Place-based communities remain the main way people connect to information and each other.
Community organizers play a vital role in civic problem-solving and social activism. They help communities to change the balance of power and achieve their goals through leadership development and relationship building. University and college courses in Community Organization are available throughout the U.S., whether as part of a two-year program, a four-year major or at post-graduate level. Students may choose concentrations related to the career they wish to follow.
Community Organization Certificate Program
Certificates can be additions to related major subjects like social sciences, politics and social justice, giving students the specialty of Community Organizing. Alternatively, employers may accept this qualification from an experienced worker who has returned to education to further her career but without earning a degree. The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee School of Education offers a certificate program focusing on urban areas and some non-degree students may be eligible depending on their professional credentials.
Associate Degrees
These are ideal for adult learners returning to education after working for some time in a related field. Associate degrees can be taken either on campus or on line to fit in with adult students' schedules. Lasting two years, they can either be used as career enhancements or as a step to a four-year bachelor's degree in community organizing. Comprehensive lists of relevant courses are available through the Education Portal, Online Education and Degree Directory sites. The two-year on-campus course in Community Organization and Advocacy at Bay de Noc Community College in Michigan is a good and representative example of what is available. It offers learning in theories, practical experience and the principles of giving services to communities. It can lead to jobs working in all aspects of community organization.
Bachelor's Degree
Major options generally include Community Organization and Advocacy, Community and Justice Studies and Community Studies. Each one is designed to prepare students for careers as community organizers but it's wise to research specific career requirements and find a school that suits your situation before finally choosing any courses. South Carolina's Allen University has courses aimed specifically at people over 24 years old in their School for Professional Adults. This school wants to attract people with some university credits plus significant professional experience in a related field. Alternatively, Community Studies at California's Humphreys College is a sociology program with an emphasis on community and its role in modern American society. Humphreys encourages students to take courses that directly relate to the careers they're pursuing.
Graduate Degrees
Graduate studies in community organization are ideal for those seeking careers in law, government work or urban communities and environments. The Degree Directory states that students can complete a dual-degree program to become a community organization attorney. That means earning a Juris Doctor and a community organization master's degree. Areas of study include community media relations, social justice, debating policy issues, minority communities and race relations. A master's enables students to specialize even further in their particular area of interest, fine-tuning their career goals as they work closely with professors and carry out intensive research in their chosen community.
Tags: community organization, Advocacy Community, Community Organization, Community Organization Advocacy, Community Organizing, Community Studies