Regardless of your degree, you will be a member of many communities – your workplace, your professional group, your neighbourhood, your city, your country, the world. You will be called upon to participate in community activities and community change. This course provides you with an understanding of how communities function, the politics and processes involved in community participation and leadership. It will focus on developing the beginning skills for effective and ethical community engagement.

Three hours; one term

Prerequisite(s): Registration in Level II or above; priority will be given to students in Level II

Fall 2022 Course Outline

Improve your interdisciplinary collaboration, leadership, and communication skills in this unique course that makes direct ties between McMaster University and our community. McMaster Children and Youth University (MCYU) creates and delivers inquiry-based learning activities for youth aged 7 to14 and their families in all areas of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics).  In this introductory course, you will learn about best practices for pedagogical design; the principles of community-engagement; and the art of knowledge translation and communication from faculty and staff across the university. Applying this knowledge, in small groups, you will create an interactive workshop or a short electronic book chapter for youth-oriented community partner groups including schools, community centres, and after-school programs.

Three hours; one term

Prerequisite(s): Registration in Level II or above

Fall 2022 Course Outline

Get out of the classroom in this experiential and community engaged course. In this non-traditional course, you will have the opportunity to effectively deliver content to youth audiences, work in teams, practice leadership skills, develop presentation and facilitation competencies, and enhance knowledge translation abilities. These learning opportunities will largely come from firsthand experiences as you present MCYU workshops to youth within the community in schools, libraries, and community centres throughout Hamilton. During this course you will learn how to responsibly engage with teachers, parents, youth and other community members.

Three hours; one term

Winter 2023 Course Outline

Prerequisite(s): Registration in Level II or above; Completion of 2MC3 is highly recommended

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This interdisciplinary course will equip students with the skills and tools they need to support and lead change-based initiatives for a better world. Building on foundational principles of community engagement, students will learn about theories of change, systems thinking, organizational theory and structures, and facilitation techniques and tools used to support community change. Case studies of real-life change initiatives will ground these theories in real-life contexts that help students to understand both how change happens and how individuals can make change when tackling real-world issues. Students will also be provided with an opportunity to work with the Office of Community Engagement on a collaborative project that applies learning towards a real-life community issue.

Three hours; One term 

Prerequisite(s): Registration in Level III or IV.

This course is focused on community engaged education and the MCYU pedagogy of directly involving young people in the design and delivery of their learning. The course will include a capstone project where students will be paired with an elementary school teacher and their class to co-develop an interactive learning experience. The course will also engage students in learning the pedagogical rationale for interactively engaging young people in diverse learning experience through seminar discussion. This course is intended for students with previous experience in community engaged coursework.

Seminar; Three hours; One Term.
Alternates between class meetings and meetings with the partner teacher and elementary school class.

Prerequisite(s): Registration in Level III or above. One of IBH 1AD3, CMTYENGA 2A03, CMTYENGA 2MC3, CMTYENGA 2MD3, ENGLISH 3RW3, or permission of the instructor.

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Semester at CityLAB (composed of both CMTYENGA 4A06 – Design and Dialogue Inquiry and CMTYENGA 4A09 – Applied Project Experience) is a project based experiential class where students work in interdisciplinary teams mentored by City of Hamilton staff and course instructors to address real challenges faced by the City. Using an inquiry model and drawing on an associated city-identified challenge, this course develops disciplinary capabilities in design thinking, dialogue, project management, and public communication, and prepares students to co-create, test, and evaluate a project. This course requires permission from the Office of Community Engagement.

Six hours; One term
Co-requisite(s): CMTYENGA 4A09
Prerequisite(s): Registration in Level III or IV.

Semester at CityLAB (composed of both CMTYENGA 4A06 Design and Dialogue Inquiry and CMTYENGA 4A09 Applied Project Experience) is a project based experiential class where students work in interdisciplinary teams mentored by City of Hamilton staff and course instructors to address real challenges faced by the City. In addition to intensive workshops, field trips, and dialogue sessions with staff and community members, students will work in interdisciplinary teams to directly apply their theoretical knowledge and skills to develop and hone a real-life project that addresses a specific challenge faced by Hamilton today. Students will be
exposed to, and participate actively in, the civic life of Hamilton. This course requires permission from the Office of Community Engagement.

One term
Co-requisite(s): CMTYENGA 4A06
Prerequisite(s): Registration in Level III or IV