Work Sector Requirements

Teach lessons that last a lifetime. Education is the Peace Corp’s largest program area. Volunteers play an important role in creating links among schools, parents, and communities by working in elementary, secondary, and postsecondary schools as math, science, conversational English, and resource teachers or as early grade reading and literacy teacher trainers. Volunteers also develop libraries and technology resource centers. 

If you choose Education, take 3 courses from one of the following areas:

• Elementary, Secondary or Special Education
• English or Linguistics
• Math
• Computer Science
• Engineering
• Any Physical or Biological Science

Recommended courses (substitutes will be considered):

• EDCI: 2030, 2400, 2500, 2700
• ENGL/LING: 4710, 4713, 4714, 4716
• BASC: 2010, 2011 (teaching courses for STEM majors)
• BIOL: 1201, 1202, 2051
• MATH: 1021, 1550, 1552

And build 50 hours of related field experience through an activity such as:

• Teaching in one of these or a similar form: in a classroom, with a community outreach organization, or in a formal tutoring capacity
• The subject of the teaching may be English as a Foreign/Second Language, special education, drama, or a STEM subject
• Project 225: English Language Learning with local students
• Tutoring with the Gardere Initiative
• Educating others on urban farming with the Urban Arts Farm

Serve on the front lines of global health. Health Volunteers work within their communities to promote important topics such as nutrition, maternal and child health, basic hygiene, and water sanitation. Volunteers also work in HIV/AIDS education and prevention programs to train youth as peer educators, develop appropriate education strategies, provide support to children orphaned by the pandemic, and create programs that provide emotional and financial support to families and communities affected by the disease.

If you choose Health, take three courses from one of the following areas:

• Pre-Nursing
• Nutrition and Food Sciences
• Nutrition, health, and Society
• Health Education
• Biology
• Environmental Engineering
• Environmental Sciences

Recommended courses (substitutes will be considered):

• NFS: 1014, 1110, 2112, 2000, 2110, 3000, 3110, 3114, 3116    
• BIOL: 1201, 1202, 2051, 2153, 3040, 4385, 4015, 4155, 4105, 4106
• EVEG: 1050, 2000, 3400, 3145, 3110, 4150
• ENVS: 1126, 4035, 4101, 4600, 4261, 4262, 4264

And build 50 hours of related field experience through an activity such as:

• Volunteer or work experience in such areas as HIV/AIDS outreach, hospice, family planning counseling, emergency medical technician (EMT) or CPR teaching/certification, maternal health, and hands-on caregiving in a hospital, clinic, or lab technician setting
• Counseling or teaching in health subjects
• Working as a resident advisor in a dormitory, as a peer nutritionist, or as a sexually transmitted infections counselor
• Significant experience in mechanical repairs, construction, carpentry, masonry, plumbing, hydrology, or set design
• Life Source Hospice
• Baton Rouge General Medical Center
• Women’s Hospital
• Global Brigades

Help forge a global movement to protect our planet. Volunteers lead grassroots efforts in their communities to protect the environment and strengthen understanding of environmental issues. They teach environmental awareness in elementary and secondary schools and to youth groups and community organizations, empowering communities to make their own decisions about how to protect and conserve the local environment. Volunteers also address environmental degradation by promoting sustainable use of natural resources.

If you choose Environment, take three courses from one of the following areas:

• Environmental Sciences/Environmental Engineering
• Wildlife Conservation and Management
• Forest Resources Management
• Geology
• Biology

Recommended courses (substitutes will be considered):

• BIOL: 1201, 1202, 2051, 2153, 3040, 4385, 4015, 4155, 4105, 4106
• EVEG: 1050, 2000, 3400, 3145, 3110, 4150
• ENVS: 1126, 4035, 4101, 4600, 4261, 4262, 4264
• RNR: 1010, 2039, 2101, 2102, 3004, 3103, 3105, 4015, 4101, 4107, 4078, 4150
• GEOL: 1201, 1202, 2081, 3032, 3041, 3071, 4084

And build 50 hours of related field experience through an activity such as:

• Educating the public on environmental or conservation issues, or working on environmental campaigns
• Conducting biological surveys of plants or animals
• Gardening, farming, nursery management, organic or low-input vegetable production, or landscaping
• Providing technical assistance and training in natural resource management
• Baton Rouge Green
• LA Conservation Corps

 

Lead grassroots efforts to fight hunger in a changing world. Agricultural Volunteers work with small-scale farmers and families to increase food security and production and adapt to climate change while promoting environmental conservation practices. They introduce farmers to techniques that prevent soil erosion, reduce the use of harmful pesticides, and replenish the soil. They work alongside farmers on integrated projects that often combine vegetable gardening, livestock management, agroforestry, and nutrition education. 

