Overview
The Students Engaging, Responding, Volunteering & Impacting Communities Everywhere (SERVICE) Certificate Program is an interdisciplinary service learning certificate at TTU that offers undergraduate and graduate students across the University the opportunity to identify and participate in service learning opportunities that have lasting community impacts. This certificate is offered by the Department of Curriculum & Instruction to recognize and promote students’ efforts in service learning. The SERVICE Program reinforces TTU’s mission of developing student capacity in service and outreach to benefit the people of Tennessee and the nation. Students majoring in any college/school at TTU are eligible to participate in the program.
Program Structure
The Undergraduate SERVICE Certificate requires 18 credit of coursework (or equivalent) and is easy for students to attain if planned early. The certificate requires 9 credit-hours of coursework to come from within the College of Education and provides the option for the additional 9 hours to be attained from any TTU unit with appropriate service learning courses/options available. Service Learning opportunities are available in a number of courses offered by the Department of Curriculum & Instruction (see attached course list and descriptions), but students can also accumulate hours by self-identifying and pursuing service learning opportunities in the community.
Up to 9 credit hours of the 18 required can be certified by completing the equivalent of 135 clock hours (1 credit hour = 15 clock hours) of service learning. These hours must be pre-approved by the TTU Office of Service Learning (Michelle Huddleston) who will track hours accumulated and maintain records of completion. Students will be able to count these hours in the certificate by enrolling in a Service Learning course (zero credits; no cost) in the semester in which hours are completed.
Stipulations:
(1) The definition(s) of Service Learning as documented by the TTU Office of Service Learning will be used to guide decisions concerning what activities can be approved for the certificate. Decisions of that office will preside.
(2) Coursework/clock hours for service learning in which students are receiving compensation (e.g., paid tutoring) and/or financial gain (e.g.., scholarships) cannot be counted for the certificate as this would constitute double-dipping.