COLLEGE OF PUBLIC AND COMMUNITY SERVICE — MAJORS AND CONCENTRATIONS

MAJOR AND CONCENTRATION IN COMMUNITY MEDIA AND TECHNOLOGY

The Community Media and Technology program takes its cue from cutting-edge media and technology practice on the ground and is founded on a vision of activist education and learning in pursuit of social justice. At the core of the program is an inventive self-paced, competency-based curriculum in which prior learning is validated and collaborative projects are supported. Students are encouraged to become socially and politically active through partnerships with cultural groups, labor unions, non-profit service providers, and community media and technology organizations. The Community Media and Technology Program seeks to produce skilled activists, artists, and professionals who combine history, theory, aesthetics, and analysis with technical proficiency, social vision, and a commitment to non-profit culture and reflective community practice. No other educational program in the country delivers this unique combination of knowledge and skills.

Requirements

Students in the major must complete:

Media and Community Building
Analyzing Media
Developing a Media/Technology Strategy
Communications Policy

And two of the following:

Digital Video Production
Multimedia Authoring
Audio Production
Computer Networking
Database Management

Students in other majors who choose to do a concentration in Community Media and Technology complete: Media and Community Building, Analyzing Media, Developing a Media/Technology Strategy and Digital Video Production or Multimedia Authoring.

MAJOR AND CONCENTRATION IN COMMUNITY PLANNING

The CPCS Community Planning Major is one of very few undergraduate planning programs in the United States. The program focuses on participatory approaches to planning with and for communities and groups that have at best been ignored and at worst harmed by prevailing planning and decision making practices.

The Community Planning Major emphasizes direct, firsthand work in community and agency situations. Students develop and demonstrate technical skills as well as the ability to analyze the political aspects and social values implicit in different approaches to community planning and management.

Community Planning students learn how to work with formal organizations and informal groups of people to assess needs and resources, set goals, develop and implement strategies and proposals for reaching these goals, predict impacts and evaluate results. Students in this major also develop the ability to compare and contrast different theories and methods of planning, in order to determine how to maximize community participation and power.

Requirements

Students may choose Community Planning as a major or as a concentration linked to another major. Students who major in Community Planning are required to complete:

Community Needs and Resource Analysis
Planning Models and Theories
Strategy and Proposal Development I and II
Community Impact Assessment
Program Evaluation

Students who choose Community Planning as a concentration, linked to one of the other CPCS majors, must complete:

Community Needs and Resource Analysis
Strategy and Proposal Development I and II
Program Evaluation

MAJOR AND CONCENTRATION IN COMMUNITY STUDIES

The major in Community Studies offers students a multi-disciplinary, applied approach to the study of human communities. The Community Studies major has four defining characteristics:

a unifying theme focusing on human communities, their histories and cultures, their identities and values, their institutions and economies, their problems and prospects.
a unique diversity of perspectives for learning about the human experience in communities, including the content and method drawn from the social sciences as well as the liberal arts, from various ethnic studies as well as global studies.
an emphasis on experiential learning, particularly community service learning, balanced with classroom and distance learning.
a strong orientation to social justice and human rights, along with a commitment to activism for democratic social change.

Community Studies will prepare students to be more effective in working in communities. The competency based curriculum takes students through course-based and on-hand practical experiences leading to a broader and deeper knowledge of characteristics and dynamics of human communities, to new abilities in assessing community problems and resources, and to concrete skills in conducting successful community interventions.

Requirements

Students may choose Community Studies as a major or as a concentration linked to another major. Students who major in Community Studies are required to complete:

Community and Identity
Social Problems and Social Change in a Community Context.
Social organization of communities
Methods of Community Analysis.
Communities in Global Context
Dynamics of Community Change

Students who choose Community Studies as a concentration, linked to one of the other CPCS majors, must complete four of the six requirements.

MAJOR AND CONCENTRATION IN GERONTOLOGY

The major in gerontology emphasizes three main areas reflecting the field’s career options: social policy, advocacy and direct service. The Gerontology curriculum is designed to help professionals and others interested in the field to augment their credentials, while providing valuable learning experiences in the field of Gerontology for those who want to pursue rewarding careers built around issues of aging and public service. Whether it be in administration, management, direct care, advocacy, or peer support, our graduates have achieved high levels of accomplishment and assumed award-winning roles in their communities and professions. Some have won public recognition for dedication and service to their communities – a Neighborhood Crime Watch Senior Citizen of the Year award, and an AARP Andrus Award for Community Service serve as examples of this kind of recognition. Others have found professional fulfillment with such organizations as: area agencies on aging, assisted living and long-term care facilities, and local councils on aging.

