The MDP Curriculum: RPCV Track

Important facts about the MDP Curriculum

MDP RPCV Track students require 31 credits to graduate.
Required credits take two forms: core and flex-core. Core courses are specific, preselected courses that MDP students must take to graduate. Flex-core courses are pre-selected course sets from which students choose the best fit.
Inter-disciplinary program = inter-departmental coursework. Whenever possible, classes are offered in the specific academic units (colleges, departments) where the research and knowledge reside and taught by faculty from that area.

Visual design of the MDP curriculum integrated competency framework

RPCV Track Core: Required courses and sequence

First Year, Fall Semester [ 14-15 cr]

MDP 5001 (2 cr) | Ways of Knowing for Sustainable Development [Wilsey]
PA 5501 (3 cr) | Theories & Policies of Development [Staff]
PA 5031 (4 cr) | Statistics for Public Affairs or PA 5045 Statistics for Public Affairs, Accelerated [How to decide?]
PA 5503 (3 cr) | Economics of Development [Assaad]
Flex-core requirement (2-3 cr)

First Year, Spring Semester [13-14 cr]

MDP 5005 (3 cr) | Qualitative Methods for Development Practice [Var.]
PA 5521 (4 cr) | Development Planning & Policy Analysis [Assaad]
PA 5080 (1 cr) | Capstone Prep Workshop
Flex-core requirement (2-3 cr)
Flex-core requirement (2-3 cr)

Summer Core [3 cr]

MDP 5200 (3 cr) | Capstone Workshop in Leadership for Development Practice [Var.]

MDP Flex Core: Required focus area with flexibility in courses and sequencing

Students to personalize course sequence based on course preferences, timing and annual availability.

ORANGE - typically offered in fall semester
GREEN - typically offered in spring semester
BLACK - typically offered both semesters

Flex Core:

Sustainability Sciences | 6 credits

Sustainability Sciences range from Socio-Ecological to the Socio-Political with considerable overlap. Students must take one course from the Socio-Ecological group PLUS a second course from either the Socio-Ecological or Socio-Political course menu.

Sustainability Sciences:

Socio-Ecological

- ESPM 5251 (3cr) | Natural Resources in International Development [Current]
- FNRM 5411 Management of Forest Ecosystems
- PA 5724 (3cr) | Climate Change Policy [Chan]
- AGRO 5321 (3 cr) | Ecology of Agricultural Systems [Jordan]
- GCC 5008 (3 cr) | Policy and Science of Global Environmental Change [Polasky, Reich, and Hobbie ]
- EEB 5534 Biodiversity Science
- GEOG 5401 (4 cr) | Geography of Environmental Systems & Global Change [Klink, offered online only]
- GCC 5032 (3cr) # | Ecosystem Health: Leadership at the Intersection of Humans, Animals and the Environment [Sopdie & Kennedy]
- PA 5242 (3cr) | Environmental Planning, Policy and Decision Making [ ]
- PA 5751 (3cr) | Addressing Climate and Energy Challenges at the Local Scale [Harrington]
- PA 5761 (3cr) | Environmental Systems Analysis at the Food-Energy-Water Nexus [ ]

# This course may also be used to meet Leading Change flex core requirement

Sustainability Sciences:

Socio-Political

- PA 5531 (3cr) Global Sustainable Development in Practice [Randall] *new course*
- GCC 5017 (3cr) World Food Problems
- APEC 5831 (3cr) Food Agribusiness Marketplace
- LAW 6709 (3cr) Agriculture & Environment [Var.]

Flex Core: Education & Sustainable

Development | 3 credits

Select one of the following:

- OLPD 5103 (3 cr) | Comparative Education [Shirazi]
- OLPD 5104 (3 cr) | Strategies for International Development Education [Johnstone]
- OLPD 5107 (3 cr) | Gender, Education & Development [DeJaeghere].

Flex Core:

Global Health | 2 credits

Select one of the following:

PUBH 6108 (2 cr) | Foundations of Global Health [Muñoz-Zanzi]
PUBH 6320 (3 cr) | Fundamentals of Epidemiology [Widome]

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