Academic Opportunities: Praxis

Praxis I Departmental Courses provide opportunities for students to explore and develop community connections in relation to the course topic by incorporating a variety of activities into the syllabus, such as:

• field trips to local organizations,
• guest speakers from those organizations,
• and assignments that ask students to research local issues.

In some cases, students in Praxis I courses are engaged in introductory fieldwork activities; the time commitment for this fieldwork does not exceed two hours per week or 20 hours per semester.

The Praxis component in all Praxis I courses constitutes less than 25 percent of the total coursework assigned.

Questions? Contact Liv Raddatz at lraddatz@brynmawr.edu or Tiffany Stahl at tstahl@brynmawr.edu.

Praxis II Departmental Courses include a more substantial fieldwork component. This component engages students in activities and projects off-campus linked directly to course objectives and useful to the community partner.

Time Commitment

The time commitment for fieldwork varies greatly from course to course but falls within the range of two to seven hours per week or 20-70 hours per semester.

Praxis II courses might include:

• weekly fieldwork in local classrooms or community-based organizations;
• conducting research that has been requested by a community partner;
• project-based activities include creating a curriculum, designing a website, or curating a museum exhibit.

Fieldwork Agreement

The Praxis Fieldwork Agreement is an important part of all Praxis II courses. This document outlines the learning and placement objectives of the Praxis component and is signed by the course instructor, the field supervisor, the Praxis coordinator, and the student. These fieldwork agreements are specific to each course, and the forms will be made available by the course's Praxis field placement coordinator or the instructor.

The Praxis component in Praxis II courses constitutes between 25-50 percent of the total coursework assigned.

Questions? Contact Liv Raddatz at lraddatz@brynmawr.edu or Tiffany Stahl at tstahl@brynmawr.edu.

Praxis Fieldwork Seminars bring students working at independent but related field sites together to meet with a single faculty advisor.

During (generally) bi-weekly meetings, students share experiences from the field and discuss how their fieldwork is related to the common academic content of the course.

Seminars meet about eight times during the semester and the fieldwork component for the Fieldwork Seminar is eight to 10 hours per week; similar to the requirements of a Praxis Independent Study.

While students need to secure a field placement, they do not need to find a faculty advisor and develop the full course.

Questions? Contact Liv Raddatz at lraddatz@brynmawr.edu or Tiffany Stahl at tstahl@brynmawr.edu.

2024

• HART B420 Museum Studies Fieldwork Seminar, Prof. Matt Feliz 
• SOCL B420 Praxis Fieldwork Seminar: Social Justice, Prof. David Karen 

2022

• HART B316 Museum Studies Fieldwork Seminar, Monique Scott and Sylvia Houghteling
• POLS B420 Politics, Policy and Power, Marissa Golden
• SOCL B420 Social Justice and Social Change, David Karen

2020

• Spring 2020, Museum Studies Fieldwork Seminar 
• Spring 2020, Promoting Change Thru Service 

2019

• Fall 2019, French Translation Fieldwork Seminar, Friends of the Congo
• Fall 2019, Social Justice and Social Change Fieldwork Seminar, Office of the District Attorney, City of Philadelphia
• Fall 2019, Social Justice and Social Change Fieldwork SeminarYES!
• Fall 2019, Social Justice and Social Change Fieldwork Seminar, Pennsylvania Innocence Project
• Fall 2019, Social Justice and Social Change Fieldwork Seminar, William Way Community Center
• Fall 2019, Social Justice and Social Change Fieldwork Seminar, Profugo
• Fall 2019, Social Justice and Social Change Fieldwork Seminar, GreenLight Fund
• Fall 2019, Social Justice and Social Change Fieldwork Seminar, ACLU
• Fall 2019, Social Justice and Social Change Fieldwork Seminar, Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation
• Fall 2019, Social Justice and Social Change Fieldwork Seminar, DMAX Foundation
• Fall 2019, Social Justice and Social Change Fieldwork Seminar, Penn Environment
• Spring 2019, International Studies/Promoting Change Thru Service, American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)
• Spring 2019, Sociology/Promoting Change Thru Service, Golden Volunteer
• Spring 2019, Political Science and French/Promoting Change Thru Service, Think Tanks Civil Societies Program (TTCSP)
• Spring 2019, Psychology/Promoting Change Thru Service, Project Safe
• Spring 2019, Public Health/Promoting Change Thru Service, Southeast Asian Mutual Assistance Associations Coalition (SEAMAAC)
• Spring 2019, French/Promoting Change Thru Service, Women's Center of Montgomery County
• Spring 2019, History of Art/Museum Studies Fieldwork Seminar, Fabric Workshop and Museum
• Spring 2019,  Philosophy (Haverford)/Museum Studies Fieldwork Seminar, African American Museum in Philadelphia
• Spring 2019, Archaeology/Museum Studies Fieldwork Seminar, Bryn Mawr Special Collections
• Spring 2019, History and Spanish/Museum Studies Fieldwork Seminar, Taller Puertorriqueño
• Spring 2019, Religion/Museum Studies Fieldwork Seminar, Twelve Gates Arts
• Spring 2019, History of Art/Museum Studies Fieldwork Seminar, Penn Museum of Archeology and Anthropology
• Spring 2019, History of Art/Museum Studies Fieldwork Seminar, Herbert Katz Center for Advanced Judaic Studies and the National Museum of American Jewish History
• Spring 2019, Anthropology/Museum Studies Fieldwork Seminar, Bryn Mawr Special Collections
• Spring 2019, History of Art/Museum Studies Fieldwork Seminar, Bryn Mawr Special Collections

