GLD in Professional & Civic Engagement focuses on leadership theory, skills, and processes related to implementing positive change in social, community, or professional settings. GLD in Professional & Civic Engagement also emphasizes issues related to work or career life, including professional ethics, interpersonal professional relationships, and work responsibilities in the societal workplace context.
The first step towards pursuing Graduation with Leadership Distinction in Professional and Civic Engagement is to complete the GLD Orientation.
Extensive Beyond the Classroom Experience
You must complete both Part A & Part B.
Part A: Equivalent of one semester in an approved leadership experience of at least 60 hours. Students may combine multiple experiences across semesters.
Part B. One of the following:
-
240 hours in supervised, work/professional experience such as an internship or practicum experience, which may be completed as a part of a class, but may not be double counted toward fulfillment of the coursework requirement. A paid peer leadership position can count as a work/professional experience.
-
120 hours work/professional experience and 1 additional semester in a leadership role that is a different experience than the one used to fulfill Part A.
Note: Experiences may not be double counted. For instance, a paid leadership experience is either counted toward meeting Part A -OR- counted toward meeting the work/professional experience option in Part B.
GLD Verification Forms are required for all off-campus experiences and for on-campus experiences without a faculty or staff mentor. More in-depth information on the GLD verification process can be found on the Apply page. Students will be ineligible for GLD for failure to submit a verification form, engagement in forgery, or for misrepresenting experiences.
International Students: Prior to engaging in on or off-campus employment, internship, or practicum experiences, please visit International Student Services and consult an ISS advisor to learn about your employment options and determine your eligibility as well as obtain any required authorizations.
To find potential Professional & Civic Engagement opportunities you can search the My USC Experience Database.
Enhancement Experiences
You must participate in three (3) different enhancement experiences. An enhancement experience expands your knowledge and helps you understand concepts, ideas,
and topics related to your pathway. They are additional beyond-the-classroom activities,
separate from the core experience, that demonstrate sustained commitment related to
your pathway. You will be asked to identify the experience, its significance, and
how it relates to your GLD pathway.
Enhancement experiences do not require verification from a supervisor and:
- May be completed during a one-time event or may be an on-going experience
- May involve active or passive attendance
- May occur on or off-campus
Examples include (but are not limited to):
- Workshops, guest lectures attended outside of class, conferences, presentations, official meetings, job shadowing, leadership roles, organization membership or involvement, employment, and out-of-class events or trips
Use the My USC Experience Database, office or department newsletters, or social media to find potential enhancement experiences related to your GLD pathway.
Coursework
You must complete six (6) credit hours with a B or better from the approved course list for the Professional & Civic Engagement pathway. You may not double count your coursework toward fulfilling the core experience requirement. If you have not taken courses from the approved list, you may list and describe up to two courses (6 credit hours) that were particularly meaningful for your pathway. You should have earned a B or better for these courses.
Presentation
You must complete a presentation demonstrating learning from a meaningful beyond the classroom experience. Your presentation must meet certain expectations such as focusing on a significant beyond-the-classroom experience, articulating what you have learned from your experience, and receiving feedback from a supervisor or mentor. Visit the Presentation page for more information on approved presentation venues and requirements.
ePortfolio
You must complete a GLD ePortfolio demonstrating the significance of your within-and-beyond the classroom experiences. The two ways of completing the ePortfolio are taking a course that supports the creation of the GLD ePortfolio (such as Univ 401 for GLD) or by attending an ePortfolio workshop and then working with a GLD advisor.
Extensive Beyond the Classroom Experience
You must complete both Part A & Part B.
Part A: One semester in an approved leadership experience.
Part B. One of the following:
-
120 hours in supervised, work/professional experience such as an internship or practicum experience, which may be completed as a part of a class, but may not be double counted toward fulfillment of the coursework requirement. A paid peer leadership position can count as a work/professional experience.
-
1 additional semester in an approved leadership experience different than the experience listed for Part A. If you select this option then you must complete an internship or practicum for course credit.
Note: Experiences may not be double counted. For instance, a paid leadership experience is either counted toward meeting Part A -OR- counted toward meeting the work/professional experience option in Part B.
GLD Verification Forms are required for all off-campus experiences and for on-campus experiences without a faculty or staff mentor. More in-depth information on the GLD verification process can be found on the Apply page. Students will be ineligible for GLD for failure to submit a verification form, engagement in forgery, or for misrepresenting experiences.
International Students: Prior to engaging in on or off-campus employment, internship, or practicum experiences, please visit International Student Services and consult an ISS advisor to learn about your employment options and determine your eligibility as well as obtain any required authorizations.
To find potential Professional & Civic Engagement opportunities you can search the My USC Experience Database.
