Community Organizing and Development Minor - Academic Experience

Courses in the minor in Community Organizing and Development emphasize engagement of students in hands-on experiences and reflection. Opportunities to connect theories and knowledge learned in the classroom to real-world situations are provided through field research and community- related projects where students can interface with diverse organizations and people around pressing community issues. An upper level elective SW 380 Strategy and Practice in Organizing and Development is a practicum where students work in partnership with local agencies and organizations and apply interpersonal skills and gain expertise in collaborative communication, engagement, consensus building and empowerment.

The Community Organizing and Development Program encourages students to take part in a study abroad experience, particularly in Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean and Latin America. See the Office of Study Abroad Programs website for additional information. Advisors in the program will work with students to review study abroad courses for possible use in the major.

The School of Social Work sponsors monthly luncheons that highlight global and local topics through presentations by expert speakers from the community called The Global to Local Speaker Series. The School also organizes an annual symposium and film series on social development and human rights and offers well other opportunities for students to engage with community issues. Regular postings of flyers, information distributed through list-serves and timely Facebook posts keep students apprised of these opportunities and others organized at UB and throughout the Buffalo area.