About the Program
Bachelor of Arts (BA)
The Development Studies (DS) major focuses on social transformation or change. The problems of social transformation are urgent, massive, complex, and often transcend the boundaries of conventional academic disciplines.
DS examines the problems, processes, and prospects for the development of human and material resources in what are generally thought to be the less developed areas of the world. To study comparative development effectively, one must draw upon many disciplines and construct a balanced understanding of historical and contemporary processes. Thus, studying development as a social transformation requires a blending of knowledge and perspectives from political science, economics, sociology, psychology, anthropology, geography, history, and environmental science.
Declaring the Major
Applications are accepted during the fall and spring semesters from the third week of instruction until the last day of instruction (not the last day of finals). Applications are accepted during the summer from the last week in May until the beginning of the fall semester (not the beginning of classes).
To be eligible to declare students must not be in the final semester of their undergraduate work. For further information on prequisites required before declaring the major, please see the Major Requirements tab on this page.
Additionally, students are encouraged, but not required, to complete two semesters of college-level foreign language or the equivalent before applying to the major.
To get declared you must both:
- Attend a Major Declaration Workshop (check the Teaching Program Calendar for dates)
- Meet with an advisor to submit the DS application materials
Bring a completed DS Application to the Workshop. Application materials may be submitted after attending the Major Declaration Workshop. However, students will not be officially declared until they have both attended a Workshop and submitted all declaration papers.
Honors Program
To be eligible for honors, students must have senior standing and a GPA of 3.6 in the major and 3.5 in all work completed at UC Berkeley. Doing honors includes a year-long course sequence (IAS H102 in the fall and DEV STD H195 in the spring) in which students learn how to formulate a hypothesis, conduct supporting research, and complete a thesis paper of approximately 75 pages or longer.
Minor Program
There is no minor program in Development Studies.
Major Requirements
In addition to the University, campus, and college requirements, listed on the College Requirements tab, students must fulfill the below requirements specific to their major program.
General Guidelines
- All courses taken to fulfill the major requirements below must be taken for graded credit, other than courses listed which are offered on a Pass/No Pass basis only. Other exceptions to this requirement are noted as applicable.
- No more than one upper-division course may be used to simultaneously fulfill requirements for a student's major and minor programs, with the exception of minors offered outside of the College of Letters and Science.
- A minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 must be maintained in both upper- and lower-division courses used to fulfill the major requirements.
For information regarding residence requirements and unit requirements, please see the College Requirements tab.
Summary of Major Requirements
| Lower-division Requirements: Five courses | ||
| Foreign Language Requirement: Proficiency equivalent to four college-level semesters | ||
| Upper-division Requirements: Nine courses | ||
| History of Development and Underdevelopment | ||
Disciplinary courses: Two courses | ||
Development courses: Two courses | ||
Methodology: One course | ||
Concentration: Three courses | ||
Lower-division Requirements
| DEV STD C10 | Introduction to Development | 4 |
| ECON 1 | Introduction to Economics 2 | 4 |
| or ECON 2 | Introduction to Economics--Lecture Format | |
| ANTHRO 3 | Introduction to Social and Cultural Anthropology | 4 |
| IAS 45 | Survey of World History | 4 |
| STAT 2 | Introduction to Statistics | 4 |
| or STAT 20 | Introduction to Probability and Statistics | |
| or STAT 21 | Introductory Probability and Statistics for Business | |
| 1 | This course can only be repeated once. This course is restricted to freshmen, sophomores, and first-semester junior transfer students. Continuing juniors or seniors who have not taken DEV STD C10 may substitute with any course listed in Appendix B in the DS Handbook. |
| 2 | This course may be repeated only once. |
Foreign Language Requirement
DS majors must demonstrate proficiency in a modern language other than English by the last semester of their senior year. Proficiency is equivalent to the ability achieved in four college-level semesters (or two years). Language courses taken in high school do not satisfy this requirement. See below for details on how to fulfill the foreign language requirement.
Languages accepted by the College of Letters and Science are not automatically accepted by the DS department. Please check with a DS advisor for eligible languages.
