DEVT 1001 - Introduction to International Development

North Terrace Campus - Semester 1 - 2025

This course provides an in-depth introduction to the multi-disciplinary field of international development. It introduces students to key concepts and debates in international development, the history of development policies and practices, and the range of multilateral, bilateral and non-governmental organizations that are currently engaged in the field of development. Through case-studies, the course looks at major development issues, such as international inequalities, security, and environmental degradation. Particular attention is paid to the current international development framework of Sustainable Development Goals and the primary goal of eradicating global poverty. In all of these ways, the course encourages students to think critically about what development is, about how and by whom it is carried out and, most importantly of all, about what it can achieve.

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Course Details

Course Code	DEVT 1001
Course	Introduction to International Development
Coordinating Unit	Anthropology and Development Studies
Term	Semester 1
Level	Undergraduate
Location/s	North Terrace Campus
Units	3
Contact	Up to 3 hours per week
Available for Study Abroad and Exchange	Y
Assessment	Tutorial participation, Tutorial group work, Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper, Student learning portfolio

Course Staff

Course Coordinator: Dr Thomas Wanner

Course Timetable

The full timetable of all activities for this course can be accessed from .

Course Learning Outcomes

At the successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

1	Develop knowledge of, and developed insights into, key issues and concerns of development policy, practice and theory
2	Demonstrate ability to understand the history and application of key theoretical approaches to international development
3	Demonstrate ability to critically evaluate central themes, propositions and concepts in development studies
4	Develop the skills to work collaboratively in teams as well as individually in a learning and research environment
5	Demonstrate an interest in and commitment to continuous learning and social scientific research

University Graduate Attributes

This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attribute(s) specified below:

University Graduate Attribute	Course Learning Outcome(s)
Attribute 1: Deep discipline knowledge and intellectual breadth Graduates have comprehensive knowledge and understanding of their subject area, the ability to engage with different traditions of thought, and the ability to apply their knowledge in practice including in multi-disciplinary or multi-professional contexts.	1, 2
Attribute 2: Creative and critical thinking, and problem solving Graduates are effective problems-solvers, able to apply critical, creative and evidence-based thinking to conceive innovative responses to future challenges.	3
Attribute 3: Teamwork and communication skills Graduates convey ideas and information effectively to a range of audiences for a variety of purposes and contribute in a positive and collaborative manner to achieving common goals.	4
Attribute 4: Professionalism and leadership readiness Graduates engage in professional behaviour and have the potential to be entrepreneurial and take leadership roles in their chosen occupations or careers and communities.	5
Attribute 5: Intercultural and ethical competency Graduates are responsible and effective global citizens whose personal values and practices are consistent with their roles as responsible members of society.	1, 3
Attribute 8: Self-awareness and emotional intelligence Graduates are self-aware and reflective; they are flexible and resilient and have the capacity to accept and give constructive feedback; they act with integrity and take responsibility for their actions.	4

Learning Resources

Required Resources

Readings and resources necessary for the course will be available on MyUni.

Recommended Resources

Allen, T. and Thomas, A. (eds.) (2000). Poverty and Development into the 21st Century. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Brohman, J. (1996). Popular development: Rethinking the theory and practice of development. Oxford: Blackwell.

Chari, S. and S. Corbridge (eds.) (2008). The Development Reader. London: Routledge.

Clark, D. (ed.) (2006). The Elgar Companion to Development Studies. Northampton, Mass.: Edward Elgar.

Currie-Alder, B., Kanbur, R., Malone, D.M., and Medhora, R. (eds.) (2014). International Development: Ideas, Experience, and Prospects. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Online book in library

Desai, V. and Potter, R. B. (eds.) (2014). The Companion to Development Studies. Third edition. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge.

Forsyth, T.J. (ed.) (2005). Encyclopedia of International Development. London: Routledge.

Grugel, J, and Hammett, D. (eds.) (2016). The Palgrave Handbook of International Development. London: Palgrave Macmillan UK. Online book in the library

Haslam, P.A., Schafer, J. and Beaudet, P. (eds.) (2012). Introduction to International Development: Approaches, Actors and Issues. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Kothari, U. and Minogue, M. (eds.) (2002). Development theory and practice: critical perspectives. London: Palgrave.

Rahnema, M., and Bawtree), V. (eds.) (1997). The post-development reader. London: Zed Books.

Rist, G. (2008). The history of development: from Western origins to global faith. London: Zed Books.

Sachs, W. (ed.) (2010). The Development Dictionary: A guide to knowledge as power. 2nd edition. London: Zed Books. Available at file:///C:/Users/a1003549/Downloads/development-dictionary-n-a-guide-to-knowledge-as-power-2nd-ed-2010-1.pdf

Sen, A.K. (1999). Development as Freedom. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Online Learning

Materials and resources for the course will be available on MyUni, including lecture recordings

Learning & Teaching Modes

The teaching and learning modes for this course follow current innovative pedagogies:

blended learning: with a combination of online material and lectures and face-to-face tutorials; and weekly learning modules with all required material on MyUni;
flexible and personalised learning and assessment: students have the opportunity to personalise their learning and assessment through choices about learning activities and assessment format.

Workload

The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.

1 x 1-hour lectures (or equivalent) per week	12 hours per semester
1 x 2 hour tutorial (or equivalent) per week	24 hours per semester
6 hours reading and MyUni work per week	72 hours per semester
2 hours research per week	24 hours per semester
2 hours assignment preparation per week	24 hours per semester
TOTAL WORKLOAD	156 hours per semester

Learning Activities Summary

Schedule
Week 1	Introduction: What is development? What is poverty?
Week 2	Colonialism, Post-colonialism and Development
Week 3	Development theories
Week 4	Globalisation and Development
Week 5	Agents of Development I: State & Governance
Week 6	Agents of Development II: Market & Civil Society
Week 7	Participation and NGOs
Week 8	Rural Development: The Problem of Land
Week 9	Security, Conflict and Development
Week 10	Gender and Development
Week 11	Environment and Development: SDGs
Week 12	The future of development

Specific Course Requirements

Tutorials are compulsory component of the teaching and learning activities. Students need to attend at least 80% of all tutorials to be able to pass the course, unless there are serious medical or compassionate reasons which prohibited the student to meet this requirement.

