UNH Online Program Spotlight: Master in Community Development
The fully online Master in Community Development (MCD) at UNH offers a hands-on learning experience built around real-world impact. Guided by expert practitioners, students apply engagement and problem-solving techniques through a four-term capstone project in partnership with a community. This 14-month program expands your professional network while strengthening your capacity to lead impactful organizations.
Learn more from Community Development Program Faculty Jolan Rivera about what makes this program unique.
Can you give an overview of the program?
The MCD program equips seasoned and emerging development practitioners with a comprehensive, timely, and practical understanding of community development theory, practice, and policy from instructors with real-world backgrounds and interests.
Why should students interested in community development choose UNH?
The program embodies UNH's commitment to serve the public good by offering a graduate degree that caters to persons with a passion for public service.
The program has a felxible sturcture that allows working professionals to earn their graduate degree while working.
100% online delivery, full- and part-time options, the ability to utilize work settings for class projects, applied papers, and a capstone project, and an executive track recognizing students' work experience.
What are the key skills students take from this program?
A student acquires skills that are a rich blend of development practice, theory, and policy, with an emphasis on acquiring and enhancing readily applicable and relevant skills in community development.
Who is the ideal student for this program?
The MCD program is versatile, as it caters to learners from diverse fields, backgrounds, and interests from the public, private, and nonprofit sectors, as well as students who would like to explore a career in public service. We have domestic and international students and graduates.
What does a typical week look like in this program?
Students are provided with venues to learn on their own—weekly recorded lectures, online readings or discussion forums, and occasional field-based learning—and to engage with instructors and peers through weekly live online classes and occasional consultations with instructors.
What career paths do graduates take?
Graduates of the community development program have become nonprofit/NGO professionals, public servants, grassroots leaders, and policy makers. They put their vocation into action as project and program managers, fundraising coordinators, researchers, trainers, organizers, and consultants in the US and internationally.
What would you tell someone who is considering the program but is unsure about online learning?
Online learning is flexible and versatile. All MCD program courses involve learning on your own by way of recorded lectures and online readings, as well as interacting with peers and instructors at your own pace. On top of this, course activities also include real-time online sessions with classmates and instructors once a week or once every two weeks.
What is one thing you wish everyone knew about this program?
The program is structured in such a way that practically all of our students are/were able to earn their degree without leaving their jobs or current situation.
Even better, the MCD program has an executive version.
Through the Executive MCD, professionals and practitioners in the development and public service field with at least five years of relevant experience can earn their graduate degree by taking 10 courses instead of the standard 12-course track.