Maxine Goodman Levin College of Urban Affairs

At-a-Glance

Web-page: http://www.csuohio.edu/urban/

Introduction

The Maxine Goodman Levin College of Urban Affairs prepares students to address urban issues effectively with creative and innovative programming and problem solving. Levin College students undertake projects that address these issues in

Public policy
City management
City planning
Public safety management and homeland security
Economic development
Environmental and sustainability policy
Organizational leadership
Nonprofit administration

Research undertaken through the college directly links the university with the organizations addressing challenges in the Cleveland metropolitan area and across the state and nation.

Albert A. Levin Chair of Urban Studies and Public Service

The Albert A. Levin Chair of Urban Studies and Public Service was the first endowed chair established at Cleveland State University. The chair is dedicated to the memory of Albert A. Levin, a Cleveland attorney involved in commercial real estate who was committed to the preservation of the city as a vital center.

The general purpose of the Levin Chair is to attract leading professionals in the field of urban affairs to Cleveland State University. The chair holder is involved with both the community and university, acting as a catalyst in relating the resources of the university to the needs and problems of the urban community.

Activities of the chair holder are directed toward providing diverse public lectures and engaging in significant research and problem solving with faculty, students, and community groups. The Levin Chair is currently held by Robert Gleeson. The following distinguished individuals have held the Albert A. Levin Chair of Urban Studies and Public Service: David O. Meeker, deceased (1977-1978), Wolf Von Eckardt, deceased (1978-1979), Sarah Short Austin (1980-1981), Martin Rein, (1981-1982), Paul R. Porter, deceased, Edgar A. Rose (1982-1984), Wilbur R. Thompson (1984-1986), Phillip L. Clay (1987-1988), David Perry (1989-1990), James Banovetz (1991-1993), Robert J. Waste (1994-1995), Camilla Stivers (1996-2003), Janet Kelly (2003-2005), Jeffrey L. Brudney (2007-2012), and Robert Gleeson (2014-present).

Academic Programs

The college offers the Bachelor of Arts degree with majors in Economic Development, Environmental Studies, Nonprofit Administration, Organizational Leadership, Public Safety Management, and Urban Studies. Students in any discipline may elect to pursue a minor in Environmental Studies, Sustainable Urban Development, Nonprofit Administration, or Urban Studies.

The college offers undergraduate certificate programs in Historic Preservation, Public Management, Sustainable Urban Development, and Urban Geographic Information Systems.

Three accelerated five-year programs lead to degrees in the following areas:

BA/MPA (Public Administration)
BA/ MA in Environmental Studies
BA/MNAL (Nonprofit Administration and Leadership)

The college offers the following programs in conjunction with the College of Graduate Studies:

Doctor of Philosophy in Urban Studies and Public Affairs
Master of Public Administration
Master of Urban Planning and Development
Master of Nonprofit Administration and Leadership
Master of Science in Urban Studies
Master of Arts in Environmental Studies

In conjunction with the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law, the college offers dual degree programs leading to the:

JD/MPA (Public Administration)
JD/MUPD (Urban Planning and Development)
JD/MA (Environmental Studies)

Office of Student Services

The Levin College’s Office of Student Services (OSS) is dedicated to meeting the diverse needs of students. OSS staff provides registration assistance and academic advising and coordinates internships, graduate assistantships, and scholarship awards. Additional information about advising and student services is available online at https://www.csuohio.edu/urban/students.

Financial Assistance

The Levin College of Urban Affairs offers a number of scholarships to undergraduate students. Students interested in Levin College scholarships should visit https://www.csuohio.edu/urban/students/scholarships-financial-support for information and the online application. (Also see the section on Expenses and Financial Aid at the beginning of this catalog.)

Degree Completion Programs

The Levin College of Urban Affairs maintains partnerships and degree completion programs with Cuyahoga Community College, Lakeland Community College, and Lorain County Community College. These programs include Urban Studies, Organizational Leadership, Public Safety Management, and Nonprofit Administration.

Graduates of community colleges with degrees in law enforcement, fire science, paralegal studies, public administration, nursing, environmental health and safety, and human services may complete their Bachelor of Arts degree through articulation agreements between their college and the Levin College.

Credit for prior learning experience is available to students whose prior learning meets the criteria established by the faculty for academic credit toward the bachelor’s degree. For more information on the Assessment and Accreditation of Prior Learning Experience (AAPLE) program, please refer to https://www.csuohio.edu/urban/undergraduate/aaple.

The Organizational Leadership Online Degree Completion Program enables experienced students and professionals to earn an undergraduate degree from CSU with the flexibility of online study. Students who have completed over 60 hours of college coursework and all General Education requirements may apply for this program online at https://www.csuohio.edu/urban/undergraduate/OLOL.

Undergraduate Requirements

Degree Requirements

The Bachelor of Arts degree is awarded to students who fulfill the following requirements:

A minimum of 120 credit hours, of which 36 credit hours must be upper-division (300-and 400-level) courses
Completion of university, college, and major-field requirements

College Requirements

Students in each Urban Affairs major must complete the following college requirements: