LEHMAN COLLEGE OF THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK
URBAN STUDIES
CURRICULUM CHANGE
1. Type of Change: New Minor
2. Program description:
Director: Donna Kirchheimer
Steering Committee: Mario Gonzalez-Corzo, David Fletcher, Dene Hurley, Cindy Lobel, Juliana Maantay, Shehzad Nadeem, Gail Perry-Ryder, James Jervis, Joseph Rachlin, Milagros Ricourt, Robyn Spencer, Elin Waring.
Urban Community Development (Interdisciplinary minor)
This interdisciplinary program is designed to introduce students to a variety of topics and issues in urban community development. Students will be exposed to community based local, national and international social, political and economic analyses, as well as to political figures, philosophies, theories and movements. The minor is designed especially for students who wish to combine an interest in community development with majors such as African and African American Studies, Anthropology, Economics, Geography, History, Latin American and Puerto Rican Studies, Philosophy, Political Science, and Sociology.
DEGREE REQUIREMENTS
Students will satisfy the College requirement of a minor field by taking four courses (12- 15 credits), at least two of which must be at the 300 level or higher.
3 credits AAS 226 (Community Organization) 3 - 4 credits One field work course in community service to be chosen from the list of field work courses for the Urban Community Development Minor and approved by a member of the Steering Committee. 6-8 credits Two courses to be chosen from the electives list of courses for the Urban Community Development Minor in consultation with a member of the Steering Committee (who may also approve non-listed courses).
Note: The same courses may not be used for both the major and the minor. Some of these courses have prerequisites.
Elective Courses For the Urban Community Development Minor
AAS 316: Introduction to Community Development and Planning
ANT 342: Anthropology of Urbanization
ECO 314: Urban Economics
GEP: 230 Urban Environmental Management
GEH 240: Urban Geography
HIU 333: American Urban History
HIU 347: The Mainland Borough: The Bronx as a City in History
HIU 348: History of New York: City an State
LAC 238: Latino Community Organizing in New York City
POL 211: Public Policy
POL 305: Public Administration
POL 307: Political Power in America
POL 309: State and Local Politics
POL 310: Urban Politics and Government
POL 313: Political Issues in New York City
POL 314: Issues in Urban Policy
POL (SOC) 326: Political Socialization
PSY 338: Community Psychology
SOC 234: Urban Sociology
SOC 314: Social Change and Social Planning
SOC 334: Urban Sociology in Global Perspective
Fieldwork Courses For the Urban Community Development Minor
AAS 470: Fieldwork in the Black Community
ESC 475: Community Change Model: Creating New Communities
GEP 475: Internship in Geographic Information Science
SOC(POL) 470: Seminar and Internship Program in New York Government
3. Rationale and Academic Objectives: This minor is designed for students majoring in the traditional liberal arts who might be interested in pursuing a career in urban community development, either by applying to a graduate program or applying for employment in community development. Three of the four courses expose students to the field’s theoretical foundations, practical applications and innovative approaches. The field work requirement affords students an opportunity to obtain first-hand experience in a community development setting where they can apply the knowledge they have gained in their other courses. It is particularly valuable for students who wish to combine an interest in community development with majors such as African and African-American Studies, Anthropology, Economics, History, Latin American and Puerto Rican Studies, Philosophy, Political Science and Sociology.
4. Effects on Curriculum Offering Outside of the Department: The Minor in Urban Community Development is an interdisciplinary program that draws on faculty and course offerings from the departments of African and African American Studies, Anthropology, Economics, Environmental Geographical and Geological Sciences, History, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology, and Women Studies. As such it enhances the major concentration offerings in these fields.
5. Date of Approval by the Urban Studies Steering Committee: March 10, 2009