Enhancement Experiences
You must participate in two (2) different enhancement experiences. An enhancement experience expands your knowledge and helps you understand concepts, ideas,
and topics related to your pathway. They are additional beyond-the-classroom activities,
separate from the core experience, that demonstrate sustained commitment related to
your pathway. You will be asked to identify the experience, its significance, and
how it relates to your GLD pathway.
Enhancement experiences do not require verification from a supervisor and:
- May be completed during a one-time event or may be an on-going experience
- May involve active or passive attendance
- May occur on or off-campus
Examples include (but are not limited to):
- Workshops, guest lectures attended outside of class, conferences, presentations, official meetings, job shadowing, leadership roles, organization membership or involvement, employment, and out-of-class events or trips
Use the My USC Experience Database, office or department newsletters, or social media to find potential enhancement experiences related to your GLD pathway.
Coursework
You must complete three (3) credit hours with a B or better from the approved course list for the Professional & Civic Engagement pathway. You may not double count your coursework toward fulfilling the core experience requirement. If you have not taken courses from the approved list, you may list and describe a course (3 credit hours) that was particularly meaningful for your pathway. You should have earned a B or better in this course.
Presentation
You must complete a presentation demonstrating learning from a meaningful beyond the classroom experience. Your presentation must meet certain expectations such as focusing on a significant beyond-the-classroom experience, articulating what you have learned from your experience, and receiving feedback from a supervisor or mentor. Visit the Presentation page for more information on approved presentation venues and requirements.
ePortfolio
You must complete a GLD ePortfolio demonstrating the significance of your within-and-beyond the classroom experiences. The two ways of completing the ePortfolio are taking a course that supports the creation of the GLD ePortfolio (such as Univ 401 for GLD) or by attending an ePortfolio workshop and then working with a GLD advisor.
Extensive Beyond the Classroom Experience
You must complete both Part A & Part B.
Part A: Two semesters in an approved leadership experience.
Part B. One of the following:
-
360 hours in supervised, work/professional experience such as an internship or practicum experience, which may be completed as a part of a class, but may not be double counted toward fulfillment of the coursework requirement. A paid peer leadership position can count as a work/professional experience.
-
240 hours work/professional experience and 1 additional semester in a leadership role that is a different experience than the one used to fulfill Part A.
Note: Experiences may not be double counted. For instance, a paid leadership experience is either counted toward meeting Part A -OR- counted toward meeting the work/professional experience option in Part B.
GLD Verification Forms are required for all off-campus experiences and for on-campus experiences without a faculty or staff mentor. More in-depth information on the GLD verification process can be found on the Apply page. Students will be ineligible for GLD for failure to submit a verification form, engagement in forgery, or for misrepresenting experiences.
International Students: Prior to engaging in on or off-campus employment, internship, or practicum experiences, please visit International Student Services and consult an ISS advisor to learn about your employment options and determine your eligibility as well as obtain any required authorizations.
To find potential Professional & Civic Engagement opportunities you can search the My USC Experience Database.
Enhancement Experiences
You must participate in three (3) different enhancement experiences. An enhancement experience expands your knowledge and helps you understand concepts, ideas,
and topics related to your pathway. They are additional beyond-the-classroom activities,
separate from the core experience, that demonstrate sustained commitment related to
your pathway. You will be asked to identify the experience, its significance, and
how it relates to your GLD pathway.
Enhancement experiences do not require verification from a supervisor and:
- May be completed during a one-time event or may be an on-going experience
- May involve active or passive attendance
- May occur on or off-campus
Examples include (but are not limited to):
- Workshops, guest lectures attended outside of class, conferences, presentations, official meetings, job shadowing, leadership roles, organization membership or involvement, employment, and out-of-class events or trips
Use the My USC Experience Database, office or department newsletters, or social media to find potential enhancement experiences related to your GLD pathway.
Coursework
You must complete nine (9) credit hours with a B or better from the approved course list for the Professional & Civic Engagement pathway. You may not double count your coursework toward fulfilling the core experience requirement. If you have not taken courses from the approved list, you may list and describe up to three courses (9 credit hours) that were particularly meaningful for your pathway. You should have earned a B or better for these courses.
Presentation
You must complete a presentation demonstrating learning from a meaningful beyond the classroom experience. Your presentation must meet certain expectations such as focusing on a significant beyond-the-classroom experience, articulating what you have learned from your experience, and receiving feedback from a supervisor or mentor. Visit the Presentation page for more information on approved presentation venues and requirements.
ePortfolio
You must complete a GLD ePortfolio demonstrating the significance of your within-and-beyond the classroom experiences. The two ways of completing the e-portfolio are taking a course that supports the creation of the GLD ePortfolio (such as Univ 401 for GLD) or by attending an ePortfolio workshop and then working with a GLD advisor.