There are a variety of ways to fulfill the four-semester language requirement for DS, depending on the individual and his or her background and ability:
- Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) test: An AP score of 5 or an International Baccalaureate (IB) score of 7 will complete this requirement. An AP score of 4 will place a student into the fourth-semester college level course. A score of 3 will place a student into the third-semester college level course. Documentation of AP scores must be provided.
- Coursework: Any combination of college courses, summer programs, or college-level study abroad programs can satisfy the language requirement. At a minimum, students must complete the fourth semester (i.e., the second semester of intermediate level) of a language with a grade of C- or better in order to fulfill the requirement. The first, second, and third-level courses may be taken on a Pass/No Pass basis. Language courses need not be taken at UC Berkeley. Courses taken at a community college or any accredited school or university may be acceptable. Transcripts must be submitted and evaluated by a DS advisor. A one-semester upper-division course taken abroad in the target language may satisfy the foreign language requirement, depending on the school and program followed. For more information, see a DS advisor concerning language study abroad.
- Proficiency exam: Some, but not all, language departments on campus offer proficiency testing for students with advanced skills in that language. Please note that if a particular language is not taught on the UC Berkeley campus, then students are not able to test in that language. A student would then need to choose one of the other methods for fulfilling the foreign language requirement. Please speak with a DS advisor about proficiency testing.
- High school completion in a non-English language: Students who were educated in a non-English language through the completion of high school or the equivalent may wish to satisfy this requirement with that experience. Students must provide a transcript or diploma proving that they have been educated in this language at least through the completion of high school or the equivalent.
Upper-division Requirements
| DEV STD C100 | History of Development and Underdevelopment | 4 |
| Disciplinary courses | ||
| Select two courses from the same discipline (see below for approved options) | ||
| Development courses | ||
| Select two courses from the Development course list (see below) | ||
| Methodology | ||
| Select one course from either the Statistical Methods category or the Research Design category: | ||
Statistical Methods: | ||
| Introduction to Population Analysis | ||
| Economic Statistics and Econometrics | ||
| Econometric Analysis | ||
| Applied Econometrics and Public Policy | ||
| Introductory Applied Econometrics | ||
| Linear Programming | ||
| Research and Data Analysis in Psychology | ||
| Introduction to Probability and Statistics in Biology and Public Health | ||
| Quantitative Sociological Methods | ||
| Introduction to Probability and Statistics for Life Scientists | ||
Research Design: | ||
| Research Methods for African American Studies | ||
| Research Theory and Methods in Socio-Cultural Anthropology | ||
| The City: Theories and Methods in Urban Studies | ||
| Social Science Methods in Ethnic Studies | ||
| Humanities Methods in Ethnic Studies | ||
| Selected Issues in Comparative Ethnic Studies Research 1 | ||
| The Ethics, Methods, and Pragmatics of Global Practice | ||
| Scope and Methods of Research in International and Area Studies | ||
| Scope and Methods of Research in International and Area Studies | ||
