Enriched Learning
"The community engaged projects are an incredible opportunity to tie coursework into real experiences. Participating in these projects provided great insight into class material that otherwise would not have been possible." Erica, undergraduate Anthropology Major
What is enriched learning?
Service Learning
Classroom instruction paired with meaningful community service to promote a sense of outreach and civic engagement.
Engaged Scholarship
Academic projects that engage faculty and students in a collaborative and sustained manner with community groups to connect university outreach with organizational goals.
Internships
Training and experience in governmental agencies, non-profit organizations, businesses, museums, hospitals and more.
Directed Readings and Research
Intensive student-faculty guided study or research of original data.
Study Abroad
See the Study Abroad website for details.
Enriched learning courses
- American Communities
- Anthropological Methods
- Anthropology of Tourism, Sustainability and the Environment
- Applied Anthropology and Development
- Applied Archaeology and Museums
- Biocultural Epidemiology
- Culture and Consumerism
- Culture, Sex and Childbirth
- Directed Anthropological Internship
- Food, Culture and Power
- Health, Culture and Environmental Justice
- Medical Anthropology
- Medical Anthropology Theory and Practice
- Museum Practices
- Museums and Communities
- Neighborhood Development and Social Entrepreneurship
- Race and Health Disparities
Recent projects
Check out some of the exciting work our students have been doing! Each semester course offerings and enriched learning opportunities vary. Talk with your instructors to find out what new projects they are planning.
Community Development and Social Justice
Students in Culture and Consumerism; Neighborhood Development and Social Entrepreneurship, and; Health, Culture and Environmental Justice have collaborated with GrowMemphis and the South Memphis Farmers Market to support the implementation of the community-led South Memphis Revitalization Action Plan, and to conduct research with community garden leaders and market vendors and customers. Similarly, in Food, Culture and Power, students worked with the Food Advisory Council to conduct research on school lunches and community gardening at a local elementary school. Students in Health, Culture and Environmental Justice and Neighborhood Development and Social Entrepreneurship helped develop and conduct an ethnographic evaluation of the joint Sierra Club, University of Memphis grassroots environmental justice conference in the fall of 2014. Finally, faculty have offered or collaborated on study abroad classes including Dr. Brondo's Anthropology of Tourism, Sustainability and the Environment in Costa Rica.
Medical Anthropology
Students in Medical Anthropology and other courses have researched condom access for a Shelby County Health Department evaluation and supported a county-wide Teen Pregnancy and Parenting evaluation. A number of graduate students traveled to Saraguro Ecuador with Dr. Ruthbeth Finerman to conduct research on medicinal plants. Students in Medical Anthropology Theory and Practice researched the local availability and awareness of medications to prevent HIV, and developed training materials for an online course in health equity. Finally, students in Health, Culture and Environmental Justice and Race and Health Disparities have investigated environmental inequality and associated health implications in Memphis.
Museums
In museum based cultural heritage classes, all students propose, create, and install real-time projects in a Memphis area museum. Projects are based in museum best practices and include curation, exhibits, marketing plans, community outreach, and educational programs.