Learn about your city and discover strategic pathways for transformation
Graduate Certificate in Citywide Research
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
This Graduate Certificate is similar to a Post-graduate Diploma in some other countries.
Understanding the structural causes and responses to urban poverty provides frameworks for effective engagement. Such understandings are drawn first from a Biblical theology of the city, these are correlated with urban anthropology, urban sociology, urban economics, urban theology, urban geography theories. These provide a range of urban research methodologies for deeper analysis of an urban community issue.
This certificate empowers students to bring about “a verdant and flourishing world” by transforming the ways city research can be formulated that serves citywide leadership teams.
Character
Be transformed by your urban context while you participate in reflect scholarship that forms you both morally and spiritually.
Intellect
Develop an integrated Biblical Theology of the City and an effective approach to Urban development as you conduct citywide research utilizing action-refection and transformational conversation theological research frameworks.
Skills
Develop in-field research skills and the ability to gain rapport and access to study a population in their social setting.
Program Features
12 Credits
PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS
A total of four courses are required to complete this certificate (see below for more details).
1 Year - 16 Months
LENGTH OF PROGRAM
Students are able to complete the degree in about one academic year by taking one course per term for a total of four courses.
TOPICS INCLUDE
Leadership in an Urban Context
Character & Spiritual Formation in an Urban Context
Urban Theology
Theology of Community Transformation
Practice of Research and Recognizing Community Transformation
Working among the Disenfranchised
Cross-Cultural Leadership
What will you take away from this program?
This program is right for you if you desire:
An appreciation for the complexity and richness of the urban context as a place for ministry and theology.
An integrated but broad view of Scriptures relating to issues affecting cities and especially the poor in urban areas.
Here’s what you’ll learn:
Theories to integrate and interpret the spirituality of the culture, society or city including some of its creativity, forces of cultural change, religious movements, religious experiences or political systems that impact urban sacred spaces and kingdom experiences.
Theory and practice on evaluating the impact urban system on the welfare of the city .
At the completion of this program you will:
Reflect theologically on an urban environmental issue, the national policies and laws affecting it, resulting in articulation of Biblically-based progressions in determining the status of resolution of a particular situation.
Articulate core goals and strategies of congregational/community organizing and biblically-based public policy advocacy, examining the ways assumptions impact the theory and practice of organizing and advocacy.
Articulate the philosophical, theological, and practical distinctives of both participatory-action research and urban missiological research.
Develop a vision and plan for how to incorporate principles of faith-rooted organizing and biblically-based public policy advocacy in your ministry
Develop in-field research skills and the ability to gain rapport and access to study a population in their social setting.
Course Information
The Graduate Certificate in Citywide Research is made up of four courses.
Students are required to take TUL 620 and choose 3 other courses from the following courses:
Course Descriptions
TUL 500 - Visions for the ideal city
This course builds a biblical theology overview that connects the motif of the Kingdom of God to issues of poverty, oppression, community development, and church growth in urban poor communities.
TUL 540 - Social Science Theories of the City
This course organizes an interdisciplinary dialogue between urban theology and urban analysis, drawing upon studies in urban economics, urban planning, community development, urban anthropology, sociology, and the history of cities. It generates Christian perspectives on social science tools for transformative urban development.
TUL 655 - Advocacy and the Urban Environment
Students in this course examine relations between urban poor communities, the land, and broader environmental problems. Fieldwork focuses on advocacy for adequate housing and infrastructure services.
TUL 670 - Qualitative Urban Research Methods
Students in this course design qualitative/participatory research projects related to significant issues on behalf of an urban movement or community organization.
What are you waiting for?
FAQs
Do I need to complete an undergraduate (Bachelor’s) level degree before applying for the graduate certificate level program?
The Graduate Certificate Program is designed for students who have already completely undergraduate work. So yes, you need to have an undergraduate degree or your region’s equivalent to qualify for this Graduate Level Certificate Program.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A GRADUATE CERTIFICATE AND THE MA IN TRANSFORMATIONAL URBAN LEADERSHIP?
Answer coming soon…
Will a graduate education help me move up in my organization even at the Certificate level?
While it is true that advanced degrees do not lead to climbing the organizational ladder in cross-cultural NGOs, increased effectiveness does. Consider that you will be better equipped during and after your time at WCIU.
My bachelor's degree has not trained me Biblically, or to work with cultural/historical data. Am I still able to do the program?
We have a more post-modern, cross-cultural approach than other similar programs where one size does not fit all. So, yes, often it is helpful to not have pre-packaged answers before starting the program. These areas will be developed in each student as part of the degree.
I work full-time, or my ministry keeps me going non-stop. Is WCIU’s Graduate level certificate program flexible enough for me?
The WCIU student is part-time and meets with students online. If a student is able to manage with their schedule, full-time is certainly possible.
if I complete a certificate, can I still do the Master' degree?
Yes! If you complete one of our Certificate Programs and decide you want to continue your education, you can apply the credits you earned in your Certificate Program to a Master’s Degree at WCIU.
Can I do more than one certificate?
Yes!