| Interpreting the Queer Past: Methods and Problems in the History of Sexuality | ||
| Scope and Methods of Research in Middle Eastern Studies | ||
| Theories and Methods in Native American Studies | ||
| Research Design and Sociological Methods | ||
| Advanced Methods: In-depth Interviewing | ||
| Concentration | ||
| Select three courses from the approved concentration list (see below) | ||
| 1 | Requires approval of a DS adviser |
Disciplinary Course List
| Anthropology | ||
| ANTHRO 114 | History of Anthropological Thought | 4 |
| ANTHRO 141 | Comparative Society | 4 |
| ANTHRO 144 | Course Not Available | 4 |
| ANTHRO 147A | Anthropology of Gender | 4 |
| ANTHRO/LGBT C147B | Sexuality, Culture, and Colonialism | 4 |
| ANTHRO 148 | Anthropology of the Environment | 4 |
| ANTHRO 169B | Research Theory and Methods in Socio-Cultural Anthropology | 5 |
| Economics | ||
| Select one course from each list. Students may choose from 2 different series | ||
Microeconomics: | ||
| Intermediate Microeconomic Theory | ||
| Economic Analysis--Micro | ||
| Economic Theory--Micro | ||
| Microeconomic Analysis for Business Decisions | ||
Macroeconomics: | ||
| Intermediate Macroeconomic Theory | ||
| Economic Analysis--Macro | ||
| Economic Theory--Macro | ||
| Macroeconomic Analysis for Business Decisions | ||
| Environmental Economics and Policy | ||
| EVECON 100 | Course Not Available | 4 |
| ENVECON C101/ECON C125 | Environmental Economics | 4 |
| ENVECON C151 | Economic Development | 4 |
| ECON C171 | Economic Development | 4 |
| Geography | ||
| GEOG C110/ISF C101 | Course Not Available | |
| GEOG 123 | Postcolonial Geographies | 4 |
| GEOG 130 | Food and the Environment | 4 |
| GEOG 170 | Special Topics in Geography 1 | 3 |
| History | ||
| HISTORY 101 | Seminar in Historical Research and Writing for History Majors 1 | 5 |
| HISTORY 103 | Course Not Available 1 | 4 |
| Political Economy | ||
| GEOG C110/ISF C101 | Course Not Available | |
| POLECON 100 | Classical Theories of Political Economy | 4 |
| POLECON 101 | Contemporary Theories of Political Economy | 4 |
| POL SCI 126A | International Political Economy | 4 |
| Political Science | ||
| POL SCI 124C | Ethics and Justice in International Affairs | 4 |
| POL SCI 126A | International Political Economy | 4 |
| POL SCI C131A/PUB POL C142/ECON C142 | Applied Econometrics and Public Policy | 4 |
| POL SCI 137A | Revolutionary Change | 4 |
| POL SCI 137C | Course Not Available | |
| POL SCI 140 | Course Not Available 1 | 4 |
| POL SCI 149 | Course Not Available 1 | 4 |
| Sociology | ||
| SOCIOL 101 | Sociological Theory I | 5 |
| SOCIOL 102 | Sociological Theory II | 4 |
| SOCIOL 127 | Development and Globalization | 4 |
| 1 | Requires approval of a DS adviser |
Development course list
| AFRICAM 112A | Political and Economic Development in the Third World | 4 |
| AFRICAM 112B | Political and Economic Development in the Third World | 4 |
| ANTHRO 115 | Introduction to Medical Anthropology | 4 |
| ANTHRO 145 | Urban Anthropology | 4 |
| ANTHRO/LGBT C147B | Sexuality, Culture, and Colonialism | 4 |
| ANTHRO 156B | Culture and Power | 4 |
| ANTHRO 158 | Religion and Anthropology | 4 |
| ANTHRO 189 | Special Topics in Social/Cultural Anthropology | 4 |
| CY PLAN 110 | Introduction to City Planning | 4 |
| CY PLAN 111 | Introduction to Housing: An International Survey | 3 |
| CY PLAN/GPP 115 | Urbanization in Developing Countries | 4 |
| CY PLAN 116 | Urban Planning Process--The Undergraduate Planning Studio | 4 |
| DEV STD 130 | Course Not Available 1 | 4 |
| DEV STD 150 | Advanced Studies in Development Studies 1 | 4 |
| ECON 113 | American Economic History | 4 |
