Master's Program Focus Areas
Quick Links
The Master of Arts in Economic and Social Development of Regions allows students to focus their elective courses in a particular topic or policy area of personal or professional interest. Students are not obligated to follow any of these focus areas but may take any elective courses he or she prefers and build their own curriculum. However concentrating on a specific focus area may better suit the student’s interests or better further their career or educational goals.
Below are the six focus areas in which students may direct their studies:
- Policy at the National, State, and Local Level
Global Development and International Policy
Community Development, Social Policy, and Non-Profit Management
Innovation, Technology, and Policy
Environment and Sustainability
Research Methods
Policy at the National, State, and Local Levels
This area is largely focused on US policy. Courses in this area explore public policy in terms of labor, gender, social welfare, as well as sustainable housing, and municipal management.
Suggested Courses:
- 57.511 Dynamics of Power & Authority
57.515 Politics & Economics of Public Policy
57.520 Inequality & Organization
57.527 Sustainable Housing Development & Land Use
57.525 Gender, Work and Public Policy
57.545 Political Economy of Employment
57.507 Municipal Management
Courses in other programs:
- 32.625 Health Policy
44.573 Law and Public Policy
44.503 Administration of Criminal Justice
44.546 Mental Health & Criminal Justice
Global Development and International Policy
This focus area addresses globalization, links between local, regional and national policy issues and the impact of international politics, trade and development on domestic policy. Students study development strategies, migration, gender roles, poverty, patterns of trade, the major institutions that influence trade finance and development, and the changing international division of labor and capital.
Suggested Courses:
- 57.513 Foundation of Comp. Reg. Dev.
57.520 Inequality & Organization
57.537 Developing Economies
57.539 Justice & Trade in the Global Economy
57.540 China & India/Global Economy
57.552 Enterprise in Latin America
57.605 Social Movements
Courses in other programs:
- 49.410 Economic Growth and Development
49.403 Topics in International Economics and Trade
57.558 Peace & Conflict Field Exp
47.527 Immigrant Psychology and Communities
43.304 European Social and Economic History
66.511 Global Enterprise and Competition (2 credits)
19.653 Globalization, Work, and Health
Community Development, Social Policy, and Non-Profit Management
Understanding sustainable development strategies requires a deep comprehension of the dynamics of community economic development, community politics and community practice. Students who focus in this area address urban development strategies, sustainability, community inclusion in decision making, land use policy and planning, and management of non-profit organizations.
Suggested Courses:
- 57.598 Org. Dynamics & Regional Dev.
57.508 Budget/Policy, Plan, & Info Tool
57.512 Community Conflict Resolution
57.527 Sustainable Housing Dev & Land Use
57.532 Advanced Community Dynamics
57.535 Community-based Planning
57.546 Grant Writing
57.514 Community Mapping with GIS
Courses in other programs:
- 66.480 Special Topics: Nonprofit Management
62.496 Special Topics: Marketing for Nonprofits
32.627 Socioeconomic Inequalities in Health
47.527 Immigrant Psychology and Communities
47.500 Introduction to Community Social Psychology
47.502 Seminar in Community Social Psychology
47.503 Applied Social Psychology
47.505 Work and Family
47.523 Women in the Community
47.542 Working with Groups
47.545 Community and Organizational Change
47.625 Advanced Community Dynamics: Lowell
42.506 Writing in the Community
44.560 Gender, Race & Crime
44.622 Intimate Partner Violence
44.574 Economic Crime
05.630 Educating Diverse Populations
05.622 Financial Aspects of Educational Administration
05.652 Managing Change and Conflict
60.501 Financial Accounting (2 credits)
61.501 Business Financial Analysis (2 credits)
62.501 Marketing Fundamentals (2 credits)
63.501 Operations Fundamentals (2 credits)
Innovation, Technology, and Policy
Students who focus in this area study the sources of competitive leadership among countries and within industries. They become skilled at industry studies that involve the theory and sources of innovation, the path of technology design, competitive strategies, the role of financial strategies and skill development strategies in the innovative trajectory of industries and firms, and the impact of offshoring and global relocation on employment and on particular regions.
Suggested Courses:
- 57.503 Work and Technology
57.514 Community Mapping
57.545 Political Economy of Employment
57.520 Inequality & Organization
57.519 Science, Tech & Economy
57.540 China & India/Global Economy
Courses in other programs:
- 64.650 Innovation & Emerging Technology
66.480 Current Topics in Management: Business Ethics
66.501 Organizational Behavior (2 credits)
19.500 Analytic Context of Work Environment
19.643 Healthy Work Organization
47.526 Workplace Diversity
Environment and Sustainability
Environmental issues are some of the most important challenges facing communities at the local, national, and global level. This focus area introduces students to some of the most significant issues arising from the connections of economic activity and economic development to the quality and sustainability of the environment. Students learn skills in the economic and political analyses relevant to the design and implementation of policy alternatives that have emerged domestically and globally over the last 40 years or so. From global climate change to brownfields, concern about environmental damage has created a rich legacy of economic and political analysis, policy, and politics to which students are exposed through the courses in the focus area.
Suggested Courses:
- 57.518 Politics of Climate Change
57.567 Introduction to Environmental and Natural Resource Economics
57.527 Sustainable Housing and Land Use
57.515 Politics and Economics of Public Policy
Courses in other programs:
- 19.500 Analytic Context of the Work Environment
19.550 Environmental Law & Policy
19.651 Work Environment Policy and Practice
19.550 Environmental Law & Policy
32.616 Law and Ethics in Healthcare
44.547 Economic Crime
87.504 Geographic Information Systems
87.572 Energy and the Environment
Research Methods
Student can put together a set of courses that will develop qualitative or quantitative skills to support jobs or further education that is oriented to research.
Suggested Courses:
- 57.506 Research Methods
57.592 Qualitative Research Methods
57.522 Research Ethics with Underserved Groups
57.546 Grant Writing
57.515 Politics and Economics of Public Policy
57.514 Community Mapping with GIS
Courses in other programs:
- 19.680 Intro to SAS
19.674 Applied Biostatistical Methods
19.689 Advanced Regression Modeling
47.512 Applied Research Methods
46.611 Program Evaluation
92.570 Probability and Statistics
92.591 Statistical Modeling and Linear Regression Analysis
92.593 Experimental Design