Welcome to the College of Agriculture, Urban Sustainability, and Environmental Sciences (CAUSES)
As an HBCU, an urban land-grant institution, and the only public university in the nation’s capital, the University of the District of Columbia (UDC) is committed to a broad mission of education, research, and community service. CAUSES was formed, in 2010, as the university’s land-grant college. This means we engage in applied teaching and research that helps to improve the quality of life and economic opportunity for residents of the District of Columbia and others around the world, through traditional academic degrees, and through non-degree, non-credit bearing, skills-building programs, such as green infrastructure and urban agriculture.
CAUSES is unique in its organizational structure and its mission: an interdisciplinary college, where academic programs, such as architecture, urban sustainability, health education, nutrition and dietetics, and nursing, train a forward-thinking generation of professionals who will ensure that the world has “Healthy Cities–Healthy People.” The college houses the only doctoral-level program in the nation that focuses on urban leadership and entrepreneurship.
CAUSES is comprised of the following undergraduate and graduate degree programs:
Undergraduate
Urban Architecture (B.S.)
Nursing (RN to BSN)
Nutrition and Dietetics (B.S.)
Community Health Sciences (B.S.)
Urban Sustainability (B.A.)
Graduate
Ph.D. in Urban Leadership and Entrepreneurship
Architecture (M.Arch.)
Nutrition and Dietetics (M.S.)
Professional Science Master’s Degree Programs
Congress established land-grant universities to provide a broad segment of the population with a practical education relevant to everyday life. The role of land-grant universities has expanded over the years to include higher education. CAUSES is the land-grant component of the university, serving the residents of the District of Columbia.
The university’s land-grant programs are administered in CAUSES, through three land-grant centers:
I am privileged to serve as Dean of CAUSES, a college with a unique past and a bright future. We hope you will join the CAUSES Team and myself in the capacities of a team member, student, program participant, volunteer, donor, or partner to help us build a better future world.
On behalf of the University, CAUSES, and this excellent leadership team—WELCOME!
Growing Together,
Dwane Jones, Ph.D.
Dean of CAUSES and Land-Grant Programs
Healthy Cities - Healthy People
The University of the District of Columbia (UDC) is an urban land grant university that offers associate, baccalaureate, graduate, certificate, and community outreach programs to learners of all ages. The College of Agriculture, Urban Sustainability, and Environmental Sciences (CAUSES) embodies the land-grant tradition of UDC. We offer cutting-edge academic programs in urban sustainability, water resources management, nutrition and dietetics, urban architecture, and community planning. We also offer a wide range of programs that serve individuals and organizations in our community and beyond.
Making a Difference
The Community is our Classroom. We teach steeped in sound theory and the knowledge we draw from the community and region around us. We also offer various research and community outreach programs for all ages through the 143-acre Firebird Research Farm and three unique land-grant centers.
Knowledge for a Lifetime
We are deeply committed to being relevant to the residents of the District of Columbia. Given our three-pronged teaching, research, and community outreach approach, we seek to make a measurable, positive difference in people’s lives right where they live and work. As a result, our programs focus on improving economic conditions, social and cultural circumstances, and the health of people and their living environments. Yet, our community-based programs are more than local. They also serve as a model for relevant learning far beyond our region.
Preparation for a Global Marketplace
CAUSES programs recognize that, like ecosystems, we are connected to people and places in our neighborhoods and those halfway around the world. Pollution travels, resources are not always consumed where they are generated, and job markets are increasingly global and knowledge-based. Given these realities, we aspire to teach you to think in systems, work in diverse teams, and focus on connectivity and innovation. We apply these principles to all of our programs, including our Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctoral degree programs, professional development certificates, and community outreach and youth programs.
The faculty and staff of CAUSES look forward to discussing with you how our programs and initiatives can best serve you. Please contact us at 202-274-7124 or at causes@udc.edu.
CAUSES Leadership Team
Dr. Dwane Jones
Dean of CAUSES and Land-grant Programs
Dr. Anna Franz
Associate Dean of Academic Affairs and Student Success
Mr. William Hare
Associate Dean of Land-grant Programs
Dr. Rochelle Rush
Assistant Dean for Programs and Administration