Capacity Development and Extension

The MSc in Capacity Development and Extension program offers a full-time thesis research option of up to six semesters and a full-time course-based, professional development option, which requires three to four semesters of study. Part-time study is also available. Subject areas include knowledge mobilization, community engagement, communication studies relevant to sustainability and digital innovation, leadership in small organizations, project management and capacity building, and learning processes at the individual, organizational and network level of innovation systems.

Capacity Development and Extension graduates have employment opportunities in areas such as nonprofit and social enterprise organizations, community development, non-formal education, communication technology, agricultural extension and applied research, health, development project management and program analysis, and technology transfer.

Administrative Staff

Director
Sean Kelly (101 Landscape Architecture, Ext. 56874)
sean.kelly@uoguelph.ca
Graduate Program Coordinator
Ataharul Chowdhury (121 Landscape Architecture, Ext. 52251)
ataharul.chowdhury@uoguelph.ca
Graduate Program Assistant
Lorena Barker (104 Landscape Architecture, Ext. 56780)
cde@uoguelph.ca

Graduate Faculty

This list may include Regular Graduate Faculty, Associated Graduate Faculty and/or Graduate Faculty from other universities.

Ataharul Chowdhury
B.Sc., M.Sc. Bangladesh, M.Sc. Wageningen, PhD Vienna - Associate Professor
Graduate Faculty

Helen Hambly
BA Toronto, MES, PhD York - Professor
Graduate Faculty

Allan C. Lauzon
BA, M.Sc. Guelph, EdD Toronto - Retired Faculty, University of Guelph
Associated Graduate Faculty

Derya Tarhan
MA Toronto, MES Waterloo, PhD Toronto - Assistant Professor

MSc Program

Admission Requirements

The program is open to qualified graduates from a wide variety of disciplines including agriculture, education, international development, sociology, communication, cultural studies, health, political science, history, environmental studies and economics or related disciplines. A four-year honours undergraduate degree with a least B- in the last two years of undergraduate study is considered as the normal and basic admission requirement. Work or volunteer experience in a community development or rural area is preferred. Applicants whose first language is not English are required to submit evidence of proficiency in the English language using one of the University's approved tests.

Program Requirements

Capacity Development and Extension offers a professionally oriented program leading to the MSc degree. The program covers a broad range of topics including organizational capacity building, interpersonal communication, facilitation and leadership, media and communication technologies, adult learning, systems thinking and innovation processes. The MSc program requirements provide a foundation for capacity development and extension research and practice. It is a learner centred program and we actively support and encourage students to seek research and internship opportunities as part of their degree.

Students enrol in one of two study options:

course work and thesis; or
coursework.

Thesis

Students must complete 3.00 credits according to the following requirements and a thesis:

Course List
Code	Title	Credits
Required Courses
CDE*6070	Theories of Extension, Learning and Communication	0.50
CDE*6260	Research Design	0.50
CDE*6000	Methods, Data and Analytics in Agri-Food and Rural Development	0.50
or RPD*6380	Application of Quantitative Techniques in Rural Planning and Development
Restricted Electives
At least two of:
CDE*6010	Project Management in Extension, Innovation and Development	0.50
CDE*6020	Digital Development, Inclusive Innovation and Information Disorder	0.50
CDE*6311	Community Engagement and Conflict Management	0.50
CDE*6410	Readings in Capacity Building and Extension	0.50
One of: ¹
CDE*6690	Community and Small Organization Leadership	0.50
CDE*6340	Communication for Sustainable Development	0.50

¹: Students may choose an alternative open elective with the approval of the Graduate Program Coordinator.

Course Work

Students must complete 4.50 credits according to the following: five (5) core courses, a minimum of four (4) electives, with at least two being CDE courses. Students may choose no more than two (2) electives from other programs that fit with their particular area of interest (e.g., agriculture, environment, international development, health, etc.) with the approval of the Graduate Program Coordinator. In addition, students will complete at least two digital skills workshops, the University's Academic Integrity tutorial, research ethics and IEDI modules.

Course List
Code	Title	Credits
Required
CDE*6010	Project Management in Extension, Innovation and Development	0.50
CDE*6020	Digital Development, Inclusive Innovation and Information Disorder	0.50
CDE*6030	CDE Career and Professional Practice Pathways	0.50
CDE*6070	Theories of Extension, Learning and Communication	0.50
CDE*6100	Individual Self Assessment and Action Learning Plan	0.50
Electives
Choose four electives, with at least two courses from the following list:
CDE*6000	Methods, Data and Analytics in Agri-Food and Rural Development	0.50
or RPD*6380	Application of Quantitative Techniques in Rural Planning and Development
CDE*6260	Research Design	0.50
CDE*6311	Community Engagement and Conflict Management	0.50
CDE*6340	Communication for Sustainable Development	0.50
CDE*6410	Readings in Capacity Building and Extension	0.50
CDE*6690	Community and Small Organization Leadership	0.50

Collaborative Specializations

International Development Studies

Capacity Development and Extension participates in the International Development Studies (IDS) collaborative specialization. The MSc degree for students in this collaborative specialization will have the specialist designation rural extension studies: international development studies. Please consult the International Development Studies listing for a detailed description of the collaborative specialization including the special additional requirements for each of the participating departments.

Courses

CDE*6000 Methods, Data and Analytics in Agri-Food and Rural Development Winter Only [0.50]

This course supports students' understanding and skills for methods, data management and analysis of data for social research and innovation processes. Skills built in this course area associated with project design, sampling, data collection, analysis, and interpretation of data -- mainly qualitative data, but mixed methods will also be discussed. Data management and visualization are discussed and practiced with a group project. [Department(s):School of Environmental Design and Rural Development]

Offering(s): Not offered through Distance Education

Equate(s): EDRD*6000

Location(s): Guelph

CDE*6010 Project Management in Extension, Innovation and Development Winter Only [0.50]

The course introduces students to theories, approaches, methods and tools used in planning and managing projects in public, community and not-for-profit sector. The course content focuses on global standards (e.g., Project Management Institute) in managing projects that students can apply in their context of interest.

