Course Description

Our contemporary world has been experiencing unprecedented economic and technological developments. However, its consequential effects on human beings are considerable and cannot be taken for granted. The courses on social problems are designed to examine some of the most relevant effects of such development from different perspectives. In this course, the topics include the problem of environment and agriculture that affects the lives of the people. The course focuses on causes, effects and solutions to the practical issues identified in the community by the learners. The topics include but not limited to water pollution, air pollution, rain forest destruction, global warming, irrigation and unsafe use of chemical means for production.

This course introduces students to the methods and philosophy of modern statistical data analysis and inference, with a particular focus on applications in development studies. An introductory discussion of normal and binomial distributions, sampling distributions, inference from small and large samples, confidence intervals, hypothesis testing, and linear regression models. The course has a strong emphasis on the theory and methods required for carrying out statistical data analysis. By the end of the course, students should be able to use tables to organize and summarize data, use graphics to present statistical information, and basic empirical investigation on certain issues in the development studies.

The aim of the unit of study is to introduce students to the ways in which community development theories and models can be applied in the context of human rights, particularly in the welfare and human service sectors. The unit begins with an examination of United Nations and other international conventions and covenants on human rights, including specific covenants on social, educational, employment rights and rights of women, minorities and children. International observance and problems in the implementation, of human rights are then examined, with particular reference to the Asia Pacific region. Specific human rights problems in the educational, welfare and employment contexts are discussed and related to strategies and models of community development and advocacy

The basic concepts of community development, history of community development in society, current issues in development, different perspectives on development, different approaches to planning, community development policy. It enables students to connect academic study and professional know-how, and demonstrates how to best plan the rebuilding, revitalization and development of communities utilizing a wide variety of economic and strategic tools.

The course will begin with an overview of elements of sustainable development. Then, the course will introduce the causes of poverty, social conflict and environmental problems. After that the concept of community-based natural resource management for sustainable development will be delivered. The guidelines, principles and policies of development agencies will be introduced together with methodologies of working with rural community people. At the end of the course, students will be able to: (i) know the roles of society and environment in economic development; (ii) review the fundamental and general systems and principles that support self-organizing processes of ecosystem services in a community; (iii) examine the concept of sustainability with analytical contexts; and (iv) prepare themselves to become a community development agent.

This introductory unit seeks to give an overview of sociology- an introduction to how we might go about 'thinking society' in a systematic and disciplined way. This unit examines processes of social change and offers the opportunity to critically examine social issues and explore questions of social and cultural identity. It looks at how that theory might be applied to specific areas of investigation and research. The unit aims to equip students with the ability to distinguish a sociological approach from other possible approaches to information, social situations, issues and problems; to recognize and experiment with different theoretical frameworks within sociology; and to begin to apply a range of critical analytical skills to a variety of contemporary social arrangements and social issues.

Macroeconomics is concerned with the operation of the economy as a whole, with attention paid to such things as unemployment, inflation, and interest rates, determination of the level of national income, savings and investment, and the exchange rate and the current account of the balance of payments. This course provides a basic understanding of macroeconomic framework for policy analysis. By the end of the course, students should be able to explore the interactions of key macroeconomic variables and examine the impacts of different kinds of shocks to the economy. Students should also be able to analyze macroeconomic issues from the perspective of the role of government budgetary and monetary policy in influencing the level of economic activity.

Our contemporary world has been experiencing unprecedented economic and technological developments. However, its consequential effects on human beings are considerable and cannot be taken for granted. The courses on social problems are designed to examine some of the most relevant effects of such development from different perspectives. In this course, learners are introduced to these two fundamental rights of human – that is rights to education and health care. In addition, the access and quality of these two services will be examined theoretically and contextually.

This course is the advanced level of statistical analysis. It gives students opportunities to understand the inferential statistics, including hypothesis testing, correlation analysis, T-test and the like. This course will enable students to interpret data with a higher degree of complications in social problems and a better communication in academic profession.

The course looks at the underlying structural causes of rural marginalization and the changes in the rural development paradigms. Particular attention is given to the study of the impact of urbanization and globalization on rural society and its economy, politics and environment. The issues discussed will include problems of agricultural restructuring, sustainable resource management, depopulation and out-migration, rural poverty; women in rural development, community-based and grass-roots development strategies, the role of development NGO's and micro-credit on rural development; sustainable rural development strategies.

This course introduces the foundational theories and frameworks of community development in both developed and less developed countries. Topics include: cultural development; the emergence of institutions; the specific roles of religion institutions, state, and family; the importance of worldviews; definitions of poverty and implications for development; a critical survey of community development frameworks and approaches; and applications to contemporary problems.

This course renders an analysis of Cambodia’s historical, socio-economic and political situations and issues in relation to development work. Socio-political and cultural dynamics in communities and implications to community development as a profession will be examined.

Our contemporary world has been experiencing unprecedented economic and technological developments. However, its consequential effects on human beings are considerable and cannot be taken for granted. The courses on social problems are designed to examine some of the most relevant effects of such development from different perspectives. This course will introduce a more cross-cutting issues related to youth and gender. Topics include but not limited to social crimes, drugs and unemployment from family, community and social environment and perspectives.

