Introduction to Community Development
Undergraduate
MUR-COD125 2024Course information for 2024 intake View information for 2025 course intake
Join the debates about how to approach community development in a modern society. Research Marxist, fascist, feminist and other drastically different ideas about community development. Unpack case studies. Apply an Australian context to your studies.
Enrolments for this course are closed, but you may have other options to start studying now. Book a consultation to learn more.
- Study method
- 100% online
- Assessments
- 100% online
- Entry requirements
- No ATAR needed, No prior study
- Duration
- 13 weeks
- Loan available
- HECS-HELP and FEE-HELP available
Introduction to Community Development
About this subject
On successful completion of the subject you should be able to:
- Read and offer a critical account of literature concerned with the practice of community development
- Explain how a range of key writer/practitioners approach the idea of community development
- Examine the strengths and limits of community development practice
- Use the literature to critically write about at least one case study of community development
- Understand the history of community development.
- Introductory ideas about community development
- The history of community development
- Case studies in community development
- Martin Buber and dialogue
- The critical traditions
- Freire and development
- Post-colonial traditions
- Foucault and the post-structural traditions
This subject introduces students to community development ideas and practice, with particular reference to its application in the Australian context. It will examine the emergence of the concept of community development and its meanings across diverse areas of practice. A key focus of the unit will be challenges posed by matching theory and practice in community development. Towards this end students will be expected to become familiar with, and aware of the limitations of key methodologies in community development.
Please Note: All students studying at Murdoch University will need to complete the compulsory unit, Murdoch Academic Passport (MAP100), which only takes 2-3 hours to complete online. Find out more: http://goto.murdoch.edu.au/MurdochAcademicPassport.
- Reading and Reflective Journal (35%)
- ChatGPT Essay (40%)
- Verbal Position Statement (25%)
For textbook details check your university's handbook, website or learning management system (LMS).
This research-based university in Perth has a strong interdisciplinary focus and a reputation for outstanding teaching and ground-breaking research. With more than 25,000 students and 2,400 staff from over 90 countries, and campuses in Dubai and Singapore, Murdoch embraces free thinking, shared ideas and knowledge to make a difference, and Open Universities Australia is certainly part of that.
Learn more about Murdoch University.
Explore Murdoch courses.
- QS Ranking 2024:
- 27
- Times Higher Education Ranking 2024:
- 26
Entry requirements
No entry requirements
Study load
- 0.125 EFTSL
- This is in the range of 10 to 12 hours of study each week.
Equivalent full time study load (EFTSL) is one way to calculate your study load. One (1.0) EFTSL is equivalent to a full-time study load for one year.
Find out more information on Commonwealth Loans to understand what this means to your eligibility for financial support.
Why study a single subject?
Bite sized study
Try studying a particular area to see if online study suits you, or upskill in just a few months with a single subject that you’re interested in.
Pursue a dream
With thousands of single subjects to choose from, you can find topics that get you on the path to your higher education goals fast.
Gain Uni credit
Most single subjects are part of a full degree. That means if you’re keen to keep learning, you can gain credit for the subjects you’ve successfully completed.
What to study next?
Once you’ve completed this subject it can be credited towards one of the following courses
Bachelor of Arts (Sustainable Development)
Undergraduate
MUR-ASD-DEGBachelor of Arts (Community Development)
Undergraduate
MUR-CDV-DEGBachelor of Arts (International Aid and Development)
Undergraduate
MUR-AID-DEGSingle subject FAQs
What’s a single subject?
Single subjects are the individual components that make up a degree. With Open Universities Australia, you’re able to study many of them as stand-alone subjects, including postgraduate single subjects, without having to commit to a degree.
Each of your subjects will be held over the course of a study term, and they’ll usually require 10 to 12 hours of study each week. Subjects are identified by a title and a code, for example, Developmental Psychology, PSY20007.
How can I use single subjects to get into a full degree?
First, find the degree that you would like to study on our website.
If that degree allows entry via undergraduate subjects, there will be information about this under the Entry Requirements section. You will find a list of 2-4 open enrolment subjects you need to successfully complete to qualify for admission into that qualification.
Once you pass those subjects, you will satisfy the academic requirements for the degree, and you can apply for entry.
Our student advisors are here to help you take that next step, so don’t hesitate to reach out when you’re ready! We’ve also made it easier to figure out the right way to get started on our pathways page.
Can anyone help me choose a subject?
Our student advisors are more than happy to help you plan your online study. Get in touch with an advisor by:
How do I pay for my subjects?
You can pay up front with your credit card, or you may be eligible for a HELP loan from the Australian government depending on your citizenship status and where you’ll live during your studies.
For more information about how to pay for your studies visit our fees page or contact a student advisor.
How do I enrol?
When you’ve made your choice, click ‘Enrol now’ on the relevant course page and follow the prompts to begin your enrolment. We’ll ask you to supply some supporting documentation, including proof of your identity, your tax file number, and a unique student identifier (USI) during this process.
Your university will get in touch with you via email to confirm whether or not your application has been successful.
If you get stuck at any time, reach out to us and we’ll talk you through it.
You can also take a look at our online self-service enrolling instructions.
When is the cut-off date for enrolling?
Close of enrolment times vary between universities and subjects. You can check the cut-off dates for upcoming study terms by visiting key dates.