2018

• Spring 2018, Computer Science/Mathematics, Exploring Museum Applications of Augmented and Virtual Reality, Canaday Library
• Spring 2018, Mathematics/Exploring Museum Applications of Augmented and Virtual Reality, Canaday Library 
• Spring 2018, Growth and Structure of Cities/Exploring Museum Applications of Augmented and Virtual Reality, Canaday Library 
• Spring 2018, Growth and Structure of Cities/Exploring Museum Applications of Augmented and Virtual Reality, Canaday Library
• Spring 2018, Computer Science/Exploring Museum Applications of Augmented and Virtual Reality, Canaday Library
• Spring 2018, Undeclared/Exploring Museum Applications of Augmented and Virtual Reality, Canaday Library
• Spring 2018, History of Art/Museum Studies Fieldwork, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA)
• Spring 2018, History of Art/Museum Studies Fieldwork, Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts (PAFA)
• Spring 2018, History/Museum Studies Fieldwork, Bryn Mawr College Special Collections
• Spring 2018, History of Art/Museum Studies Fieldwork, Twelve Gates Arts
• Spring 2018, History of Art/Museum Studies Fieldwork, Bryn Mawr College Special Collections 
• Spring 2018, Classical and Near Eastern Archaeology/Museum Studies Fieldwork, Bryn Mawr College Special Collections
• Spring 2018, History of Art/Museum Studies Fieldwork, Fabric Workshop and Museum
• Spring 2018, Undeclared/Museum Studies Fieldwork, Fabric Workshop and Museum
• Spring 2018, Psychology/Psychology in Practice: Community-Based Learning, Parkway West High School 
• Spring 2018, Psychology/Psychology in Practice: Community-Based Learning, Phebe Anna Thorne Kindergarten
• Spring 2018, Psychology/Psychology in Practice: Community-Based Learning, Phebe Anna Thorne School
• Spring 2018, Psychology/Psychology in Practice: Community-Based Learning, Child and Adolescent Development of Emotion, Personality, and Psychopathology Lab
• Spring 2018, Psychology/Psychology in Practice: Community-Based Learning, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia - Academic Associates Program
• Spring 2018, Psychology/Psychology in Practice: Community-Based Learning, Character Lab
• Spring 2018, Psychology/Psychology in Practice: Community-Based Learning, Kable Lab
• Spring 2018, Psychology/Psychology in Practice: Community-Based Learning, Center for Autism Research at CHOP
• Spring 2018, Psychology/Social Justice and Social Change, Women's Law Project
• Spring 2018, Independent Major: Public Health/Social Justice and Social Change, Prevention Point Philadelphia 
• Spring 2018, Sociology/Social Justice and Social Change, Common Space
• Spring 2018, Sociology/Social Justice and Social Change, One Art Community Center
• Spring 2018, Sociology/Social Justice and Social Change, Common Space
• Spring 2018, Sociology/Social Justice and Social Change, The Philadelphia Citizen
• Spring 2018, Political Science/Social Justice and Social Change,Galaei
• Spring 2018, Sociology/Social Justice and Social Change, Philadelphia Parks Alliance
• Spring 2018, History of Art/Social Justice and Social Change, Philadelphia Legal Assistance
• Spring 2018, Sociology/Social Justice and Social Change, Pennsylvania Immigration and Citizenship Coalition
• Spring 2018, Sociology/Social Justice and Social Change, YASP
• Fall 2018, Anthropology/Philadelphia's Buried Past, Arch Street Project and University of Rutgers-Camden

Praxis Independent Study (PIS) offers students an opportunity to take a course uniquely tailored to their own academic, career and civic interests. PIS places fieldwork at the center of a supervised learning experience and students work 8-10 hours a week throughout the semester at their fieldsite.

