Community Studies (CMST)

CMST 210. Health Careers Exploration. 1-3 Hours.

Semester course; variable hours. 1-3 credits. Open only to high school students enrolled in programs partnering with VCU’s Health Sciences Academy. High school students will learn college-success skills, how to make informed decisions about the health careers they wish to pursue and plan college-level courses and extracurricular activities to achieve their career goals. Material is presented through lectures from health care workers in various specialties, hands-on activities and exposure to college mentors.

CMST 300. The Foundations of Community Engagement. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Course content includes theories of citizenship, social movements, civic leadership, social justice, civil discourse, service and social capital. The survey course is foundational for subsequent seminars.

CMST 301. Neighborhood Research Seminar. 1 Hour.

Semester course; 1 credit. Prerequisite: CMST 300. Enrollment restricted to VCU ASPiRE students. Community engagement knowledge and skills are applied to studying the character, history and social issues that impact Richmond neighborhoods through group and individual projects.

CMST 310. Orientation to Service-learning. 1.5 Hour.

Seven-week course; content delivered online. 1.5 credits. Prerequisite: permission of instructor. Interactive, online orientation training designed to introduce students to the historical and theoretical foundations of service-learning. Students will also become familiar with indicators of high-quality community engagement practices. Course content is available through Blackboard, and the class will not meet face-to-face. Students are expected to complete assignments and activities for course modules by the due dates specified on Blackboard.

CMST 391. Topics in Community Studies. 1-3 Hours.

Semester course; 1-3 lecture hours. 1-3 credits. May be repeated for a maximum of six credits with different topics. Open only to students enrolled in the ASPiRE living-learning program. An in-depth study of a selected topic in community studies. See the Schedule of Classes for specific topics to be offered each semester.

CMST 400. The Community Engagement Seminar. 1 Hour.

Semester course; 1 credit. Prerequisite: CMST 301. Discipline-based knowledge and skills are applied to assessed community needs. A service-learning component of 25 hours is included.

CMST 401. The Capstone Community Engagement Seminar. 1 Hour.

Semester course; 1 credit. Prerequisite: CMST 400. Community-identified needs are addressed by discipline-specific interventions that result in documented social change. A service-learning component of 25 hours is included.

CMST 410. Service-learning Teaching Assistant Supervision. 1.5 Hour.

Semester course; 2.5 laboratory hours. 1.5 credits. Enrollment requires permission of instructor. Corequisite: CMST 310. Provides undergraduate students with support and instruction during their first semester of service as teaching assistants to VCU service-learning courses. Requirements include a minimum of five hours per week of teaching assistance activities within a designated service-learning course, attendance at monthly group supervision meetings and participation in service-learning group activities. Supervision meetings are designed to help students build important community leadership skills such as team facilitation, ethical problem-solving and diversity awareness/appreciation.

CMST 411. Advanced Service-learning Teaching Assistant Supervision. 1 Hour.

Semester course; 2 laboratory hours; 1 credit. Prerequisites: CMST 310 and CMST 410. This course emphasizes effective techniques and strategies for advanced service-learning teaching assistants to increase their impact on student development and community outreach in service-learning courses. Students serve as peer mentors and facilitators for SLTAs in their first semester of service in addition to providing invaluable technical support to their instructors. The course will provide advanced SLTAs with individualized leadership assessments designed to enhance their leadership skills and emphasize the role of student leaders in successful service-learning courses.

CMST 491. Special Topics in Community Studies. 1-3 Hours.

Semester course; 1-3 variable hours. 1-3 credits, Prerequisite: permission of instructor. An in-depth study of a selected topic related to community studies. See the Schedule of Classes for specific topics to be offered each semester. If several topics of different content are offered, students may elect to take more than one.

CMST 492. Independent Study in Community Studies. 1-3 Hours.

Semester course; 1-3 variable hours. 1-3 credits. Prerequisite: permission of instructor. Intensive study or research under supervision of a faculty member in an area not covered in-depth or contained in the regular curriculum.

CMST 493. The Community Engagement Internship. 1-3 Hours.

Semester course; 1-3 variable hours. 1-3 credits. May be repeated a maximum of two times with program approval. Prerequisite: CMST 300. Civic leadership and responsibility are emphasized in workplace internships established with community partners. A service-learning component of 45 hours per credit hour is included.

CMST 691. Special Topics in Community Studies. 1-3 Hours.

Semester course; 1-3 variable hours. 1-3 credits. May be repeated for a maximum of 6 credits. Prerequisite: permission of instructor. Provides an in-depth study of a selected topic related to community studies. See the Schedule of Classes for specific topics to be offered each semester. If several topics of different content are offered, students may elect to take more than one.

CMST 692. Independent Study in Community Studies. 1-3 Hours.

Semester course; 1-3 variable hours. 1-3 credits. Prerequisite: permission of instructor. Intensive study or research under supervision of a faculty member in an area not covered in-depth or contained in other VCU graduate-level courses.