Community Development

Chart the next stage of your career. With the need for community leaders on the rise, now is your moment to make a change. Learn new ways to collaborate with stakeholders to address local conditions, socioeconomic inequities, and environmental changes. Gain knowledge to help find solutions to increase livability, resilience, and sustainability in an increasingly complex society.

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You are ready to take your stakeholder management skills—and your career—to the next level. Explore new strategies for tackling immediate local issues, economic disparities, and environmental shifts. Through hands-on projects, you’ll apply cutting-edge theories to practical scenarios, giving you the tools to lead impactful development initiatives and create sustainable solutions.

Round out your skills to lead change and propel your career forward in this vital field and do so with the flexibility to customize your studies. Prepare yourself in your specific area of interest to make the next significant strides in your career and with the people you impact.

Lindsay Henderson, an alumna of the program from Webster City, is an Iowa State Extension leader. She engages local residents and elected officials to facilitate discussions that drive impactful change in areas like economic development and historic preservation.
Amy Piaget, a current student in the program, applies her coursework to her role as county conservationist in Dane County, Wisconsin, where she leads efforts in conservation and community building.

Designed intentionally for flexible and fast-tracked learning. Know what’s ahead as you tailor the program to your schedule, whether you’re aiming to accelerate through in just one year or go at a slower pace. These aren’t your typical online courses—expect a data-driven learning experience enriched with authentic engagement and a strong connection to our established university.
Elective freedom. While exploring community development history, theory, and methodologies in your core courses, you can personalize your remaining courses. 15 additional credits from a wide array of electives round out your education. Choose from exciting courses that addresss historical preservation planning, real estate development, transportation policy and planning, diversity in media, grant writing, citizen engagement, and many more. Customize these electives so they are aligned with your distinct career aspirations.
Practical capstone experience. Apply what you’ve learned in a hands-on practicum that caps off your degree and extends your professional network. Make meaningful connections, gain valuable references, and set the stage for a successful career in community development.

Know what’s ahead, learning at a university that has over 80 years of pioneering education in the field.
Extend your path with connections to the Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Community and Economic Development program, enriching student experience with practical applications since 1979.
Engage in diverse community development projects, addressing needs in both urban and rural areas, from housing development to environmental planning.

Sample program for a part-time student :

Semester 1 (Fall): 6 credits
- COMDV 5020: Theories and Constructs of Community Change – 3 credits
- Elective – 3 credits
Semester 2 (Spring): 6 credits
- COMDV 5030: Community Development Methods – 3 credits
- Elective – 3 credits
Semester 3 (Summer): 3 credits
- Elective – 3 credits
Semester 4 (Fall): 6 credits
- COMDV 5050: Analysis of the Community Economy – 3 credits
- Elective – 3 credits
Semester 5 (Spring): 6 credits
- COMDV 5040: Creating Community Change – 3 credits
- Elective – 3 credits
Semester 6 (Summer): 3 credits
- COMDV 5300: Community Development Practicum – 3 credits

Community Development – Master’s