The Bachelor of Arts in Development Studies has been established to cater for the interests of students seeking to prepare for a variety of careers related to the development of Third World countries. These careers may be focused primarily on economic, social or political development and based in Australian institutions or abroad.

The BA (Development Studies) course offers students a firm base in one of the social science disciplines together with a coherent selection of units focused on generic problems of development and on the recent experience of Southeast Asia, China or the Pacific Islands. Whilst it is tightly structured, it is flexible enough to accommodate an additional major in a relevant foreign language and to allow for a wide range of choice among units. The Australian National University is recognised for its leadership in the field of Development Studies and has an exceptionally large number of staff who have undertaken extensive research in the Third World, as well as a strong library collection in the field.

Students taking the degree should achieve an inter-disciplinary understanding of theory and practice concerning the processes of development in the Third World, with special competence concerning one or two of four areas: Central Asia and the Middle East, China, Oceania, South and Southeast Asia, together with a firm background in one of the relevant social science disciplines.

None but there may be prerequisites or levels of assumed knowledge for individual subjects particularly science and language subjects.