Program Director: Professor Vijay Naidu 

Coordinator of Graduate Studies:  Dr. Manoranjan Mohanty

Development Studies is a trans-disciplinary program that examines how Pacific societies and people interact with global change. The Postgraduate Diploma in Development Studies critically explores how development intersects with economics, globalization, governance, internationalism, regionalism, and urbanization.

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Staff in Development Studies engage with critical public issues through research, outreach programs, publications, public lectures and development forums. The program encourages students to work with projects at different development levels, including civil society organizations and NGOs; national ministries, departments and parliaments; and regional institutions and international bodies. By enabling students to engage actively with development in action, the Program capacitates graduates to assume dynamic roles in shaping sustainable Pacific societies.

Development Studies was founded at the University of the South Pacific (USP) in 1991. In 1997, it became a University Centre, and in 2003 it joined the University's postgraduate Pacific Institute of Advanced Studies in Development and Governance. In 2007, the program became a flagship program in the new School of Government, Development and International Affairs. 

Staff in Development Studies work closely with scholarly networks in the region and globally, including the Globalization Studies Network and the Oceania Development Network. Many of its students receive scholarships from the Sasakawa (Tokyo Foundation) Fund, the European Union, Australia and New Zealand, as well as from the governments of member countries. 

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Join the Development Studies Program

We welcome students from USP member countries and international students with professional and research interests in development and the management of social change. Our courses are designed primarily for students interested in Pacific, Third World, and global issues. 

Degree programs in Development Studies include the Post-Graduate Diploma, Master of Arts and Doctorate. 

Click here for Requirements for PostGraduate Degrees in Development Studies

Access the Development Studies Archives