Community-Based Learning

“Our students are out there getting their hands dirty and applying what they learn in the classroom. There are a lot of people in L.A. who see Occidental as a place where things get done, and where they can ask for help.”
Peter Dreier, director, Urban and Environmental Policy Program

Community-based learning is a teaching model integrated throughout Occidental’s curriculum. You can apply what you learn in the classroom to community projects, and help the College address issues identified by local residents.

The Center for Community Based Learning offers classes that partner you with community organizations, providing hands-on experience related to academic work in the classroom. It coordinates the College’s award-winning partnerships with 16 local elementary, middle and high schools, including seven student-run programs such as the Asian-American Tutorial Project (run jointly with USC and UCLA).

The Urban and Environmental Policy Institute has been nationally recognized for its research and involvement in issues such as identifying alternatives to traditional dry cleaning chemicals and improving school lunch nutrition. Each year, about 30 student interns work on such issues as urban pollution, transportation, and regional and community development through the Institute and its research centers.