Community Development

7.5 credits

Local communities around the world face a range of challenges in achieving the needs and the aspirations of the people that live in them. Whether based in urban or rural settings, understanding and addressing these challenges requires strong analytical, organising and communication skills, as well as an ability to work with a wide range of different kinds of people. This course introduces some of the important theories and practices that have been used in community development in different countries, drawing on examples from the Global South and the Global North. Students will also become familiar with the broader structures in which community development is organised, including government and non-government projects and programmes. A practical exercise based in a local community helps to integrate theoretical ideas about empowerment, identity and social justice with the lives and concerns of people at the community level.

Contact

Växjö – the student city with a living campus

Just south of Växjö’s city centre you will find Linnaeus University’s campus. In Växjö, many students choose to live on campus.

Here you will have five minutes’ walking distance to friends, restaurants, lecture rooms, gym, grocery store, the University Library, nature trails, and student pubs. If you live in another part of Växjö, you can quickly get to the university by bus or bicycle.

With its 90 000 inhabitants, Växjö is one of the fastest growing cities in Sweden. Here you will find the famous Småland entrepreneurship spirit and a lot of companies, for instance within the IT industry – perfect for when you are looking for an internship position or a job. Växjö is also a picturesque city where you are always close to forests and water.

Learn more about our student cities.

Students in house M

Build your own degree

Did you know that you can combine single-subject courses to build your own degree? In this way, you can design your own degree based on your interests and the career you are aiming for. This does not apply to all courses so make sure to check with a study counsellor at the faculty. Learn more about how you can build your own degree and become unique on the labour market.