Module: Introduction to Development

Module Specifications.

Current Academic Year 2024 - 2025

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Date posted: September 2024

Module Title	Introduction to Development
Module Code	LG123 (ITS) / POL1020 (Banner)
Faculty	Humanities & Social Sciences	School	Law & Government
Module Co-ordinator	Niamh Gaynor
Module Teachers	Walt Kilroy
NFQ level	6	Credit Rating	5
Pre-requisite	Not Available
Co-requisite	Not Available
Compatibles	Not Available
Incompatibles	Not Available

None

Description

This course introduces students to the challenges of global development. Why does poverty and inequality persist? What explains regional variations in levels of development?

Learning Outcomes

1. understand the key debates on global development
2. analyse the underlying causes of underdevelopment
3. explain why underdevelopment, poverty and inequality persist
4. apply different theories of underdevelopment to particular contexts

*Type*	*Hours*	*Description*
Workload	Full-time hours per semester
Lecture	24	Lectures
Independent Study	89	Reading, preparation and submission of work
Total Workload: 113

All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml

Indicative Content and Learning Activities

Course overview
This course is designed to introduce students to development studies and the theories that attempt to explain the different ways that development has taken place over time. The course aims at developing students’ abilities to understand the key contemporary development challenges, to critically analyse their root causes and effects, and to explore the interests and actions of the different actors involved. The course focuses on the sustained levels of poverty and inequality which exist in our world, and will look critically at some of the explanations provided by development studies for this reality, including key theories which have influenced development such as modernisation, dependency, neo-liberal and post-development theories, together with more contemporary trends.

Assessment Breakdown
Continuous Assessment	100%	Examination Weight	0%

Type	Description	% of total	Assessment Date
Course Work Breakdown
Assignment	Learning journal	30%	n/a
Assignment	Essay	70%	n/a

Reassessment Requirement Type
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories: Resit category 1: A resit is available for both* components of the module. Resit category 2: No resit is available for a 100% continuous assessment module. Resit category 3: No resit is available for the continuous assessment component where there is a continuous assessment and examination element.
* ‘Both’ is used in the context of the module having a Continuous Assessment/Examination split; where the module is 100% continuous assessment, there will also be a resit of the assessment
This module is category 1

Indicative Reading List

Willis, Katie: 2005, Theories and Practices of Development, Routledge,
Grieg,Alastair, David Hulme and Mark Turner: 2007, Challenging Global Inequality: Development Theory and Practice in the 21st Century, Palgrave,

Other Resources

57358, other readings, 0, these will be pasted each week on Moodle,