| ECON 115 | The World Economy in the Twentieth Century | 4 |
| ECON 131 | Public Economics | 4 |
| ECON 151 | Labor Economics | 4 |
| ECON 155 | Urban Economics | 3 |
| ECON C171/ENVECON C151 | Economic Development | 4 |
| ECON 172 | Case Studies in Economic Development 1 | 4 |
| ECON 173 | Economic Development Seminar | 4 |
| ECON/DEMOG C175 | Economic Demography | 3 |
| ECON/ENVECON C181 | International Trade | 4 |
| ECON 182 | International Monetary Economics | 4 |
| ENE,RES C100/PUB POL C184 | Energy and Society | 4 |
| ENVECON 131 | Globalization and the Natural Environment | 3 |
| ENVECON 152 | Advanced Topics in Development and International Trade 1 | 3 |
| ENVECON 153 | Population, Environment, and Development | 3 |
| ESPM 151 | Society, Environment, and Culture | 4 |
| ESPM 165 | International Rural Development Policy | 4 |
| ESPM 166 | Natural Resource Policy and Indigenous Peoples | 4 |
| ESPM C167 | Environmental Health and Development | 4 |
| ESPM 168 | Political Ecology | 4 |
| ESPM 169 | International Environmental Politics | 4 |
| ETH STD 190 | Advanced Seminar in Comparative Ethnic Studies 1 | 4 |
| GEOG 123 | Postcolonial Geographies | 4 |
| GEOG 138 | Global Environmental Politics | 4 |
| GEOG 170 | Special Topics in Geography | 3 |
| GPP/CY PLAN 115 | Global Poverty: Challenges and Hopes in the New Millennium | 4 |
| GWS 141 | Interrogating Global Economic "Development" | 4 |
| GWS 143 | Women, Proverty, and Globalization | 4 |
| HISTORY 100 | Special Topics | 4 |
| HISTORY 103 | Course Not Available | 4 |
| HISTORY 134A | The Age of the City: The Age of the City, 1825-1933 | 4 |
| HISTORY 160 | The International Economy of the 20th Century | 4 |
| IAS 120 | Selected Topics - International and Area Studies | 3 |
| IAS 150 | Advanced Studies in International and Area Studies | 4 |
| IAS 160 | Berkeley Summer Institute for the Global Generation | 4 |
| IAS 180 | Current Issues in International and Area Studies | 2,3 |
| LEGALST 158 | Law and Development | 4 |
| POLECON C196W | Special Field Research | 10.5 |
| POL SCI 124C | Ethics and Justice in International Affairs | 4 |
| POL SCI 139B | Development Politics | 4 |
| POL SCI 139D | Urban and Sub-national Politics in Developing Countries | 4 |
| PB HLTH 112 | Global Health: A Multidisciplinary Examination | 4 |
| PB HLTH 114 | Course Not Available | 4 |
| PB HLTH 181 | Poverty and Population | 3 |
| PB HLTH 207A | Public Health Aspects of Maternal and Child Nutrition | 2,3 |
| PB HLTH 207B | Course Not Available | 4 |
| PB HLTH 212A | International Maternal and Child Health | 2 |
| PB HLTH 212D | Expanded Foundations of Global Health | 2 |
| RHETOR 150 | Rhetoric of Contemporary Politics | 4 |
| RHETOR 155 | Discourses of Colonialism and Postcoloniality | 4 |
| SOC WEL 112 | Social Welfare Policy | 3 |
| SOCIOL 110 | Organizations and Social Institutions | 4 |
| SOCIOL C112/RELIGST C182 | Sociology of Religion | 4 |
| SOCIOL 113 | Sociology of Education | 4 |
| SOCIOL 114 | Sociology of Law | 4 |
| SOCIOL/DEMOG C126 | Social Consequences of Population Dynamics | 4 |
| SOCIOL 127 | Development and Globalization | 4 |
| SOCIOL 144 | Ethnic Politics | 4 |
| SOCIOL 145 | Social Change | 4 |
| UGBA 118 | International Trade | 3 |
| UGBA 178 | Introduction to International Business | 3 |
| 1 | Requires approval of a DS adviser |
Concentration course list
Concentration courses are selected to provide substantive knowledge of the cultural, political, economic, and historical development of one particular region of the developing world. It is best to choose courses from more than one discipline. Concentration courses must be pre-approved by an adviser.
