Certificate in Community-Engaged Scholarship

The purpose of this certificate program is to train graduate students in the practice of community-engaged scholarship (CES), which is defined as teaching or research that is done in collaboration with community organizations or community partners in equitable, mutually beneficial, respectful relationships.

CES can include:

• community-based (service) learning, in which students work with community organizations or members (typically through direct service, advocacy or policy efforts, or other project-based work) to enhance their academic learning, professional development, and personal development while providing tangible benefits to the community organization and its constituents.
• community-based research, a spectrum of research including community-based participatory research and participatory action research. In this type of research, researchers work with community members to address research questions or issues identified by the community itself. These collaborations typically yield both academic research and useful outcomes or products for community members, who often act as co-researchers. Additionally, the relationships between community partners and researchers are mutually beneficial, equitable, and respectful.
• other community engagement and outreach efforts, including scholarship on CES.

Graduate students in this certificate may focus on one, several, or all facets of CES, depending on their interests. Through this certificate, students will feel confident to teach community-based learning courses, conduct community-based research, and/or lead community engagement initiatives.

1. Apply theory and effective practices in the conduct of community-based research and evaluation.
2. Utilize theories of translational and transformative learning and community change in performing engaged scholarship.
3. Develop mutually beneficial and equitable partnerships with community organizations and members.
4. Design and evaluate community-based programs for education and outreach using collaborative and participatory approaches.
5. Demonstrate application of community-engaged scholarship through a presentation, report or other artifact involving a public/community audience.
6. Cultivate a leadership style and communication skills that engage community partners in scholarship.

A bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution or a comparable degree from an international institution is required. International applicants must have a degree comparable to a regionally accredited U.S. bachelor’s degree. You must have completed your undergraduate degree, or similar, before starting graduate school.

A minimum undergraduate grade-point average (GPA) of 3.00 on the equivalent of the last 60 semester hours (approximately two years of work) or a master’s degree with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 is required. Applicants from an international institution must demonstrate strong academic achievement comparable to a 3.00 for an undergraduate or master’s degree. The Graduate School will use your institution’s grading scale. Do not convert your grades to a 4.00 scale.

Every applicant whose native language is not English, or whose undergraduate instruction was not in English, must provide an English proficiency test score. TOEFL scores must be submitted electronically via ETS. IELTS scores can be submitted electronically or by paper.  Our office address is: UW-Madison Graduate School, Office of Admissions, 232 Bascom Hall, 500 Lincoln Drive, Madison, WI 53706.  Your score will not be accepted if it is more than two years old from the start of your admission term. Country of citizenship does not exempt applicants from this requirement. Language of instruction at the college or university level and how recent the language instruction was taken are the determining factors in meeting this requirement.

Applicants are exempt if: