College of Social and Behavioral Sciences
Department of Geography, Planning, and Recreation
Are you concerned about the many severe problems that are piling up at the outside of the 21st century? Are you distressed by a lack of leadership that creatively and effectively responds to these challenges? Are you interested in learning how to become a leader who can foster changes that contribute substantially to building a better world?
Students in the Community Engagement Minor will learn the theory and practice of leadership and grassroots democracy that enables them to become powerful agents of creative change who are able to inspire and effectively work with others to address the key challenges of the 21st century - including climate change, inequality, deteriorating education, health care, intolerance, immigration, indigenous rights, sustainable food systems, appropriate technologies, and more. Through experiential collaboration with community partners in all sectors across our region, students will learn how to work with diverse constituencies to foster solutions that enhance the public good. Community Engagement minors will learn to bring the arts of democratic leadership and effective citizenship to bear on whatever career they choose and will thereby become empowered to create a better future.
A minor is earned in conjunction with a bachelor's degree.
To receive a minor (18 - 24 units) at Northern Arizona University, you must complete a planned group of courses from one or more subject matter areas with a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0. At least 12 units of the minor must be unique to that minor and not applied to any other minor.
In addition to University Requirements:
Students may be able to use some courses to meet more than one requirement. Contact your advisor for details.
No more than fifty percent of the units used to satisfy minor requirements may be used to satisfy major requirements.
| Minimum Units for Completion | 18 - 19 |
| Major GPA | C |
| Fieldwork Experience/Internship | Required |
| Research | Required |
Purpose Statement
Students will acquire a broad education in democracy, power, and the skills that bring about change to enhance the commonwealth from the local level, to national and transnational scales through a series of intentional and sequenced learning experiences. Experiential and leadership training will provide students with a deep and broad understanding of a career as a vocation, in which personal flourishing and broad public purposes are intertwined. This will enhance students' employability, vocational connections, and relationships, as well as their capacities to work in diverse, complex, and dynamic situations. The minor enables students to participate in a transformative initiative in which the NAU community participates in numerous partnerships with surrounding communities in order to become better stewards and citizens. Students who complete this degree will acquire a broad education and real world experience in democratic action, empowerment, and build skills that bring about change on local, national, global levels.
Student Learning Outcomes
More Information
Take the following 18 - 19 units:
At least 12 units must be taken at Northern Arizona University.
The following coursework must be completed with a Grade of 'C' or better.
*Courses must be taken concurrently.
Some courses may have prerequisites. For prerequisite information, click on the course or see your advisor.