Overview

The Bachelor of Science in Community Development, offered by the Department of Architecture and Environmental Design (AED), prepares students to learn to understand and think critically about the social, political, economic, and cultural dynamics shaping various types of communities. Particular emphasis is given to empowering disadvantaged communities to address inequalities and improve their long-term social, economic, and environmental sustainability. The program enables students to lead efforts to create and maintain healthy, sustainable communities by providing a broad-based understanding and awareness of multi-dimensional aspects of urban and suburban community challenges in a metropolitan regional context and the means of effecting change from both grass-roots and public policy perspectives.

Students will learn how to engage stakeholders; assess a community's assets, needs and opportunities; plan what the community wants to achieve; and develop strategies, programs, and policies to improve quality of life. Learning will extend beyond the classroom with hands-on experience through service learning, field research, informal gatherings, and workshops.

Campus Location: Main

Program Code: TA-CMDV-BS

Admissions

For more information on how to apply, please visit Tyler's Community Development admissions page.

Accelerated Program

Eligible undergraduate students can also choose the +1 accelerated BS in Community Development and MS in City and Regional Planning program. The accelerated degree program enables students to complete both degree programs in 5 years by taking up to 12 specified graduate credits to fulfill the undergraduate degree requirements. Upon graduation from their undergraduate program, students move seamlessly into their graduate program, which they complete in one additional year.

To be eligible for the program, students must be declared Community Development majors; have a minimum of 3.25 cumulative GPA in at least 45 credits of coursework taken at Temple; be able to complete their undergraduate degree according to the specified academic plan; and be able to complete the graduate degree in one additional year including two summer semesters of graduate coursework. Community Development majors apply to the +1 accelerated program in March of their sophomore year.

Study Abroad

Students who plan to study abroad should arrange to meet with their academic advisor and the Education Abroad and Overseas Campuses office as early as possible, preferably during the freshman year, in order to explore options and plan the sequence of courses that would be most appropriate.

Career Opportunities

In the Community Development program students prepare to tackle the challenges of the community development worker in the 21st century, specifically how to empower culturally, economically or geographically disadvantaged communities to address inequalities and improve their long-term social, economic and environmental sustainability. Graduates are prepared to serve as the critical link between communities, local governments, and state and federal programs in various positions including community organizing, nonprofit organizations, private foundations, community development corporations, community investment specialists and more.

Contact Information

Sasha W. Eisenman, PhD, Architecture and Environmental Design Department Chair
Tyler School of Art and Architecture
Dixon Hall, Room 201
580 Meetinghouse Road
Ambler, PA 19002
267-468-8168
eisenman@temple.edu

Jeffrey P. Doshna, PhD, AICP, Program Head, Planning and Community Development
Tyler School of Art and Architecture
Architecture Building, Room 213
2001 N. 13th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19122
doshna@temple.edu

Learn more about the Bachelor of Science in Community Development.

These requirements are for students who matriculated in academic year 2023-2024. Students who matriculated prior to fall 2023 should refer to the Archives to view the requirements for their Bulletin year.

Summary of Requirements

The degree of Bachelor of Science in Community Development may be conferred upon a student by recommendation of the faculty and upon the satisfactory completion of a minimum of 122 semester hours of credit with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 overall and in the major.

At least half of the courses required for the major must be completed at Temple University.

University Requirements

• MATH 0701 (4 s.h.) and/or ENG 0701 (4 s.h.), if required by placement assessment.
• Students must complete requirements of the university General Education (GenEd) program.
  • Summer or semester study abroad will satisfy the GenEd Global/World Society requirement.

Program Requirements

• The courses fulfilling requirements for the Community Development major must be completed with a minimum grade of C- to apply towards degree requirements.
• All Temple students must take a minimum of two writing-intensive courses as part of the major. CDEV 2596 and CDEV 3197 are the specific writing-intensive courses that are required for Community Development majors.

¹

This course has a prerequisite(s) or registration restriction(s).

²

4+1 students will take the approved graduate level CTRP courses in lieu of free electives in years 3 and 4. These students should consult with advisor before taking CTRP courses to fulfill Methods and Practice electives, to avoid conflicts with the graduate curriculum requirements.

³

Students should consult with their advisor before enrolling in Special Topics courses as topics may vary.

Note: CDEV students are not eligible for the minors in Community Development or City and Regional Planning.

Suggested Academic Plan

Bachelor of Science in Community Development

Suggested Plan for New Students Starting in the 2023-2024 Academic Year

Note: The symbol after the course number indicates that the class is offered ONLY in the semester indicated.

¹

Consult with your advisor for suggested options.

²

If one of the CDEV Interdisciplinary Electives is taken for 2 credits, then the second CDEV Interdisciplinary Elective must be 4 credits in order to meet the 6-credit CDEV Interdisciplinary Electives requirement for the major.