Check out our upcoming courses below. If you have questions about a particular course, you can reach out to the faculty member or email info@wciu.edu and someone from our enrollment team will gladly help you!

The purpose of this course is to provide a chronological overview of the historical and cultural aspects of the global development of the biblical faith. An overview is given of the past and present with focus on understanding factors that enabled the biblical faith to continue to expand its ideal of "shalom" and implement transformational strategies in developing nations. The positive and negative impact of religion on culture and human development is examined as well as principles for effective crosscultural communication of biblical faith and practice.

This course leads the student to analyze contemporary trends in history, resistance to the gospel, and the advance of the Kingdom, in all parts of the world. Development and its relationship to “missions” will be explored from the perspective of international authors and practitioners.

This course is intended to provide students with the knowledge and skills to do research in both the academic setting and in the practical world of development. The students will be equipped to develop meaningful research projects from the beginning to the end.

This course introduces environmental relief, development, and advocacy (RDA) under the term “creation care” as a vital missional function of the Church. Students will consider five foundations of creation care based on the science of the current ecological crisis, Old and New Testament teachings, indigenous worldview, and the values/virtues which sustain a creation care practitioner. Students will consider how these foundations inform models—both theoretical and real—of practical creation care projects.

WCIU’s MA in Development Studies aims to enhance the effectiveness of scholar practitioners in their development work. Our students need to grow not only in scholarship, but even more in their ability to translate what they learn into improved performance in the field. The Applied Learning course requires students to evaluate their current level of practice, and then to work with a mentor/supervisor in the field to craft and implement a plan to enhance their development practice.

This is the last MA course. Students develop a major project that integrates historical, biblical, and cultural principles to identify the root of a specific problem within a specific society and to propose solutions to that problem. Guidance is given by the instructor in selecting the topic, choosing and applying appropriate research methodologies, and in developing the final presentation.

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.

This course applies a story-telling approach to the process of entering poor communities and developing holistic poor peoples’ churches in ways faithful to the values and goals of the Kingdom of God.

This course relates biblical and theological perspectives to the theory and practice of community wealth building. Special emphasis is given to cooperatives, micro-enterprises and entrepreneurship as a basis for asset building and ownership.

Course Outcomes: Upon completion of this course, students will:

• Understand a comprehensive theology of economics (including creativity, production, stewardship; redistribution, work and rest, ownership and other Biblical principles).

• Apply ten Biblical themes at some of the following levels and methods and strategies to alleviate different levels of poverty.

• Have developed a passion and concern for the families among the marginalized with a desire to serve them through MFI and MED projects.

• Be introduced to the basic business building principles and use of standard tools in strategic micro-enterprise development and management.

• Be able to read financial statements, understand simple bookkeeping and banking concepts and evaluate the viability of small business ventures.

• Be familiar with how to write a basic strategic, sustainable and transformational business plan.

• Have worked with an experienced practitioner to facilitate adoption of a small savings scheme, microfinance or cooperative economic process in a particular marginalized community.

Textbooks and reading

• Kishtainy, N. (2012). The economics book: Big ideas simply explained. DK Publishers.

• Grigg, V. 2016. Kiwinomics. Urban Leadership Foundation.

• Yunus, M. (2003). Banker to the poor: Micro-lending and the battle against world poverty. Perseus Books.

•  Greer, P., & Smith, P. (2009). The poor will be glad: joining the revolution to lift the world out of poverty. Zondervan.

• US Based Students

• Abrahamns, J. (2008). Companies we keep: Employee ownership and the business of community and place. White River Junction.

•  Rhodes, M., Holt, R. E., & Fikkert, B. (2018). Practicing the King's economy: Honoring Jesus in how we work, earn, spend, save, and give. Baker Books.

Readings are provided for information, selections are subject to change, some material may be available from the library or course site.  Consult your instructor prior to making any purchase.

In this course, students conduct the qualitative/participatory research projects they designed in TUL670. This culminates in the writing and oral presentation of a report that involves local residents in transformation.

Prerequisite: TUL 670.