Current
Academic Calendar
2024/25
Academic Calendar 2024/25
Global Development Studies
ufv.ca/gdsBachelor of Arts in Global Development Studies degree
Global Development Studies (GDS) is an interdisciplinary program designed to equip students with the knowledge, skills, and experience required to function effectively as development professionals in Canada or abroad, or to continue on to graduate or to other professional studies.
The program requires a minimum of 120 credits, including a minimum of 45 upper-level (300- or 400-level) credits.
Entrance requirements
The BA in GDS has the same entrance requirements as the Bachelor of Arts degree at UFV. Please see the Bachelor of Arts degree entrance requirements.
When to apply
Applications are accepted for entrance to the Fall, Winter, and Summer semesters. For application deadlines, see Specific intake application process.
How to apply
- Apply online at ufv.ca/admissions/apply.
Additional documents required for a complete application:
- Official transcripts (or interim transcripts) from all post-secondary institutions attended (excluding UFV) showing grade/course achievement as per entrance requirements. To be considered official, transcripts must be sent directly to UFV from the originating institution; see the Transfer Credit section for details.
- Applicants will be advised of an admission decision and, if accepted, will be provided with registration information. A deposit is required prior to registration (see the Fees and Other Costs section) and will be applied toward tuition fees.
Basis for admission decision
Applicants who meet the entrance requirements will be admitted in order of their application date. This date is set when an application, all required documentation, and the application fee have been submitted.
Fees and additional costs
See the Fees and Other Costs section. Additional fees for course field trips and internship courses will apply to all students enrolled in Global Development Studies courses.
Program duration
The Bachelor of Arts in Global Development Studies program is normally completed within four years of full-time study, with students taking 10 courses per calendar year.
Location
The majority of the courses in the program will be offered on the Abbotsford campus. All students are required to complete a practicum with an organization. Practicums can take place locally in Canada, remotely online, or abroad.
Program outline
Lower-level requirements
| Course | Title | Credits |
| ECON 100 | Principles of Microeconomics | 3 |
| or ECON 101 | Principles of Macroeconomics | |
| GDS 100/ GEOG 109 | A World of Development | 3 |
| GDS 204 | Development in Sub-Saharan Africa | 3 |
| GDS 220/ ANTH 220 | Anthropology of Globalization and Development | 3 |
| GDS 260 | Gender and Global Development | 3 |
| GEOG 260 | Global Goals Studio: Sustainable Communities by Design | 3 |
| POSC 230 | Democracies and Authoritarian Regimes | 3 |
| or POSC 260 | International Relations and Global Politics | |
| One of: (see Note) | 3 | |
| CMNS 125 | Communicating Professionally to Academic and Workplace Audiences | |
| CMNS 175 | Writing for the Internet | |
| ENGL 105 | Academic Writing | |
| One of: | 3-4 | |
| ANTH 202 | Ethnographic Toolkit | |
| BUS 204 | Management of Non-Profit Organizations | |
| CMNS 251 | Professional Report Writing | |
| GEOG 253 | Introduction to Geographic Information Systems | |
Note: Students may also satisfy this requirement with an A or better in one of English Studies 12, English First Peoples 12, ENGL 091, or ENGL 099.
Upper-level requirements
| Course | Title | Credits |
| ECON 398 | Development Economics | 3 |
| GDS 340/ GEOG 340 | Geographies of Development: Landscapes of Inequality | 4 |
| or GEOG 364 | International Planning and Development Policy: Adapting to Climate Change | |
| GDS 320 | Decolonizing Aid and Development | 3 |
| GDS 330/ ANTH 330 | Humanitarianism and Complex Emergencies | 4 |
| or GDS 332 | Refugees, Displacement, and Development | |
| GDS 370 | Fundamentals of Global Health and Development | 3 |
| GEOG 396/ GDS 310/ SOC 396 | Canada Internship | 6 |
| or GEOG 398/ GDS 311/ SOC 398 | International Internship | |
| IPK 344 | Research in Action: Indigenous Meaning Making (formerly also offered as ANTH 344/SOC 344) | 3 |
| or POSC 300 | Research Design and Methods | |
| One of: | 3-4 | |
| ADED 420 | Adult Education in the Global Context | |
| ANTH 367/ ENGL 367 | Culture and Theory of Diaspora | |
| ANTH 388/ SOC 388 | Global Indigeneity (formerly also offered as LAS 388) | |
| IPK 386 | Braiding Indigenous Knowledges, Practices, and Worldviews | |
| PLAN 410 | Indigenizing Planning: Indigenous Land Use and Community Planning | |
| POSC 321 | Global Issues in Indigenous Politics | |
| POSC 324 | Nationalism and Ethnic Politics | |
| SOCA 301 | Race, Place, and Space: Creative Tools for Navigating Turbulent Times | |
| One of: | 3-4 | |
| CRIM 335 | Justice and Human Rights | |
| ECON 361/ GEOG 361 | Environmental Economics | |
| POSC 325 | Social Movements and Advocacy Groups | |
| POSC 330 | Politics of Human Rights | |
| POSC 360 | The United Nations and International Organizations | |
| POSC 368 | Global Issues and Canadian Foreign Policy | |
| SOC 346 | Environmental Justice | |
| SOC 348 | Protest and Social Movements | |
| One of: | 3-4 | |
| ADED 340 | Program Planning and Evaluation | |
| ADED 446 | Community-based Adult Education Methods | |
| CMNS 360 | Advocacy Writing | |
| CMNS 465 | Grant and Proposal Writing | |
| ENV 310 | Leadership in Environmental Professions | |
| SOC 352 | Public Policy Analysis (formerly also offered as POSC 352) | |
| SOWK 380 | Social Work and Community Development | |
| Plus: | ||
| GDS 400 | Global Development Seminar (see Note) | 4 |
Note: Students must complete GDS 310/GEOG 396/SOC 396 or GDS 311/GEOG 398/SOC 398 before they can enrol in GDS 400.
Minors in other programs
Students may opt to use their electives to add a minor or extended minor in another discipline.
Program requirements
Program regulations, which include continuance and probation, course repetition, readmission, graduation requirements, and maximum length of time to complete program are the same as the corresponding program regulations for the Bachelor of Arts degree. Please see the Bachelor of Arts degree program requirements.
Undergraduate continuance
Students enrolled in undergraduate courses (courses numbered 100 or higher) must maintain an undergraduate Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of at least 2.00 to remain enrolled in Good Academic Standing at UFV. Students in Good Academic Standing will have no registration limits placed on them. Failure to meet the minimum CGPA requirement will result in restrictions on registration and may eventually lead to academic suspension from undergraduate studies at UFV. Students on Academic Warning or Academic Probation are limited to registering in 10 credits. For further details, see the Academic standing and undergraduate continuance section of the academic calendar. Academic standing is governed by UFV's Undergraduate Continuance policy (92).
Residency
Students must complete at least 25% of the credits required at UFV. Therefore, 30 of the 120 credits in the degree must be completed at UFV. 15 of these credits must be at the upper level. Transfer credits and credits earned through prior learning assessment, including course challenge, do not meet this requirement. Please see UFV's Credentials policy (64).
Graduation requirements
Students are responsible for ensuring they are eligible to graduate, and should regularly consult with an Academic Advisor. To be eligible to graduate, students must have completed the program with a minimum program and cumulative GPA of 2.00.
Students must apply for graduation in the first month of their final semester. Visit the Graduation webpage for more information. The final deadline for students who wish to attend the June Convocation ceremony is April 1 of each year, with all program requirements completed by April 30.
Course listings
For complete details on courses see the course descriptions section.