Research Service-Learning Pathway

The RSL Pathway fuses research, service and critical reflection with core public policy courses.

Latest rsl Stories

Spring 2016 RSL students identify unmet need for Durham Literacy Center students

In the spring of 2016, four RSL students from Ken Rogerson's "Political Analysis in Public Policy" course identified an unexpected policy gap facing Durham Literacy Center students. Read more about their findings and their policy recommendations here.

rsl

Fall 2014 RSL students examine effects of voter ID laws on Duke students

A group of RSL students in Kristin Goss’ Fall 2014 “Politics of Public Policy” class partnered with Democracy NC to examine the effects that North Carolina's 2014 voter ID laws had on Duke students. Read more about their illustrative findings here.

What’s In It For Students?

3 Stages of the RSL Pathway:

Stage 1: The Gateway Course (Introduction to RSL) includes a service-learning component and introduces students to basic research skills and ethical issues. Requires students to complete a research proposal, policy memo, or report based on their service experience.
Stage 2: The Community Based Research Opportunity (Experiential Immersion) can be an internship or academic course that includes immersive field research which students conduct in collaboration with a community partner. Also requires that students keep a research journal that addresses intellectual, ethical and civic issues.
Stage 3: The Capstone Course (Scholarly Connection) is usually an honors seminar or an independent-study course that allows students to pursue an independent research project in collaboration with a community partner. Requires students to keep a research journal that addresses intellectual, ethical and civic issues.

“I believe that the best research questions come from real world experiences. RSL is a way to trigger ideas that can be refined through academic theories and then tested in experiments and surveys dealing with policy problems.” – Professor Jay Hamilton, 2006