Design and Innovation Program Manager, Engaged Learning Office
Community Engagement: Collaborating for Change
What You'll Learn
- Valuing community context and expertise
- Understanding how social identities, power, and privilege impact your interactions
- Approaches to collaborative leadership, such as listening effectively, resolving conflicts, and building mutually-beneficial partnerships
- Reflecting on your work, and transitioning in and out of communities
7 Modules
28 Hours
4 hrs per module (approx.)
About Community Engagement: Collaborating for Change
Now more than ever, people are seeking ways to affect change in their communities — both locally and around the world. This course is for anyone — from novices to experienced practitioners — who wants to work more effectively with community members and organizations, including through, but not limited to:
- community-academic partnerships
- social change projects
- community service and learning
- education and work abroad
- traditional and community-based participatory research
- non-profit internships
- public scholarship
- civic performance
Prepare in advance or take this course simultaneously to get the most out of your experience by engaging with communities ethically, respectfully, and sustainably.
Developed by a highly interdisciplinary team of U-M content experts and faculty, this course is designed to be both engaging and challenging, offering an accessible entry into foundational topics as well as a jumping off point to pursue work and further learning in effective community engagement. It is also a toolkit and a roadmap that offers concrete takeaways and resources for working effectively with communities.
Throughout the course, you’ll learn from experienced U-M students, faculty, and staff and local community partners, and you’ll have many opportunities to try out and apply the principles and concepts you’re learning.
No prior community engagement experience necessary.
Skills You'll Gain
- Collaboration
- Community Advocacy
- Community-Based Participatory Research
- Community Organizing
What You'll Earn
- Certificate of Completion:
- Certificates of completion acknowledge knowledge acquired upon completion of a non-credit course or program.
Welcome Message
Community Engagement: Collaborating for Change prepares learners to work ethically, respectfully, and sustainably with communities. Through case studies, reflections, and knowledge checks, learners build skills in community context analysis, identity and power awareness, collaborative leadership, and project management for effective community-based change efforts.
This abbreviated syllabus description was created with the help of AI tools and reviewed by staff. The full syllabus is available to those who enroll in the course.
Course Schedule
Module 1: Introduction
- Introduction
- Knowledge Check: Introduction (4 Questions)
Module 2: Community Context and Ethical Engagement
- Community Engagement: Working in Context
- Valuing Community Expertise
- Collecting & Organizing Community Information
- Ethical Engagement
- Knowledge Check: Community Context (10 Questions)
Module 3: Social Identities, Power, and Privilege
- Social Identities
- Power and Society
- Privilege
- Knowledge Check: Social Identity, Power, and Privilege (7 Questions)
Module 4: Collaborative Leadership
- Building Partnerships
- Listening in the Community
- Adaptability and Flexibility
- Conflict Negotiation
- Knowledge Check: Collaborative Leadership (6 Questions)
Module 5: Reflections and Transitions
- Personal Reflection for Thoughtful Engagement
- Navigating Transitions: Adapting and Thriving
- Sharing Your Story
- Knowledge Check: Reflections and Transitions (7 Questions)
- Videos: Self Care Strategies
Module 6: Community-Engaged Project Management
- Planning
- Taking Action
- Evaluating Success
- Sustainability & Knowledge
- Knowledge Check: Project Management (8 Questions)
Module 7: Conclusion
- Conclusion
- Knowledge Check: Conclusion (9 Questions)
- Post-Course Survey
Grading Policy
Learners must earn an overall grade of 80% across all module knowledge checks to pass. All assessments are quizzes.
Faculty & Content Experts
Former Assistant Director, Center for Socially Engaged Design
Director, Engaged Learning Office & Adjunct Lecturer
Director of Office of Global Activities & Adjunct Clinical Assistant Professor
Enrollment Strategist and Implementation Lead
Assistant Director for Student Learning and Leadership
Course content developed by U-M faculty and managed by the university. Faculty titles and affiliations are updated periodically.
Beginner Level
No prior experience required