If you choose Agriculture, take three courses from one of the following areas:

• Agriculture
• Agricultural Business
• General Business
• Horticulture
• Agricultural Business Finance
• Economics
• Biology 

Recommended courses (substitutes will be considered):

• BIOL: 1201, 1202, 2051, 2153, 3040, 4385, 4015, 4155, 4105, 4106
• AGEC: 2003, 3503, 4613, 4403, 4603, 4273, 4433
• AGRI: 1005
• AGRO: 1001
• ECON: 2010, 2030, 2035
• ACCT: 2001, 2101
• HORT: 2050, 2070, 3503, 4010, 4040

And build 50 hours of related field experience through an activity such as:

• Working with a large-scale or family-run business involving vegetable gardening, farming, nursery work, tree planting or care, urban forestry, landscaping, livestock care and management, or fish cultivation and production
• Teaching or tutoring the public in environmental or agricultural issues/activities
• Working on the business management or marketing side of a commercial farm
• Urban Arts Farms

Empower the next generation of changemakers. Volunteers work with youth in communities on projects that promote engagement and active citizenship, including gender awareness, employability, health and HIV/AIDS education, environmental awareness, sporting programs, and info technology. 

If you choose Youth in Development, take three courses from one of the following areas:

• Social Work
• Psychology
• Human resources Education
• Educational Leadership
• Anthropology
• Child and Family Studies

Recommended courses (substitutes will be considered):

• SW: 2000, 3002, 3003, 3007, 3007, 3011, 4500
• PSYC: 2002, 3083, 4070, 4072, 4176, 4030
• HRE: 2723, 3071, 3723, 4025, 4723
• ELRC: 4360, 4361, 4365, 4370, 4600, 4602
• ANTH: 1001, 1003, 2051, 3060, 4040
• CFS: 2050, 2065, 3067, 3090, 3065, 4052, 4064, 4065

And build 50 hours of related field experience through an activity such as:

• Teaching or counseling in at-risk youth programs
• Activities that involve planning, organizing, assessing community needs, counseling, and leadership, in areas such as education, youth development, health and HIV/AIDS, the environment, and/or business
•     Urban Arts Farm
•     4-H Club 

Harness 21st-century tools to help communities lift themselves. Volunteers work with development banks, nongovernmental organizations, and municipalities to strengthen infrastructure and encourage economic opportunities in communities. They frequently teach in classroom settings and work with entrepreneurs and business owners to develop and market their products. Some Volunteers also teach basic computer skills and help communities take advantage of technologies such as e-commerce, distance learning, and more. 

If you choose Community Economic Dev., take three courses from one of the following areas:

• Entrepreneurship
• Finance
• Accounting
• Mass Communication
• General Business
• Economics 

Recommended courses (substitutes will be considered):

• ECON: 2000, 2010, 2030, 2035
• ACCT: 2001, 2101, 3101, 3121, 3122
• ENTR: 2000, 3111, 3012, 4040
• FIN: 3716, 3826, 3717, 4850
• MC: 2000, 2010, 2015, 2035, 3001, 3010, 3333, 3020, 4005

And build 50 hours of related field experience through an activity such as:

• Working with businesses, organizations, or cooperatives in accounting, finance, microfinance, management, project management, budgeting, or marketing
• Starting and running your own business or other entrepreneurial activity
• Training others in computer literacy, maintenance, and repair
• Website design or online marketing
• Founding or leading a community- or school-based organization
• Urban Arts Farm
• The Gardere Initiative 

Nearly two-thirds of Peace Corps Volunteers serve in Education or Health. Coursework and meaningful experience in one of these areas—especially teaching English as a second/foreign language—produce some of the strongest candidates.