BA in Development Studies
Understand sustainable development, policy, and social change to address global and local community challenges.
The Bachelor of Arts in Development Studies programme aims to equip students with་the concept of a holistic approach to development as a means to alleviate poverty and་realise equity. The programme establishes linkages between development and four་broad features, which are Geography (development geography and social་environment), Sociology (sociology of development), Economics (development་economics) and Politics (politics of development), to facilitate students to comprehend
the perspectives of the development landscape.
This programme is relevant to the 21st century development paradigm and more so for་Bhutan’s GNH-inspired development approach. Like GNH, Development Studies་asserts the need to focus on wholesome and inclusive development to address the་issues of poverty་and inequity. Thus, the relevance of this programme increases the་employability of the graduates in both the national and international job markets.་Further, students will acquire research, communication and analytical skills. The་programme also builds the aptitude of་the students to apply their theoretical knowledge་in the field through an internship.
By building its grounds on the four broad features, the programme enhances and་broadens the scope for students to pursue their higher studies in any disciplines of་social sciences, economics, humanities and political science.་
This programme is constructed on the inter་disciplinary model so that the graduates་will be inspired to be agents of change in the context of holistic and inclusive་development.
| Year | Semester | Module 1 | Module 2 | Module 3 | Module 4 | Module 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | I | PAD101 Introduction to Development Studies | SOD101 Fundamentals of Sociology | DOE101 Introduction to Development Economics | DZG101 Dzongkha Communication | ACS101 Academic Skills |
| II | SOD102 Introduction to Anthropology of Development | RES103 Research Methods | PAD102 Development Paradigms | BMS103 Basic Statistics | GSE101 Analytical Skills | |
| 2 | I | ICT201 ICT for Development | PAD203 Governance and Development | SOD203 Sociology of Development | SOD204 Culture and Development | PAD204 GNH: A Holistic Development Approach |
| II | GAD201 Environment and Development | DOE202 Poverty and Development | GAD202 Population and Development | PAD205 Power Dynamics in Development | SOD205 Gender and Development | |
| 3 | I | GAD303 Urbanisation and Development | MGD301 Management of Development Programmes | PAD306 Conflict Management | DOE303 Sustainability and Development | GAD304 Rural Development |
| II | INT301 Internship | PAD307 Introduction to Public Policy Processes | DOE304 Introduction to Development Financing | RES304 Research Project | ||
Upon successful completion of the programme, graduates will be able to:
- Explain different concepts and theories of development from wholesome and inclusive perspectives.
- Deliberate on the alignment of the perspectives of geography, sociology, economics and politics to development.
- Discuss GNH as an alternative development paradigm.
- Examine the dynamics of governance and power in development.
- Explain the relationship of population, culture, gender and environment to development.
- Analyse issues of sustainability of wholesome and inclusive development.
- Discuss the importance of bridging the gap between policy and practice in development.
- Apply conflict management and negotiation skills to persuade people to get on board with development projects.
- Relate global development issues to the local context.
- Apply theoretical concepts of development financing to persuade institutions to finance development for the alleviation of poverty and reduction of inequality.
- Identify and apply ICT tools for development.
- Explore management of development projects via internships
- Apply research and statistical knowledge and skills in development projects and relevant research areas.
- Exhibit effective written and verbal communication skills.
- Demonstrate critical, analytical and problem-solving skills through case analysis, research and interactive sessions.
- Inculcate positive values and personal development skills related to the career and self-growth.
Professional and Career-oriented Skills
- Prepare, analyse and interpret financial statements in accordance with accounting standards.
- Analyse costs, prepare budgets and extract insights to help in strategic planning and performance management.
- Compute tax liabilities and engage in tax planning as per the recurrent taxation policies.
- Evaluate investment opportunities and manage financial resources effectively.
- Identify potential financial risks and recommend/suggest strategies to resolve them.
- Apply principles of auditing to assess financial records and compliance with regulations.
Personal Development and Life Skills
- Make informed decisions by analysing trends, assessing risks and evaluating financial performance data.
- Communicate complex financial information clearly to stakeholders.
- Cultivate strong attention to detail in accounting and finance to minimise errors and ensure financial data integrity.
- Maintain positive relationships through effective negotiations that can benefit organisations.
- Develop effective solutions to address small to complex challenges in accounting and finance.
- Adapt to changing trends in technologies, regulations and market situations.