Fieldwork

The fieldwork for Praxis Independent Study consists of eight to 10 hours per week for 12 weeks and constitutes 75 percent of the work for the course. Typically, students complete two, four-to-five-hour visits per week. Fieldwork is supported by appropriate readings and regular meetings with a faculty member who must agree in advance to supervise the project. Students typically meet with their faculty advisor once every two weeks.

Student Support

Students receive additional support from the Praxis staff, who conduct reflection sessions for each semester’s Praxis cohort, visit each student’s field site once a semester to meet with the student and the field supervisor and coordinate the end-of-semester Praxis Poster Session.

Eligibility

Praxis Independent Study is an option for Bryn Mawr sophomore and higher-level students in good academic standing. Students are eligible to take up to two Praxis Independent Study courses during their time at the College.

Course Development Process

Advanced planning is required for students wanting to develop a Praxis Independent Study course. There is an application process for students who wish to design a Praxis Independent Study course for the fall semester. 

Advising and Supervision

Praxis staff members will then guide the students in setting up their courses, a process that includes finding a faculty member who agrees to advise their course and a field supervisor at an organization that agrees to host their field experience.

Learning Plan

Before the start of the semester, they will work with their faculty advisor and field supervisor to develop a learning plan that outlines the learning objectives and curriculum for their course.

Questions? Contact Liv Raddatz at lraddatz@brynmawr.edu or Tiffany Stahl at tstahl@brynmawr.edu.

Check out our Praxis Blog to learn about Praxis courses and celebrate experiential learning, adaptation, and resilience.

Previous Blogs

• Spring 2022
• Fall 2021
• Spring 2021
• Spring 2020

Who can take a Praxis Independent Study course? Are there any prerequisites or restrictions? 

Students interested in taking a Praxis Independent Study course should be sophomores and above and in good academic standing. There are no other prerequisites for taking a Praxis Independent Study course. (Students do not need to complete a Praxis I or Praxis II course to take a Praxis Independent Study course). Keep in mind that a student can take a total of two Praxis Independent Study courses during her time at the college.

Where do I begin?

Many students come to the Praxis office with this question. It is best to begin creating a Praxis Independent Study course by visiting the Praxis website. There, you will find stories and experiences of former Praxis students, which may help you begin thinking about your interest in pursuing a Praxis course. Attending a Praxis Independent Study information session is also a great idea. Information sessions are usually held one to two weeks before pre-registration or after fall and spring break. At the information sessions, you can view a Praxis video, talk with students currently enrolled in a Praxis Independent Study course, and talk individually with Praxis staff who work with you throughout the process. If you cannot attend an information session, you can set up an appointment to meet with someone in the Praxis office at another time.

What are the steps I need to take to design a Praxis Independent Study course?

It is best if you arrive at your Praxis meeting with an idea of what you would like to study. What are your learning objectives for a Praxis Independent Study course? You will have an opportunity to discuss these learning objectives with the Praxis staff and consider ways to reframe or broaden your questions to make your proposal more unique. 

Praxis Independent Study credit is given from a department, so it is also a good idea to consider what department you would like to receive credit from. You must find a faculty advisor to work with throughout your Praxis Independent Study course. Have you already thought of someone? Who are you considering? Who will you be contacting? 

You will also need to identify a field placement. If you have identified a particular site, have you contacted them? Have you made arrangements for your Praxis Independent Study course with this site? What arrangements have you made? If you have not identified a site, what are you thinking about? Remember that faculty members and Praxis staff can serve as excellent resources when identifying a field placement opportunity. 

You will use this information to create a proposal for your Praxis Independent Study course. Your Academic Dean and the Director of Praxis must approve this proposal. After approval of the proposal, you must complete a Praxis Independent Study Learning Plan. Before you can begin work at your field placement, this information must be approved and signed by your faculty advisor, your field placement supervisor, the field placement coordinator, and the Director of the Praxis program.