The University's policy on Assessment for Coursework Programs is based on the following four principles:

Assessment must encourage and reinforce learning.
Assessment must enable robust and fair judgements about student performance.
Assessment practices must be fair and equitable to students and give them the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.
Assessment must maintain academic standards.

Assessment Summary

Assessment Task	Task Type	Weighting	Learning Outcome
1. Personal Learning Plan	Diagnostic	0%	N/A
2. Tutorial Participation	Formative, Summative	10%	4-5
3. Tutorial Group Work and Presentation	Summative	20%	1-5
4. Padlet Portfolio	Summative	40%	1-5
5. Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper	Formative, Summative	30%	1-5

NOTE: There is no exam at the end of the course.

Assessment requirements:
- students need to submit all assignment pieces for marking to be able to pass the course (depending on grades).
- students need to attend at least 80% (unless there are serious medical or compassionate reasons) of all tutorials to be able to pass the course - unle
- there is no opportunity for re-submission of assignments

Assessment Related Requirements

Attendance at and participation in tutorials on a weekly basis is a primary requirement of this course. Each student is required to attend a minium of 8 tutorials to be able to pass the course.

Students need to submit all five (5) assignment pieces for assessment. The final mark for the course is based on the four assignments. The Personal Learning Plan is the students' opportunity to personalise their learning and assessment - it is a compulsory assignment but is not marked.

Assessment Detail

1. Personal Learning Plan (PLP) (0%)
The Personal Learning Plan is a compulsory diagnostic assessment which helps students to reflect on their learning environment and strategies, and provides them the opportunity to personalise their assessment.

2. Tutorial Participation 10%
Tutorials are an essential part of the learning process as they provide the students with the opportunity to follow up on questions from lectures and the readings and to discuss ideas and course content in more depth. Tutorial attendance is a compulsory component of the course, and is monitored during the course. Students are expected to
i) attend all tutorials; and come punctually for the start of the tutorial;
ii) be prepared for the tutorials (have done the readings and any tasks); and
iii) participate actively in the learning activities and discussions.

3. Tutorial Group Work and Presentation 20%
All students will work in groups during the tutorials. The groups research and work together an specific poor countries of the Global South. As part of the group work, the groups will present their work in a 10-15 minutes PowerPoint presentations in one of the tutorials.

4. Padlet Portfolio (2,000 words) 40%
The Padlet Portfolio is an e-portfolio for which students do different types of work during the semester (which will be discussed and negotiated at the start of the course - such as lecture summaries, reflections of readings, research and preparation for tutorial work and presentation). Padlet - an online learning platform - is the tool for this e-portfolio hence the name 'Padlet Portfolio'.

5. Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (1,500 words) 30%
The main focus of the international development is poverty alleviation. So students have the opportunity to write a 'Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper' for a country of the Global South which students can choose themselves. This assignment gives the opportunities to show their research skills and own critical thinking and analysis about the international development issues we cover in the course.

Submission

All assignments must be submitted electronically via MyUni.
The Faculty policies about late assignments and extensions for assignments will apply.

Course Grading

Grades for your performance in this course will be awarded in accordance with the following scheme:

M10 (Coursework Mark Scheme)
Grade	Mark	Description
FNS		Fail No Submission
F	1-49	Fail
P	50-64	Pass
C	65-74	Credit
D	75-84	Distinction
HD	85-100	High Distinction
CN		Continuing
NFE		No Formal Examination
RP		Result Pending

Further details of the grades/results can be obtained from Examinations.

Grade Descriptors are available which provide a general guide to the standard of work that is expected at each grade level. More information at Assessment for Coursework Programs.

Final results for this course will be made available through .

Student Feedback

The University places a high priority on approaches to learning and teaching that enhance the student experience. Feedback is sought from students in a variety of ways including on-going engagement with staff, the use of online discussion boards and the use of Student Experience of Learning and Teaching (SELT) surveys as well as GOS surveys and Program reviews.

SELTs are an important source of information to inform individual teaching practice, decisions about teaching duties, and course and program curriculum design. They enable the University to assess how effectively its learning environments and teaching practices facilitate student engagement and learning outcomes. Under the current SELT Policy (http://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/101/) course SELTs are mandated and must be conducted at the conclusion of each term/semester/trimester for every course offering. Feedback on issues raised through course SELT surveys is made available to enrolled students through various resources (e.g. MyUni). In addition aggregated course SELT data is available.
Student Support
Policies & Guidelines
This section contains links to relevant assessment-related policies and guidelines - all university policies.
Fraud Awareness

Students are reminded that in order to maintain the academic integrity of all programs and courses, the university has a zero-tolerance approach to students offering money or significant value goods or services to any staff member who is involved in their teaching or assessment. Students offering lecturers or tutors or professional staff anything more than a small token of appreciation is totally unacceptable, in any circumstances. Staff members are obliged to report all such incidents to their supervisor/manager, who will refer them for action under the university's student鈥檚 disciplinary procedures.

The 成人大片 is committed to regular reviews of the courses and programs it offers to students. The 成人大片 therefore reserves the right to discontinue or vary programs and courses without notice. Please read the important information contained in the disclaimer.

Authorised by:	Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (Academic)
Maintained by:	Course Outlines Administrator

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