Spring 2026 Engaged Learning Courses
Introduction to Ethnic Studies
EST 2300-01, 3 hours, Tuesdays/Thursdays, 11:00 AM-12:15 PM
Instructor: Dr. Ryan Sharp
Introduces students to the interdisciplinary field of ethnic studies, by examining the interconnections between race, ethnicity, and social, political, and cultural frameworks and attitudes in the U.S. This course fulfills the College of Arts and Sciences Engaged Learning requirement.
Introduction to Model Organization of American States
HIS 2v89-01/LAS 2v89-01, Mondays and Wednesdays, 4:00-5:15 PM
Instructor: Dr. Mark McGraw
Course prepares students for first-time participation in a Model Organization of American States simulation. Stresses historical and contemporary hemispheric issues. May be repeated for a total of six credit hours under different topics.
Advanced Model Organization of American States
HIS 4v89-01/LAS 4v89-01/PSC 4v89-01, Mondays and Wednesdays, 4:00-5:15 PM
Instructor: Dr. Mark McGraw
Course prepares advanced students for leadership roles in a Model Organization of American States simulation. May be repeated for a total of six credit hours under different topics.
Bilingual Language Acquisition and Education
LING 4317/TED 4317, Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9:30-10:45 AM
Instructors: Dr. Melisa Dracos & Dr. Tracey Jones
Examines childhood bilingual language acquisition and education and highlights how this understanding is critical to examining issues in bilingual education and promoting multilingual communities in an increasingly diverse U.S. society.
Visual Arts and Healing
MH 3300, 3 hours, Tuesdays and Thursdays, 11:00 AM -12:15 PM
Instructor: Dr. Lauren Barron
An overview of the connections between visual art, healing and health care, the role of imagination and creativity in medicine, including the critical viewing of art, class discussions, experiential learning, and a service-learning project. This course fulfills the College of Arts and Sciences Engaged Learning requirement.
Supervised Clinical Medicine
MH 4351, 3 hours, Tuesdays and Thursdays, 2:00-3:15 PM
Instructor: Dr. Lauren Barron
Supervised weekly clinical service through various medical fields complemented by weekly seminar sessions. This course fulfills the College of Arts and Sciences Engaged Learning requirement.
Supervised Hospice Care
MH 4377, 3 hours, Mondays and Wednesdays, 2:30-3:45 PM
Instructor: Levi Durham
Hands-on hospice experience including shadowing hospice professionals. Must meet hospice employment criteria. This course fulfills the College of Arts and Sciences Engaged Learning requirement.
Community Data & Research
PPS 1100-02, 1 hour, Mondays, 5:30 PM-6:20 PM
Instructor: Dr. Jeremy Rhodes
Engaging and partnering with community members and entities in research, sometimes in the form of research practice partnership, can be a powerful mechanism for ensuring research and data is appropriately situated within the context and utilized for social change. Students will learn how to apply research methods and data analysis to local organizations focused on social impact. Partnering with Prosper Waco, students will implement a community-engaged research project.
Child Poverty Policy & Action: From Science to Solutions
PPS 1100-3, 1 hour, Wednesdays, 9:05-9:55 AM
Instructor: Dr. Robin McDurham
Explore how poverty reshapes children’s brains, communities, and futures in this immersive course blending neuroscience, policy analysis, and advocacy. Examine programs such as the Child Tax Credit through poverty simulations and legislative role-play, and discover how data mapping, storytelling, and trauma-informed strategies translate research into meaningful action. The course features a service-learning project with four to five hours off-campus and a 5-hour advocacy project, such as creating a podcast, that can be completed on campus. Ideal for aspiring educators, policymakers, and health professionals. No prerequisites are required—only a passion for justice and ending child poverty.
Habitat for Humanity & Affordable Housing
PPS 1100-04, 1 hour, Thursdays, 2:00-2:50 PM
Instructor: John Alexander
Habitat for Humanity & Affordable Housing is designed to introduce students to ideas and methods of community service in the specific area of residential housing/construction. Conceptual differences between public and private sector housing initiatives are discussed with emphasis on the historical development of Habitat for Humanity as an ecumenical Christian, non-governmental organization (NGO). The philosophy behind this organization and details of its history are discussed in depth. Students participate in Habitat projects and learn first-hand the importance of community service, contributing 20 total hours of work time during the semester.
Non-Profit Sports Ministry
PPS 1100-5, 1 hour, Wednesdays, 8:00-8:50 AM
Instructor: Jennifer Martinsen
This course will give you a first-hand look into the grass-roots efforts of building a sports ministry from the ground up. Learn from, develop, and help grow a non-profit sports ministry for youth (volleyball and/or basketball). Volley for Molly was founded in 2013 as a way to honor Molly’s life, her love of Jesus, and her passion for volleyball. Molly Grace Martinsen passed away from brain cancer in 2012, when she was only 11 years old. This annual tournament is the foundation’s only fundraiser, and all the money raised is donated to families, individuals, grief nonprofits, Christian ministries, and brain cancer research.
