2012-2013 Academic Catalog

Nov 23, 2024

2012-2013 Academic Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Master of Business Administration/Master of Arts in Community Development and Planning

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The worlds of business and development are increasingly intertwined. Corporations are facing social, environmental, and sustainability challenges; and development and planning professionals are using management skills and thinking strategically every day. The separation of goals and activities that once characterized the private and public sectors is dissolving in the face of new partnerships, alliances, and collaborations aimed at addressing the greatest challenges of the 21st Century: economic well-being, social justice, and environmental sustainability.

DUAL DEGREE – a M.A. in CDP and a M.B.A. from GSOM

IDCE and GSOM are piloting a Community Development and Planning (M.A.)/Business Administration (M.B.A.) Dual Degree Program to a small group of CDP students. Students in the dual degree program will earn two degrees at the end of three years of graduate school—a M.A. in CDP and a M.B.A. from GSOM. Only a few highly qualified students will be admitted to this program and then be guided individually by faculty members in the IDCE and GSOM departments.

In today’s changing world, management skills are increasingly needed to advance social change. CDP students will now be able to draw on two sets of knowledge and skills; one of a trained business person and the other as a trained and concerned agent for social and political change.

We aim to prepare students to be able to manage social mission-driven organizations. CDP students in the dual degree program may pursue career tracks including nonprofit operations/management, governmental jobs, consulting, entrepreneurial leadership in new society-benefiting technologies, writing, educating, and more.

How does it work?

The first year of your graduate studies will be spent in the IDCE department and your studies will be focused on community development and planning. The second year you will be taking courses at GSOM, acquiring management skills. In the third year, you will take courses in IDCE and GSOM and complete a final consultancy project that will require the knowledge and skills you have gained from both departments. Up to four courses taken during the three years can count toward both degrees. (Please note that there are likely to be few elective course options since students will be completing two degrees during a rigorous schedule.)

How do I apply?

You must submit an application and all required attachments (e.g. transcripts, recommendations, TOEFL scores) to the IDCE Department. You must also concurrently submit an application only to the GSOM M.B.A. program. You will submit just one application fee and deposit to the IDCE Department, which will be considered your “home department.” IDCE will share your required attachments with GSOM. In your required written essay, which can be used for both applications, please address the reasons why you would like to pursue both degrees.

What is the application deadline?

The priority deadline for dual degree applications is February 1. Students are strongly encouraged to submit their applications by this date if they want to be considered for tuition fellowships and want to ensure their place in the class the following fall. Late applications will be accepted up to April 1 as long as there is space available.

CONCENTRATION IN ENTERPRISE MANAGEMENT

Students enrolled and planning to enroll in the CDP program are able to declare a concentration in Enterprise Management based on a partnership with Clark University’s Graduate School of Management (GSOM). CDP students will take a selection of skill and elective courses at both IDCE and GSOM to earn the concentration as part of their graduate degree.

Clark University is strongly positioned to offer such a unique educational partnership because students currently studying community development need only walk across campus to find courses in business and management to acquire the skills they need. Together, IDCE and GSOM will offer the concentration in Enterprise Management to CDP students beginning in Fall 2009.

For more information about the program, please view the IDCE Dual Degree Frequently Asked Questions or contact CDP professor Mark Tigan at mtigan@clarku.edu. Dr. Tigan will assist you in deciding if the concentration or the dual degree program is a good fit for you.

You can also download the CDP/GSOM Information Sheet.