COURSE CURRICULUM

The M.A. in Community Psychology with a concentration in Program Development is designed to prepare students for leadership and professional roles focused on the creation, implementation, and evaluation of innovative programs and services within community, nonprofit, public, and private sector organizations. The program combines psychological theory, applied research, organizational practices, and field-based learning to help students understand and address social and human service challenges through effective program planning and intervention strategies. The required curriculum includes foundational courses such as Foundations of Community Psychology, Statistics for Psychological Science, Research Methods, Program Evaluation, Intervention Fieldwork and Seminar, Consultation Fieldwork and Seminar, and Social Inequalities in Organizations. These courses provide students with strong knowledge in community-based practice, research methods, social systems, and evidence-based intervention techniques. Students also complete two elective courses selected from related disciplines such as psychology, counseling, sociology, criminal justice, public administration, or public health to broaden their interdisciplinary understanding and professional skills. The Program Development concentration specifically focuses on preparing students to design, manage, and evaluate both traditional and non-traditional programs and services that address community and organizational needs. Students gain expertise in developing innovative approaches to prevention, treatment, organizational improvement, and community support within human service agencies, businesses, nonprofit organizations, and public institutions. The concentration includes Organizational Behavior, which examines leadership, communication, teamwork, and organizational dynamics, along with two additional courses selected from areas such as Public Policy Formulation and Implementation, Grant Writing in the Public and Nonprofit Sectors, Nonprofit Management, and Strategic Planning for Public and Nonprofit Organizations. These specialized courses help students build practical skills in policy development, fundraising, organizational leadership, strategic decision-making, and program administration. Through coursework, applied research, and supervised fieldwork experiences, graduates are prepared for careers in program coordination, nonprofit management, community development, policy planning, organizational consulting, and human services administration. Overall, the program equips students with the professional knowledge and practical competencies needed to create effective community-based programs and drive positive social change through innovative and evidence-based solutions.