Community Arts Concentration

Preparing creative practitioners to transform communities

Concentration Purpose

The Master of Arts Degree in Urban Studies: Community Arts Concentration exists to prepare students with creative interests, artistic gifts and commitment to become active leaders and change agents engaged in holistic community transformation. The Community Arts Concentration is offered through an educational alliance with the BuildaBridge Institute, a community partner with over 10 years of global community arts training and education. Values include:

• Art-making in service to the poor and marginalized of society, where access to resources and opportunity is often limited or non-existent.
• An environment for learning and mentoring relationships that nurture a community of creativity, discovery and support. 
• Collaboration with those of other disciplines through interdisciplinary skill-building in holistic creative community transformation. 
• Ability to work and serve within diverse civic environments of social, religious, ethnic, and economic diversity

Accommodating Class Formats

• Students complete the program in 24 months of active study
• To accommodate working students, courses are offered in a blended online residency format that allows students to participate in the program from around the the world through online learning and a one week residency each semester (including the summer semester).  During this residency, you must travel to our Philadelphia campus to participate in on-ground classes for the entire week.
• Residencies are MANDATORY

Experience Your Education

As requirements for graduation, students of the Community Arts concentration must complete:

• Two summer graduate residencies through the BuildaBridge Institute
• One summer cross-cultural international service course entitled ARTS540 Cultural Community Context
• A Leadership practicum in a community arts organization
• Graduate thesis project demonstrating creating community transformation
• Core courses in the M.A. in Urban Studies program with students in community development and youth leadership concentrations

Admission Requirements