| Africa (North and Sub-Saharan) | ||
| AFRICAM 115 | Language and Social Issues in Africa | 3 |
| AFRICAM 160 | Course Not Available | 4 |
| AFRICAM 241 | Special Topics in Development Studies of the Diaspora 1 | 1-4 |
| ANTHRO 183 | Topics in the Anthropological Study of Africa 1 | 4 |
| GEOG 165 | Course Not Available | 4 |
| HISTORY 103H | Proseminar: Problems in Interpretation in the Several Fields of History: Africa 1 | 4 |
| HISTORY 112B | Africa: Modern South Africa, 1652-Present | 4 |
| POL SCI 146A | African Politics | 4 |
| POL SCI 146B | Course Not Available | 4 |
| East Asia (China, Japan, North and South Korea) | ||
| ANTHRO 170 | China | 4 |
| ANTHRO 171 | Japan | 4 |
| ASIANST 149 | Course Not Available | |
| CHINESE 158 | Reading Chinese Cities | 4 |
| ECON 162 | The Chinese Economy | 3 |
| GEOG 153 | Course Not Available | |
| GEOG 164 | The Geography of Economic Development in China | 4 |
| HISTORY 103F | Proseminar: Problems in Interpretation in the Several Fields of History: Asia | 4 |
| HISTORY 113B | Modern Korean History | 4 |
| HISTORY 116C | China: Modern China | 4 |
| HISTORY 116D | China: Twentieth-Century China | 4 |
| HISTORY 117A | Topics in Chinese History: Chinese Popular Culture | 4 |
| HISTORY 118C | Japan: Empire and Alienation: The 20th Century in Japan | 4 |
| POL SCI 128 | Chinese Foreign Policy | 4 |
| POL SCI 143A | Northeast Asian Politics | 4 |
| POL SCI 143B | Japanese Politics | 4 |
| POL SCI 143C | Chinese Politics | 4 |
| POL SCI 143D | Course Not Available | |
| POL SCI 144B | Politics of Divided Korea | 4 |
| SOCIOL 183 | Course Not Available | |
| Eastern Europe, Russia, Former USSR | ||
| ANTHRO 180 | European Society | 4 |
| ECON 161 | Economics of Transition: Eastern Europe | 4 |
| GEOG C152 | Multicultural Europe | 4 |
| GERMAN 160C | Politics and Culture in 20th-Century Germany: A Divided Nation. Politics and Culture in Germany 1945-1990 | 4 |
| GERMAN 160D | Politics and Culture in 20th-Century Germany: Multicultural Germany | 4 |
| HISTORY 103B | Proseminar: Problems in Interpretation in the Several Fields of History: Europe | 4 |
| HISTORY 171B | Russia: Imperial Russia: From Peter the Great to the Russian Revolution | 4 |
| HISTORY 171C | Russia: The Soviet Union, 1917 to the Present | 4 |
| HISTORY 173C | History of Eastern Europe: History of Eastern Europe: From 1900 to the Present | 4 |
| HISTORY 174A | Topics in the History of Eastern Europe: A History of Poland-Lithuania | 4 |
| HISTORY C175B/UGIS C155/RELIGST C135 | Jewish Civilization: Modern Period | 4 |
| POL SCI 129B | Russia after Communism | 4 |
| POL SCI 141C | Politics and Government in Eastern Europe | 4 |
| SLAVIC 158 | Topics in East European/Eurasian Cultural History 1 | 4 |
| Latin America (Mexico, Central America, Chile, Brazil, the Carribean) | ||
| AFRICAM 131 | Caribbean Societies and Cultures | 3 |
| ANTHRO 176 | Course Not Available | 4 |
| ETH STD 159AC/EDUC 186AC/GEOG 159AC | The Southern Border | 4 |
| GEOG C157/CHICANO C161 | Central American Peoples and Cultures | 4 |
| HISTORY 103E | Proseminar: Problems in Interpretation in the Several Fields of History: Latin America 1 | 4 |
| HISTORY 140 | Course Not Available | 4 |
| HISTORY 140B | Mexico: Modern Mexico | 4 |
| HISTORY 141 | Course Not Available | 4 |
| HISTORY 141B | Social History of Latin America: Social History of Modern Latin America | 4 |
| HISTORY 143 | Brazil | 4 |
| LATAMST 150 | Advanced Studies in Latin American Studies 1 | 4 |
| POL SCI 148A | Latin American Politics | 4 |
| PB HLTH 212C | Migration and Health: A U.S.-Mexico Binational Perspective | 2-3 |
| SOCIOL 145L | Social Change in Latin America | 4 |
| SPANISH 113 | Topics in Latin American Culture 1 | 3 |
| The Middle East (The Islamic Republic of Iran, Iraq, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Palestine, Afghanistan, etc) | ||
| ANTHRO 181 | Themes in the Anthropology of the Middle East and Islam | 4 |
| GWS 142 | Women in the Muslim and Arab Worlds | 4 |
| HISTORY 109C | The Middle East From the 18th Century to the Present | 4 |
| HISTORY C175B/UGIS C155/RELIGST C135 | Jewish Civilization: Modern Period | 4 |
