Programs and Academic Credit

The Washington Community Scholars’ Center is committed to providing strong academic programs grounded in practical experiences in Washington D.C.’s diverse neighborhoods.

Laura Bergey finds time to goof off during her internship with the Anacostia Watershed Society. The AWS internship offers opportunities to work with urban environmental issues.

Dates

Fall (end of August-mid December)
Spring (mid January-end of April)
Summer (mid May-end of July)

Semester vs. Summer

Semester: 15-18 credits
Internship: 6 credits
WCSC Core Classes: 9 credits
Optional local university classes: up to 3 credits

Summer: 10 credits
Internship: 6 credits
WCSC Core Classes: 4 credits

Core Classes

Participation in WCSC core classes is required. Students receive 9 credits per semester from 4 courses, which are combined into 2 weekly seminar meetings.

Credit Breakdown for Fall ’10:

Also offered in Summer ’11 (summer version), Spring 2012, and Fall 2012

WCSC 385 Internship (6 SH): Satisfies 6 SH of Cross-Cultural

CCSSC 385 Cross-Cultural Social Science: Urban Anthropology (3 SH)
Taught by Douglas Hertzler, Associate Professor of Anthropology
Students use the tools of participant observation to understand how different populations of urban regions form a social whole and how the lives and living conditions of all people are interconnected. Discussion will cover the ways in which our understanding of categories such as “white”, “black”, and “latino” both mask and define the class stratification which occurs as part of our economic system.
Satisfies Writing Intensive and 3 SH of Cross-Cultural

ANTH 385 Faith and Urban Community (3 SH)
Taught by Douglas Hertzler, Associate Professor of Anthropology
How do different faith communities practice their faith in an urban context? Students visit local faith communities to learn more about their response to current issues. Students will explore various interpretations of the connection between faith and works, and will compare and analyze these responses.
Satisfies Christian Identity & Witness

WCSC 485 Servant Leadership (2 SH)
Taught by Kimberly Schmidt, Professor of History
How are leaders made? In these critical times, what kinds of leaders does our society need? How is leadership best practiced? College students, at the cusp of adulthood in American society stand at many crossroads. Life-altering decisions, vocational choices, questions about how and whom to serve can stimulate or, conversely, inhibit creativity, a willingness to engage in the serious issues of our day, and a commitment to serve others. This course is taught in tandem with WCSC 285 Internship Theory and Practice (1 SH), and explores the many dimensions of servant leadership, starting with traditional definitions and moving into gender and race before engaging with the great non-violent servant leaders of the twentieth century. Throughout the class we will talk with local servant leaders in the DC area.
WCSC 485 satisfies Senior Seminar for students with at least 90 credits prior to WCSC.
WCSC 285 satisfies Community Learning.

Credit Breakdown for Spring ’11

Also offered in Fall 2011 and Summer 2012 (summer version)

WCSC 385 Internship (6 SH): Satisfies 6 SH of Cross-Cultural

CCSSC 386 Cross-Cultural Social Science: A Multicultural History of Washington, DC, 1930-1970 (3 SH)
Taught by Kimberly Schmidt, Professor of History
The Washington DC setting offers students an opportunity to examine the history of race and ethnicity in an urban context, including the historical African-American community and more recent immigrant communities.
Satisfies Writing Intensive and 3 SH of Cross-Cultural

HIST 385 Monuments to Murals: Exploring Social Issues through DC’s Public Art (3 SH)
Taught by Kimberly Schmidt, Professor of History
Students attend and review museum exhibits, plays, concerts, and guided tours of public art in DC. Reading and writing assignments focus on the relationship between historical events and contemporary social issues.
Satisfies History & Literature

WCSC 485 Servant Leadership (2 SH)
Taught by Douglas Hertzler, Associate Professor of Anthropology
How are leaders made? In these critical times, what kinds of leaders does our society need? How is leadership best practiced? College students, at the cusp of adulthood in American society stand at many crossroads. Life-altering decisions, vocational choices, questions about how and whom to serve can stimulate or, conversely, inhibit creativity, a willingness to engage in the serious issues of our day, and a commitment to serve others. This course is taught in tandem with WCSC 285 Internship Theory and Practice (1 SH), and explores the many dimensions of servant leadership, starting with traditional definitions and moving into gender and race before engaging with the great non-violent servant leaders of the twentieth century. Throughout the class we will talk with local servant leaders in the DC area.
WCSC 485 satisfies Senior Seminar for students with at least 90 credits prior to WCSC.
WCSC 285 satisfies Community Learning.

See the EMU Course Catalog for more information.