The School of Development
Studies (incorporating the
Centre
for Civil Society) aims
to be a world leader in
the study of the political
economy of development and
demography, and in the pursuit
through research, training
and activism of social and
economic justice, both locally
and globally.
The School specialises in
critical, interdisciplinary
analysis of development
theory, policy and practice.
We offer several post-graduate
degrees - by coursework
and research - with the
rigour, flexibility and
currency matching any comparable
programme. With expertise
in political economy, political
ecology,
population studies, social
policy and civil society,
SDS staff are positioned
to critically engage in
debates and strategy over
development theory and practice,
as well to provide critique
and alternatives to current
orthodoxies. Our orientation
to engaging state agencies,
NGOs, labour and social
movements, business and
international institutions
makes SDS one of the world's
strongest educational sites
for development studies,
with unprecedented opportunities
for the professional and
advocacy training required
to engage the world's major
problems.
The
antecedents of the School
date to the Institute for
Social Research established
in 1954. In 2004 the School
celebrated its 50th anniversary
by hosting a major international
conference on South African
development challenges,
later published as “The
Development Decade: economic
and social change in South
Africa, 1994-2004”
Professor Vishnu Padayachee
(ed.), HSRC Press 2005.
A leading centre for research
and teaching on development
in South Africa, the School
also holds an international
reputation for the quality
of its work and the intellectual
rigour with which it applies
academic skills to policy
challenges. It draws on
the specialist knowledge
of its researchers, who
are nationally and internationally
recognised experts in their
fields.
The School offers course-work
or dissertation Masters
degrees in Development Studies
and Population Studies.
In addition, the School
offers a diploma option
and has a thesis-based PhD
programme.