Requirements

Students majoring in Gerontology are required to complete six core competencies:

Working with Elders
Demographics and Economic of Aging
Concepts of Aging
Applied Research in Aging
Health and Physical Aspects of Aging
Intervention with Elders

To complete their major requirements, Gerontology majors may select the Advanced Practice or Social Policy concentrations in Gerontology or they may select one of the other concentrations available at CPCS. Students may also opt to do a four-competency concentration in Gerontology.

MAJOR AND CONCENTRATION IN HUMAN SERVICES

The Human Services program at the College of Public and Community Service is designed to provide students with the knowledge and skills they need for employment in a wide range of social and government agencies, or for graduate study in social work, sociology, psychology, education, and other related fields.

The CPCS competency-based program is ideal for students considering entering the field, as well as for students who already have experience in human services. Students new to the field will gain an excellent foundation in theory and practice related to human services and will have the opportunity to gain hands-on experience through practica, internships, and field-based learning options. Students already experienced in human services can use and build upon their work experience while acquiring new knowledge, skills, and direction necessary to move into new or more advanced positions in the field of human services.

The content of the major has been carefully constructed to meet workforce needs. It is designed to provide professional orientation to the context and core values of human services practice and to the theoretical models and knowledge about individuals and society that form the foundation for human service education and work. As students progress through the curriculum, they will build on this foundation by integrating and applying these theories to work with individuals, groups, and agencies and by developing knowledge of issues in human services.

Requirements

Students may select Human Services as a major or a concentration linked to another major at CPCS. Majors in Human Services complete 6 of the following competencies:

Human Development
Delivery of Services
Development of Human Services
Life Stages: Issues and Challenges
Professional Responsibility and Ethics in Human Service Practice
Social Construction of Relationships
Human Service Intervention: Individual or Group Students in other CPCS majors, including Community Planning, Gerontology, and Legal Education, who select Human Services as concentration, complete four of the competencies from this list.

MAJOR AND CONCENTRATION IN LABOR STUDIES

The Labor Studies major prepares students to work in the labor movement and in organizations that promote economic justice for working people. Students learn skills that equip them to be leaders, advocates, and change agents in their unions, workplaces, and communities. Applying principles to practice, they engage in organizing, worker training, and collective bargaining. Courses and internships provide opportunities to think critically about solving workplace problems, developing innovative strategies, and building organizations that can address contemporary issues in a time of accelerated change.
An inter-disciplinary program, Labor Studies relates history, economics, law, and analysis of society, politics, and culture to the issues that affect workers and their organizations. The program teaches a variety of subjects, from applied research to public advocacy, from negotiation to globalization. Students participate in an adult-oriented, self-paced curriculum that allows flexible learning options and may apply relevant life and work experience. They also have opportunities to conduct collaborative projects, apply theories to practice in a range of community settings, and reflect on their experience in an environment that encourages critical engagement.

Requirements

The requirements for students majoring in Labor Studies are:

Analyzing the Problems of Workers and their Organizations
Assessing Workers’ Power
Negotiation
Legal Advocacy
Leading & Strengthening Worker Organizations
Strategic Analysis for Worker Organizations

Students in other majors at CPCS may also select to complete the Labor Studies concentration. Students selecting the concentration are required to complete:

Assessing Workers’ Power
Negotiation
Legal Advocacy
Strategic Analysis for Worker Organizations

MAJOR AND CONCENTRATION IN LEGAL EDUCATION

The Legal Education program is designed for students who want to study law and justice within a broad social context. The Legal Education programs provide students with a dynamic opportunity to develop a comprehensive understanding of the legal system; focus on particular areas of legal knowledge, such as environmental law, family law and workers’ right; develop legal advocacy skills; and explore contemporary meanings of justice and injustice.

Whether you want to be a lawyer, work as an advocate in areas such as housing, benefits or domestic violence, or you’re interested in becoming involved in government or public policy work, the Legal Education program will provide the skills and knowledge you need for work or further study in these areas. The Legal Education major is also designed to provide students who are interested in social issues with the opportunity to study law within a justice framework.

The Legal Education program helps prepare students for:

advocacy work in a variety of legal and community settings;
positions in government, agencies and the courts;
advanced degrees in law, dispute resolution, criminal justice, public policy and other graduate programs.

