Is the BA Social Development Studies a social work degree?

No. Social work is a regulated profession with a different degree and registration pathway. The BA Social Development Studies prepares graduates for community development, social research, charity programme and public-engagement roles — adjacent to social work but distinct from it.

Does the BA Social Development Studies include statistics?

Yes — at a working level. You learn descriptive statistics, official-statistics literacy and basic survey analysis. Deeper quantitative work sits in our MA Social Development Studies and specialist research MAs.

Can I study the BA Social Development Studies online?

Yes. Lectures and workshops run online with cohort seminars and tutor supervision. The applied research and final-year project are designed to be completed in your own community wherever you are based.

What does the final-year applied project on the BA Social Development Studies look like?

A real or realistic programme design, evaluation report or extended dissertation — each with full ethical review and tutor supervision. Past projects have covered local food-security work, intergenerational befriending, neighbourhood planning and refugee integration.

Will the BA Social Development Studies prepare me for a charity-sector job?

Yes. The degree maps directly to the skills UK charity-sector recruiters look for at entry level — research literacy, programme design, evaluation, community-engagement practice. Volunteering or paid sector experience alongside the degree strengthens any application.

BA Social Development Studies in London | LSJHML | Harold International College of London

Course Overview

The BA Social Development Studies at the London School of Journalism, Humanities & Modern Languages (LSJHML) is a three-year UK honours degree for students intending to work in community development, social research, charity programme management or local-authority practice. You will study the theory and history of social development alongside qualitative and quantitative research methods, and produce a final-year applied project anchored in a real or simulated community context.

This degree is built around the recognition that social change is slow, complicated and political — and that the people working on it need both rigour and humility. By the end of the BA Social Development Studies you can design a community-led programme, run a small-scale social research study, and evaluate the results without overclaiming.

Key Features

UK honours degree in social development — three years full-time, with online and distance routes.
Mixed-methods research training — qualitative, quantitative, participatory and arts-based methods.
Community development practice modules aligned with current Community Development Foundation principles.
Applied research project in year two — a small-scale study with full ethical review.
Industry-led masterclasses from working community workers, local-authority officers, social researchers and charity programme managers.
Final-year applied project — programme design, evaluation report, or extended research dissertation.

What You Will Learn

The BA Social Development Studies is structured around the working practice of someone holding a community, research or programme portfolio in the UK third sector or public sector. You graduate able to read a community context, design an intervention that respects it, and report on results in ways that drive learning rather than performance.

Theories of community and social development — historical and contemporary.
Social research methods — survey design, interview and focus group craft, ethnography, secondary-data analysis.
Quantitative methods — basic statistics, descriptive analysis, reading official statistics.
Programme design — theory of change, log frame, monitoring framework.
Evaluation — formative, summative, participatory, contribution analysis.
UK social policy — welfare, housing, health, education, criminal justice.
Community development practice — asset-based working, participatory planning, coalition building.
Ethics — research ethics, safeguarding, community consent, participant voice.

Who This Course Is For

School leavers committed to community development, charity or public-sector careers.
International students seeking a UK applied social-sciences degree taught in central London.
Career-changers from teaching, healthcare or the private sector entering the third sector.
Existing community workers, volunteers and charity staff wanting a formal credential.

Career Pathways

Graduates of the BA Social Development Studies move into community, research and programme roles across UK charities, local authorities and research bodies. Typical first or next roles include:

Community Development Officer (local authority, community trust)
Social Researcher (research agency, government social research, university)
Local Authority Officer (community safety, public engagement, policy)
Charity Programme Manager (national charity, place-based foundation)
Public Engagement Lead (NHS trust, museum, research institute)
Policy Officer (national charity, professional body)

Graduates progress to our MA Social Development Studies or to specialist MAs in Social Research, Public Policy or Community Practice.

Entry Requirements

Three A-Levels at BBC or above (or international equivalent — IB 28 points, BTEC DMM, or accepted national qualification).
GCSE English Language at grade 5 or equivalent English proficiency test.
IELTS 6.0 overall (no band below 5.5) for non-native English speakers.
A short personal statement; community volunteering or social-research experience is welcomed.
Mature applicants (21+) without standard qualifications may apply with a portfolio and short interview.

Why Study at LSJHML

The London School of Journalism, Humanities & Modern Languages is a specialist higher-education provider based in central London. Our programmes are designed in dialogue with working professionals — journalists, translators, civil servants, academics, broadcasters, editors, publishers and policy researchers — so what you learn in seminar on Monday is what your future employer is using on Tuesday. We deliberately keep cohorts small, give every student named tutor support, and treat employability as a structural part of every programme rather than an optional add-on.

London is the work — politics, courts, capital markets, theatre, broadcasting, publishing, public service, the global press. Your studies are taught in the same square mile where the stories you read about happen. Whether you join us on-campus, online or by distance learning, the city is your classroom and our industry network is your launchpad.