Course variations

Course summary

This program is designed to prepare students to address changes that are occurring in metropolitan and fringe areas, as well as changes that are occurring in other types of communities located in non-metropolitan areas. For example, rural communities have smaller economies of scale and less diverse populations than larger cities. Small coastal and other natural resource based communities must carefully weigh impacts of development against protection and conservation of environmental qualities. Graduates of the community development program will be able to apply their conceptual, analytical, and management skills to such issues involving infrastructure development, leadership, economic growth, youth development, poverty, welfare-to-work, water quality, land use, and other issues involving mobilization and collaboration with diverse community groups. Community development students can look forward to careers in various levels of government and their programs, Cooperative Extension, and regional planning organizations. Other potential employers include private community planning firms, industrial parks, retirement communities, recreational resorts and communities, and public relation firms.

Program modules

The modules include ACCT 209 Survey of Accounting Principles (3-0, 3 credits), ACCT 210 Survey of Managerial and Cost Accounting Principles (3-0, 3 credits), AGEC 330 Financial Management in Agriculture (3-0, 3 credits), AGEC 340 Agribusiness Management (3-0, 3 credits), ALED 425 Principles of Program Evaluation in Agriculture and the Life Sciences (3-0, 3 credits), AGEC 344 Food and Agricultural Law (3-0, 3 credits), ALED 441 Agricultural Extension Organization and Methods (3-0, 3 credits), FRSC 421 Urban Forestry (3-0, 3 credits), GEOG 306 Introduction to Urban Geology (3-0, 3 credits), RPTS 360 Ecotourism: Principles and Practices (3-0, 3 credits), RPTS 370 Youth Development Organizations and Services (3-0, 3 credits), RPTS 402 Park Planning and Design (3-2, 4 credits), RPTS 460 Nature, Values and Protected Areas (3-0, 3 credits) co-listed with RENR 460, SOCI 321 Urban Society (3-0, 3 credits), SOCI 404 Sociology of the Community (3-0, 3 credits), URSC 301 Urban and Regional Planning (3-0, 3 credits), URSC 460 Sustainable Communities (3-0, 3 credits), URSC 461 Urban Issues (3-0, 3 credits), AGEC 105 Introduction to Agricultural Economics (3-0, 3 credits),AGEC 422 Land Economics (3-0, 3 credits), ECON 202 Principles of Economics (3-0, 3 credits), ECON 203 Principles of Economics (3-0, 3 credits), FRSC 461 Geographical Information Systems for Resource Management (2-2, 3 credits), GEOG 390 Principles of Geographical Information Systems (2-2, 3 credits), LAND 461 GIS Application in Resource Management (3-0, 3 credits), RENR 405 GIS for Environmental Problem Solving (3-0, 3 credits), ALED 340 Professional Leadership Development (3-0, 3 credits), ALED 343 Human Resource Management in Agricultural Life Sciences (3-0, 3 credits), ALED 344 Leadership of Volunteers (3-0, 3 credits), MGMT 309 Survey of Management (3-0, 3 credits), POLS 341 Urban Administration (3-0, 3 credits), RPTS 466 Information Technology Adoption and Use in Recreation, Park and Tourism Organizations (3-0, 3 credits), MATH 131 Mathematical Concepts Calculus (3-0, 3 credits), MATH 141 Business Mathematics I (3-0, 3 credits), MATH 142 Business Mathematics II (3-0, 3 credits), MATH 166 Topics in Contemporary Mathematics II (3-0, 3 credits), MATH 171 Analytical Geometry and Calculus (3-0, 3 credits), MATH 172 Calculus (3-0, 3 credits), PHIL 240 Introduction to Logic (3-0, 3 credits), PHIL 341 Symbolic Logic (3-0, 3 credits), PHIL 342 Symbolic Logic II (3-0, 3 credits), SOCI 312 Population and Society (3-0, 3 credits), SOCI 407 Rural Sociology (3-0, 3 credits).

Entry requirement for international students

Applicants are required to have the minimum coursework in four years of English; four years of mathematics; four years of science and two years of the same foreign language. Applicants whose native language is not English are required to submit proof of English proficiency, which are minimum TOEFL score of 550 for paper-based testing (p-BT) or 213 computer-based testing (c-BT) or 80 internet-based testing (i-BT) or a minimum IELTS score of 6.0 overall band or a minimum SAT Critical Reading (verbal) score of 500 or a minimum ACT English score of 21 or by completing all four years in a high school within the U.S.

Qualification

Bachelor degree

Awarding body

Texas A And M University

Department name

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Department of Recreation, Park and Tourism Sciences