This course examines theoretically and practically the roles of the citizens and the state in nation building. In so doing, the course focuses on duties and rights of these binding parties in the processes of the development of the country. In addition, the course also focuses on the rights of the citizens to participate in monitoring the processes of community and national development carried out by the state.

This course equips students with knowledge, skills and tools to design a basic research proposal. It provides a comprehensive overview of the research process from project design and management to the effective communication of results. It is also meant to introduce students to research and project management skills that are critical to both the employment opportunities of many graduates and to the successful conduct of academic research. Students also learn the research process; research proposal development; ethical issues; research design and project management; sampling; research methods and data sources; interpreting results; and communicating research results.

The course introduces key theories and practical examples of Communication for Sustainable Development (C4SD), with reference to a range of case studies. The case studies are selected from different parts of the world, to illustrate the key roles played by information and communication in social change and development, and the specific contexts in which communication makes a difference. The case studies include: communication in agriculture, health and environment; communication and social movements; indigenous and ethnic communication. We also aim to look at different communication methods, including: community radio, visual communication, social media, and creative performance. After successfully completing this course, students should be able to understand the key theories and approaches that inform the field of C4SD, to identify the range of communication practices that are applied in the field of C4SD, to explore the ways in which information and communication can be used to leverage sustainable development in different parts of the world, and to assess the strength and weakness of a given concept and its contribution to C4SD.

This unit of study introduces conflict resolution theory and its application to conflicts at both group and community levels. Through seminar presentations, discussion and analysis, experiential exercises, role-plays, and problem-solving tasks, the unit of study aims to develop students' skills in understanding and practicing appropriate means of resolving or managing conflicts. The elective commences with defining the nature of conflict in groups and communities, and then presents the theory, principles and practical strategies of conflict resolution. Specific processes and skills for resolving or managing conflict in a range of differing contexts are then considered, including: individual conflicts, multi-party and multi-issue conflicts, intra group conflicts, cultural and inter group conflicts, and disputes in neighborhood and workplace contexts. Particular emphasis will be placed on the awareness of difference and its effect in disputes, and on the students' own styles in dealing with conflict.

This course looks at the history, goals/objectives, philosophies, concept, theory, and principles of cooperatives. It also includes an organizing and management of cooperatives. At the end of the course, students should be able to: explain the emergence of the cooperative model of organization; entail cooperative principles; describe the key differences between cooperatives (either for profit or nonprofit), conventional for-profit companies, and nonprofit organizations; explain the value and challenges of democratic control in cooperatives; describe the life cycle of a cooperative and the most critical challenges faced at each level in the cycle; and explain why or why not they (students) would prefer to work in a cooperative or other types of organization.

This course focuses upon the potential to integrate economic and environmental policies at the local and provincial scales. Local initiatives are investigated within their wider economic and environmental policy contexts in order to illustrate both the constraints and opportunities for local policy makers. Attention is given to global economic trends, as well as to the specific policy contexts of the ASEAN and the national contexts of Singapore, Thailand, China, and Vietnam. The key principles for designing integrative policies and descriptions of initiatives and projects in a variety of locations are also considered.

This course equips students with knowledge, skills and tools to write a research report, especially data analysis, literature enhancement, discussion, conclusion and recommendations and policy implications. As writing a thesis and research report requires integrated knowledge and skills, this course is designed to suit undergraduate students. This is one of the prerequisite knowledge and skills before students can enroll in Year Four for a thesis and research report.

This course introduces concepts that provide a framework for understanding human behavior, and examines their application to community business and management. It examines relevant aspects of individual human behavior, as well as behavior in groups and organizations. It provides social perspectives on human behavior and seeks to integrate these with psychological models and understandings.

Since the early 1990s, there has been an increasing global emphasis upon poverty and the search for means to reduce this condition, which affects up to twenty percent of the total global population. The drive to reduce poverty has become a major international as well as national policy objective. Rapid urbanization and industrialization in many formerly agricultural countries has given rise to unemployment and political disorder. Food shortages, high prices and riots have added to concerns that poverty is becoming more deeply entrenched in some of the poorest countries. This course is intended to give students an understanding of a) the historical character of poverty, including its changing forms, and explanations regarding poverty persistence; b) debates about the measurement of poverty, including the most appropriate measures; and c) the changing methods adopted for poverty alleviation.

The aim of this unit is for students to have an understanding of the different forms migration takes today, and to develop a critical understanding of the key debates around migration. The underlying theme of the unit is to link migration to broader processes of social change at the global, regional and national levels. The unit will compare and discuss a variety of forms of migration, including forced migration, skilled migration and temporary migration. It will look at key issues, including migrant remittances, migrant political organizations and debates around identity, cultural pluralism and multiculturalism.

This course is not an in-house class, but students attend workshops/seminars/conferences of their interest at RUPP or elsewhere to gain outside-class knowledge and skills. Students are required to write a reflection report about the events they have attended.

During the semester break, students do an internship with a local government agency to learn what, why and how the agency is doing to develop their communities. Students are required to participate in the agency’s activities and write a report about their learning and contribution to the community development.

