Program Description
The Master of Arts Degree in Urban Studies: Community Arts Concentration addresses the critical need for effective arts-based Christian leadership in today’s urban areas, and is committed to the task of transforming urban communities into the vision that God had intended for them. The focus of this new Program is to provide students with the skills, knowledge, and spiritual development required for holistic ministry and the building of coalitions within urban communities using a broad range of creative artistic expressions. Through their own leadership initiatives, graduates of the M.A. Program will become deeply involved and committed to solving problems in urban areas both locally and around the world.
Eastern's School for Social Change provides students with a unique opportunity to become partners in learning within a truly interdisciplinary learning community. In this environment, students can focus their education on a specific program of urban study and, at the same time, gain knowledge of the full spectrum of interrelationships that impact urban areas. This holistic approach prepares students to tackle the complexities of current urban problems from a realistic, integrative perspective, and guides them to develop effective interdisciplinary solutions as they follow the teachings of Christ in becoming agents of social transformation.
Quick Links
Philosophy
Interdisciplinary
To function as effective catalysts of social change in this environment, leaders must have the ability to analyze problems and develop solutions from a holistic and integrative perspective.
Partnership
To be effective, change agents must be able to analyze and interpret information through a variety of lenses and perspectives, and this can only be accomplished by following God’s calling to build relationships with others.
Praxis
Effective leaders must have a strong foundation of academic theory, but they must also be armed with practical critical thinking and analytical skills to function as catalysts for change in urban areas.
Scholar-Practitioner
To complete its philosophical foundation, the Program utilizes the Scholar-Practitioner model. All program instructors are carefully selected for their ability to provide instruction from both a theoretical and practical perspective.
Values
Excellence in Praise and Service
We value the beauty of art and its vertical role in expressing high praise to a Creator God within the Christian Church and local faith communities. We also value a horizontal understanding and passion for loving our neighbors through the arts. Therefore, we strive for excellence in art, as well as for art in service to the poor and marginalized of society.
Incarnation
Our research has shown that those most passionate, active and successful in working in disadvantaged and marginalized communities have come to success through a critical moment of call and preparation within a time of living incarnationally in service to others.
Collaboration
Experience has taught us that those who work in the tough places of the world must know how to collaborate with those of other disciplines and those without the knowledge of a discipline.
Cross-Cultural
The arts in praise to God and service to others are inherently cross-cultural.
Rest, Renewal, Relationship
We encourage and strive for mature mentoring relationships, opportunities for worship, and creative play.
Goals
Goals of the MA in Urban Studies
- To develop leaders who understand the complex interrelationships among various influences on urban development, including the historical, religious, legal, political, philosophical, economic, sociological, aesthetic/artistic, and global dimensions.
- To cultivate within students critical reasoning and professional communication skills, along with an ability to apply knowledge of various research methodologies to analyze patterns, synthesize information, and evaluate existing solutions, as well as create new solutions, to critical complex problems inherent in urban communities.
- To assist students to become Christian change agents who understand the role of leadership in effectively empowering individuals and urban communities to bring about social transformation.
Goals of the Arts in Transformation Concentration
- To prepare artistic community leaders and leaders of arts organizations.
Curriculum
The program offers a year-round continuous study, which most candidates complete within 24 months of active study. To accommodate students who work full time, courses are offered in a variety of formats, including weekend classes and distance (on-line and modified on-line) education.
Learning Community Environment
The core of the Arts in Transformation's extended learning environment is a true cooperative venture with communities, industries, other educational institutions and governments, both locally and around the globe, where instructors and guest practitioners give students a broad, real-world and current perspective on critical issues facing urban areas today.
In the classroom, students learn experientially as members of cross-disciplinary learning communities, where they work within small groups comprised of faculty members and other students from a variety of disciplines within the Program.
<more about our learning environment>
Practicum (Internship) Requirement
Students are required to complete an internship with a local community arts organization. Upon completion of an introductory seminar, students are assigned to local artist masters who supervise student internships with their church or community-based organization for the length of the program.
Contact Us
Urban Studies Department
Campolo College of Graduate and Professional Studies
Eastern University | Philadelphia
3300 Henry Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19129
P: 215-769-3121
F: 215-848-2651
E: urbanma@eastern.edu
