3.0

credits

Average Course Rating

Residents in urban, suburban, and rural areas are assuming greater control over the destiny of their neighborhood. The nature of suburbia is changing. The boundaries between jurisdictions in metropolitan regions are disappearing. Amid these changes, the core mission of American public safety remains the same - to serve people and, ultimately, sustain the viability of neighborhoods and communities. Through discussion, guest speakers, and exposure to a variety of neighborhood situations, students view community development as a discipline. They analyze the physical, social, and human capital in neighborhoods and how they influence progress, stability, and deterioration. Students draw on concepts such as planning, capacity building, mobilization, advocacy, and financial leveraging to solve neighborhood and community concerns. They focus on the role and responsibility of leaders to guide their organizations and units to affect positive change in neighborhoods.