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Community and Economic Development
Graduate Education at Penn State
Why an online master’s in community
and economic development?
A completely online
master’s degree is what the majority of our students wanted. In 1999 the
Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology initiated a blended
master of science in community and economic development. A blended program is
one that offers courses online and in the resident classroom. The majority of
students who entered the program were practicing community and economic
development professionals or were looking for a career change. In both cases,
these individuals were established in their home communities with families and
jobs. Most were unable to relocate
to University Park, PA to complete their degrees. They
wanted the opportunity to complete the master’s without leaving home. Most were interested in the
master’s degree and not continuing in a Ph.D. program.
At about the same time,
Penn State initiated the Master of Professional Studies (MPS) degree option. These degrees are designed to meet the needs of practitioners (as
opposed to training researchers). Since these degrees are targeted to
professionals working in a particular field, the online environment was a
perfect choice. In response to student demand, we developed the totally online
master of professional studies in community and economic
development. Most of the courses offered in the MPS are the same as
those offered in the Master of Science in community and economic development.
The MPS is a 30 credit degree and the MPS does not allow a thesis option
(which requires original research be completed). Rather students complete an
internship, paper or project as the integrative activity for the MPS program.
“I
know a lot of other farmers and business people who could not attend graduate
school due to commitments to family businesses like mine….Through distance
learning, current students do not have to make the same hard decision between
graduate school and family business commitments.” CEDEV master’s
student, John William Peace II
For more information on
the Master of Professional Studies or the Postbaccalaureate Certificate
in Community and Economic Development you may email the program at
CEDEVinfo@psu.edu or 814-863-5884. |