| HISTORY 177B | Armenia: From Pre-modern Empires to the Present | 4 |
| M E STU 130 | Cross-Listed Topics | 1-4 |
| M E STU 150 | Advanced Study in the Middle East | 4 |
| NE STUD 175 | History and Culture of Afghanistan | 3 |
| NE STUD 190 | Course Not Available 1 | |
| POL SCI 142A | Middle East Politics | 4 |
| South Asia | ||
| ANTHRO 184 | South Asia | 4 |
| ASAMST 190 | Seminar on Advanced Topics in Asian American Studies 1 | 4 |
| ASIANST 150 | Special Topics 1 | 4 |
| HISTORY 103F | Proseminar: Problems in Interpretation in the Several Fields of History: Asia 1 | 4 |
| HISTORY 114B | India: Modern South Asia | 4 |
| POL SCI 145A | South Asian Politics | 4 |
| POL SCI 145B | South Asian Politics | 4 |
| S ASIAN 148 | Religious Nationalism in South Asia | 4 |
| S,SEASN 120 | Topics in South and Southeast Asian Studies 1 | 4 |
| Southeast Asia (Vietnam, Myanmar, Laos, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines) | ||
| ANTHRO 186 | Course Not Available | 4 |
| ASAMST 125 | Contemporary Issues of Southeast Asian Refugees in the U.S | 4 |
| ASAMST 126 | Southeast Asian Migration and Community Formation | 4 |
| ASAMST 190 | Seminar on Advanced Topics in Asian American Studies 1 | 4 |
| ASIANST 150 | Special Topics 1 | 4 |
| ASIANST 160 | Course Not Available 1 | 4 |
| GEOG 163 | Course Not Available | |
| HISTORY 103F | Proseminar: Problems in Interpretation in the Several Fields of History: Asia 1 | 4 |
| HISTORY 111A | Topics in the History of Southest Asia: Southeast Asia to the 18th Century | 4 |
| HISTORY C111B | Modern Southeast Asia | 4 |
| or SEASIAN C141B | Modern Southeast Asia | |
| HISTORY 111C | Topics in the History of Southest Asia: Political and Cultural History of Vietnam | 4 |
| POL SCI 149E | Special Topics in Area Studies | 4 |
| SEASIAN 130 | Articulations of the Female in Indonesia | 4 |
| S,SEASN 120 | Topics in South and Southeast Asian Studies 1 | 4 |
College Requirements
Undergraduate students in the College of Letters and Science must fulfill the following requirements in addition to those required by their major program.
For detailed lists of courses that fulfill college requirements, please see the College of Letters and Sciences page in this bulletin.
Entry Level Writing
All students who will enter the University of California as freshmen must demonstrate their command of the English language by fulfilling the Entry Level Writing Requirement. Fulfillment of this requirement is also a prerequisite to enrollment in all reading and composition courses at UC Berkeley.
American History and American Institutions
The American History and Institutions requirements are based on the principle that a U.S. resident graduated from an American university should have an understanding of the history and governmental institutions of the United States.
American Cultures
American Cultures is the one requirement that all undergraduate students at Cal need to take and pass in order to graduate. The requirement offers an exciting intellectual environment centered on the study of race, ethnicity and culture of the United States. AC courses offer students opportunities to be part of research-led, highly accomplished teaching environments, grappling with the complexity of American Culture.
Quantitative Reasoning
The Quantitative Reasoning requirement is designed to ensure that students graduate with basic understanding and competency in math, statistics, or computer science. The requirement may be satisfied by exam or by taking an approved course.
Foreign Language
The Foreign Language requirement may be satisfied by demonstrating proficiency in reading comprehension, writing, and conversation in a foreign language equivalent to the second semester college level, either by passing an exam or by completing approved course work.
Reading and Composition
In order to provide a solid foundation in reading, writing and critical thinking the College requires two semesters of lower division work in composition. Students must complete a first-level reading and composition course by the end of their second semester and a second-level course by the end of their fourth semester.
