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Academic Courses

The following courses were introduced to Medgar Evers College on the initiative of Center personnel in collaboration with the Department of Interdisciplinary Studies:

Sustainable Development Minor

The courses on Sustainable Development presented below were jointly developed by members of the CRC Advisory Board who are also Adjunct Professors at Medgar Evers in conjunction with the Executive Director, for implementation in the Department of Interdisciplinary Studies:

Rationale: An emerging world consideration is the involvement of individuals, groups and communities in processes of self-determination on local levels and the effect of globalization on their activities. This imperative is the result of at least fifty years of world interest in the eradication of poverty, the establishment of peaceful coexistence, justice and the preservation of the environment. This concern is further intensified by the multiplier effect of globalization on developments in the world. The major powers of the world, including the US, have delineated procedures and processes for addressing these issues, initially focusing on the provision of funds. By and large, these efforts to date have produced inadequate results because of the exclusion of the human factor from the equation.

The newest direction of such efforts now includes the involvement of qualified professionals who understand globalization and sustainable development and are equipped to work with the diverse peoples of the world that are affected by the interaction of these two factors. Specifically, in the year 2005, the US government has determined that it will need many qualified persons of African descent and Americans from the various Diasporas to serve in strategic positions in accordance with the new agenda for creating a new world. Moreover, the UN has declared 2005-2014 as The United Nations Decade for Education for Sustainable Development.

Course Number: IDS 311

Course Title: Globalization and Sustainable Development

Course Description:

This course is an interdisciplinary course that explores the nature, scope, impact, and implications of globalization on the processes of development in the countries of the world grappling with issues of sustainability. It explains the concepts of sustainable development and examines theories of governance, development strategies, the effects of pandemics, war and other global phenomena and the implications of these for environment and humanity.

Course Number: IDS 312

Course Title: Master Planning for Sustainable Development

Course Description:

This course is geared for upper level students with a keen interest in leadership and technical assistance for the sustainable development of communities, and/or pursuing a career with international development agencies and in related programs. It is an interdisciplinary course that teaches the key principles and techniques of master planning for community participation in sustainable development. It provides active and prospective leaders with the skills and best practices that they may apply to initiatives for developing and implementing master plans for community development. It is designed to empower communities striving to determine their own destinies, or seeking to help others to do likewise.

Course Number: IDS 413

Course Title: Resource Management for Sustainable Development

Course Description:

The processes of sustainable development require financial resources that are not always easily accessible to communities. Leadership cadres in all communities need training in knowing how to identify and access resources for implementing their development plans. Additionally, they need essential skills in leveraging community resources, writing concept papers and feasibility studies for sustainable development

This course is an interdisciplinary course focusing on vital strategies for identifying and accessing financial resources for the sustainable development of communities. It offers to the students some practical leadership skills for research, writing of concept papers, proposals, feasibility studies and programs for sustainable development.

Course Number: IDS 414

Course Title: Sustainable Development Practicum

Course Description:

This course is a practicum that allows the student to put into practice all the principles and strategies learned in the previous courses in Sustainable Development. Students are required to put in a minimum of 45 hours of real time work with an organization involved in sustainable development that is documented and validated by the appropriate tutors and/or mentors/supervisors over a period of at least eleven weeks. At the end, students are required to submit a written project report of the practicum experience.

Course Number: IDS 415

Course Title: Community Health and Sustainable Development

Course Description:

This interdisciplinary course is designed to introduce students to concepts, approaches and principles for understanding public health issues related to health beliefs, epidemiology, health promotion and disease prevention. The underlying theme of the course is advocacy, culture, power and social change. Attention is given to the historical development of Community Based Health Organizations (CBHO) and changes in social institutions in at-risk communities. This course presents relevant ecological and health related issues impacting vulnerable communities and proposes sustainable development policy modalities, tested models and strategies to respond to health status disparities in such communities.

Course Number: IDS 416

Course Title: NGO Management in Sustainable Development

Course Description:

Non-governmental organizations have emerged as one of the principal partners in development programs globally. The United Nations and other international agencies have recognized that effective programs for development require the involvement of civil society in all stages of planning and implementation. This is an interdisciplinary course that focuses on the pivotal role of non-governmental organizations in the processes of sustainable development. It encompasses issues of organization, governance, planning, implementation, funding strategies, group dynamics and evaluation for the advancement of sustainability locally, nationally and internationally.