Vision
The vision of the program is based on a philosophy that recognizes that leaders in community organizations must be literate in the research, theories, and practice of individual and social well-being and, furthermore, be specifically trained to translate this knowledge into action.
Mission Statement
The mission of the program in Community and Social Change is to prepare globally aware leaders, researchers, and agents of change who create, inspire, and engage community organizations to foster well-being in diverse community settings.
Purpose and Goals
The 30-credit master’s degree program in Community and Social Change (C&SC) is designed to prepare a new generation of creative leaders for the not-for-profit sector. The program will enhance our students’ abilities to:
Lead, administer, and inspire within educational and community settings;
Lead group processes and consultations;
Develop and evaluate programs;
Engage in ethical practices;
Develop collaborative efforts;
Think and act as advocates and agents of change;
Think and act in ecological, multicultural, and global ways;
Understand and utilize theory and research;
Understand power dynamics, systems, and social sources of well-being; and
Communicate well in oral, written, and electronic media formats.
Click Here
for a printable Course Sequence Plan. Please meet with your advisor to obtain his/her approval signature and submit a copy of the signed Course Sequence Plan to the Associate Dean’s office, MB 312, no later than the end of your first semester of study.
This program of study and course sequence plan is subject to change.
The Dunspaugh-Dalton Community and Educational Well-Being Research Center, affiliated with the School of Education, offers a monthly Brown-Bag series that gives faculty and students an opportunity to present and discuss current research in the School. Each semester, the Center presents a speaker on a topic relevant to Community and Educational Well-Being. CSC faculty members, in partnership with faculty from other departments and schools have also been holding a monthly “intellectual forum” on community and social change where topics, theories, issues, and practice are being discussed. Additionally, current graduate students in the department of Educational and Psychological Studies are sponsoring a monthly “Social Justice Breakfast” where students and faculty come together to discuss research and practice related to issues of social justice. These are just a few of the opportunities that will be available to students in the CSC program.
Elective courses allow for deeper specialization in a student’s area of interest and capitalize on the existing discipline strengths within the School of Education and in other Schools and Colleges at UM.
The field experience is designed to integrate students’ didactic learning with practical experience and translate community organizational skill-building and leadership tools to a real-world environment.
The field experience will:
Involve 200 hours in a community placement for a period of one year, supported by biweekly class meetings (EPS XXX: Seminar in Community and Social Change).
Provide opportunities to integrate theory, research, practice, ethics
Provide opportunities to build skills and practical knowledge
Culminate with a final paper/project and poster presentation
The purpose of the capstone requirement is to provide a culminating experience that synthesizes student learning and allows students to demonstrate mastery in the field. In consultation with faculty advisors, students choose ONE capstone from among three options:
Comprehensive Exam
– Students must pass a three-hour written exam of general knowledge of their field of study at the end of the fourth academic term. In the event of failure, the student may petition the department to allow a second attempt at the end of the next academic term. The exam will be administered once a year. It will cover expected knowledge of all graduating CSC Masters Degree graduate students. Included in this material are a fundamental understanding of theories of community and social well-being and change, methods and practice of community organizational and community psychology, aspects of multicultural and global communities, research methods, basic statistics and theories and practice of program evaluation.
Independent Project
– Students and/or faculty advisors with an established working relationship with existing community organizations may opt to have students develop and conduct an independent community-based project that is conceived and carried out in collaboration with the organization to fulfill or satisfy an existing need. The timeline will vary based on the details of the project with a deadline for completion by the final weeks in the spring term of the student’s final year. In addition to completing the project the student will complete a detailed report that explicitly characterizes the project processes and outcomes in relation to the theories and methods of community psychology. The report will be read and graded by the student’s advisor and a program faculty ‘second reader’ selected for expertise in the project domain. Examples of potential independent projects may include formal program evaluation conducted for a school or community, comprehensive needs assessment and consultation report for a community or educational organization, or a small scale or feasibility-stage program prevention or intervention design and implementation. If the project or report is deemed insufficient for passing, the student may petition the department for one academic term allowance to correct, adapt, or revise the project and/or report.
Master’s Thesis
– In rare cases, students may wish to complete a master’s empirical or theoretical thesis. This option is expected to be the exception rather than the norm, but the program will support students who have a strong desire to complete a thesis project. Students considering this option should 1) have an existing community project that offers an opportunity for data collection and analysis, 2) have a compelling reason for wanting to complete a master’s thesis (e.g. interest in a PhD program), and 3) have the support of core faculty in the program.
