The challenges of teaching design and management of social development to early semester social science students

Abstract

 The teaching of social sciences poses several challenges in academic programs oriented toward development, particularly those with multidisciplinary approaches. This study analyzes the case of the Bachelor’s Degree in Planificación para el Desarrollo Agropecuario, offered at a faculty in the country, with the aim of examining the perceptions of students, graduates, and faculty members regarding the training contents and their relevance to the demands of the professional field. To this end, survey instruments were administered to different members of the academic community in order to identify their assessments of the curriculum, the competencies developed during training, and the areas that require strengthening. The results reveal differentiated perceptions regarding the program’s educational emphases, as well as the identification of competencies considered key for professional practice, including project management, adaptability to diverse work environments, and research capacity. These findings highlight the need to strengthen pedagogical strategies and educational approaches that more effectively integrate the technical and social components of development, thereby contributing to the training of professionals capable of addressing territorial issues from an interdisciplinary perspective.