How do I register for a Praxis Independent Study course? If it is not listed, who should I contact?

Once your Learning Plan has been completed and signed, turn it into the Director of Praxis, who will then notify the Registrar’s Office that the Praxis Independent Study Learning Plan has been approved. At this point, a course registration number will be created. If you review your schedule and transcripts to find that your Praxis Independent Study course has not been listed, please contact the Registrar’s Office.

Can I get reimbursement for transportation to and from my field placement?

Yes. You are reimbursed 100 percent for Praxis courses. The Praxis and Community Service websites provide additional information about travel reimbursement and forms for recording travel expenses. 

Is there a list of field placement opportunities available?

Due to the unique nature of each student’s learning objectives, their previous experience with community service or internships, ongoing partnerships between the college and the local community, and newly developing partnerships, there is no list of field placements available to prospective Praxis Independent Study students. The Civic Engagement Office offers a list of local service organizations that might serve as a useful guide for getting started. However, We cannot guarantee that we have a partnership with each organization on the list or that the contact person will remain the same.  

What is the difference between a Praxis Independent Study course and an internship?

Typically, an internship provides an opportunity for a student to gain real-world experience in a setting outside of the classroom and acquire knowledge and skills that may benefit them when they enter the workforce. Many times, students who participate in internships do not receive academic credit for the work they do. 

Praxis courses can be similar to internships in that they place the student in a setting outside of the classroom, where they will gain real-world experience and acquire knowledge and skills that may be useful to them when they enter the workforce. The difference between Praxis Independent Study courses and internships is that a Praxis course is created out of a set of learning objectives or questions that a student has around a particular theoretical concept and its application in the field placement setting. It is a highly academic, reflective course structured by the student’s experiences in the field placement. Students who take a Praxis Independent Study course receive academic credit for their work.      

Join the friends_of_praxis@brynmawr.edu listserv to connect with faculty and staff members at Bryn Mawr who share an interest in community-based and experiential learning and to receive Praxis-related resources and program updates.

Send an email to friends_of_praxis@brynmawr.edu or lraddatz@brynmawr.edu to subscribe.

Course Design

The College is a member of PHENND (the Philadelphia Higher Education Network of Neighborhood Development) and Pennsylvania Campus Compact. Both of these organizations have syllabi directories and will provide technical assistance to faculty from member institutions.

Liv Raddatz and Tiffany Stahl will consult with faculty who want to incorporate a community-based learning component into an existing or new course. 

Course development grants have been available through Civic Engagement in the past, through outside grants that our office has obtained. Currently, course development funding is not available from our office but may be available through the Provost’s Office.

Praxis and Civic Engagement have established many connections with community based organizations in the region and will share this network with faculty who are looking for ways of building a community-based learning component into a course.

Some of the most helpful advice about Praxis course design comes from other faculty who have already taught Praxis courses. We are in touch with many BMC and HC faculty who are teaching community-based learning courses in a variety of disciplines and would be glad to make suggestions about whom to contact. Praxis Coordinators are happy to work with faculty on their courses at any stage of development.

Questions? Contact Liv Raddatz at lraddatz@brynmawr.edu or Tiffany Stahl at tstahl@brynmawr.edu.

Praxis staff members Liv Raddatz and Tiffany Stahl can work with faculty teaching Praxis courses.

Each faculty-Praxis Coordinator team functions differently, depending on the course's needs, the professor's desired level of Praxis Coordinator involvement, and the Praxis Coordinator's background and availability.

Typically, the Praxis Coordinator develops and coordinates student placements for the course. This includes identifying appropriate placements for the course, matching students with field sites, maintaining regular communication with the field supervisors (including at least one on-site visit during the semester), troubleshooting as needed, and administering evaluations of the field placement experience.

The Praxis Coordinator is also available to assist with designing the Fieldwork Agreement form and facilitate an in-class orientation to the Fieldwork session and in-class reflection and discussion. Typically, the Praxis Coordinator attends class at least once a week to become familiar with the course material and get to know the students.

The Praxis Coordinator may also be available to bring in speakers or visitors from the community organization with which the course is partnered. Funding for speaker honoraria is also available from the Praxis budget.

Students in Praxis courses receive reimbursement for their transportation expenses.

In some cases, Praxis can also fund transportation for group field trips.

Groups of students in Praxis courses can travel in BMC vans if the group has a certified BMC van driver. Van reservations and the costs associated with this travel are covered by Civic Engagement.