What is Social Development?

Social Development is an exciting and relevant major for students interested in understanding and addressing situations and issues that impact on the development of human well-being in countries and regions. Students will study an interesting combination of courses which will enable them to understand processes at micro community and macro policy levels that create enabling environments for inclusive development.

Courses for this major include: professional interaction, community connections, the political economy of the social service professions, community and youth development and contemporary social issues.

Social Development focuses on the social and economic conditions that enable people to improve their overall quality of life. People with their diverse needs, customs, values and knowledge systems are considered both the ends and the means of development. Social development is a planned process and aims to promote the well-being of the whole population in conjunction with a dynamic process of fair and inclusive economic development. A human rights approach underpins Social Development and it emphasises community development and developmental social services.