Community Resources and Development, PhD
Management, Philanthropy, Recreation, Tourism, government, nonprofit, sociology, sustainability
Do you daydream about building vibrant communities, educating the next generation of community developers and advancing as an industry leader? You can gain a full spectrum of knowledge to help you attain your aspirations in a doctoral degree program that offers the perfect mix of theory, research and field work.
The PhD in community resources and development is a research-intensive doctoral degree program grounded in theory and designed to prepare graduates for research-oriented careers in many areas. The program is based on the concept of building sustainable and healthy communities as the unifying principle in the established focus areas of community studies; nonprofit leadership and management; parks, recreation and leisure; and tourism development and management.
The theoretical and methodological approaches embedded in this program serve to integrate scholarship in these areas so students can gain a more meaningful understanding of the impact on community life and dynamics.
The program is transdisciplinary in nature. The core faculty engaged in this program are housed in the School of Community Resources and Development. In addition, the program builds on current collaborations with faculty with related research interests from many ASU departments, schools and centers.
- College/school:
Watts College of Public Service & Community Solut
- Location: Downtown Phoenix
84 credit hours, a written comprehensive exam, an oral comprehensive exam, a prospectus and a dissertation
Required Core (24 credit hours) Electives or Research (48 credit hours) Culminating Experience (12 credit hours) Additional Curricular Information All students are advised as a cohort initially by the doctoral program director. Students are required to take 24 credit hours of core coursework, 15 hours of which are with the cohort during the first year and six hours of which are with the cohort during the second year. Students are assigned an individual advisor or mentor at the end of the first year of study. A supervisory committee is also formed at the end of the first year which reflects the interests of the student and faculty. Each student develops a plan of study in consultation with the doctoral program coordinator, advisor and supervisory committee. Students complete elective coursework, including courses from contributing disciplines, selected in consultation with their advisor to foster the transdisciplinary nature of the degree program. Students also complete at least six credit hours of CRD 792 Research and 12 credit hours of CRD 799 Dissertation. When the majority of coursework has been completed and before dissertation research is started, students must complete a written examination followed by an oral examination. These examinations must be completed within five years of admission.
CRD 502 Statistical and Data Analysis (3)
CRD 555 Theoretical Perspectives in Community Development (3)
CRD 610 Sustainable Communities (3)
CRD 620 Community Research Methods (3)
CRD 640 Research Seminar in Community Resources and Development I (3)
CRD 650 Research Seminar II (3)
CRD 683 Fieldwork (3)
advanced statistics or methods (3)
CRD 799 Dissertation (12)
When approved by the student's supervisory committee and the Graduate College, this program allows 30 credit hours from a previously awarded master's degree to be used for this degree.
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 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 program, or they must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in an applicable master's degree program.
All applicants must submit:
- graduate admission application and application fee
- official transcripts
- current and professional resume
- statement of academic and professional goals
- GRE test scores
- three letters of recommendation
- proof of English proficiency
Additional Application Information
An applicant whose native language is not English must provide proof of English proficiency regardless of their current residency.
International applicants are also required to submit TOEFL or IELTS scores and a financial guarantee statement. The minimum TOEFL iBT requirement is 80. The minimum IELTS requirement is an overall band score of 6.5 (no individual band below a 6.0). The TOEFL or IELTS must have been taken within the last two years.
GRE must be taken within the past five years. Applicants are expected to meet the GRE minimum requirements of combined score of at least 300, verbal minimum of 146, quantitative minimum of 140 and writing of 3.5. ASU does not accept the GRE® General Test at home edition.
The statement of academic and professional goals should be in sufficient detail to indicate compatibility with the educational objectives and capabilities of the doctoral program (approximately three pages, single spaced). Applicants need to explain their research interests and indicate the faculty member with whom they would like to work. Students should review faculty profiles to learn their research expertise. Applicants are encouraged to contact the PhD program director prior to application submission to discuss interests and fit with the program and faculty. They are also encouraged to contact faculty with similar interests to discuss their fit with the program. Successful statements should make it clear why the applicants have chosen to do a doctorate in community resources and development and how this program will fulfill their career goals.
The recommendation letters may be a mix of academic and professional references, but each must address the applicant's capacity to successfully complete the doctoral program.
Students applying to the program are expected to have a master's degree from an accredited institution, which included a master's degree-level research methods and statistics class or classes. If deficiencies exist in community resource and development-related coursework at the master's degree level, appropriate classes are suggested.
The doctorate in community resources and development is designed as a full-time, research-intensive program. Students are admitted once a year as a cohort and are generally expected to complete the degree in three to four years. A small number of part-time students on a longer completion time frame may be admitted when space is available. The school does not provide funding for part-time students.
Applications are reviewed by the admission committee and recommendations for admission are then made by the graduate program director to the dean of the Graduate College.
| Session | Modality | Deadline | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Session A/C | In Person | 02/01 | Final |
Program learning outcomes identify what a student will learn or be able to do upon completion of their program. This program has the following program outcomes:
- Conduct research that contributes to community development with regard to parks, recreation, tourism, nonprofit management and community studies.
- Develop proficiency in integrating knowledge in their primary area of study related to community resources and development.
- Execute a comprehensive and original research project, resulting in a high-quality dissertation that demonstrates their ability to contribute significantly to their own fields such as tourism, parks and recreation, sustainable communities, or nonprofit organizations and NGOs.
Graduates are prepared for research-oriented careers in higher education, governmental agencies, nonprofit organizations and private-sector businesses. Career opportunities include university professor, think tank researcher, independent scholar, consultant, foundation officer, government officer and corporate social responsibility officer.
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.
