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Community and Economic Development
Graduate Education at Penn State
CEDEV 452: Rural Organization (Offered Spring and
Fall Semesters)
This course examines the role that communities play in individual and
community well-being and the importance of understanding community
organization and process for community development. It includes "weeks"
which are the World Campus equivalent of classes for students in
residence. Each is the equivalent of a week of class content and
activities. The average time for completing the reading and activities
for a week is about 12-15 hours.
Course learning objectives:
By the end of this course you will be able to:
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Identify
and use theories of community to analyze conditions in communities
and assess strategies for community development
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describe concepts of community and how they relate to community
development and change
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critically assess approaches to community capacity building
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analyze the roles of social capital, citizen engagement and agency
in development
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articulate how theories and concepts of community apply to community
development practice
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conduct an analysis of community organization and process to aid in
understanding change and development.
Required course materials:
The following
materials are required:
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Wilkinson, Ken. The Community in Rural America. 1999.
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*Ramsay, Meredith. Community, Culture, and Economic Development:
The Social Roots of Local Action (SUNY Series), 1996.
*Purchase
above item online from a number of sources. It is NOT available from MBS
Direct.
For pricing and ordering
information please see the MBS Direct web-site at:
http://direct.mbsbooks.com/psude.htm or via telephone at
1-800-325-3252.
Materials
will be available at MBS Direct approximately three weeks before the
course begin. It is very important that you
purchase the correct materials. If your course requires one or more
textbooks, you must have exactly the correct text required (edition and
year).
Using the library:
Many of Penn State's library resources can be utilized from a
distance. Through the Library Resources and Services for World Campus and Distance Education Web site, you can...
- access electronic databases, and even full text articles, from the LIAS
Fast Track,
- borrow materials and have them delivered to your doorstep...or even your
desktop
- talk to reference librarians in real time using the "Virtual Reference
Service"
...and much more!
NOTE: You must have an active Penn State Access Account and be
registered with the University Libraries in order to take full
advantage of the Libraries' resources and services. Registration and
services are free!
Topics for the course
Module 1 – Welcome to the
Course
Module 2 – What is
Community?
Module 3 – Relationship of
Community and Well-being
Theories of Community: Understanding Function and Process
Module 4 – Human Ecology:
The Role of Population, Environment and Technology in Community
Organization
Module 5 – Social Systems
Approach to Community
Module 6 – Typologies and
Shared Meanings
Module 7 – Interactional
Perspectives on Community
Module 8 – Community Social
Capital and Community Agency
Community Development and Change
Module 9 – Theories of
Community Development
Module 10 – Community,
Culture and Economic Change
Module 11 – Assessing
Community Capacity for Influencing Change
Module 12 – Citizen
Engagement and Participation
Module 13 – Barriers to
Participation, Shared Decision-making and Action
Module 14 – Building a
Community Vision
Module 15 – Strategies for
Achieving Community Goals
Final Exam week
Course requirements
include completing assigned readings, participating in online class
discussions,
and three essays.
Grading
Please refer
to the
University Grading Policy for Graduate Courses for additional
information about University grading policies.
Course
Policies
Disclaimer: Please
note that the specifics of this Course Syllabus are subject to change,
and you will be responsible for abiding by any such changes. Your
instructor will notify you of any changes.
This is a required course in the
Postbaccalaureate Certificate in Community and Economic Development
and in the
Community and Economic
Development Masters Degree Program.
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