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What is Community Organization and Advocacy?

The Community Organization and Advocacy degree is a field of study punctuated by activity of a group to influence others.  More specifically, community organization and advocacy groups strive to help positively influence social, political, economic, and institutional change.  In order to navigate systems to enact change, community advocates must be able to effectively:

  • Recognize current trends in social change
  • Actively participate in community development
  • Synthesize disparate information
  • Understand the history of labor movements
  • Take action and motivate others when necessary

The curriculum built around a community organization and advocacy degree program will allow students to implement a wide array of strategies to challenge others and improve the social system(s) of a community.

Career Summary

MEDIAN SALARY

$41,170

PERCENT ABOVE NATIONAL
INCOME AVERAGE

10.00%

TOTAL SECTOR EMPLOYMENT

51,900

Degree Median Salary vs Adjacent Degree Types

Source: BLS, US Census, and IPEDS

2024 Best Community Organization and Advocacy Degree

Civic Engagement Certificate Program is a two-year undergraduate program that is offered in Northwestern University. One of the requirements for the students under this program is to have five quarters of facilitated reflective seminars. Students will also complete six hours of coursework. In this program, organizations can collaborate with Northwestern’s students and develop a capstone project that is useful and relevant to the community organization. 

Acceptance Rate

9.05

Student to Faculty Ratio

6:1

The Community Organization and Advocacy Degrees that Cornell University offers are Master’s Degree in Community and PhD in Community Organization. Cornell University is the country’s top 19 most popular school for Master’s degree in community organization. That was due to their four students who received Master’s Degree in community organization in their school. They were also the United States’ top 3 most popular schools in doctoral degrees in community organization when they successfully had 1 student receive a PhD in community organization.

Acceptance Rate

10.85

Student to Faculty Ratio

9:1

The degree in Management of Community Organization at Tufts University is structured to train people who want to work at the community level. Students here will develop effective management and serious commitment to social purpose. They will be prepared to be an “accidental manager”, just like what happened to other people that work in community organization. The students will be guided in facing the challenge of complex organizations.

Acceptance Rate

14.95

Student to Faculty Ratio

9:1

Department of Human and Organization Development in Vanderbilt University Peabody College offers a M.Ed. in Community Development and Action. This master’s degree is designed to equip their students to become a change agent in communities which support positive human development. This is a two-year graduate program that attracts students from around the world. They are devoted to teaching their students how to create a positive change in a participatory way.

Acceptance Rate

9.12

Student to Faculty Ratio

7:1

The University of Michigan Ann-Arbor offers the Community Change Pathway. This Pathway is designed to help students be engaged in developing critical understanding of the skills needed to promote change with diverse communities. They will learn various approaches in creating change. This pathway draws on case examples and communities engaged in community change.

Acceptance Rate

22.91

Student to Faculty Ratio

11:1

The Department of Community Service at Brandeis University is committed in providing their students the volunteer experiences that match both the needs of their neighbors and their personal interests. They seek to establish reciprocal partnership with government, educational and cultural agencies. They are eager in supporting community service initiatives. They consistently foster a community member that is civically engaged as an educated citizen and passionate advocate.

Acceptance Rate

29.9

Student to Faculty Ratio

10:1

NYU’s Introduction to Community Organizing is for people who want to run national or local advocacy organizations with the objective of making a positive change. This can also be for those who simply want to know the art of community organizing. New York University will provide an overview of contemporary community organizing practice in the United States. They will also examine the voluntary associations in the United States and how it creates an impact on the ways Americans advocate to make change happen.

Acceptance Rate

16.2

Student to Faculty Ratio

9:1

Public and Community Service major at Providence College provides an interdisciplinary curriculum that emphasizes the importance of solving real-world problems. This will make it possible for students to be a part of a dynamic learning community which connects classes to real-world problem solving. People who wish to be an idealist that wants to change the world fits this major. Students in this major will be prepared to pursue a career that serves the society.

Acceptance Rate

47.46

Student to Faculty Ratio

11:1

The graduate certificate in community advocacy at George Washington University is for advocacy professionals and public affairs who want to update grassroots organizing skills. They will be trained to apply grassroots techniques to seek policy outcomes both at the state and in local levels. Students in this program will also be knowledgeable about the updated digital communications. Students will also acquire skills in creating social media campaigns on behalf of their organization.

Acceptance Rate

40.84

Student to Faculty Ratio

13:1

The Education, Communities and organizations degree at the University of Washington teaches their students the effective way of using content knowledge and skills in human development. They instill in their students that teaching and learning don’t just come from formal classrooms but also across a host of professions. So, they will learn by being exposed to a variety of organizations that serve communities. Students will learn organizational change while working with communities that will lead them to achieving their goals. 

Acceptance Rate

51.76

Student to Faculty Ratio

19:1

University of Illinois at Urbana offers a concentration under Agricultural Leadership and Communications that is called Organizational and Community Leadership. This concentration develops their students for leadership and organizational positions in agricultural and governmental agencies. Students may choose a specific area of agriculture that they want to specialize in. Students can expect to gain hands-on experience in a 10-week internship to a community or organization or agriculture business that the University will provide.

Acceptance Rate

59.03

Student to Faculty Ratio

20:1

Community, Youth and Education Studies is offered at Clark University. Here, students learn in a program case study featured as “Civic Responsibility by design. Faculty let their students be engaged in a systematic and real community action. Before the graduation, students will present a digital portfolio that outlines their accomplishments.  Learn more about this exciting degree program at Clark University by collecting key admissions information from the university today. 

Acceptance Rate

52.78

Student to Faculty Ratio

10:1

Community Studies at UC-Santa Cruz was founded in 1969. Their community-focused learning model has proved to be effective and has been copied widely by other colleges and universities. Community Studies in UCSC is acknowledged as the national pioneer in the field of education. They also pioneered in addressing the important aspects of social justice.

Acceptance Rate

51.31

Student to Faculty Ratio

19:1

University of Denver offers a program for Master’s degree in Arts and Culture Outreach and Advocacy. This program teaches how to design events and programs that effectively cultivate community connections. Students are trained in developing proposals that secure grant support for outreach and advocacy initiatives. Students who completed this program were able to build strategic marketing plans through various forms of media.

Acceptance Rate

58.71

Student to Faculty Ratio

12:1

Foundations and Social Advocacy is a childhood education major that College at Cortland offers. Students who take this major gain knowledge and experiences in teaching children in grade 1-6 who have disabilities. This program will prepare the future teachers for all school environments specially in urban schools. Students will enjoy real-world experience which brings classroom learning to life. 

Acceptance Rate

46.04

Student to Faculty Ratio

16:1

MFA in Public Action at Bennington College provides a curriculum that is largely self-directed. Candidates are privileged to work closely with faculty as they design education plans that best suit their individual strengths, goals, interests, and creative process. Candidates will be asked to create an application essay that describes their experiences in the field and goals for their time at Bennington. The content of the essay they wrote will be the outline for initial discussions with a faculty advisor.

Acceptance Rate

60.79

Student to Faculty Ratio

9:1

A degree in Community Organizing and Development is available at the University at Buffalo. This minor program aims to meet the need of professions that require expertise in organizing and developing communities that work in collaboration with diverse partners. Few of their goals is to teach students how to enhance capacity and well-being, co-produce solutions, and effect sustainable change in society. Graduates of this minor are positioned to work with people engaged in community capacity building efforts. 

Acceptance Rate

61.08

Student to Faculty Ratio

13:1

Virginia Tech Cooperative Extension specialists work with Extension Agents organizational partners and individuals to build capacity on their programs. They offer Community Enterprise and Resiliency, Community Food System and enterprises, Emerging Community Issues, Leadership and Planning and lastly the Community Planning program. They eagerly advocate outstanding leadership and community. Their job includes educating entrepreneurs, supporting the community’s growth and creating tools that will address the needs of the community. 

Acceptance Rate

70.04

Student to Faculty Ratio

14:1

The California State University Fullerton’s Human Services Department was accredited by the Council on Standards in Human Services Education in 1982. That accreditation verifies the quality and consistency of the University’s Human Services Department. They teach the application of research and self-reflection to their students effectively. They never stop from giving excellence in human service education and support the standards of performance.

Acceptance Rate

52.69

Student to Faculty Ratio

25:1

Allegheny College offers a program for Community and Justice Studies. This program provides the tools needed to develop deep civic knowledge and life-long civic values to students. They aim to show in word and action that they support the development of thoughtful as well as ethical democratic engagement. They ensure to embed their students’ experiences of engagement in a broader political, economic, and social context of place.

Acceptance Rate

62.15

Student to Faculty Ratio

10:1

University of Dayton offers an online Ed.D. program in Leadership for Organizations. This program educates on how to lead organizations through service-based and of course, social justice principles. Students in this immersive online program will learn how to investigate organizational leadership with the help of an in-depth dissertation-in-practice. Students will also collaborate with their classmates and with their instructors online.

Acceptance Rate

72.03

Student to Faculty Ratio

14:1

Community Youth development Program is offered at Nazareth College. One of the highlights of this program is that the hands-on experiences are embedded into courses. They give stress on building positive coach and mentor relationships with youth and children in their community. This program widely explores the cognitive, emotional, social, and physical development of both children and youth.

Acceptance Rate

64.49

Student to Faculty Ratio

9:1

DePaul University has a Program for the Master of Nonprofit Management. This degree program prepares students for a leadership position in the nonprofit world, or for some, they found it useful in starting their own nonprofit organization. Some of the coursework taken by the students under this program are financial administration, ethical leadership, and development and fundraising. DePaul has close ties to Chicago’s nonprofit organizations which makes it easier to their students to get the real-world experience that they need to move forward with confidence. 

Acceptance Rate

68.22

Student to Faculty Ratio

15:1

Graduate Certificate in Leadership, Justice, and Community Practice is available at the University of Utah. It is an interdisciplinary program that provides the opportunity to develop advanced skills in community engagement and organizational administration. Students here are trained for leadership roles in partnership with communities and agencies. They give emphasis on facilitating changes which promotes justice and equity.

Acceptance Rate

62.12

Student to Faculty Ratio

17:1

CUNY Hunter College offers a program for Community Organizing, Planning & Development. This is designed for students that are committed to collective responses to social and political problems. They aim to provide the tactics, theories, strategies, and skills that will sustain the students. In other words, students will gain popular education, community outreach, strategies for collective action and lobbying while developing skills.

Acceptance Rate

35.17

Student to Faculty Ratio

13:1

Community Organization and Advocacy Degrees

When considering a future in community advocacy and organization community activities, students will have a number of programs to choose between. The most common community organizing and advocacy degree programs are undergraduate programs while some students opt for a certificate program.

Additionally, many colleges and universities have begun to roll out online learning programs. Online degree programs are also known as distance learning and provide students the ability to access top-tier curriculum while not being tethered to a physical classroom.

To help prospective students determine what program is best for them, we have created a summary of each of the most popular community organization and advocacy degree tracks below. Simply find the program that is best for you and connect with the accredited colleges found on this resource page to learn more about their organization program.

Community Organizing and Advocacy Certificates

Online certificate programs in community advocacy and community organization are foundational programs. In other words, a certificate program is designed to provide students with the essential elements of a community advocate.

Classroom-based certificate programs as well as the online counterpart will vary in length and course design. For example, an undergraduate certificate in community organization at one school may place more weight on social work while another school may emphasize social justice.

On the other hand, a graduate certificate in community organization and community advocacy is a much different track. More specifically, students in a graduate program must have the academic and work experience qualifications to enter the program. Upper-level classes are structured in a way that will challenge working professionals and qualifying students in the field of study.

Graduate degrees will typically be one-year programs. These certificate programs are utilized to help advance careers, remain competitive, upskill, and/or help prepare for a career transition.

Associate Advocacy Degree Programs

Associate degree programs in community advocacy and community organization are conferred as either Associate of Applied Science (AAS), Associate of Arts (AA), or Associate of Science (AS). The type of community organization and advocacy degree earned will be a direct function of the program emphasis and curricular design of the degree. Regardless of the type of degree, students can expect an associate degree program to last 2-years of full-time work.

The associate degree blends liberal arts education with core classes to help students see the world differently and expand integrative thinking skills. General education courses will vary from school to school but will often include classes such as history, communications, philosophy, sociology, statistics, art, and psychology.

Core classes will cover essential topics to prepare students for a variety of work experiences after graduating. These courses may include marriage and family, human psychology, psychology, community service skills, political science, public relations, and similar classes.

Community Organization and Advocacy Bachelor's Degrees

Bachelors degrees in community advocacy are 4-year programs for full-time students. Part-time students will have a longer path to completion as a function of course load, curricular requirements, and pace. The degree options bachelor programs will depend on the school and academic thrust of each institution.

Online bachelor's community organization and advocacy degree programs will provide students with a variety of classes to help provide a well-rounded education. Courses in a bachelor's degree track in community organization will depend on the programs emphasis.

For example, students may elect to register for classes with emphasis in social justice, mental health, social services, human services, early childhood development, and/or non-profit management. Each track will help prepare students for a variety of careers in a broad range of sectors upon program completion.

Colleges Requirements in Social Advocacy

In terms of educational requirements, community organization and advocacy students and degree holders will have typically studied the following courses while in college:

Advocacy & Social Work Careers

The net result of advocacy degree programs is that graduates will yield a unique set of skills. Students may leverage their advocacy major in a number of ways in traditional and non-traditional means. Advocacy major jobs and career specializations in community organization can include working with small non-profit organizations, large corporations, or with various state agencies. Careers similar to advocacy that may be of interest include health specialist, mental health counselor, organizing communities, public policy administrator, politics, rehabilitation counselor, social worker, career counselor, advocating for community groups, mental health counselor, behavior disorder counselor, account manager, and benefits administrator.

Advocacy and Community Career Growth

Projected job growth in community organizer appears to be trending at twice the national average.  Surveys published by the BLS indicate a 13% job growth in the coming decade for community health specialists, community advocates, and social workers.  An overview jobs salaries will require granular searches by city or township given the differences across the country.

Rapid growth requires national and regional funding along with trained professionals to achieve specific organizational objectives.  The largest employers of community health educators' local government agencies and private families followed by social advocacy groups, hospitals, and outpatient care centers.

Community & National Advocacy Associations

Advocacy associations can be found in virtually every sector of the economy.  From a pediatrics (AAP) organization to animal rescue efforts (ARPA).  The key with such an organization like these is to find entities and groups that espouse values that resonate with you and your personal mission before joining.  Research and mindfulness will be required prior to a long-term organization commitment of any capacity.

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