Community and Economic Development Graduate Credit Certificate Program

The CEDEV Graduate Certificate is designed to build a basic level of knowledge and skills required for practitioners to address the important issues in community and economic development.The Graduate Certificate in Community and Economic Development (CEDEV) provides needed skills and knowledge to practitioners in community and economic development through the flexible learning environment of the World Campus. The program introduces key concepts and practical strategies useful to individuals new to the field of community development and to those with experience working with communities and development organizations. The program also meets the needs of those who are considering a career in community and economic development and want to find out if this profession is right for them. The CEDEV Graduate Certificate is designed to build a basic level of knowledge and skills required for practitioners to address the important issues in community and economic development.

Admission Requirements

Applicants apply for admission to the program via the Graduate School application for admission. Requirements listed here are in addition to Graduate Council policies listed under GCAC-300 Admissions Policies. International applicants may be required to satisfy an English proficiency requirement; see GCAC-305 Admission Requirements for International Students for more information.

Official transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended must accompany the application. Students with a 3.00 average (on a 4.00 scale) for the most recent two years of college/university education, or with an advanced degree, and with appropriate course or experiential backgrounds will be considered for admission.

Certificate Requirements

Requirements listed here are in addition to requirements listed in Graduate Council policy GCAC-212 Postbaccalaureate Credit Certificate Programs.

The Graduate Certificate in Community and Economic Development (CEDEV Certificate) requires 15 credits, consisting of five 3-credit courses.

Courses

Graduate courses carry numbers from 500 to 699 and 800 to 899. Advanced undergraduate courses numbered between 400 and 499 may be used to meet some graduate degree requirements when taken by graduate students. Courses below the 400 level may not. A graduate student may register for or audit these courses in order to make up deficiencies or to fill in gaps in previous education but not to meet requirements for an advanced degree.

Learning Outcomes

Students will demonstrate an understanding of:

1. LOCAL COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PLANNING: Concepts, strategies and techniques of local economic analysis, planning, and development.
2. SOCIAL PROCESSES: The social organization, processes and changes that define a community.
3. PROBLEM SOLVING STRATEGIES: Application of sociological and economic principles and strategies to problem solving in the community context.
4. THEORIES AND PROCESSES: Theories, concepts and framework of community and economic development within the framework of community decision-making models.
5. GOVERNMENT FINANCING: The interaction of population characteristics, land use, municipal funds and taxation and how they impact the management of local government jurisdictions.
6. ANALYTICAL TECHNIQUES AND METHODS: Application of research methodologies and data collecting, techniques to analyze and recommend solutions to community and economic development issues and problems.

Contact

Certificate Program Head: John Shingler   

Primary Program Contact: Julie Stringfellow

Email: jls1007@psu.edu

Mailing Address: 305 Armsby, University Park, PA 16802

Telephone: (814) 865-6223

Program Website: Community and Economic Development Graduate Certificate