Development Policy & Practice (DPP)

DPP 901 - Integrative Approaches to Development Policy and Practice

Credits: 3

This course aims to provide students with a general introduction to the basic core competencies and practical skills required of a "generalist" development practitioner and serves as the foundation course for the curriculum. Case studies will be used to demonstrate the interconnectedness of natural sciences and engineering, social science, health sciences, and management, especially as they relate to communities.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

DPP 902 - Economic Analysis for Development

Credits: 3

This course provides the practitioner with tools of economic analysis that are necessary for effective community development practice. Drawing upon principles of macroeconomics, the course explores how markets, property rights, political institutions, government policies, environmental conditions and cultural values interact to produce development outcomes.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

DPP 905 - Fiscal Management for Development Organizations

Credits: 3

Budgeting, goal setting, financial planning and financial analysis for development organizations.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

DPP 906 - Organizational Management and Leadership

Credits: 3

Combines theory and practical information for students to learn traditional and contemporary organizational and leadership theories and apply them to their experience in organizations particularly non-profit institutions, non-governmental organizations. The course will focus on personal and inter-personal development such as self-awareness, stress and problem solving, interpersonal skills such as supportive communication, power and influence, motivation and conflict management: group skills such as delegation and team building; and leadership.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

DPP 908 - Policy Seminar

Credits: 3

This seminar will reinforce the multidisciplinary breadth and trans-disciplinary perspective of the master's program, providing students with the opportunity to sharpen critical policy analysis skills. The goal of the course is to help students understand the sources of public policy, that is, why we have various public policies and how to produce professional policy analysis.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

DPP #910 - Leadership and Development

Credits: 2

Leadership and Development emphasizes issues relevant to managing organizations in diverse cultural, socio-economic and political settings. Topics on board governance, resource development, organizational options and communication skills such as marketing, public relations, organizing and conducting meetings will be explored.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

DPP #911 - Environmental Factors in Development Practice

Credits: 1

Students will learn key themes in the integration of environmental, social, and economic systems in community development and consider how to incorporate these themes into their master's community project.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

DPP #951 - Nuts and Bolts of Microfinance

Credits: 3

This course is designed to provide the participant with an overall understanding of the microfinance institutions including management, planning and monitoring strategies, tools, and systems. Sessions will seek to develop skills and capacity to examine various areas, such as competition, expansion, product development, service delivery and human resource, marketing, and information management systems.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

DPP #953 - Community Medicine and Epidemiology

Credits: 3

Surveys the fundamental principles of epidemiology and its importance as an analytical tool in the fields of public health and policy development to assure the health of populations in the developing world. Emphasis is placed on providing the student with a firm foundation of epidemiological concepts via a historical perspective of the field, measures of disease occurrence and association, practical applications to policy, data sources, and study designs to reduce community health problems. In order for the student to be able to utilize epidemiology as a health management tool, special emphasis will be placed on understanding and applying descriptive and analytical epidemiologic techniques to assess the health of diverse communities. The student will gain an appreciation for the role epidemiology plays in helping to produce and maintain healthy populations on both a local and global scale.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

DPP 956 - Housing Development

Credits: 3

This course provides an introduction to housing policy in the United States, particularly policies designed to produce affordable housing. It explores federal policy related to private, market-rate owner and renter occupied housing; private subsidized housing; and public housing. It also presents state, local, and non-profit led strategies to create and preserve affordable housing, such as fair share requirements and builder's remedies, inclusionary zoning, and community land trusts. Finally, the course provides an overview of the real estate development process including project feasibility, acquisition, finance, construction leasing and management.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

DPP #960 - Social Enterprise

Credits: 3

This course examines innovative organizations that are created to improve people's lives and that contribute to improved social, economic and environmental conditions. These organizations adapt various aspects of the market model emphasizing both financial viability and social (including environmental) goals - measuring achievement in all of the areas. Social enterprises are often launched to address problems where government, the private sector and the traditional non-profit sector fail to provide a public good. The course emphasis is on how such organizations are started, the business models they develop, and how they are sustained. We will have a wide range of social entrepreneurs presenting in the class.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

DPP #961 - Community Development Finance

Credits: 3

This course examines the historic, theoretical, and applied foundations of community development lending and investment. The course critically examines what works, what doesn't work, and how community development financial institutions, investors, government agencies, private donors, and the capital markets have all contributed to the field of community development finance. The course also covers which methodologies, strategies, products, services, organizational models, and evaluation and reporting protocols have the greatest efficacy towards building and improving the industry.

Grade Mode: Graduate Credit/Fail grading

DPP 962 - Public Safety and Community Development

Credits: 3

This course will use a multidisciplinary approach to examine the underpinnings of creating the safe, just and predictable communities that are necessary for sustainable development. Various models of government legitimacy will be examined, particularly in light of the rule of law movement. The purposes of criminal justice systems (punishment, rehabilitation, and/or restoration) and the significance of procedural justice will be explored. The latter part of the course will focus specifically on public safety as a precursor to, or component of community development. The effects of collective efficacy, community cohesion, social capital and community level trauma on crime patterns and community engagement will be highlighted. Finally strategies for promoting public safety and engaging vulnerable populations (minorities, women, youth, poor) will be explored, models that join public safety with community development will be highlighted.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

DPP 980 - Introduction to Community Development Projects

Credits: 3

During the first semester, students will identify a community problem or issue, research and analyze the issue in consultation with colleagues and community stakeholders, and design a project. A preliminary design will be submitted at the end of the first semester.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

DPP 981 - Project Design and Planning

Credits: 3

Studies how project plan inputs are accurately gathered, integrated, documented and managed; the tools and techniques used in project management; and the outputs of a project plan to viable stakeholders. Considers the development of project scope, work breakdown structures, and the importance of quality, risk, and contingency management in planning development projects.

Prerequisite(s): DPP 980 with a minimum grade of D-.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

DPP 982 - Project Implementation and Monitoring

Credits: 3

Students will begin implementation activities in field placement communities. Regular progress reports ad online postings will be required.

Prerequisite(s): DPP 980 with a minimum grade of D- and DPP 981 with a minimum grade of D-.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

DPP 983 - Project Evaluation

Credits: 3

This semester students will conduct an evaluation of their project and manage closure processes. At the end students will submit a final written report and present it to the faculty and peers. This final project and the final report detailing the project will serve as the capstone course of the program.

Prerequisite(s): DPP 980 with a minimum grade of D- and DPP 981 with a minimum grade of D- and DPP 982 with a minimum grade of D-.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

DPP 990 - Independent Study

Credits: 1-4

Under the guidance of an MCD Faculty member, the Independent Study Course (DPP 990) provides students with the opportunity to study a unique topic in-depth that is not offered as a traditional course. Often this topic is a relevant aspect of their capstone project which they wish to explore in more depth.

Repeat Rule: May be repeated for a maximum of 6 credits.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading