Applied Learning in a changing world
Masters. Certificates. Courses.
The Future of Learning is Now Knowledge & Skills Future Generations University helps people learn to shape better futures for their communities and the world. We specialize in the interdisciplinary field of Applied Community Development – how to start and scale up community-driven change that is inclusive and sustainable. The Future Generations Universe of Learning promotes inclusive and sustainable community development worldwide. From community-grounded research, extended through learning, and applied in action, alumni in 41 countries lead non-profit agencies, manage government departments, teach in universities, win elections to government, serve as international consultants, and organize civic movements for climate action and all seventeen Sustainable Development Goals. Learning at Future Generations occurs in three mutually reinforcing ways: online delivery extends knowledge; face-to-face exchange among students and professors occurs in video conference and fieldbased classes around the world; and, the application of learned skills takes place in student-led, faculty-mentored community labs. Some of the skills learned are in: • Growing Organizations • Monitoring & Evaluating Programs • Sustainable Nature Use • Researching Social Change • 21st Century Communications
Professional Certificates (Non-Credit)
Certificates (12 Credits)
Prior Learning Assessment
(for Graduate Level Credit)
Courses
Field-Based Courses
Master of Arts in Applied Community Development (36 Credits)
Learning How to Change the World No one understands the needs of a community better than the members of that community. By making the community the classroom, Future Generations allows each student to direct his or her learning to get the skills to achieve his or her own community’s goals. Future Generations Allows Students to: • Join a world-circling community of experts and like-minded classmates dedicated to sustainable advancement of their communities • Go at their own pace, taking a single course at a time or three, finishing a Masters degree in two, three or four years, or a Certificate in as short as a year. • Attend class from home, office, or mobile device - No need to relocate to learn • Immediately apply learning in the real-world through Community Labs • See best practices in action on field-based courses, in the U.S. and in a wide range of countries • Earn credit for previous professional experiences to save money and graduate early Master’s Degree in Community Development The Master of Arts degree in Applied Community Development calls for student creativity, knowledge, leadership, and self-discipline. Students learn the art of changing their community – whether through career, volunteer commitments, or civic engagement. The art is learning how change emerges. This graduate program is the only one of its kind. Ideas and skills from around the world become applied in each student’s locale. Communities function more effectively, moving toward goals fitted to their values and resources. Learning begins in the Master’s degree (see www.Future.edu). After graduation, learning continues in a Global Network of Practitioners made up of Future Generations alumni (see www.Future.Org). A universe of learning grows in communities, by communities, as they continuously learn how to adapt to our changing world.
Students shape their studies around their priorities, driven by personalized learning plans. Each course helps students facilitate community action and improve the impact of their organizations. Specialized Certificates We also offer a number of certificates. The most common is in Community Development, which builds a skill base in creating a sustainable future for students’ communities and can be a first step to the Master’s program. Courses include: Introduction to Community Change Sustainable Communities Monitoring & Evaluation Resource Mapping
Going to Scale Change Your World Nonprofit Management Social Entrepreneurship
Courses can also be taken as a stand-alone. Check out upcoming offerings at www.future.edu/certificates-diplomas. By teaching the SEED-SCALE method, Future Generations enables students to work within their communities toward any of the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals. For example, Rosie, a student in the M.A. program, organizes for community climate resilience in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley; her work advances her community toward SDG 14: Climate Action. Abeeba, who works in Malawi on women’s microcredit initiatives, focuses now on the hunger consequences from Hurricane Idai, toward SDG 2: Zero Hunger. Students tailor their work for each course around their particular goal or interest. Progressing through the course of study, to demonstrate what they have learned and accomplished, they create a media-rich ePortfolio (left) that showcases their accomplishments on their chosen path.
Bottom-up Mobilization for the SDGs The university’s curriculum is based on SEED-SCALE. It presents a comprehensive theory of change that prescribes a universal process for developing site-specific solutions to community-identified problems. Communities use what they have to advance to where they want to go. The method empowers communities to drive local action toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It paves a path for local stakeholders to experiment with growing inclusive, sustainable change.
Keep Momentum on Track
Coordinate People, Resources & Time
Determine Direction & Partners
Develop Leadership
Find a Starting Point & Resources
Obtain a Relevant Education
For the first time in human history, Gather Local every country of the world has Evidence signed on to the same set of goals: the seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In these, governments, many corporations, and donor agencies have shared targets to address poverty, health, education, peace, inclusion of all, and climate action. Thus, in the SDGS the people of the world have a structure toward which to move forward, together. With SEED-SCALE, communities around-the-world have a method by which they can utilize structures and support from government, corporations, and donors. Future Generations gives the means of learning how to do this. SEED-SCALE has a proven track record. From creating national parks in Tibet to improving rural health in Peru; from promoting peace in Afghanistan to empowering women in India, Future Generations has helped bring positive, lasting change around the world.
Next Learning Frontiers at Future Generations 2020 - 2025 Learning growth unfolds on multiple levels. Future Generations’ distinctive community-based pedagogy is just beginning to deliver its potential. Unlike campus-centered learning or distance learning’s typical Massive Online Open Courseware (MOOCs), Future Generations blends online and face-to-face instruction with a community focus of applied learning. Learning constantly weaves back into real-world challenges to re-direct change at the local level. Even better, geography is no longer a barrier to quality education. Reliable access to the internet is all that is needed for students to gain the tools they need to affect positive change in their communities. The coming five years shall continue to evolve community-centered learning by: 1. Enhancing the Master’s degree, keeping costs low and increasing flexibility to grow enrollment 2. Creating Sustainable Development Learning Centers around the world, to advance regional collaboration among alumni and help expand the university’s global reach 3. Developing and improving methods for Community-based research programs 4. Working with Partner Organizations to create customized training programs Future Generations is continually seeking out new partnerships to advance community-based learning around the world. Current partnerships exist with World Scouts, AmeriCorps, and Share & Care, with more on the way. We create custom-made training programs, developing webinars, one-day workshops, or longer-term training. Whether delivered online or in-person, Future Generations always offers applied learning with real-world results.
Opportunities for You Joining this World-based Learning is Easy Field-based Study Options • Vietnam: From War to a Development Model - January 2020
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Washington DC and West Virginia: SEED-SCALE – June 2020 India: Gandhi’s Social Change Method – January 2021 Bolivia: Eco-tourism Ventures in the Amazon – TBD Greece: Walk with Socrates – TBD
Community Development Training • Enroll in a Certificate on Community Development and choose classes to fit your needs • Plan a customized training curriculum for your organization’s staff or members • Sponsor an employee to upgrade their skills in the M.A. program (or enroll for yourself! www.future.edu/masters-degree) Interested? Visit learning.future.edu or contact us at info@future.edu Not in a position to study yourself? Support education for students on the front-lines of community development with scholarships and financial assistance • • • • • •
Certificate Fee (non-credit): $150 Master’s Program Deposit: $500 Individual Course (3-credit): $1,500 Field-based Study for Low-income Students: $2,000 - $4,000 Partial Master’s scholarship: starting at $5,000 Full-ride Master’s scholarship: $18,000 (36-credits)
The World is the Classroom Future Generations University is a global pioneer in applied learning to shape a better future for our world. Learning occurs locally, with communities as classrooms by: • Connecting online to relevant knowledge and practices from professors experienced in the field • Applying new skills to their work with support from global peers • Gaining insights and mentoring to improve their community’s effectiveness
For more information, go to learning.future.edu