Community Development and Planning (CDP) Program

The Community Development and Planning program provides current and future community development practitioners, activists, and scholars with a strong foundation—based on theory, skill development, and practice—to take on the challenges of urban revitalization in the United States.  Our program links theory to practice through insightful participation of practitioners in seminars, high quality internships, and studio and practicum courses that allow students to learn directly from residents and community-based organizations about their resources, priorities, and strategies.  Students in the Community Development and Planning Program learn alternative ways of thinking and transforming communities to achieve greater equity and social justice.

The CDP Program offers core courses and hands-on skill development in critical areas such as: community development and planning theory, planning techniques, community organizing, community development finance, grant writing, land use, decision-making and negotiation, non-profit management, youth and community development, geographic information systems, and research and project evaluation methods. CDP students also benefit from a unique interdisciplinary approach to community development that integrates the perspectives and ideas of the other departmental programs: Environmental Science and Policy, Geographic Information Sciences for Development and Environment, and International Development and Social Change.

Click here to view our downloadable program brochure.

For more ways to get involved locally, see the CDP Graduate Student Guide to Worcester. This document provides an overview of local organizations and initiatives going on in the city.

“Community development is such a broad and diverse field. The CDP program at Clark offers courses that enable a community development practitioner to succeed in any sector they choose to enter; public, private, or non-profit. The professors bring real-life experience that is invaluable to this program and the class sizes really foster a creative atmosphere to which to learn.” Heather Kamyck (CDP/M.A. '05)

The CDP Experience

Through the CDP program, students will:

· Understand social, economic, and political forces that shape places
· Understand communities in a regional and international context
· Gain rigorous analytical training—the ability to explore and research complex social issues, solid quantitative and qualitative skills, and strong writing and public communication skills
· Challenge existing structures of power from within or outside transitional development organizations
· Develop professional practices that trigger social change to improve quality of life
· Prepare students to be leaders in a diverse range of community development and planning roles.

“The world needs more intelligent passionate people who can think and act quickly on the complex issues facing our communities. CDP gives students who are passionate about serving their community a great foundation of knowledge to build upon.” Jimmy Royster (CDP/M.A. '06)

Visit our Alumni page to learn more about CDP graduate career paths and opportunities.

"It was a great experience to work with the Somali community [in Lewiston, Maine] and stakeholders and to use PRA tools to create a needs assessment and action plan. I had a chance to see how community development works when you put the tools in the hands of community members. I also got the opportunity and background to understand cultural differences in cities and the challenges they bring." Oriana Eversole (CDP/M.A. '05)

"The CDP Program is not just theory but very hands on. The practicum course was an excellent opportunity to develop a project from beginning to end with Community Development Corporations. My internship with a brownfields redevelopment company allowed me to apply the theory I was learning about redevelopment to the creation of affordable housing." Sam Stratton (CDP/M.A. '04)