Poverty in Waco
PPS 1100-06,1 hour, Wednesdays, 12:20-1:10 PM
Instructor: Josh Caballero
This course is designed to provide students with a basic understanding of the causes and consequences of poverty in Waco and determine ways students can become more civically engaged. Students will learn from a variety of experts and Waco specific studies about the impact of poverty and its intersection with the sectors of employment, education, health, and community development. Students will also get a firsthand glimpse into the challenges facing those experiencing poverty in Waco through 20 hours of volunteer service over the course of the semester.
Law & Public Service
PPS 1100-10, 1 hour, Wednesdays, 2:30-3:20 PM & PPS 1100-11, 1 hour, Wednesdays, 3:35-4:25 PM
Instructor: Kent McKeever
In addition to one weekly classroom hour devoted to the public service aspect of the legal profession, students will engage the local legal community and various manifestations of law and public service outside the classroom. Whether students are considering a career in law or not, all those interested in how the legal profession partners with those working in other public service roles and intersects with other vital social systems and professional endeavors will find this course engaging, edifying, and equipping. Students will hone and develop thinking, collaboration, and advocacy skills through their work inside and outside the classroom.
Accompanying Spanish-Speaking People in Waco
PPS 1100-12, 1 hour, Tuesdays, 3:30-4:20 PM
Instructor: Dr. Israel Loachamin
This course is designed to provide students with a basic understanding of the journey of a Spanish-speaking person in Waco to develop an awareness of the unique and rich community that the U.S. has. Students will explore the journey of a Spanish-speaking person through reading, journaling, volunteering with La Puerta, and class discussions.
Transforming Child Poverty
PPS 1100-14, 1 hour, Mondays, 9:05-9:55 AM
Instructor: Sarah Pedrotti
Working with Communities in Schools, this course explores the consequences of child poverty in Waco and attends to the role cross-sector collaboration, community schools, and wrap-around services play in mitigating disadvantage.
Money, Power, and Impact: The Ethics of Social Welfare Funding
PPS 1100-16, 1 hour, Tuesdays, 11:00-11:50 AM & PPS 1100-17, 1 hour, Tuesdays, 12:30-1:20 PM
Instructor: Emily Morrow Loachamin
How do social services get funded, and who controls the money? This course explores the history, policies, and ethics of social welfare funding. Students will work with a local agency to track funding sources and analyze real-world challenges in nonprofit finance, ethics, and impact-driven decision-making, and reflection.
Community Gardening (EHUM)
PPS 1100-20, 1 hour, Wednesdays, 2:30-3:20 PM & PPS 1100-21, 1 hour, Wednesdays, 3:35-4:25 PM
Instructor: Grant Hall
In this course students learn the value of community gardens in schools and urban areas. Through volunteerism, students will learn how community gardens provide fresh produce as well as neighborhood improvement, sense of community and connection to the environment.
Wellness in Waco (EHUM)
PPS 1100-23, 1 hour, Wednesdays, 10:10-11:00 AM
Instructor: April Strickland
Through class discussions we will explore how collaboration with area nonprofits focused on food access, health, environmental sustainability and other wellness initiatives has planted seeds of hope. This section will explore how meaningful partnerships with local nonprofits can spark real, lasting change in our community. Students will gain firsthand insight into what community engagement looks like in action across non-profit sectors including schools, churches, grassroots organizations etc. This course equips students with the knowledge, skills, and values needed to lead ethically and effectively within their communities. Join us as we examine how small acts of service can grow into sustainable impact for the common good.
Advocacy - Children & Families
PPS 1100-24, 1 hour, Fridays, 12:20-1:10 PM
Instructor: Dr. Kerry Burkley
Students in this course discuss the specific impact of how trauma affects individuals and how a ministry of hope increases the likelihood of generating a “new normal” in which a family can survive and thrive.
Trauma Advocacy
PPS 1100-25, 1 hour, Fridays, 1:25-2:15 PM
Instructor: Dr. Kerry Burkley
This course engages students in becoming informed leaders and community responders, and in becoming advocates for the protection of those affected by child abuse.
Community Tax Prep
PPS 1100-26, 1 hour, Tuesdays, 5:00-5:50 PM - Instructor Permission Required
Instructor: Dr. Jason MacGregor
This course gives students the opportunity to make a real impact while developing valuable professional skills. Students receive comprehensive training using IRS-approved materials and earn official IRS certification before assisting clients. During tax season, students provide free, high-quality tax preparation services to low-to-moderate income individuals and families. This hands-on experience builds technical expertise, communication skills, and confidence in applying practical knowledge to real-world challenges. By serving as trusted tax preparers, students not only strengthen their resumes but also contribute meaningfully to financial well-being in the Waco area.
Community-Based Global Learning
PPS 2101 (2 sections), 1 hour, Wednesdays, 8:00-8:50 AM; Instructor Permission Required
Instructors: Dr. Anna Beaudry & Dr. Jennifer Good
Explore concepts of power and privilege relating to global citizenship, service, and community-driven efforts. Students will be assigned leadership roles related to Engaged Learning courses at Baylor and will experience ethical, critical, and decolonial community-based learning and research practices.
