The Major Program
The Community and Regional Development major (formerly Applied Behavioral Sciences) aims to provide a broad comparative understanding of theories, methodologies, and issues relevant to the study of communities and the people in them. The program focuses on the ways that economic, political and socio-cultural forces are transforming regions and local communities, and it considers how knowledge can be used to improve the quality of community life.
The Program
Principal subjects of study within the major are community and organizational development, social change processes, the role of culture and ethnicity in shaping community life, community research methodologies, the impacts of innovation and technology on community development, and the effects of social, economic and political systems on communities. The major is organized to allow students to develop fields of concentration that meet their career goals.
Internships and Career Alternatives be used to improve the quality of community life.
Community and Regional Development students are required to complete an internship in their field before graduation. Internships have been arranged with local, county, and state planning units, health departments, schools, housing offices, and community education programs. Community and Regional Development graduates are prepared for occupations in community development, social research, program evaluation, organizational and educational consulting, city and regional planning, and for-profit organizations. The major also provides effective preparation for graduate or professional study in the social and behavioral sciences, or for professional degrees.