Contacts: Peter Butler, Associate Professor, Extension Specialist, Director, School of Design and Community Development Peter.Butler@mail.wvu.edu
Alan R. Collins, Ph.D., Professor, Resource Economics and Management Alan.Collins@mail.wvu.edu
Degree Offered
- Doctor of Philosophy
Nature of the Program
The Ph.D. in Human and Community Development (HCD) is intended for applicants with a professional background in community development and design, landscape architecture, interior architecture, fashion design, design and merchandising, or applicants who have significant prior experience improving the social, cultural, and/or economic conditions of communities by working with government or educational institutions. The program provides students with access to a variety of courses and faculty expertise to help candidates develop an interdisciplinary perspective of human and community development, through research in two or more fields. To this end, the program is flexible and relies on the intellectual maturity and curiosity of the student and the guidance of the student's graduate committee, to develop a student-centered curriculum.
The Ph.D.degree is the most advanced degree offered and prepares students for careers at the highest level of the profession as a faculty member, staff in a research organization or governmental and non-governmental agencies, or as a consultant. This program is currently administered by the School of Design and Community Development in partnership with the Resource Economics and Management Division within School of Natural Resources.
Admissions
A regular graduate student is a degree-seeking student who meets all the criteria for regular admission to a program of their choice and be under no requirements to make up deficiencies.
For regular admission, a student must:
- Possess a baccalaureate degree from a college or university and have at least a grade point average of 2.75 on a 4.0 scale (or an average of 3.0 or higher for the last sixty credit hours).
- Provide three letters of reference from persons acquainted with the applicant’s professional work, experience, or academic background.
- Submit a written statement of 500 words or more indicating the applicant’s goals and objectives relative to receiving a graduate degree, and identify a potential faculty advisor.
- Have an adequate academic aptitude at the graduate level as measured by the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the New Medical College Admissions Test (New MCAT).
- A design portfolio (physical or digital) is encouraged for applicants who come with a design background, such as environmental planning and design, landscape architecture, interior architecture, fashion design, industrial design, and so on.
- Either a master degree in design discipline relevant to human and community development, or a master’s degree in a social science or humanities discipline relevant to human and community development.
- At least two years equivalent of full-time relevant professional experience.
Admission Requirements 2024-2025
The Admission Requirements above will be the same for the 2024-2025 Academic Year.
Major Code: 0789
A candidate for the Ph.D. degree in Human and Community Development must meet all University, College, Division, and Program requirements as outlined in the WVU Graduate catalog.
Program Requirements
All Ph.D. degree candidates are required to follow a planned program of study. The student develops the plan of study during their first year in the program in conjunction with the graduate committee. The plan must be approved by the Director of the Division and the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs of the Davis College.
Code | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 is required in all courses applied toward degree requirements. | ||
Course Requirements as determined by the Plan of Study | ||
Research | ||
Candidacy Exam | ||
Dissertation | ||
Dissertation Defense |
Major Learning Outcomes
Human and Community Development
Learning outcomes for this degree program include:
- Complete a core consisting of quantitative and qualitative research methods, graduate seminars, and teaching practicum;
- Demonstrate competency in their chosen field(s);
- Demonstrate the capacity to produce research that can be accepted for publication in interdisciplinary journals of the social sciences;
- Be proficient in oral and written communication skills in order to have research accepted by and presented at professional conferences; and
- Show the ability to organize and to assess a community engagement project.