Community Development Policy and Practice (M.A.)
https://carsey.unh.edu/community-development-policy-practice-ma
The MA in Community Development Policy and Practice program (MCD degree) prepares you for a career in community and economic development. While earning this community development degree, you will tackle real-world situations through a capstone project and engage with leading experts and academics in a program designed for working professionals just like you. Through coursework and experiential opportunities, you will learn from seasoned practitioners in subjects ranging from economics and community financing to community organizing and public health.
- Gain effective community development skills and tools through an applied four-term capstone project in your community
- Connect with respected field experts across disciplines, including faculty and peers
- Start in the fall or spring and graduate in 14 to 16 months
- No GRE required
Program Delivery & Location: Core academic courses for the MCD degree are offered online with choices for taking optional elective courses online or in person on UNH campuses. Students are free to carry out their capstone projects in their chosen community.
Accelerated Masters Eligible: No
Students enrolled in the Carsey School's MA in Community Development Policy and Practice program (MCD degree) are required to complete a 36 credit program, consisting of 12 courses and a four-term capstone project:
- Five (5) CORE Curriculum Courses
- Four (4) EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING Courses
- Three (3) ELECTIVE Courses
These provide the applied foundational community and economic development skills in strategy, practice, and analysis for a successful career in community development. In this program, students will examine each of the core interdisciplinary areas within the cross-cutting lenses of public policy, data collection, and analysis as students directly apply what they learn in the classroom through a capstone project centered on community engagement for sustainable development. Further opportunities for depth and specialization are provided through a variety of elective courses which vary each year as well as the opportunity to conduct independent studies to delve deeper into a specific aspect of a student's community or capstone project.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| CORE Required Courses (5 Courses) | ||
| DPP 901 | Integrative Approaches to Development Policy and Practice | 3 |
| DPP 902 | Economic Analysis for Development | 3 |
| DPP 905 | Fiscal Management for Development Organizations | 3 |
| DPP 906 | Organizational Management and Leadership | 3 |
| DPP 908 | Policy Seminar | 3 |
| EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING Courses (4 Courses) 1 | ||
| DPP 980 | Introduction to Community Development Projects | 3 |
| DPP 981 | Project Design and Planning | 3 |
| DPP 982 | Project Implementation and Monitoring | 3 |
| DPP 983 | Project Evaluation | 3 |
| ELECTIVE Courses: Choose Three (3) 3-Credit Courses 2 | 9 | |
| Environmental Factors in Development Practice | ||
| Nuts and Bolts of Microfinance | ||
| Community Medicine and Epidemiology | ||
| Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems | ||
| Housing Development | ||
| Social Enterprise | ||
| Community Development Finance | ||
| Public Safety and Community Development | ||
| Independent Study | ||
| Total Credits | 36 | |
- 1
With full faculty support, students carry out a four-term capstone project in their communities by completing actionable assignments throughout the series of four (4) applied project courses.
- 2
A variety of elective courses are offered throughout the program. This can also include DPP 990 Independent Study. Students wishing to pursue elective courses outside of the MCD program should consult with their MCD Graduate Academic Advisor for guidance and approval.
SAMPLE DEGREE PLAN: Fall Start (Typical)
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | |
| E-Term 1 | ||
| DPP 901 | Integrative Approaches to Development Policy and Practice | 3 |
| DPP 980 | Introduction to Community Development Projects 1 | 3 |
| E-Term 2 | ||
| DPP 906 | Organizational Management and Leadership | 3 |
| DPP 981 | Project Design and Planning 1 | 3 |
| Credits | 12 | |
| Spring | ||
| E-Term 3 | ||
| DPP 902 | Economic Analysis for Development | 3 |
| DPP 982 | Project Implementation and Monitoring 1 | 3 |
| E-Term 4 | ||
| DPP 905 | Fiscal Management for Development Organizations | 3 |
| DPP 983 | Project Evaluation 1 | 3 |
| Credits | 12 | |
| Summer | ||
| E-Term 5 | ||
| DPP 908 | Policy Seminar | 3 |
| MCD Elective Course 2 | 3 | |
| Credits | 6 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| E-Term 1 | ||
| MCD Elective Course 2 | 3 | |
| MCD Elective Course 2 | 3 | |
| Credits | 6 | |
| Total Credits | 36 | |
MCD SAMPLE DEGREE PLAN: Spring Start
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spring | Credits | |
| E-Term 3 | ||
| DPP 902 | Economic Analysis for Development | 3 |
| MCD Elective Course 2 | 3 | |
| E-Term 4 | ||
| DPP 905 | Fiscal Management for Development Organizations | 3 |
| MCD Elective Course 2 | 3 | |
| Credits | 12 | |
| Summer | ||
| E-Term 5 | ||
| DPP 908 | Policy Seminar | 3 |
| MCD Elective Course 2 | 3 | |
| Credits | 6 | |
| Fall | ||
| E-Term 1 | ||
| DPP 901 | Integrative Approaches to Development Policy and Practice | 3 |
| DPP 980 | Introduction to Community Development Projects 1 | 3 |
| E-Term 2 | ||
| DPP 906 | Organizational Management and Leadership | 3 |
| DPP 981 | Project Design and Planning 1 | 3 |
| Credits | 12 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Spring | ||
| E-Term 3 | ||
| DPP 982 | Project Implementation and Monitoring 1 | 3 |
| E-Term 4 | ||
| DPP 983 | Project Evaluation 1 | 3 |
| Credits | 6 | |
| Total Credits | 36 | |
NOTES:
- 1
With full faculty support, students carry out a four-term capstone project in their communities by completing actionable assignments throughout the series of four (4) applied project courses.
- 2
A variety of MCD electives and other Carsey graduate courses are offered each term. This includes the MCD Independent Study course (DPP 990) taken under the guidance of an MCD faculty member. Students wishing to pursue elective courses outside of the MCD program should consult with their MCD Academic Advisor for guidance and approval.
-
Develop interdisciplinary knowledge and skills to integrate theory, policy, data collection, and analysis.
-
Acquire an understanding of complex development issues and problems.
-
Apply learning to real-world situations.
-
Effectively communicate findings to various audiences both verbally and in writing.