History of the Department

The Department of Development Studies was established in 2000 as the first independent department in South Asia to provide challenging and innovative teaching in the field of development studies, a rapidly growing area discipline concerned with the people, economy, ecology and society. The Department fosters high quality research on the problems of developing countries in general and Bangladesh in particular. Within a relatively short span of time, the Department has grown fast and established itself as a unique institution of excellence. The 24 full-time faculty members, one of the largest in the world, who are well trained, experienced and committed with interdisciplinary academic and research backgrounds, pursue an active career in teaching and research in four streams: Development Economics, Public Policy Analysis, Social Development, and Natural Resource Management.

Why Development Studies?

Development studies is a challenging and exciting discipline in contemporary social sciences that helps the learners to understand how poverty is created, wealth is distributed, and social injustices are sustained from a global to local contexts. Using innovative and cutting-edge theoretical and methodological tools and approaches, the Department of Development Studies, University of Dhaka provides its students with a high quality and multidisciplinary academic training to understand the processes, policies, and practices of development. The courses are designed to provide students with a solid foundation to understand the economic, political and social dimensions of development. In addition, the content of the courses covers a wide range of subjects including economics, politics, public policy, environment, sociology, gender, and anthropology. The graduate receives academic training to build both qualitative and quantitative methodological skills and learn cutting-edge theories and their practical applications. The extensive and rigorous academic trainings prepare the students for their future and help them to succeed in professional life. The Department has internship arrangements with renowned organizations, where our students get exposure to real life problems faced by the development practitioners and learn how to solve them.