Bachelor of Arts (Community Development)

At the completion of this degree students will be able to:

1. Demonstrate substantive knowledge of the history, scope and diversity of community development literature, policy and practice.
2. Formulate clear and persuasive written and spoken communication for community and professional audiences using a range of appropriate styles and formats.
3. Develop and manage projects of increasing complexity that respond to the needs of community groups, working both independently and collaboratively.
4. Recognise and demonstrate knowledge of practices used to build projects that propose solutions that confront communities.
5. Apply a range of disciplinary approaches and social skills that are used in work in cross-cultural and diverse communities.

Careers in local government, community services, remote area education, Indigenous community development, resource industry community relations, community arts and cultural development, overseas aid work, sustainable development, welfare and human services, disability services, urban planning, social policy and regional development.

Higher education via OUA

Successful completion of 2 subjects at Open Universities Australia (OUA), or an Australian University.

Higher education

Transferring from another degree or university

If you have successfully completed university studies equivalent to at least 2 subjects (6 Murdoch credit points) you can apply to transfer to Murdoch University using your previous studies.

For all other minimum entry requirements and pathways, please refer to the course you are interested in on https://search.murdoch.edu.au/s/search.html?collection=mu-course-search.

Secondary education

School leavers gain an ATAR (Australian Tertiary Admission Rank) from four degree subjects completed during Year 12, or OP (Overall Positions) in Queensland.

To apply to Murdoch University after Year 12, you must achieve English competency and have achieved your WA Certificate of Education (WACE) or its interstate equivalent along with the ATAR (or OP) relevant for your chosen degree.

An ATAR of 70.00 or higher (or a Queensland Overall Position of 14 or less) is required for admission to a Commonwealth Support Place in this degree.

VET studies

If you have successfully completed a Certificate IV or higher you can apply for admission into a Commonwealth Support Place.

Work and Life

• Special Tertiary Admissions Test (STAT)
  • STAT is a national test for mature age people designed to assess aptitude for learning in a tertiary environment. It is not a test of your knowledge on specific academic subjects. It is recognised in all Australian states. You must achieve a minimum of 140 in the Written English and 135 in the Qualitative or Multiple Choice sections of the STAT to gain entry to Murdoch.
• Completed secondary education more than two years ago
• Enabling Programs
  • STAT preparation course - Applicant needs to sit the STAT after the course is completed.
  • Murdoch University OnTrack / OnTrack Sprint / FlexiTrack - If you have successfully completed Murdoch University's OnTrack or Flexitrack program you can apply for admission into a Commonwealth Support Place. Details are available at http://www.murdoch.edu.au/OnTrack/

Additional information

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people: Kulbardi Aboriginal Centre - http://www.murdoch.edu.au/Kulbardi/
• International Students - http://www.murdoch.edu.au/study/how-to-apply
• For further admission information about this degree, please refer to Murdoch Admission Information - Arts

English Proficiency Requirements

To demonstrate English language competency you will need a scaled mark of at least 50 in  ATAR English, Literature or English as an Additional Language or Dialect (EALD).

Special requirements

Proof of citizenship is not required for admission; however, it is required for access to Higher Education Loan Programs (HELP). Please upload a scanned copy of your birth certificate or Australian passport or citizenship certificate along with your application.

Find out if you are eligible and apply at https://www.murdoch.edu.au/study/courses/undergraduate-courses/recognition-of-prior-learning.

Working with community is often complex and demands sophisticated skills and ‘artfulness’. Success comes to those who possess a combination of wisdom, high-end knowledge of relationships, considerable diplomacy, tenderness and ‘smarts’. Often we need to balance a clear head, soft heart, kindness, emotional and social maturity and ethical strength. Although many think that working with community comes naturally there is much to learn and good practitioners are in great demand.

This course takes you to ‘living’ examples of community development, introduces you to other people’s ideas about what works and has you thinking and talking about what you see and read. The Community Development major gives you the chance to undertake an internship in a community-based setting, and encourages you to extend your repertoire and build your imagination for how things could be different for communities around the globe. This major is for people seeking to work with community in a range of settings including local government, not-for-profit organisations, Aboriginal Community controlled groups, community arts centres, social service organisations, and the resources sector.

Recommended Study Pattern

To get the most from this degree, students are recommended to follow these steps:

LEVEL 1

• ART100 Communication and Persuasion (3cp) - required
• ART101 Coming into Community (6cp) - core elective
• SUS100 Introduction to Sustainable Development (3cp) - required
• COD125 Introduction to Community Development (3cp) - required
• Complete at least 3 subjects (9cp) of Level 1 General Electives from any OUA subject.

LEVEL 2

• ART200 The Power of Perfect Text: Writing for Professional Contexts (3cp) - core elective
• ART208 Presenting in Public: Writing and Performing for Professional Contexts (3cp) - core elective
• COD201 Stories of Doing Community Work (3cp) - required
• COD214 Social Policy and Community Action (3cp) - required
• SUS207 Overseas Aid and International Development (3cp) - required
• MSP200 Building Enterprise Skills (3cp) - core elective
• Complete at least 3 subjects (9cp) of Level 2 or 3 General Electives from any OUA subject.

LEVEL 3

• COD301 Indigenous Community Development (3cp) - required
• COD302 Creative Ways to Work with Community (3cp) - required
• SUS310 Sustainable Urban Communities (3cp) - required
• Choose 1 of the core subjects below:
  • ART303 Research Project (3cp) OR
  • COD303 Preparing for Professional Community Practice (3cp)
• Complete 4 subjects (12cp) of Level 2 or 3 General Electives from any OUA subject.

Award Requirements

To qualify for the Murdoch University Bachelor of Arts (Community Development) students must complete 72 credit points (24 subjects). This degree is structured around the following key elements:

• Required Degree Subjects (Core) 12 credit points.
• Required Major Subjects (Major) 24 credit points.
• General Elective Subjects (Options) 36 credit points.

Degree Structures

Murdoch’s degree structures combine all the required elements to make a student knowledgeable, experienced, confident and successful within a chosen career. Each level of an undergraduate degree requires 24 credit points, the equivalent of a year of full-time study.  

Choose your subjects

Electives

Options (General Electives) – 12 subjects (36 credit points)

The number of electives undertaken at each level varies depending on selection of core electives.

• Complete at least 3 subjects (9 credit points) of Level 1 General Electives from any OUA subjects
• Complete 9 subjects (27 credit points) of Level 2 points or 3 General Electives from any OUA subjects.

Select from any subjects offered by OUA, subject to individual subject prerequisites. Students who are considering a second major are advised to consider using General Elective points (from Murdoch offerings) to meet the requirements of a second major.

Students are recommended to Register with Murdoch University before starting their Level 2 subjects to receive enrolment advice.

A fee of $250 is payable on registration.

To obtain an Application for Registration Form, please download the form from this website:
http://our.murdoch.edu.au/OUA/Forms/

This program has undergone a major structure change in 2023.

As approved changes to core units include increasing the number of options, students will not be disadvantaged. Any student who has started studying prior to 2023 will have existing core/spine units credited.

Please refer to this Course Requirements (PDF) document for more information.

Contact:

Academic Chair for Community Development major:

Mr Cameron Tero - C.Tero@murdoch.edu.au / Tel: +61 8 93602992