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Major (2019)

Information on this page, including unit offerings, is from the 2019 academic year.

Community Development (BA)

  • B1356BACHELOR OF ARTS (HUMANITIES)

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Title Community Development (BA)
Course Code B1356
Study Level Bachelor (Undergraduate)
School School of Arts
Academic Contacts http://www.murdoch.edu.au/contacts/academic/school/School_of_Arts
Qualification Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Community Development
Duration 3 years full-time or part-time equivalent
Availability Murdoch campus (internal)
Murdoch campus (external)
Description Working with community is often complex and demands sophisticated skills and 'artfulness'. Success comes to those who possess a combination of wisdom, high-end knowledge of relationships, considerable diplomacy, tenderness and 'smarts'. Often we need to balance a clear head, soft heart, kindness, emotional and social maturity and ethical strength. Although many think that working with community comes naturally there is much to learn and good practitioners are in great demand.

This course takes you to 'living' examples of community development, introduces you to other people's ideas about what works and has you thinking and talking about what you see and read. The Community Development major gives you the chance to undertake an internship in a community-based setting, and encourages you to extend your repertoire and build your imagination for how things could be different for communities around the globe. This major is for people seeking to work with community in a range of settings including local government, not-for-profit organisations, Aboriginal Community controlled groups, community arts centres, social service organisations, and the resources sector.
The Bachelor of Arts at Murdoch is a degree unlike any other in Australia. It embraces new directions in teaching and practice-based learning to train the thinkers and researchers of the 21st century. So many of the biggest and most vital issues we face today are about human society and the human condition. How can we understand who we are, how we want to live, or what kind of society we want to create, without the insights, knowledge and skills provided by the humanities? Our degree is different because we teach our students to put these into practice in a way that is recognised and valued by employers. Our graduates are empowered to be the agile and creative thinkers who will thrive in a rapidly changing world. They are able to think creatively, communicate effectively, manage projects, exercise highly-developed analytical and interpersonal skills, and they possess an in-depth knowledge of contemporary societal issues and trends. These are professional skills which are recognised and valued universally. In short, you can study what you love and get a job too!
Admission Requirements: Onshore course offerings As per normal undergraduate admission requirements.

English competence.
Special Requirements Required short work placement or practice project component
Major Learning Outcomes Learning Outcomes
[1] Demonstrate substantive knowledge of the history, scope and diversity of community development literature, policy and practice.
[2] Formulate clear and persuasive written and spoken communication for community and professional audiences using a range of appropriate styles and formats.
[3] Develop and manage projects of increasing complexity that respond to the needs of community groups, working both independently and collaboratively.
[4] Recognise and demonstrate knowledge of practices used to build projects that propose solutions that confront communities.
[5] Apply a range of disciplinary approaches and social skills that are used in work in cross-cultural and diverse communities.
Course Learning Outcomes Students will:

LO 01 Possess broad and coherent knowledge of the content, theoretical perspectives, research methods and practices of a discipline in the arts, humanities and social sciences.
LO 02 Design and manage self-directed projects of increasing sophistication involving both independent inquiry and collaborative work.
LO 03 Construct critically reflective arguments that identify, analyse and evaluate complex issues, texts and data in the arts, humanities and social sciences.
LO 04 Persuasively communicate complex information, concepts and problems through clear and accurate written work, creative artefacts and verbal presentations.
LO 05 Recognise and practice well-developed interpersonal skills and ethical practice in collaboration with people from diverse backgrounds.
LO 06 Develop innovative and imaginative approaches to the application of knowledge and skills in the arts, humanities and social sciences to a range of practical tasks and experiences.
Employment Prospects Careers in local government, community services, remote area education, Indigenous community development, resource industry community relations, community arts and cultural development, overseas aid work, sustainable development, welfare and human services, disability services, urban planning, social policy and regional development.
Recommended Double Majors Sustainable Development
Recommended Minors Asian Studies; Australian Indigenous Studies; Public Policy
Excluded Minors Community Development
Main research areas Indigenous community development, regional and rural development, local government, arts and cultural development, youth work, humanitarian work, narrative work, mentoring, alternative education
Other Information Students majoring in Community Development have the option of selecting COD3xx Internship or Community-based Project (6 points) in place of the Year 2 and Year 3 units for the Murdoch University spine component of the BA degree.
Internet Access RequirementsMurdoch units normally include an online component comprising materials, discussions, lecture recordings and assessment activities. All students, regardless of their location or mode of study, need to have access to and be able to use computing devices with browsing capability and a connection to the Internet via Broadband (Cable, ADSL or Mobile) or Wireless. The Internet connection should be readily available and allow large amounts of data to be streamed or downloaded (approximately 100MB per lecture recording). Students also need to be able to enter into online discussions and submit assignments online.

Course Structure - 72 credit points

Course Core - 24 credit points

100 Level Units - 9 credit points

Spine Unit - 3 credit points

MSP100 Career Learning: Managing Your Career - 3 points
MURDOCH: S1-external, S2-external

Course Core Units - 6 credit points

ART101 Coming into Community - 6 points
MURDOCH: S1-internal, S1-external, S2-internal, S2-external

OR

ART102 Inventing the Future - 6 points
MURDOCH: S1-internal, S1-external, S2-internal, S2-external

200 Level Units - 15 credit points

Spine Units - 6 credit points

Select from the following:

MSP200 Building Enterprise Skills - 3 points
MURDOCH: S1-external, S2-external

MSP201 Real World Learning - 3 points
MURDOCH: S1-external, S2-external, SUM-external, W-external, Y-external

ART208 Presenting in Public: Writing and Performing for Professional Contexts - 3 points
MURDOCH: S2-internal

ART325 Professional Placement - 3 points
MURDOCH: S1-internal, S2-internal, SUM-internal, W-internal

AIS308 Working with Indigenous Communities: Internship - 3 points
MURDOCH: S1-internal

COD303 Preparing for Professional Community Practice - 3 points
MURDOCH: S2-internal, S2-external

POL340 Public Policy Internship - 6 points
MURDOCH: S2-internal, S2-external

Course Core Units - 9 credit points

ART201 Global Citizenship - 3 points
MURDOCH: S1-internal, S1-external, S2-internal, S2-external

ART202 The Weight of Data - 3 points
MURDOCH: S1-internal, S1-external, S2-internal, S2-external

BAR200 Developing Research Skills and Methods - 3 points
MURDOCH: S1-internal, S1-external, S2-internal, S2-external

Major Units - 24 credit points

Options - 24 credit points

Select from any of the available Majors, Co-Majors or Minors

Major Structure - 24 credit points

100 Level Units - 6 credit points

Core Units - 6 credit points

COD125 Introduction to Community Development - 3 points
MURDOCH: S1-internal, S1-external

SUS100 Introduction to Sustainable Development - 3 points
MURDOCH: S1-internal, S1-external, S2-internal, S2-external

200 Level Units - 9 credit points

Core Units - 9 credit points

COD201 Stories of Doing Community Work - 3 points
MURDOCH: S2-internal, S2-external

COD214 Social Policy and Community Action - 3 points
MURDOCH: S1-internal, S1-external

SUS207 Overseas Aid and International Development - 3 points
MURDOCH: S1-internal, S1-external

300 Level Units - 9 credit points

Core Units - 9 credit points

COD302 Creative Ways to Work with Community - 3 points
MURDOCH: S2-internal, S2-external

COD301 Indigenous Community Development - 3 points
MURDOCH: S2-internal, S2-external

SUS310 Sustainable Urban Communities - 3 points
MURDOCH: S1-internal, S1-external

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