Requirements

Students who select Legal Education must complete:

Concepts of Justice
Legal Advocacy
Legal Reasoning and Argument
Legal Studies I and II
Advanced Legal Advocacy

Students in other majors who select the Legal Education concentration must complete:

Concepts of Justice or Legal Studies I
Legal Advocacy
Legal Reasoning & Argument
Advanced Legal Advocacy

CONCENTRATION IN NON-PROFIT MANAGEMENT

The non-profit management concentration responds to the management education needs of public and community service professionals. The concentration provides education for non-profit community-based, progressive organizations that promote the principles of “active democracy” by involving constituents directly in the governance and in shaping their communities. The concentration differs from traditional management education in that the mission, accountability, and performance measures are not related to profit. Instead, the mission focuses on societal transformation; accountability and performance are measured by organizational effectiveness in advancing the goals of social and economic justice. To advance the goals of social and economic justice, managers must be able to create sustainable organizations through the efficient and effective management of people, information and money. Non-profit organizations must be innovative, adaptive, and resourceful to meet the challenges of the 21st century.

The four competencies that comprise the management concentration provide the essential learning to be an effective manager. The development of communication, critical thinking, and computing skills are integrated into these competencies. Projects and assignments are designed to foster the continued development of these skills and to examine the moral and ethical issues that are relevant to the management competencies.

Requirements

The management concentration may be linked with any of the CPCS majors. Students who select the concentration are required to complete the following four competencies:

Management Theories and Practices
Financial Management
Human Resource Management
Strategic Planning and Fundraising for Non-Profits

CONCENTRATION IN ORGANIZING

Organizing is one of the fundamental activities of a functioning democracy. Organizers are concerned with improving social conditions, changing institutions and power relationships, delivering needed services, and strengthening community participation. Groups of all kinds that are involved in promoting democracy and social change – unions, community-based organizations, political campaigns and the like – all engage in organizing. Thus, organizing skills are greatly in demand in the workplaces, movements, and communities where CPCS students are graduates are likely to work. There is an increasing call for organizers within the labor movements and within community-based organizations, non-profits working for social change and within political campaigns.

The Organizing Concentration at CPCS offers a unique opportunity for students who are interested in or engaged in organizing to develop practical skills for organizing, gain a deeper understanding of the theory, values, and philosophy behind organizing work, and explore organizing strategies and models that have been developed.

Requirements

Students who select the concentration in Organizing are required to complete four competencies:

Methods and Goals of Organizing
The Roles of Organizers
Analyzing and Evaluating Organizing Strategies
Action Research for Organizing

CONCENTRATION IN TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT

In the realm of public and human service work, education is a fundamental part of many organizations’ work. In formal settings, an agency supervisor may have to design on-the-job training for new employees or conduct staff development. A community learning center may need teachers who are familiar with training and development methods to design and implement adult basic education programs. In working with individuals and community residents, human service providers may need training and development skills to define problems and identify solutions.

The Training and Development concentration provides students interested in a wide range of community or public service jobs with the opportunity to develop the practical skills of training and teaching, as well as the theoretical knowledge they need to be effective trainers. Students completing the concentration will develop and demonstrate competence in adult learning theory, designing and delivering curriculum modules suited to different learning styles; presentation and delivery skills; and skills and methodology to assess the effectiveness of different training models.

Requirements

Students who select the concentration in Training and Development are required to complete four competencies in:

Implementing a Training

CONCENTRATION IN YOUTH WORK

Youth Work is a growing and diversified field in the area of public and community service. Youth workers are engaged in developing and delivering programs in youth centers, schools, churches, non-profit agencies, community organizations, and state and local agencies. As the field grows, there is increasing demand for trained youth workers who bring understanding of youth development and youth culture, as well as models for effective practice in youth work.

The CPCS Youth Work concentration is one of very few higher education programs specifically designed to deal with issues, strategies, and practices specific to youth development. It is an ideal program for people interested in entering the field, and for those who are already in youth work who wish to build on their experiences. Students in the program will develop critical understanding of youth and youth culture, explore models of effective practice, analyze youth issues, and apply their practice in the field. The concentration focuses on a youth development perspective and emphasizes theories and practices to promote participatory practices that support youth and community development.

Requirements

The Youth Work concentration is available to students who are majoring in: Community Planning, Community Studies, Criminal Justice, Human Services or Legal Education. In addition to the requirements in their selected major, students complete the following four competencies:

Understanding Youth
Models of Practice in Youth
Analysis of a Youth Issue
Working on a Youth Issue