Merrimack College Online Master’s Degree in Community Engagement

Posted by Merrimack College on August 20, 2019

The Merrimack College Master’s degree in Community Engagement is officially launching an online degree option. Three four-credit courses will be available this fall. For more information, to register for a course, or to apply for the degree program, please contact Alex Harrigan at harrigana@merrimack.edu.

CME 506G Community Organizing & Development (Online): Thurs 8:30-9:50, required weekly virtual session; This course examines place-based community organizing and development from a social justice perspective. Through case studies, students learn about current issues and approaches to community change. The course emphasizes organizing in low-income communities and provides an assets-based approach. The course will address key issues such as housing, economic development, neighborhood revitalization, and sustainability, with a focus on the social and political aspects of development.

CME 540G Fundraising, Grant Writing, and Development (Online, asynchronous): This course examines the critical role of fundraising and development in nonprofit organizations and other community settings. Students will have the opportunity to develop a grant proposal. Students will become knowledgeable about a wide range of fundraising strategies and techniques, such as capital campaigns and event planning. They will consider related issues including branding, community relations, and use of social media.

CME 6025G Community Engagement in Higher Education (Online, asynchronous): This course examines the contemporary community engagement movement – e.g., service-learning, civic and community engagement, community-based research – in higher education. It explores key programmatic issues such as course development, student outcomes, and community partnerships as well as core theoretical questions. The courses will focus on the limits and possibilities of community engagement in higher education through multiple frames of reference: technical, cultural, political, and conceptual.