Master of Arts in Community Development and Planning

at Clark University USA

Our curriculum includes a required introduction to literary studies, as well as elective special-topics seminars in a range of geographical contexts and time periods. Working closely with your adviser, you will identify an area of focus for your thesis research and complete a project that builds on your unique scholarly interests.

Most students earn their degree in three or four semesters. Students must be in residence for at least one year (two years are required for recipients of a teaching assistantship award).

In addition, students must:

• Attend the Departmental Colloquia, a noncredit course in which faculty and students present work in progress, share thesis updates, and hear guest speakers. Successfully complete an oral defense of their thesis before two or more faculty readers.

Our students engage capacities and skills that have import within and beyond the study of literature. Such skills entail:

• Analyzing both written texts and broader cultural narratives that shape the political and social world. Crafting insightful and illuminating arguments. Conducting independent and in-depth research with a range of archival sources.

No matter your area of non-business specialization, you can kickstart your career with general management expertise and increase your value within your current organization. Our M.S. in Management program is specifically designed to make students with non-management backgrounds feel at home in the world of business.

The Clark University offers a close-knit management program within a small world-renowned liberal arts university. Here, we provide a comfortable environment in which to gain the broad business acumen that will boost your earning power. Data from a national survey of corporate recruiters indicates that nearly 60% of all employers are looking to hire professionals with master’s degrees in management. At Clark University, you can enhance your career prospects and professional value on a schedule that fits your life.

Whether your goal is to bring positive change to your local community or to advance a cause you feel passionate about, our Master of Public Administration (MPA) program provides the essential leadership and analytical skills you’ll need to realize your vision. The graduate degree in public administration is specifically designed for professionals who want to boost their influence and effectiveness to drive change in the public sector and nonprofit arenas.

Through rigorous learning and real-world experiences, you will develop the skill to manage operational issues, craft policy positions, communicate your vision, navigate organizational challenges, and mediate politically sensitive situations.

At Clark University, our M.S. in Finance program will equip you to unlock the complex principles that drive global financial markets and to step into a wide range of roles in banking, investment management, trading, insurance, corporate finance, and other industries. Armed with a strong foundation in quantitative methods, analytical tools, and critical thinking, you will be prepared for success in any high-stakes financial environment worldwide.

Information technology (IT) is at the core of all essential aspects of a 21st century organization, from its public face to its financial records. Business leaders know that the versatility and efficiency of their IT systems could make or break their organizations. If you are a skilled IT manager, your talents are in ever-increasing demand.

The Clark University’s M.S. in Information Technology (MSIT) program will prepare you to excel as an IT leader. You will learn strategic uses of IT as well as pivotal aspects of cybersecurity and data management. You’ll also master tools like Tableau and Splunk that allow you to analyze complex datasets. When you graduate, you will be prepared to take on an elevated level of responsibility in your current position or advance into new roles within the IT realm.

Clark’s master’s degree in GIS combines rigorous academics with widely varied, highly applied learning opportunities. Our two-year program offers ample opportunities to take what you learn in the classroom and put it to work in the wider world through creative engagements with communities, nonprofits, government, and the private sector. By working hands-on with partners, you gain valuable experience applying theories and implementing your creative solutions to complex problems.

In addition, we offer four concentrations within the GIS degree that enable you to focus your studies: GIS for Development and Environment, Conservation Applications, Global and Community Health Applications, and Remote Sensing. Each requires the completion of a set of concentration-specific courses, and each provides a valuable set of skills — and credentials — that will serve you well throughout your career.

Environmental Remote Sensing - Concentration
Remote Sensing is the scientific discipline concerned with the acquisition of environmental data at a distance (typically from imaging sensors on satellites and aircraft) and their subsequent analysis to yield information, typically in map form. MSGIS concentration in Environmental Remote Sensing focuses on the analysis of image data for environmental applications, particularly related to earth system science, natural resource inventory and ecological/conservation applications. Faculty, students and staff are involved not only in the application of remote sensing to crucial environmental concerns, but also, in some cases, in the development of new image processing procedures and software implementations.

MSGIS concentration in Environmental Remote Sensing places a strong emphasis on acquiring the quantitative analysis and problem-solving skills necessary to function as a professional analyst. The products of remote sensing image analysis are almost universally in map form. Thus the program also puts emphasis on acquiring the GIS skills necessary for the development of end products, and most of the courses have an applied project component as an integral element.

Clark University continues to have strong partnerships with many organizations that have remote sensing image analysis needs, including the Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), the GIMMS laboratory at NASA, the Wildlife Conservation Society, Conservation International, Digital Globe and the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation.

At Clark University, we’ve created an exceptional launchpad for advancing your career in accounting. Our M.S. in Accounting graduates consistently post first-time pass rates on the CPA exam that are among the highest in Massachusetts. You’ll also gain an edge in the professional marketplace by mastering the skills and critical thinking necessary to developing innovative solutions to complex financial challenges in the evolving global economy.

The required coursework includes two foundation courses that provide students with fundamental knowledge of accounting and business analytics, four accounting and three data analytics core courses to enhance students’ understanding of contemporary accounting issues as well as develop strong analytics skills, and three accounting analytics core courses to utilize the accounting knowledge and analytical skills to identify accounting problems, analyze the big data, and provide innovative and practical solutions.

You’ll use critical thinking skills to gather, evaluate, and interpret information, and enhance your leadership and management skills as you learn how to collaborate with diverse stakeholders within organizations.

Clark’s master’s degree in GIS combines rigorous academics with widely varied, highly applied learning opportunities. Our two-year program offers ample opportunities to take what you learn in the classroom and put it to work in the wider world through creative engagements with communities, nonprofits, government, and the private sector. By working hands-on with partners, you gain valuable experience applying theories and implementing your creative solutions to complex problems.

In addition, we offer four concentrations within the GIS degree that enable you to focus your studies: GIS for Development and Environment, Conservation Applications, Global and Community Health Applications, and Remote Sensing. Each requires the completion of a set of concentration-specific courses, and each provides a valuable set of skills — and credentials — that will serve you well throughout your career.

GIS for Development and Environment - Concentration
The concentration in Geographic Information Science for Development and Environment is intended for students interested in applications of geospatial technologies to address the challenge of sustainable development. The issues are many, ranging from natural resource development while protecting biodiversity, smart development and planning of infrastructure to social issues such as disaster management, humanitarian assistance, water and sanitation, poverty and hunger alleviation, climate change impacts, conflicts, and migration.

The GISDE concentration builds upon the broad strengths of the Department of International Development, Community and Environment (IDCE), the Graduate School of Geography and Clark Labs. Accordingly, this concentration allows considerable flexibility in tailoring an individual program, crafted with the assistance of a faculty advisor.

Right now, people all over the world are facing social and economic injustices and escalating environmental threats to their health and wellbeing. From toxic pollution to habitat loss to climate change, our planet’s inhabitants and ecosystems are facing critical and highly time-sensitive challenges.

At Clark University, we aren’t daunted by these challenges. Our creativity and resolve are inspired by them. A signature program in our influential International Development, Community, and Environment (IDCE) Department, the M.S. in Environmental Science and Policy uses an integrative, collaborative approach for understanding and responding to complex issues. We work in partnership with communities, nonprofits, businesses, donors, and policymakers in the United States and internationally to promote safer, healthier, more sustainable relationships between humans and the natural environment. And we help develop knowledge that can be translated into action through changes to policies, practices, behaviors, attitudes, and technologies.