?
Contact Us for a consultation.