Sociology in Community: Revitalizing a Sociology Program through Community Development Studies
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.65879/3070-6335.2025.01.05Keywords:
Community, community development, sociology program, curriculum, innovation, concentrationAbstract
Sociology programs across the country have adopted various strategies for addressing a range of complex pressures and challenges over the last decade. This paper examines a curricular innovation strategy – the creation of a Community Development Studies Concentration within the Sociology major – adopted to address declining program enrollment and relevance. Drawing on institutional reports, student evaluations, and engagement activity data, the article offers qualitative reflections on the creation and implementation of the new Community Development Studies program and its initial impact on the sociology program and the community. The clearest benefits so far, we argue, are the increased level of engagement with community partners for both students and faculty, despite little available evidence for the new program’s impact on major enrollment.
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