Development Studies

Program Overview

The Development Studies program at St. Francis Xavier University equips students with knowledge and leadership skills to address social and climate justice issues. Rooted in the Antigonish Movement, the interdisciplinary program combines critical thinking with practical opportunities to apply development theories in community-based settings. Graduates are prepared for careers in various fields, including community development, international relations, and education.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

• Development Studies is a program for undergraduate students interested in learning about development theories and practices, particularly at the community level, in the Global South, Canada, and the Atlantic region.
• The interdisciplinary program is rooted in the Antigonish Movement, a social and economic movement supporting community-based development and the global outreach of the Coady International Institute.
• Development Studies combines critical thinking with practical opportunities to put theories of social and climate justice into practice.
• This program equips students with the knowledge and leadership skills to build a better world.

Outline:

• Development Studies courses begin in the first year with DEVS 101, introducing the field, exploring colonialism, Indigenous people, gender and development, environment and climate change, food insecurity, human rights and diversity, human displacement and migration, and economic relations.
• Students can complete an Honours, Advanced Joint Major, Joint Major, Minor, Subsidiary, or Pair in Development Studies.

Careers:

• The interdisciplinary program provides a foundation for further study and careers in various areas, including community and international development, humanitarian and social justice work, urban and rural planning, law, journalism, economics, government, international relations, and education.
• Development Studies equips students to adapt to the ever-changing dynamics of global society.

Other:

• Students learn about development in Atlantic Canada and beyond, collaborating with university faculty, development professionals from the Coady International Institute, and other development-focused agents.
• Students meet community leaders from Africa, Asia, and Latin America and may visit a community development project through an internship or service learning trip in another country.
• The specific details of the Development Studies program may be subject to change.