Certificate & Courses
Community Engagement for the Public Good | Undergraduate Certificate
CCESL offers a 12-credit undergraduate certificate that equips students with the skills, knowledge, and commitments to collaborate with communities for the public good. Students will learn the foundations of community-engaged methods and develop an action plan through CCESL's course sequence, described below. Throughout six credits of independent study and/or community-engaged coursework, students will receive the mentoring to effectively carry out community-engaged work based on their personal action plan and reflect on their work through an ePortfolio (website). Students may take the course sequence below without pursuing the certificate.
On this Page:
There are two ways to add the certificate to your studies:
Fill out an add/drop form
Fill out the form below and return it to the Office of the Register, located on the garden level of University Hall. Please note that a signature is not required when adding a certificate.
To fill out the form, first complete the top section (name, ID number, current degree, and current major(s)/minor(s)). Then, underneath the "Add or Drop a Minor or Certificate" section, write, “Community Engagement for the Public Good” for the certificate name, and input the date.
Add/Drop Undergraduate FormMeet with CCESL's Executive Director
Meet with CCESL Executive Director, Cara DiEnno, who will then submit the form via email on your behalf. Reach out to Cara (Cara.DiEnno@du.edu) with any questions or if you'd like to setup a time to meet to complete the certificate form.
Additional Certificate Details
CENG 2510 Denver Urban Issues and Policy | 2 Credits
This course is part of the Center for Community Engagement to advance Scholarship and Learning (CCESL)’s course series, which equips students with the skills, knowledge, and commitments necessary to collaborate with communities for the public good.
As members of the Denver community, we have the responsibility and right to investigate important issues and co-create solutions that center equity and inclusion. There is a wide array of actions that can be taken to create social change, depending on what the issue demands and the strengths, skills, and talents of those working for change. The aim of this course is three-fold. First, you will learn how the history of Denver, including how legacies of violence, displacement, forced migration, and resettlement of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color communities, have shaped the issues we see today. Second, the course will introduce you to some of the most critical issues facing Denver and local efforts to address those issues. Lastly, the course will provide the space for you to explore the variety of social change actions that can be taken, weighing the pros and cons of each and considering how to assess fit for the issue(s) you care about and your own strengths.
CENG 2520 Community Organizing | 2 Credits
This course is part of the Center for Community Engagement to advance Scholarship and Learning (CCESL)’s course series, which equips students with the skills, knowledge, and commitments necessary to collaborate with communities for the public good.
In this course, you will learn about the history of community organizing in the United States, the role of community organizing in contemporary social movements, and the components of the community organizing process. Students will first learn how to critically examine power, privilege, oppression, and white supremacy in the context of working for social change. Then, you will explore various community organizing practices including identifying self-interests; building relationships; defining issues using an anti-oppression analysis; understanding root causes; centering the experience of the communities most impacted by injustice and systemic oppression; and creating a vision, strategies, tactics to support campaigns for social justice.
CENG 2590 From Public Good Theory to Action | 2 Credits
This course is part of the Center for Community Engagement to advance Scholarship and Learning (CCESL)’s course series, which equips students with the skills, knowledge, and commitments necessary to collaborate with communities for the public good.
Through this course, you will integrate your personal, professional, and academic goals with a focus on social change. In doing so, you will gain a clear sense of your identity as a public good scholar as well as a personal action plan that you can implement to address a social justice issue of your choosing. You will apply an anti-oppression analysis to your plan including how the I’s of Oppression manifest in your selected topic, ways you center the knowledge/voices of the communities most impacted by the injustice/systemic oppression, and how white supremacy shows up in your issue and how to actively work to address racist and oppressive practices.
The CCESL Course Sequence is open to any interested student. However, students in the Social Change Living & Learning Community or Puksta Scholars Program enroll in these courses in their first year. The Living and Learning Communities (LLCs) are first-year programs that combine academic learning, residential life, and hands-on experiences.
The Social Change LLC explores social movements and change strategies through a lens of equity and justice to prepare students to collaborate for the public good.
-
The DU Puksta Scholars Program is an enriching four-year scholarship program and community open to Denver high school students who have been accepted to the University of Denver and who have an interest in social justice.
Prospective and incoming students who would like to learn more can click the links below:
Independent Study, Internships, & Special Topics
Public Good Pathways Independent Study | CENG 3991
The Public Good Pathways Independent Study provides academic credit for reflection, integration, and synthesis of a student’s current and previous work that contributes to the University of Denver’s public good vision. This work is overseen by the Center for Community Engagement to advance Scholarship and Learning (CCESL) and may be completed in collaboration with one or more community partner(s). Public Good Pathways Independent Study opportunities are individually designed as experiences for students who have completed at least one community-engaged class, and they require approval from the Executive Director of CCESL.
Community Engagement Internship | CENG 3980
Students who complete a special project as part of an internship with a community organization can register for 1-8 Community Engagement Internship credits.
Changemakers Internship Program
In the 2024-2025 academic year, CCESL is offering a new internship program where students will collaborate with community partners for credit. Students will tackle real-world challenges through special projects as defined by one of CCESL’s community partners that will develop your skills in community engagement. The program spans winter and spring quarters, with weekly meetings and variable credit options that can count toward the Community Engagement for the Public Good Certificate (optional).
For questions or to register, contact the instructor, Cara DiEnno, below:
Learn More About the Program Contact Dr. Cara DiEnno
Topics in Community Engagement | CENG 1700/2700
During some quarters, special topics in community engagement are offered. Check back at the beginning of each quarter to see upcoming courses.
During the process of taking this course, I’ve developed a greater understanding that true progress not only takes time, but it’s also usually not linear. Rather than setting expectations for results, I’ve learned the importance of valuing every part of the process, from start to finish, and taking unexpected outcomes as opportunities to improve rather than viewing them as failure. This knowledge not only applies to social work, but I have been able to apply these themes to “my day-to-day life.
Student in Community Organizing Class
