With its own advantages, the Faculty of Development and Media Studies (FDMS) was established in 2014, alongside four other faculties at the Sabah University College Foundation (UCSF). Currently, FDMS offers two academic programs: the Diploma in Media Studies and the Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Development Studies with Media Communication.

Graduates of the Diploma in Media Studies can pursue a Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Development Studies with Media Communication. They are eligible to credits exemption for some equivalent courses taken at the diploma level. Consequently, several diploma holders from the Faculty have advanced to the Bachelor’s level in Development with Media Studies. Similarly, numerous graduates of the Bachelor’s program have pursued further education at the Master’s level. Employment prospects for FDMS alums are promising, with over 70 percent securing jobs within a year of graduation, demonstrating strong employability.

In addition to the existing academic programs, the Faculty is developing two new study programs: the Diploma in Sustainable Urban Management and postgraduate research degrees in Development Studies at both the Master’s (MA) and Doctoral (PhD) levels, which will be launched once approval is received from the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA) and the Ministry of Higher Education (MoHE).

FDMS positions Development as a planned social process aimed at creating a more developed socio-economic environment, thereby liberating people from backwardness and poverty. As a social phenomenon, Development reflects the reality of human society, addressing various dimensions of human needs, including economic, educational, health, familial, cultural, spiritual, communication and political.

The United Nations has adopted Development as a strategy to address the challenges of backwardness faced by nations that gained independence from Western colonialism after World War II. In line with the UN Development initiative, which is embodied in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), this approach is now being adopted by all countries, particularly the least developed and developing nations. At the national level, government institutions and agencies spearhead the implementation of development initiatives through continuous short, medium and long-term planning at both the micro and macro levels.

Given the multidimensional nature of Development, it must be understood from various disciplinary perspectives. Consequently, FDMS emphasizes three main perspectives in its curriculum: sociology, social anthropology and media studies.

Sociological Perspective: This examines development-related issues such as social inequality, poverty, urban and rural communities, urbanization, industrialization, social change, labour and migration, crime, social institutions and stratification, human capital empowerment, sustainable Development, demography, social impact assessment, rural-urban Development and economic Development.

Social Anthropological Perspective: This explores the role of culture in Development, focusing on norms, values, social cohesion and ethnic material culture. It also addresses development issues faced by indigenous peoples.

Media Studies Perspective: It is a powerful tool for developing communication, enhancing the effectiveness of planning and management. Media studies investigates the rise of new media and its impact on human life, considering socio-economic, political, communication and lifestyle factors. It explores current patterns of social relations, public access to information (both local and global), media ideology and state authority.

Media studies also examine how media technologies shape both traditional and modern culture, public communication and national and global policies, while creatively incorporating advanced media skills such as media software and artificial intelligence.

All courses in the FDMS academic program are designed based on foundational knowledge from sociology, social anthropology and media studies. The curriculum ensures a balance between creativity, professionalism and moral responsibility among the Faculty’s graduates. As a result, FDMS students acquire developmental knowledge at both theoretical and practical levels, integrating insights from these disciplines.