This course introduces concepts, approaches and processes in community organizing. It mainly focuses on the theories and practices of community organization- the facilitation of meaningful change within communities to improve the quality of life for community members and promote progressive social change. Areas to be explored include the nature of community and culture, power structures and relations in community life, issues and dilemmas in community organization, strategies to organize communities, and our location as a community social worker. This course is intended to provide students with an understanding of the theories, concepts and methods of community work and opportunities to develop some practical skills.

The course trains students in innovative tools to become a practitioner or researcher in community development. The background and overview of the basic tools used in community development (RRA, PRA, PLA, BLT, etc.) will be introduced. The differences between these tools and other research methodologies will be recognized. This course provides both conceptual underpinnings of the tools and real practices in the class as well as in the field.

This course introduces students with the planning cycle of community development. The planning cycle includes: (i) PRE-PLANNING STEPS: Assess Community Readiness, Develop a Budget, Identify Funding, Build a Planning Team, Research, and Build a Workplan; (ii) PLANNING STEPS: Gather Background Information, Complete Community Analysis, Create Vision Statement and Values, Build a Comprehensive Strategic Framework, Set Goals and Objectives, Identify Activities and Projects, Create an Implementation Strategy; (iii) IMPLEMENTATION STEPS: Build Workplan, Implement Plan, and Report; and (iv) MONITORING & EVALUATION STEPS: Analyze Results, Review and Recommend, and Revise and Update.

This course discusses organizational and managerial development in the areas of: executive departments, national, state and municipal governments; bureaucracy; administrative theory; budgeting; personnel and administrative leadership.

Four billion people in developing countries currently lack access to a wide range of markets. Companies usually consider the low purchasing power of poor people and the difficulty to reach them as prohibitive for business. However, examples of innovative enterprises around the world show that businesses can make profits in markets at the bottom of the economic pyramid while pursuing social objectives. This course equips future managers and entrepreneurs with frameworks to assess and analyze the market potential in developing countries, and offers tools to solve market and non-market issues when dealing with low-income customers. Innovations in products, processes and business models are a central topic of discussion. The class also covers the redesign of costing and pricing strategies, supply chain and distribution management, investment and financing, and strategic partnerships with nonprofit or public entities. Learning is based on practical experiences taught through a series of case studies drawn from countries around the world, and students engage in a business planning competition.

This course is designed to enable students to analyze data. SPSS software will be introduced in conjunction with real world data. While students are doing a thesis or research report, the lectures will help them to smoothen the analysis of data.

Nelson Mandela said, "Poverty is not natural. It is man-made and it can be overcome and eradicated by the actions of human beings. And overcoming poverty is not an act of charity. It is an act of justice." For those who want to get involved in community work (volunteering, tutoring, political activism, advocating for a cause, dialogue, philanthropy, etc.), this course will ask students to answer the question: “What is Community-based Leadership?” by using the teaching and learning method of Community Storytelling. Students will work in teams of three to create a short video (under 10 minutes) that reflects their ideas about Community-based Leadership, documenting examples of local community leadership or sharing ways that others can get involved.

This course is concerned with the exploration of the changing roles and relations between the state, civil society, and business in contemporary Cambodia. The relationship between these three pillars of Canadian society has undergone significant transformations over the last number of years. Changes have been driven by a variety of forces, in particular the influences of globalization, corporate concentration, rapid technological change, the growth of personal income and increase in social polarization, and fiscal challenges in state financing. In this context the course is concerned with understanding the evolving nature and impact of business power and influence in Cambodia. The course examines a number of transformations in Cambodian society. It examines the shifting configuration of contemporary governance and the privileged position of corporations in Cambodian society and power structure, as well as the phenomenon of globalization and the international extension of business power. It also looks at the role of the mass media in shaping culture and dominant ideas within society; the restructuring of economic and social policy; constitutional change; the marketization of the state and civil society; the transformation of citizen to customer; and the increased threat to social cohesion. Finally, the course reflects upon the future of the public sector in Cambodia.

The aim of this course is to consolidate students' understanding of the central theoretical and practical aspects of community development work and to further develop their abilities in planning, implementing and evaluating community action plans and strategies. The unit commences with a review of some of the central concepts and components of models of community development, considers a range of successful case studies of community development in Asian, Pacific and Third World contexts, and goes on to analyze some of the key stages and modes of action of community development work in these contexts. These include approaches to understanding and researching the community action environment, processes of social mobilization and strategies and methods of social action.

To partially fulfill the requirement of the degree, less outstanding students are required to write a group research report. Students are required to consult their academic supervisor about the topical theme of their research report at the inception of Semester III. This consultation process takes place throughout the rest of the program. The supervisor approves students’ research report topic and outline. Students are required to attend bi-weekly consultation with their supervisor to discuss progress of their research report.

To partially fulfill the requirement of the degree, outstanding students are allowed to write an individual thesis. Students are required to consult their academic supervisor about the topical theme of their thesis at the inception of Semester III. This consultation process takes place throughout the rest of the program. The supervisor approves students’ thesis topic and outline. Students are required to attend bi-weekly consultation with their supervisor to discuss progress of their thesis.