Breadth Requirements
The undergraduate breadth requirements provide Berkeley students with a rich and varied educational experience outside of their major program. As the foundation of a liberal arts education, breadth courses give students a view into the intellectual life of the University while introducing them to a multitude of perspectives and approaches to research and scholarship. Engaging students in new disciplines and with peers from other majors, the breadth experience strengthens interdisciplinary connections and context that prepares Berkeley graduates to understand and solve the complex issues of their day.
Unit Requirements
-
120 total units, including at least 60 L&S units
-
Of the 120 units, 36 must be upper division units
- Of the 36 upper division units, 6 must be taken in courses offered outside your major department
Residence Requirements
For units to be considered in "residence," you must be registered in courses on the Berkeley campus as a student in the College of Letters and Science. Most students automatically fulfill the residence requirement by attending classes here for four years. In general, there is no need to be concerned about this requirement, unless you go abroad for a semester or year or want to take courses at another institution or through University Extension during your senior year. In these cases, you should make an appointment to see an adviser to determine how you can meet the Senior Residence Requirement.
Note: Courses taken through UC Extension do not count toward residence.
Senior Residence Requirement
After you become a senior (with 90 semester units earned toward your B.A. degree), you must complete at least 24 of the remaining 30 units in residence in at least two semesters. To count as residence, a semester must consist of at least 6 passed units. Intercampus Visitor, EAP, and UC Berkeley-Washington Program (UCDC) units are excluded.
You may use a Berkeley summer session to satisfy one semester of the Senior Residence Requirement, provided that you successfully complete 6 units of course work in the Summer Session and that you have been enrolled previously in the College.
Modified Senior Residence Requirement
Participants in the UC Education Abroad Program (EAP) or the UC Berkeley-Washington Program (UCDC) may meet a Modified Senior Residence Requirement by completing 24 (excluding EAP) of their final 60 semester units in residence. At least 12 of these 24 units must be completed after you have completed 90 units.
Upper Division Residence Requirement
You must complete in residence a minimum of 18 units of upper division courses (excluding EAP units), 12 of which must satisfy the requirements for your major.
Student Learning Goals
Learning Goals for the Major
- Develop strong interdisciplinary training with control over key concepts in the Social Sciences:
- Develop a critical understanding of conventional and non-conventional measures and indices of development
- Comprehend core concepts pertaining to Development Studies which are part of larger social scientific traditions and analysis (state, market, civil society)
- Understand the genealogy of particular theoretical traditions of development that are both rooted in and cross cut the disciplines.
- Grasp the complex relations between development as a series of planned interventions (at various levels) and the dynamics, conflicts and rhythms of historical change and social transformation.
- Apply an interdisciplinary approach to the analysis of international development theory and practice:
- Recognize how differing concepts and ideas are translated into development practice
- Identify the multiple forms of state and non-state interventions – and the map of multilateral, bilateral and local development institutions – associated with contemporary international development.
- Integrate understandings of market, state and civil society, and grasp how they are deployed in development theory and practice
Skills
- Acquire historical & geographical knowledge and language skills:
- Examine the historical processes by which the Global South emerged from within the modern world system (post 1450)
- Develop a comparative understanding of major world regions and their interrelations
- Gain a substantive knowledge of cultural, political, economic, and historical development of one particular region of the developing world; if possible, participate in Education Abroad Program in a country in the region
- Acquire language skills relevant to regional expertise
- Demonstrate research, critical reading, and writing skills:
- Formulate well-organized arguments supported by evidence
- Write clearly and effectively
- Apply basic quantitative skills
- Critically evaluate arguments in professional, public and advocacy literatures
- Gain some practical experience through internships
Courses
Development Studies
DEV STD C10 Introduction to Development 4 Units
This course is designed as an introduction to comparative development. The course will be a general service course, as well as a prerequisite for the upper division 100 series. It is assumed that students enrolled in 10 know little about life in the Third World countries and are unfamiliar with the relevant theory in political economy of development and underdevelopment. The course will be structured around three critical concepts: land, labor, and work.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture and 1 hour of discussion per week
Summer: 8 weeks - 7.5 hours of lecture per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Development Studies/Undergraduate
Grading/Final exam status: Letter grade. Final exam required.
