Community Development Practice, MPS
Governance, Health, Planning, Resilience, Urban Studies, environmental justice, housing
ASU is no longer accepting new students to this program. Please explore Degree Search for other similar program options.
"Build back better" --- yes, but how? Are you an aspiring professional looking for a graduate degree with impact? Learn the concepts, methods, tools and techniques that will enable you to make a difference in your community and in the world while advancing your personal interests and career goals.
The MPS program in community development practice trains existing and future practitioners in approaches to developing healthy, sustainable and resilient communities.
The program provides students with historical and theoretical foundations, applied research skills and core competencies centered around community building, development practices and the facilitation of democratic and cross-sector collaboration toward social innovation and community solutions. It allows students to establish an emphasis on a wide range of topics including business, law, economic development, housing, health, sustainability, education, social and environmental justice, or nonprofit leadership and management, drawing from the extensive expertise of ASU faculty.
The program is designed for flexibility. Students can complement the core curriculum with coursework of their choosing or a select an existing area of emphasis. Other than an annual in-person residency of 7-10 days, the degree can be completed either entirely online or with an option to experience on-campus courses as part of the area of emphasis.
- College/school:
Watts College of Public Service & Community Solut
- Location: Downtown Phoenix
30 credit hours including the required capstone course (CRD 596)
Required Core (15 credit hours) Electives (12 credit hours) Culminating Experience (3 credit hours) Additional Curriculum Information Students may select electives that are not on the approved electives list with administrative approval and by articulating the relevance to their plan of study.
CRD 570 Foundations of Community Development (3)
CRD 571 The Community Development Process (3)
CRD 573 Local and Regional Development (3)
CRD 574 Applied Research Skills (3)
CRD 577 Community Building Practice (3)
CRD 596 Community Development Capstone Project (3)
Students are highly encouraged to work with a faculty advisor to establish an area of emphasis. The plan of study includes 12 credit hours of electives so students may gain specialized expertise in a specific area. Some examples include arts, culture and design, business, communications, education, health, housing and economic development, law, social justice, sustainability, urban and environmental planning and urban design. Students should see the academic unit for suggested areas of emphasis and electives.
Applicants must fulfill the requirements of both the Graduate College and the Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions.
Applicants are eligible to apply to the program if they have earned a bachelor's or master's degree in any field from a regionally accredited institution.
Applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in the last 60 hours of their first bachelor's degree, or applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in an applicable master's degree program.
Applicants are required to submit:
- graduate admission application and application fee
- official transcripts
- three letters of recommendation
- letter of intent
- professional resume
- proof of English proficiency
Additional Application Information
An applicant whose native language is not English must provide proof of English proficiency regardless of current residency.
| Session | Modality | Deadline | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Session A/C | In Person | Rolling |
| Session | Modality | Deadline | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Session A/C | In Person | Rolling |
Graduates are highly competitive for careers in areas such as local governance, nonprofit and philanthropic sectors, as well as for doctoral programs in community development, urban studies, public policy and related fields.
Career opportunities include:
- community development officers
- community health officers
- economic development officers
- housing policy officers
- public policy analysts
- sustainability officers
School of Community Resources and Development
|
UCENT 550
scrd@asu.edu
602-496-0550
3 year programs
These programs allow students to fast-track their studies after admission and earn a bachelor's degree in three years or fewer while participating in the same high-quality educational experience of a 4-year option. Students should talk to their academic advisor to get started.
Accelerated master's
These programs allow students to accelerate their studies to earn a bachelor's plus a master's degree in as few as five years (for some programs).
Each program has requirements students must meet to be eligible for consideration. Acceptance to the graduate program requires a separate application. Students typically receive approval to pursue the accelerated master’s during the junior year of their bachelor's degree program. Interested students can learn about eligibility requirements and how to apply.
