Community Development Minor
A Definition
The field of community development encompasses in a holistic manner a broad range of human development activities and an equally extensive array of economic development activities centered on disadvantaged areas. Community development consists of
activities carried out under the leadership of community-based non-profit groups for the purpose of enhancing the physical, economic, educational, and social assets of specific low-asset areas and in so doing empower residents to gain greater control over their neighborhoods? future and enhance family and individual capacities. . . . [including] affordable housing, business development, job creation, employment training and job placement, work support, commercial revitalization, child and elder care, social services, health care, and other related activities.
- Seedco, Request for Proposals to Establish Community Development Leadership Programs at HBCUs, 1996, p. 3.
Requirements
Community Development minors will be required to complete five, three-credit courses from the list of approved community development courses (see attached list). The course entitled Seminar in Community Development is required of all minors as their first course in the field. It will be offered by the Department of Political Science. The course Economics of Black Community Development is required as the final or capstone course in the minor. It will be offered by the Department of Economics. One of the five courses will be a three credit (or more) internship/workshop/laboratory course. The student may select the internship/workshop/ laboratory course from any of the participating units, subject to the approval of the department offering the internship course. The two remaining courses are electives drawn from the list of approved community development courses. Approval of the advisor is required.
Outcomes Criteria
At the end of the program of study, the student with a minor in community development will be able to perform the following tasks:
- Define and describe community leadership, community development, and community economic development as measured on written examinations administered by Howard University faculty.
- Compare and contrast theories of community from an economic, political, and at least one other perspective, as measured on written examination administered by Howard University faculty.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the structure, institutional processes, and array of projects and products of at least one community-based organization, as reflected in a written report on a project undertaken with the organization while an intern.
- Use academic knowledge in analyzing community problems and in participating in community-based efforts to address challenges facing a community development organization, as reflected in a written report.
- Prepare a reaction paper following a community meeting in which he/she has participated, using appropriate language and terminology for a given technical area (e.g., a housing project, a community health project, or a literacy program).
- Demonstrate knowledge of the nature of, and the rules and regulations for, community-based programs of the federal, state, and local government relevant to a specific area of community development.
Interdisciplinary Minor In Community Development
The Interdisciplinary Minor in Community Development is an interdisciplinary program intended to provide the student with the knowledge, tools, and practical experience to play a proactive role in community revitalization processes in cities throughout the world. Students take five courses (fifteen hours) from the program's listing. Three of these courses are required, specifically the Seminar in Community Development (POLS 138), the Economics of Black Community Development (ECON 188), and the Internship (ECON 095, POLS 150, or SOCI 079). The internship requirement includes placement in a local Community Development Corporation for at least one semester. Two electives drawn from the following list satisfy the remainder of the requirements. Students should normally declare this minor during the second semester of their sophomore year. Some of the courses listed below require prerequisites or special permission of the faculty. Students should take this into account as they develop their programs.
Community Development Minor Courses
Required Courses (three courses)
POLS 138 Seminar in Community Development
ECON 188 The Economics of Black Community Development
POLS 150 or SOCI 079 Internship
Elective Courses (choose two)
College of Arts and Sciences
Economics
ECON 172 Industrial Relations
ECON 199 Introduction to Urban Economics
Political Science
POLS 165 Urban Political Economy
POLS 180 Urban Government and Politics
POLS 187 Urban Black Politics
Sociology
SOCI 140 Urban Sociology
SOCI 151 Sociology of Poverty
SOCI 161 Problems of the Black Community
Health, Human Performance and Leisure Studies
PHED 158 Environmental and Community Health
PHED 171 Community Organization for Health
PHED 299 Seminar in Non-Profit Leadership
School of Business
ACCT 360 Not for Profit Accounting
FINA 110 Real Estate and Housing Finance
MGMT 301 Management and Organizational Behavior
MGMT 350 Management of Small Business
MGMT 351 Entrepreneurship
College of Pharmacy, Nursing, and Allied Health Sciences
AHCC 201 Community Health
NUTR 183 Community Nutrition
NUTR 514 Problems in Community Nutrition
School of Communications
HUCO 320 Organizational Communication
School of Education
SEED-039 Social Foundations of Urban Education