Bachelor of International Development Studies

This degree combines units that offer local and historical knowledge of specific geographic areas of the developing world, with units that explore transnational dimensions of development. This combination of subject matter enables students to gain knowledge of the planning, implementation and consequences of political and economic change, particularly the uneven effects of development policies on communities. Students will also gain knowledge of the macro and micro sociological forces, including social movements that have impacted historically on political, economic, cultural and ecological conditions, resulting in extreme poverty, poor health, fragile governance, inequality and environmental vulnerability. The degree grounds students in qualitative and quantitative research methods, providing them with the skills and knowledge to be able to determine appropriate strength-based capacity building approaches, and to identify economic inclusion strategies that promote economic opportunities for marginalised communities.

The Bachelor of International Development Studies degree is located within the discipline area of ‘development studies’, which is an interdisciplinary branch of social science. The discipline area of development studies draws from a range of disciplines, particularly: anthropology, sociology, political science, human geography, environmental science, history and economics.