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Civic Engagement Overview
This track gives students the opportunity to learn how to act upon their passion for civic issues through the study and practice of writing related to governance, citizenship, and civil society. Students study and practice communication that:
- Aims to influence public understanding of civic issues, such as op-ed pieces, policy briefs, and political campaigns
- Functions within a civic organization to meet its mission, such as grants, educational brochures, and marketing documents.
What do students do in Civic Engagement minor courses?
Students start with their own passion about civic or social issues. They learn to write arguments about these issues for specific audiences and professional contexts. They also learn to write documents to help organizations with civic missions. Assignments may include: researching and analyzing the rhetorical features of documents within specific genres and organizations; writing to advocate issues within concrete social and institutional contexts; writing grants or other fundraising documents; producing marketing or educational brochures for organizations; creating web sites or pages. Students may also write reflective pieces on their writing as well as career and job application documents. In the course of these assignments, students will explore the use and possibilities of digital media.
Where will students get internships for the Civic Engagement minor?
Students have the opportunity to find internships with organizations whose mission they support. Such organizations can be educational, municipal, non-profit, or even commercial, as for example:
• Community Environmental Council
• Santa Barbara Museum of Art
• UCSB Alumni Association
• Fund for Santa Barbara
• Santa Barbara Dance Alliance
• UCSB Associated Students
• Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History
• Legal Defense Fund
Which courses are recommended for the Civic Engagement track?
Depending on students’ own interest and passion, a wide variety of courses are appropriate prerequisites, including:
• Writing 105G. Grammar and Stylistics
• Writing 105M. Multimedia Writing
• Writing 105PD. Writing for Public Discourse
• Writing 105PS. Writing for Public Speaking
• Writing105R. Rhetoric and Writing
• Writing 105S. Writing About Sustainability
• Writing 105WE. Writing and Ethics
• Writing 107B. Business and Administrative Writing
• Writing 107G. Professional Writing for Global Careers
• Writing 107J. Journalism and News Writing
• Writing 107L. Legal Writing
• Writing 107M. Magazine Writing for Publication
• Writing 107P. Writing for Public Relations
• Writing 109CS. Writing for Chicana/o Studies
• Writing 109ED. Writing for the Teaching Professions
• Writing 109ES. Writing for Environmental Studies
• Writing 109HP. Writing for Health Professionals
• Writing 109SS. Writing for the Social Sciences
• Writing 109V. Writing for the Visual Arts
• Writing 109WS. Writing for Women's Studies/Gender Studies