Community and Environmental Planning B.S.
The Community and Environmental Planning program prepares students for professional careers as local government administrators, town or regional land use planners, and community facilitators in the public and private sectors of the economy. It is an applied social science degree program which provides the student with an understanding of the interrelated, social, economic, political, environmental, and technical factors that contribute to dynamic change in communities. Attention is focused on the managing community change, with an emphasis on community problem determination, problem analysis and resolution, and organizational change and human development. Students can concentrate in the areas of community public administration, community and regional planning, and community and institutional development.
Because communication skills are so important, basic courses include English Writing, and Conflict Resolution. Mathematics and the basic Statistics are also necessary for understanding technical problems. Courses in Community Administration, Community Economics, Community Planning, Research Methods, State and Local Politics, and Resource Economics give the student needed tools to evaluate the internal operations of communities and assist community leadership in dealing with adjustment processes.
Off-campus field work is an integral part of the program, involving students in internships in communities. Learning by doing the study of actual cases is emphasized, both as part of regular class work and through independent study.
Students may specialize in areas such as conservation; planning; education; administration; pollution and waste disposal; natural resource management, or resource economics. Major areas of research include: population change; community services; community administration; community economics; rural employment; land use; waste disposal, and community finance and taxation.
For more information about this program, please contact Dr. Kelly Cullen by e-mail at kelly.cullen@unh.edu or by phone at (603)862-4811.
