“Empowering global change-makers — an applied graduate school for community development practitioners worldwide.”
Future Generations University is a unique, fully online private graduate school headquartered in Franklin, West Virginia, a small Appalachian community in Pendleton County. Growing from Future Generations, an NGO founded in the early 1990s in response to a UNICEF-sponsored global review of community-based development initiatives, the university was formally chartered in 2003 and earned Higher Learning Commission accreditation in 2010. It holds a singular academic mission: to train mid-career development practitioners in applied community development methods that generate measurable change in the communities where they live and work. Future Generations University offers a single degree — the Master of Arts in Applied Community Development — a 22-month, 32-credit program priced at $800 per credit hour ($25,600 total). The curriculum integrates coursework with active community fieldwork; students do not relocate, instead conducting research and projects in their own communities while participating in online learning cohorts with peers from across the globe. This model is deliberately designed for practitioners already embedded in development contexts: NGO workers, government officials, healthcare workers, teachers, conservationists, and community leaders from the world's most underserved regions. Approximately 80% of graduates are from developing nations and continue to work in those countries, with alumni active in 40% of the world's 45 Least Developed Countries. The university maintains a 73% graduation rate and is affiliated with the Peace Corps Paul D. Coverdell Fellows Program and partners with AmeriCorps and Reading Partners for scholarship support. For international development professionals seeking an accredited master's degree while remaining in their home community, Future Generations University offers a highly accessible and mission-driven pathway.
Visa, OPT, H-1B alumni outcomes, and acceptance rates by country — sourced from FOIA, USCIS H-1B Hub, and DHS SEVIS.
Rolling Admissions — Annual Cohort
Priority deadline for next entering cohort; applications reviewed on rolling basis
The deep admissions playbook beyond the headline acceptance rate — round-by-round breakdowns, nationality data, requirements, and contact paths.
Tuition & Fees (All Students)
$12,800
/yr
Beyond the sticker price — every named scholarship, the financial aid policy, need-aware notes, and a personalized net-cost estimate.
How life on campus actually feels — clubs, sports, traditions, housing realities, and how the school integrates with its city.
The sole academic faculty, offering the MA in Applied Community Development and certificate programs in community development methodologies.
2 years
A 22-month, 32-credit online program for mid-career development practitioners. Students conduct fieldwork in their own communities while engaging with a multinational learning cohort. Total cost $25,600 — one of the most affordable accredited master's programs for international development professionals.
Short-form learning pathway providing foundational community development theory and applied methods for practitioners not yet ready for the full MA program.
Where alumni go after graduation — top industries, grad-school continuation, and the qualitative outcomes story.
