The community and social change program is based on the discipline of community psychology. Community psychology is a distinctive approach to understanding and solving community, organizational, and societal problems.
But, what is at its core?
Communities are our office. The curriculum encourages students to engage and critique the complex systems influencing communities and act in a manner that best acknowledges and addresses needs. While others are also concerned with community welfare, what makes community psychologists distinctive is that we apply well-established psychological principles and techniques, tested and proven in practice, to improve well-being and effectiveness at individual, organizational, and community levels.
Social change is our goal; combining theory, research, and action, the program encourages students to seize opportunities to create sustainable and transformative impact. We do so with an explicit concern for social and racial justice, inclusiveness and participation, the value of diversity, collaboration, and a focus on strengths.
In the Community and Social Change master’s program, what we do here is anything but ambiguous — we are simply trying to change the world. Community psychologists work collaboratively with others to help strengthen systems, provide cost-effective services, increase access to resources, and optimize quality for individuals, private and governmental organizations, corporations, and community groups.
Purpose and Goals
The program is designed to enhance our students’ abilities to:
- Lead, administer, and inspire within educational and community settings;
- Lead group processes and consultations;
- Develop and evaluate programs;
- Engage in ethical practices;
- Develop collaborative efforts to address social issues;
- Think and act as advocates and agents of change;
- Think and act in ecological, multicultural, and global ways;
- Understand and utilize theory and research;
- Understand power dynamics, systems, and social sources of well-being; and
- Communicate well in oral, written, and electronic media formats.
