Major overview
Make a meaningful impact with a Community Development major
Work alongside communities to create positive change and address real-world challenges with the Community Development major within our Bachelor of Arts. You’ll explore how people, organisations and systems shape communities, and how you can contribute to more inclusive, sustainable and resilient futures.
Throughout your community development studies, you’ll engage with real examples of community work and learn how to design and support initiatives that respond to local and global needs. You’ll explore areas such as social policy, international development, Indigenous community development and sustainable communities, building the skills to work collaboratively and ethically across diverse contexts.
You’ll also gain hands-on experience through internships and industry-based projects as part of our Work Integrated Learning program, working with community groups, government organisations or non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in real-world settings.
As part of your Bachelor of Arts degree, you can combine this major with others to tailor your degree to your interests and career goals. Pair Community Development with International Aid and Development, Sociology or Sustainable Development to design and deliver programs that support communities and address social and environmental challenges. You can also combine your studies with Politics and International Studies to understand policy and governance, or with History or Philosophy to strengthen your critical thinking and understanding of social change. Broaden your perspective with Asian Studies, Indonesian or Japanese to work across cultures, or apply your skills in industry contexts with Tourism and Events. You can also pair with English and Creative Writing or Theatre and Creative Production to communicate ideas, advocate for communities and engage diverse audiences.
3 reasons to study community development at Murdoch University
- Gain real-world experience working with community organisations, government agencies and NGOs through our Work Integrated Learning program.
- Study at the university ranked #1 in Western Australia for full-time employment, median salary and student support in Humanities and Social Sciences (Good Universities Guide 2026).
- Combine Community Development with a wide range of arts degree majors, giving you the flexibility to tailor your degree to your interests and career goals.
What you’ll learn
- Understand how communities function and how social, cultural and economic factors shape community outcomes.
- Explore approaches to community-led development and collaborative project design.
- Analyse social policy, development challenges and strategies for community change.
- Apply practical skills to plan and deliver community-based projects.
- Work effectively with diverse communities using ethical, inclusive and culturally responsive practices.
Having completed three semesters and my honours research in Indonesia, I was able to get a much better idea of development on the ground. I found that when I graduated, I had a more realistic idea of what to expect in the workplace.
Karis Erceg, Bachelor of Arts
Your future career in community development
Major in community development and graduate with the practical skills and social insight to build a community development career supporting communities and responding to complex social challenges. These capabilities are valued across local government, not-for-profit organisations, community services, international development, social enterprises and advocacy groups in Australia and internationally.
Potential roles include:
- Community development officer
- Community project manager
- Youth engagement officer
- Regional development coordinator
- International aid or development worker
- Social policy or advocacy officer
For more details about our Community Development major, download our information pack.
Start dates
| Starting period | Location | Face to Face | Online | Mixed mode |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Semester 1, 2026 | Murdoch | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Semester 2, 2026 | Murdoch | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Semester 1, 2027 | Murdoch | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Semester 2, 2027 | Murdoch | Yes | Yes | Yes |
View the dates for our teaching periods or find out more about attendance modes.
Major Structure
Visit the Course Handbook - Get detailed information on units, prerequisites, and pathways.
To help plan the structure of your course, search for our suggested course plans.
| Unit code | Unit name | Credit points |
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How to Apply
Majors are part of a degree and can't be applied on their own. Apply for a related degree first, then choose your major once enrolled.
Undergraduate
Course
Study a Bachelor of Arts at Murdoch University and choose from a wide range of flexible majors to tailor your degree. Apply today.
Undergraduate
Course
Study a Bachelor of Laws/Bachelor of Arts at Murdoch University. Add an arts major to your legal studies and build skills for a diverse career. Apply now.