Leadership and Social Change
PPS 2301, 3 hours, Tuesdays & Thursdays, 9:30-10:45 AM
Instructor: Leia Duncan
This course illuminates the theory and practice of leading groups toward positive social change locally and globally, emphasizing issues such as poverty, public education, and systemic inequality. All students will learn from community engagement projects and activities on best practices for leading change. The primary goal for this course is for each student to think about their role as a contributing global citizen.
Law, Justice and the Community
PPS 3372, 3 hours, Mondays & Wednesdays, 4:40-5:30 PM; Instructor Permission Required
Cross listed as PSC 3372
Instructor: Christopher Galeczka
Introduction to legal practice. Contains community service component and required internship in legal offices.
Philanthropy and the Public Good
PPS 4310, 3 hours, Wednesdays, 12:20-3:05pm
Cross listed with SOC 4312
Instructors: Dr. Andy Hogue & Mark Richards
This course is designed to provide an understanding of the role of philanthropy in shaping public life and investigate charity’s relationship to power in contemporary social institutions. Students will apply disciplinary knowledge towards stewarding 100,000 dollars to the Waco community in partnership with local social sector organizations.
Model United Nations
PSC 3375, 3 hours, Mondays, 5:45 PM-8:30 PM
Instructor: Rebecca Flavin
This course provides an overview of the principal organs, related organizations, and specialized agencies of the United Nations system, including research into the work of specific committees that Baylor’s Model UN team will simulate at national and local conferences. The course includes an engaged learning component such as a community Model UN for local schools or applied research for a UN agency or NGO. The course may be taken twice.
Public Service Internship
PSC 3382, 3 hours, Mondays, 3:35-6:20 PM
Instructor: Emily Loachamin
Research and seminars supplemented by fieldwork in a regional federal agency, in a state or local governmental agency, or in a not-for-profit agency.
Baylor in Washington Semester Internship
PSC 3992, 3 hours
Instructor: Dr. Rebecca Flavin & Hannah Wardell Metcalf
Baylor in Washington students will participate in a full-time internship in Washington, D.C. in a field of their choice. Examples of internships include: U.S. State Department, Capitol Hill, The Supreme Court, think tanks, advocacy organizations, Smithsonian Museums, consulting firms, and nonprofits. Through the Washington Semester Internship Course, students will earn 9 credit hours for completing their internship and participating in professional development activities every Friday throughout the semester. These professional development opportunities include workshops on writing, communication, and networking along with career panels and behind-the-scenes briefings featuring experts around D.C. Students will also complete several assignments designed to help them learn more about their professional and intellectual strengths and interests and expand their knowledge about career paths in D.C. *Interested students must be accepted to the Baylor in Washington program through a competitive application process to enroll in this course.
Urban Political Processes
PSC 4330, 3 hours, Section 1 Tuesdays and Thursdays 8:00-9:15 AM
Instructor: Colby Humphrey
Political institutions and processes in metropolitan areas, including social, economic, and governmental problems resulting from increased urbanization. Students will also apply this knowledge in engaged learning projects.
Advanced Spanish for Health Professions
PSC 4330, 3 hours, Section 1 MWF 11:15 AM - 12:05 PM and Section 2 MWF 12:20-1:10 PM
Instructors: Dr. Karol Hardin (section 1) and Dr. José Luis Escorcia (section 2)
In-depth experience with Spanish in medical contexts, including a community service-learning component, with emphasis on oral and aural proficiency. Must be taken in residence at Baylor in order to count toward the Certificate in Spanish for Health Professions. This course fulfills the College of Arts and Sciences Engaged Learning requirement.
Psychology & Culture
PSY 3313, 3 hours, Tuesdays & Thursdays, 9:30-10:45 AM
Instructor: Karenna Malavanti
Adapts a cultural lens to evaluate psychological research and theories with the goal of having a more accurate understanding of the global human experience. Students will learn and apply their knowledge with community partners via a community outreach project.
Applied Sociology
SOC 4303, 3 hours, Mondays & Wednesdays, 1:00-2:15 PM
Instructor: Jodien Johnson
This course is designed to provide students an in-depth understanding of applied sociology through practical application of sociological methods in the community outside our classroom doors. We will be working on projects at the Center for Community Research and Development (CCRD) where students will have the opportunity to work alongside Baylor Sociology graduate students on client-driven research projects. We will work on projects that help you develop critical thinking, presentation, writing, communication, and collaborative skills.
Art as Civic Practice: Engagement, Collaboration, and Inclusivity
THEA 4215, 3 hours, Tuesdays & Thursdays, 9:30-10:45 AM
Instructor: Sarah Mosher
Engagement, collaboration, and inclusivity through the lens of arts-based practices as they are related to three key groups: ourselves, organizations, and communities, including community-based artistic programming across fine arts entities.
Music Directing for Theatre
THEA 4v75, MWF 10:10-11:00 AM
Instructor: Lauren Weber
A practical approach to teaching music, conducting ensembles, collaborating with directors, evaluating voices, and improving vocal technique. Designed for students interested in learning how to Music Direct Musicals and Theatre performances. The students will audition, cast and direct members of the community of all ages in mini-cabarets.