Instructor: Watts
Also listed as: GEOG C32
DEV STD 24 Freshman Seminar 1 Unit
The Freshman Seminar Program has been designed to provide new students with the opportunity to explore an intellectual topic with a faculty member in a small seminar setting. Freshman seminars are offered in all campus departments, and topics vary from department to department and semester to semester. Enrollment is limited to 15 freshmen.
Rules & Requirements
Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit as topic varies. Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 1 hour of seminar per week
Summer: 8 weeks - 2 hours of seminar per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Development Studies/Undergraduate
Grading/Final exam status: The grading option will be decided by the instructor when the class is offered. Final exam required.
DEV STD C100 History of Development and Underdevelopment 4 Units
Historical review of the development of world economic systems and the impact of these developments on less advanced countries. Course objective is to provide a background against which to understand and assess theoretical interpretations of development and underdevelopment.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture and 1 hour of discussion per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Development Studies/Undergraduate
Grading/Final exam status: Letter grade. Final exam required.
Instructor: Hart
Also listed as: GEOG C112
DEV STD 150 Advanced Studies in Development Studies 4 Units
Advanced multidisciplinary research in current issues and topics of development. Seminars will focus on specific geographical areas with appropriate comparative material included. A major research project is required as well as class presentations. Topics change each semester.
Rules & Requirements
Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit with consent of instructor. Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture and 1 hour of discussion per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Development Studies/Undergraduate
Grading/Final exam status: Letter grade. Final exam required.
DEV STD 192 Senior Thesis 3 Units
This course is designed to provide a vehicle for undergraduate students interested in writing a major paper on a development topic. The paper should be approximately 30 pages in length. The student and faculty sponsor should agree upon the topic in advance.
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: Upper division standing and consent of instructor
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 0 hours of independent study per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Development Studies/Undergraduate
Grading/Final exam status: Letter grade. Final exam required.
DEV STD H195 Senior Honors Thesis Seminar 4 Units
Honors students are required to research and write a thesis based on the prospectus developed in International and Area Studies 102. The thesis work is reviewed by the honors instructor and a second reader to be selected based on the thesis topic. Weekly progress reports required.
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: International and Area Studies 102 and consent of instructor; senior standing
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 2 hours of seminar per week
Summer: 6 weeks - 5 hours of seminar per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Development Studies/Undergraduate
Grading/Final exam status: Letter grade. Final exam not required.
DEV STD 197 Field Studies 1 - 4 Units
Supervised experience relevant to specific aspects of Development Studies in off-campus organizations. Regular individual meetings with faculty sponsor and written reports required.
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: Upper division standing and consent of instructor
Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit. Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 0 hours of fieldwork per week
Summer:
6 weeks - 1-5 hours of fieldwork per week
8 weeks - 1-4 hours of fieldwork per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Development Studies/Undergraduate
Grading/Final exam status: Offered for pass/not pass grade only. Final exam not required.
DEV STD 198 Directed Group Study 1 - 4 Units
Directed group study (upper division).
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: Upper division standing and consent of instructor
Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit. Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 1-4 hours of directed group study per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Development Studies/Undergraduate
Grading/Final exam status: Offered for pass/not pass grade only. Final exam not required.
DEV STD 199 Supervised Independent Study and Research for Undergraduates 1 - 4 Units
Enrollment is restricted by regulations of the College.
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: Written proposal must be approved by a faculty advisor
Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit. Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 0 hours of independent study per week
Summer:
6 weeks - 1-5 hours of independent study per week
8 weeks - 1-4 hours of independent study per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Development Studies/Undergraduate
Grading/Final exam status: Offered for pass/not pass grade only. Final exam not required.
Contact Information
Development Studies Program
International and Area Studies, 101 Stephens Hall
Phone: 510-642-4466
Department Co-Chair
Michael Watts, PhD (Department of Geography)
555 McCone Hall
Phone: 510-642-3902
Lead Undergraduate Academic Adviser
Susan Joerling
101 Stephens Hall
Phone: 510-643-4156
Undergraduate Academic Adviser
Victoria Barone
101 Stephens Hall
Phone: 510-643-7282