Masters of Science
Community and Economic Development
Department of Economics, Finance, Insurance and Risk Management

Lauren Maxwell, Program Coordinator
Torreyson West, Room 342
201 Donaghey Avenue
Conway, Arkansas 72035
laurenm@uca.edu
501.450.5341 office
501.450.5678 fax

Program Overview

The purpose of the Master of Science in Community and Economic Development (MSCED) is to provide both experienced practitioners and new students with a comprehensive understanding of the theory and applications of state-of-the-art community and economic development tools and methods.  Graduates will be prepared to act as catalysts for growth and change through a community development process that is inclusive and non-discriminatory.

Admission Requirements

• Baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution
• Satisfactory scores from the GRE
• Undergraduate GPA of at least 2.7
• TOEFL score of at least 550 on the paper version or 213 on the computer version (international students only)

Program Features

• Thirty-six (36) hour program including: a twenty-four (24) credit hour core, nine (9) credit hours of electives, and a three (3) hour internship.
• Concentrations available in: Community development; GIS, Planning, and Land-use; Criminal Justice; and others upon approval.
• Can be completed in as little as three semesters.  Classroom, Executive and On-line formats
• Training in Leadership and Management

Required courses (27 SCH)

CED 6305 -- Introduction to Community and Economic Development
CED 6311 -- Leadership and Decision-Making
CED 6310 -- Community and Economic Development Seminar
CED 6315 -- Applied Research Methods and Data Analysis
CED 6330 -- Community Development Policy Analysis
CED 6340 -- Economic and Industrial Development
CED 6350 -- Financing Community and Economic Development
CED 6360 -- Cultural Differentiation and Outreach
CED 6370 -- Community and Economic Development Internship

Electives (9 SCH)

To be taken in one of three areas of emphasis:

Community Development
CED 6101 -- Community and Economic Development Institute I
CED 6102 -- Community and Economic Development Institute II
CED 6103 -- Community and Economic Development Institute III
CED 6301 -- Project Management
CED 6313 -- Transportation and Infrastructure
CED 6318 -- Budgeting
CED 6320 -- Holistic Planning and the Community
CED 6335 -- Grant Writing

Planning, Land-Use, and GIS
GEOG 5310 -- Geographic Information Systems
GEOG 5320 -- Technical Issues in Geographic Information Systems
GEOG 4345 -- Digital Image Processing for GIS
GEOG 5315 -- Mapping Fundamentals for GIS
GEOG 5333 -- GIS for Planning and Public Administration
GEOG 6328 -- Spatial Analysis and Modeling

Criminal Justice
CJIN 5300 -- Criminal Justice Management I
CJIN 5301 -- Criminal Justice Management II
SOC 5310 -- Criminology/Victimology

***Other electives may be substituted by request, with approval from Program Coordinator.
Contact Lauren Maxwell for more information***

Community Development Institute

Each year, UCA offers the Community Development Institute (CDI). This weeklong Institute provides training in professional development related to community and economic development to elected officials, board members, full-time professionals and citizens from all walks of life. CDI participants receive a certificate after each year of participation. Graduation from CDI occurs upon completion of year three. An advanced year of CDI is also offered for those who have completed the three-year program. CDI prepares students to sit for the national Professional Community and Economic Development (PCED) certification. The curricula of the CDI and MSCED programs are tied together and offer a unique educational experience. Click on the link for information on the Community Development Institute offered by UCA's Academic Outreach. http://www.uca.edu/aoep/cdi/index.htm.

Links

The Graduate school website offers more information about being a graduate student at UCA, taking the GRE, and applying to the graduate school. Click on the link below to be redirected to the Graduate Studies website. The graduate bulletin for Community and Economic Development, which provides descriptions for all classes, can be found on this website.

http://www.uca.edu/divisions/academic/graduate/.

The endorsing organization for CDI and our PCED certification is the Community Development Council (CDC):

www.cdcouncil.com