Interpersonal and Communication Skills
- Develop interpersonal skills to promote the ability to work well in teams that can foster a collaborative work environment.
- Exhibit strong communication skills through writing, presentation and discussions in the field of accounting and finance.
- Communicate complex information in a manner that is easily understood.
The programme offers opportunities for graduates to cultivate professional competencies and knowledge to equip graduates for employment in various fields such as CSOs, international organisations, local government entities, government planning and programmes, and consulting firms. Graduates of this programme can continue their education to become educationists and researchers in higher educational or research institutions. The programme will also build self-confidence in students, inculcate an interest towards lifelong learning and acquire skills for selfemployment.
The overall learning and teaching will use a variety of approaches that balances student-centered learning with lecture-centered teaching. In designing the studentcentered learning approaches, it is expected that the faculty will focus on the enhancement of knowledge in the discipline, critical thinking, analytical and problemsolving skills, digital and technical skills, communication skills, and ethical values in their students.
Accordingly, the programme will be delivered through a variety of approaches such as lectures, group discussions, quizzes, library, independent study, project/field-based learning, visiting faculties (guest speakers), classroom presentations, assignments, seminars, talk shows, vlog, research project work and work-based learning through eight weeks internship programme.
To complement the face-to-face learning-teaching, the Google Classroom (a cloudbased platform) and other virtual learning platforms will be used. The Google Classroom facilitates uploading of materials, students’ engagement in discussion, online submissions of assignments; communicate virtually with co-learners, etc.
The University Assessment Regulation D1 of the Wheel of Academic Law shall be followed. The assessment approach will be unique for each module based on the nature of the individual modules. Assessments will comprise both formative and summative, namely, continuous assessment (CA) and semester-end examinations (SEE). Students must obtain a minimum of 50% overall, including both the continuous assessment and semester-end examination. However, students must obtain a minimum of 40% each in continuous assessment and semester-end examinations before they are qualified to sit for the module semester-end examination or pass the module.
CA will include class presentations, written assignments, quizzes, project work, class tests, reflective writing, internship, seminar, field visits, role plays, talk shows, v-log and proctored examinations. Group assessments will also be done to assess group cohesiveness and skills related to group dynamics wherever possible. The weighting and the assessment criteria for each component of the module assessment will be as per the module descriptor. The details of the forms of assessments will vary across modules depending on the nature of the modules, as provided in the module descriptor of each module.
The internship will be assessed through a combination of on-site and on-campus evaluations, each carrying 50% of the total marks. There will be eight assessments in total, conducted weekly using the assessment format prescribed by the College. Onsite assessments will be carried out by the designated workplace supervisor, while oncampus assessments will be conducted by the Internship Coordinator, with support from Programme Leaders and relevant faculty members. The assessment components are as follows: (i) Reflective Journal on the internship (15%), (ii) Internship Logbook (20%), and (iii) Seminar Presentation (15%).
In addition, students will undertake a major research project worth 24 credits in Year 3, Semester II. This project is designed to enable students to develop a researchproposal, conduct independent research, prepare a research report, and defend their findings. Assessment will be continuous and will cover each stage of the research process, including the research proposal (40 marks), defence of the research proposal (20 marks), research report (100 marks), and defence of the completed research study (40 marks). As a 24-credit module, the project carries a total of 200 marks.
The internship constituting of 12 credits, will take place during the autumn break at the end of Year 3 semester I for eight weeks in relevant organisations such as Gewog administration, planning offices, NGOs (both national and international), Gross National Happiness Commission, schools, institutes, etc. The students will identify the place where they want to attach themselves and connect with the organisation. Where the students are not able to find a relevant organisation for their internship, the Office
of the Innovation & Linkages and the Office of the Programme Leader will assist.
During the Internship, the students will work closely with the employees of the organisation in which s/he is placed. In consultation with the field supervisor/employer and based on the learning outcomes of the programme and the priorities of the organisations, the interns will draw a weekly work plan and adhere to it strictly. This work plan and activities carried out should be submitted to the field supervisor for evaluation as prescribed by the College. In addition, the interns will maintain a weekly diary/journal to log their experiences and insights gained.
The day-to-day activities and performance of the intern will be monitored by the officer identified as the Supervisor. The internship coordinator who is assigned to coordinate and manage the internship programme will assist students with the development of measurable learning outcomes for the internship, which will serve as the basis for the intern’s assessment. He/she will also be responsible for monitoring through various means of communication with both field Supervisors and the students.