• Total units 48 Units
  • Areas of interest Development Studies
  • Major code DEST-MAJ

Development Studies refers to a broad range of courses that address the planning, implementation and consequences of social, political and economic change among peoples of the Third and Fourth Worlds.

Development as an aspect of state policy, and specifically as an integral part of relations between states of the wealthy 'West' or 'North' (First World) and states of the 'South' (Third World), gained prominence after the Second World War with the establishment of the IMF/World Bank and other development banks and aid agencies, such as USAID and the Australian Development Assistance Bureau. Since then agencies and government officials, practitioners and intellectuals have debated the rights and wrongs of development and the merits of particular approaches to development. These have crystallised in various 'theories' or approaches to development, such as the modernisation theories, world system theories, or the more recent emphasis on empowerment, popular participation and sustainable development.

Development Studies examines the impact of globalisation on states and peoples of the South, and reviews notions of economic viability, democracy, governance, human rights or environmental sustainability as they apply to such culturally divergent entities. In the last two decades there has been an explosion in the numbers of non-government organisations (NGOs) or voluntary organisations (VOs) also concentrating on development.

Learning Outcomes

  1. understand the different perspectives and theories of development and change in the modern era;

  2. apply these perspectives and theories to the practical issues of delivering development programs;

  3. analyse the competing interests, motivations and discourse of key stakeholders and interest groups; and

  4. devise and conduct research and write critically about these issues.

Relevant Degrees

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Requirements

This major requires the completion of 48 units, which must include:


12 units from the completion of the following courses:

ANTH1002 Culture and Human Diversity: Introducing Anthropology (6 units)

ANTH1003 Global Citizen: Culture, Development and Inequality (6 units)

POLS1005 Introduction to International Relations: Foundations and Concepts (6 units)

POLS1006 Introduction to International Relations: Contemporary Global Issues (6 units)

SOCY1002 Self and Society (6 units)

SOCY1004 Analysing the Social World: An Introduction to Social Psychology (6 units)


18 units from the completion of the following courses:

ANTH2009 Culture and Development (6 units)

POLS2011 Development and Change (6 units)

SOCY2030 Social Inequalities and Development (6 units)


A maximum of 12 units from the completion of the following list:

ANTH2017 Culture, Social Justice and Aboriginal Society Today (6 units)

ANTH2026 Medicine, Healing and the Body (6 units)

ANTH2129 Crossing Borders: Migration, Identity and Livelihood (6 units)

ANTH2134 States and Citizens: Anthropological Perspectives (6 units)

ASIA2067 Economies of Emerging Asia (6 units)

ASIA2090 Study Tour: The Political Economy of Myanmar (6 units)

ASIA2516 Indonesia: Politics, Society and Development (6 units)

BIAN2120 Culture, Biology and Population Dynamics (6 units)

ECHI2006 The World Economy Since 1800 (P) (6 units)

ECON2900 Development Poverty and Famine (6 units)

ENVS2005 Island Sustainable Development: Fiji Field School (6-12 units)

ENVS2017 Vietnam Field School (6-12 units)

ENVS2023 Sustainable Agricultural Systems (6 units)

ENVS2025 Indigenous Cultural and Natural Resource Management (6 units)

INTR2047 Human Security: Conflict, Displacement and Peace Building (6 units)

MEAS2105 The Political Economy of the Middle East (6 units)

PASI3013 Environment and Development in the Pacific (6 units)

POLS2055 Pacific Politics (6 units)

POLS2094 Issues in International Political Economy (6 units)

POLS2095 Politics in Latin America (6 units)

POLS2101 Refugee Politics: Displacement and Exclusion in the 20th and 21st Centuries (6 units)

POLS2113 Human Rights (6 units)

POLS3070 Politics in Central Asia (6 units)

SOCY2022 Environmental Sociology (6 units)

SOCY2055 Social Inequality in Comparative Perspective (6 units)

SOCY2162 Sociology of Health and Illness (6 units)


A minimum of 6 units must come from completion of courses from the following list:

ANTH3014 Indonesia Field School: Contemporary Change in Indonesia (6 units)

ANTH3017 Indigenous Worlds: Challenges of Emergence, Recognition, and Change (6 units)

ENVS3007 Participatory Resource Management: Working with Communities and Stakeholders (6 units)

ENVS3033 International Environmental Policy (6 units)

INDG3001 First Nations Peoples, the State and Public Policy in Australia (6 units)

PASI3001 Politics and Development in the Contemporary Pacific (6 units)

PASI3005 Pacific Islands Field School (6 units)

12 units from completion of the following course(s):

Code Title Units
ANTH1003 Global Citizen: Culture, Development and Inequality 6
POLS1005 Introduction to International Relations: Foundations and Concepts 6
SOCY1002 Self and Society OR 6
SOCY1004 Analysing the Social World: Work, Care and Identity 6

18 units from completion of the following course(s):

Code Title Units
ANTH2009 Culture and Development 6
POLS2011 Development and Change 6
SOCY2030 Social Inequalities and Development 6

18 units from completion of the following course(s):

Code Title Units
ANTH2025 Gender in Cross-Cultural Perspective 6
ANTH2026 Medicine, Healing and the Body 6
  ANTH 2056: Belonging Identity & Nat
ANTH2129 Crossing Borders: Migration, Identity and Livelihood 6
BIAN2119 Nutrition, Disease and the Environment 6
BIAN2120 Culture, Biology and Population Dynamics 6
ECON2900 Development Poverty and Famine 6
ECHI2006 The World Economy Since 1800 (P) 6
  POLS 2075: Glob & Pol of Identity
POLS2094 Issues in International Political Economy 6
POLS2101 Refugee Politics: Displacement and Exclusion in the 20th and 21st Centuries 6
  SOCY 2060: Mobile Societies
  SOCY 3022: Identity Diff Ethnicity
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