Minor in Community Change Studies
Welcome to the Minor in Community Change Studies!
The minor is based on a few key ideas:
We make our own history. We may inherit the politics, the institutions, and the problems we face from previous generations, but we also can be creators of change in our communities, in the US, and across the world.
A better, more just world is possible. Even in the most difficult circumstances, we can and do organize communities and build democratic institutions that fight for the universal realization of human rights and social justice—and that fight against racism, poverty, homophobia, sexism, anti-immigrant politics, and other forms of violence, oppression and exploitation. Knowing how to organize communities and build power is of utmost importance.
Change starts with our communities. Public university students often talk about wanting to “give back” to their communities. Learning how to investigate the change that communities need and how to work with communities towards that change is a step toward not just “giving back,” but taking back and transforming the institutions that reinforce the challenges public university students and their communities face.
The minor in Community Change Studies connects students with the skills and organizations that are at the forefront of change in New York City and prepares them for careers and lives in public service.
The minor entails required courses in community organizing and community-based research, taught by experienced practitioners, and an internship with leading social justice organizations in New York City, with the possibility of funded summer internships as well.
The minor is open to all majors. There are no prerequisites.
Requirements
The minor requires six courses for a total of 19 credits as described below. These courses may be taken at any point during the student’s coursework.
The three required courses are:
PSC 31147: Community Organizing
This course introduces students to the practice and skills involved in community organizing, and combines readings, meetings with active community organizers in New York City, and several practical exercises in outreach, issue-identification, and campaign planning.
3 hr./wk.; 3 cr. Fall semester.
PSC 31051: Community-Based Research
The course introduces students to several different approaches to community-based research, and compares it to more standard social science research practices. The course introduces community-based and advocacy research tools, strategies and uses, and links them to a practicum with existing community organizations.
3 hr./wk.; 3 cr. Spring semester.
SSC 31200: Internship
This seminar introduces students to concepts and tools for understanding and evaluating leadership and organizational management. The internship placement site will serve as a case study for examining the issues and challenges faced by leaders in the public and/or private sector(s).
3 hr./wk.; 3 cr.
Readings, interviews and class discussions will serve to explore questions such as:
- How do leaders make decisions in the face of uncertainty, when action is required without adequate information?
- How do leaders measure performance to ensure that their programs and services are working?
- How do they involve diverse stakeholders and constituencies- with varying expectations and ideas- in co-creating, implementing and evaluating program strategy?
- To whom or what are these leaders accountable?
- How do they deliver quality, high impact services in the face of resource constraints?
Students will explore these challenges in the varying contexts of public service be they nonprofit, private for profit, philanthropic, government and faith-based institutions – and the social, economic and political forces with which they must contend. Concepts and tools such as theory of change, logic modeling, service blueprinting and performance rubrics will be introduced each week during class meetings and students, over the course of the semester, will apply these tools in constructing an organizational profile of their internship site. Fall and spring semesters.
Internship field assignments should be for between 5-10 hours per week. Students are free to arrange their own internships, but are encouraged to arrange their internships with assistance from the Minor Adviser. All internship placements must be approved by the Internship Director and the Minor Adviser.
Co-requisite:
Community Change Studies Internship Recitation. 3 hr./wk.; 3 cr. Community Change Studies Internship Recitation (supplement to SSC 31200) An opportunity to discuss issues that are specific to community change organizations as they arise, with other students in the minor and a faculty adviser. Co-requisite: SSC 31200: Internship. 1 hr./wk.; 1 cr.
In addition, students in the minor must complete three courses from among those listed in the “Courses” section of this site, or other courses with the minor adviser’s approval.
Courses
Political Science
PSC 12500: Introduction to Public Policy
PSC 20700: The Politics of Criminal and Civil Justice
PSC 21000: Urban Politics
PSC 21600: Political Parties and Interest Groups
PSC 21700: Mass Media and Politics PSC 31507: Politics of Immigration
PSC 31510: Land and Housing in New York City PSC
31905: Politics of Work PSC
37600: Marxism PSC 32400: Politics of Protest
Anthropology
ANTH 20100: Cross-Cultural Perspectives
ANTH 22500: Class, Ethnicity and Gender
ANTH 23100: Anthropology of Law
ANTH 25400: American Cultural Patterns
ANTH 25500: Anthropology of Health and Healing
ANTH 35000: Race and Racism
Economics and Business
ECO 31150: Developing Management Skills
ECO 31750: Economics of Environmental Entrepreneurship
ECO 31950: Leadership
ECO 33550: Urban Economics
ECO 33650: Public Finance
ECO 33850: Public Economics
ECO 41350: Business and Society
ECO 43450: Public Investment Analysis
Psychology
PSY 31823: Women and Violence
PSY 41000: Contemporary Issues in Human Rights and Social Justice
Sociology
SOC 24100: Criminology and Corrections
SOC 24200: Juvenile Delinquency
SOC 24300: Sociology of Youth
SOC 24500: Sociology of Social Welfare Institutions
SOC 25100: Urban Sociology
SOC 2 5200 Social Class SOC
25400: Social Problems
SOC 26000: Theory of Social Change
SOC 26300: Contemporary Social Issues
SOC 26700: Social Change in Developing Countries
SOC 26800: Studies in Social Forces and Mass Movements
SOC 29000: Immigration
SOC 31136: Housing and Community Development
SOC 38101: Contemporary Issues in the Workplace
SOC 38107: Justice, Law, and Society
History
HIST 31140: Documenting AntiGentrification in Harlem (cross-listed as BLST 31140 and PSC 31146)
Partners and Allies
The following groups have participated with minor-related courses:
Black Alliance for Just Immigration
CAAAV: Organizing Asian Communities
Community Action for Safe Apartments
Community Learning Partnership
Community Voices Heard
Faith in New York
Joseph S. Murphy Institute for Worker Education and Labor Studies (CUNY)
New York City Community Land Initiative
Picture the Homeless
Take Back the Land
