Graduate Studies
Community and Economic Development
The provides current and aspiring professionals with the latest tools and skills in these areas.
Community Development — Examples: strategic visioning, volunteer management, place-making, environmental sustainability
Economic Development — Examples: business retention and expansion, entrepreneurial ecosystem development, business site location
Marketing and Data Analysis — Examples: conducting surveys and focus groups, digital marketing, community economic analysis
Designed for the working professional
Delivered in a hybrid format, with course content delivered primarily online with occasional face-to-face meetings at WIU’s Quad Cities campus in Moline. The hybrid delivery provides the best of both worlds — the interaction and personal attention of face-to-face class meetings and the flexibility of online learning. Students who enroll full-time can complete their degree in 17 months while continuing to work full-time.
Provides practical, applied knowledge and skills
Focus is on content that can be readily applied in your community. Courses taught by faculty and staff with extensive on-the-ground experience working with local communities on development issues. Furthermore, the program draws on the expertise of practitioners and thought leaders in the development field as adjunct and guest faculty.
Offered by the Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs
This professional degree program is being offered by the Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs (IIRA), a unique Â鶹´«Ã½ÄÚÄ»department with more than 25 years of experience engaging with communities in outreach programs. IIRA operates several award winning programs including MAPPING the Future (a strategic visioning program), the Peace Corps Fellows programs (an internship program for Returned Peace Corps Volunteers), and the Midwest Community Development Institute (a training program for community and economic development professionals).
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Degrees Available:
- M.A.
Locations:
- Quad Cities
Required GPA:
- Cumulative: 2.75 or
- Last 2 years: 3.0
Admission Requirements:
- Transcripts
- Three letters of recommendation
- Resume
- Two-page essay
Interesting Facts: Fall 2023
- Currently enrolled: 8
- International: 4
- Minority: 0
- Students with Assistantships: 2
Department Contact Information:
Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs
Macomb Campus
Stipes Hall 514
309/298-2637
iiraced@wiu.edu
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