Offering(s): Not offered through Distance Education

Department(s): School of Environmental Design and Rural Development

Location(s): Guelph

CDE*6020 Digital Development, Inclusive Innovation and Information Disorder Fall Only [0.50]

This graduate course introduces students to the debates, practices and skills for digital communication technologies, focusing on various development contexts (e.g., Global South, rural Canada, Northern Canada, etc.) and livelihoods (e.g., agriculture, food, health and environment). It also introduces the necessary knowledge and skills to assume leadership roles for the adoption of digital technologies and enhancing inclusive innovation in a community. [Department(s):School of Environmental Design and Rural Development][Offering(s):Not offered through Distance Education]

Location(s): Guelph

CDE*6030 CDE Career and Professional Practice Pathways Summer Only [0.50]

This course has two complementary pathways for completion and involve students in an internship or a group field tour project in order to develop insights into practitioner roles and activities in capacity development and extension-related organizations. A satisfactory or unsatisfactory grade is assigned upon completion of the course.

Department(s): School of Environmental Design and Rural DevelopmentOffering(s):Not offered through Distance Education

Location(s): Guelph

CDE*6070 Theories of Extension, Learning and Communication Fall Only [0.50]

This course introduces students to dominant theories and practices of capacity development and extension. Specific attention is given to historical perspectives of capacity development, extension practice, and social and environmental change. The course critically examines the underlying philosophy of capacity development, which is premised on the human capacity to learn and innovate, both individually and collectively. A particular emphasis is placed on competence-based learning and experiential learning, and their relative merits to respond to the complexity of contemporary development problems.

Offering(s): Not offered through Distance Education

Department(s): School of Environmental Design and Rural Development

Location(s): Guelph

CDE*6100 Individual Self Assessment and Action Learning Plan Fall, Winter & Summer Reg Req [0.50]

This is a required course for students enrolled in the MSc CDE coursework option. This is an assynchrounous, independent study course that requires students to assess and critically think about their leadership skills and professional practice goals and objectives for learning in the CDE program. A satisfactory or unsatisfactory grade is assigned upon completion of the course. [Department(s):School of Environmental Design and Rural Development][Offering(s):Not offered through Distance Education]

Location(s): Guelph

CDE*6260 Research Design Unspecified [0.50]

Provides students with abilities and knowledge to undertake, formulate and implement research in their chosen area of development. Students are expected to acquire the ability to identify research question and the appropriate designs to answer such questions.

Department(s): School of Environmental Design and Rural Development

Location(s): Guelph

CDE*6290 Special Topics in Capacity Building and Extension Unspecified [0.50]

Selected study topics which may be pursued in accordance with the special needs of students in the program.

Department(s): School of Environmental Design and Rural Development

Location(s): Guelph

CDE*6311 Community Engagement and Conflict Management Fall Only [0.50]

This course explores the philosophy and principles of community engagement and conflict management. An emphasis is placed on those practices and methods that can be used to engage communities and organizations within a participatory framework.

Equate(s): CDE*6330

Department(s): School of Environmental Design and Rural Development

Location(s): Guelph

CDE*6340 Communication for Sustainable Development Summer Only [0.50]

This course introduces students to the topic of communication for sustainable development. Various conceptual approaches ranging from linear transfer models of technological and behavioural change to more complex, networked models of participatory and social change communication are examined. The course examines the use of traditional and new information and communication technologies (ICTs) in relation to the Sustainable Development Goals but also, in critique to the challenging processes and products of media and communication in relation to sustainable development processes in Canada and around the world. [Department(s):School of Environmental Design and Rural Development]

Offering(s): Offered through Distance Education format onlyEquate(s):CDE*6320

Location(s): Guelph

CDE*6410 Readings in Capacity Building and Extension Unspecified [0.50]

A program of supervised independent study related to the student's area of concentration.

Restriction(s): Instructor consent required.

Department(s): School of Environmental Design and Rural Development

Location(s): Guelph

CDE*6420 Communication for Social and Environmental Change Unspecified [0.50]

Communication process for social change and development including participatory media. Students engage in community-based work involving multi-media projects. Course covers the history of development communication and current praxis in Canada and internationally.

Restriction(s): Instructor consent required.

Department(s): School of Environmental Design and Rural Development

Location(s): Guelph

CDE*6690 Community and Small Organization Leadership Summer Only [0.50]

The main theories of leadership are discussed through exploration of the current literature, practice of leadership skills, and performance of relevant activities in an online environment. Emphasis is placed on the communication challenges facing leaders in small organizations and the importance of developing a culture of shared leadership.

Offering(s): Offered through Distance Education format only

Department(s): School of Environmental Design and Rural Development

Location(s): Guelph

CDE*6900 Major Research Paper Unspecified [1.00]

Students select a topic and write a paper that does not necessarily include original data but is an analysis and synthesis of materials dealing with the topic selected.

Restriction(s): Instructor consent required.

Department(s): School of Environmental Design and Rural Development

Location(s): Guelph

Course List
Code	Title	Credits
EDRD*6000	Qualitative Analysis in Rural Development	0.50
RPD*6380	Application of Quantitative Techniques in Rural Planning and Development	0.50

2025-2026 Academic Calendar

Capacity Development and Extension

Administrative Staff

Graduate Faculty

MSc Program

Admission Requirements

Program Requirements

Thesis

Course Work

Collaborative Specializations

International Development Studies

Courses

Print Options