COHD was founded in 2002 based on the College of Social Sciences and the College of Rural Development. It consists of seven departments, namely; Department of Development Studies, Department of International Education, Department of Sociology, Department of Law, Department of Management Sciences, Department of Media and Communication and the Department of Foreign Languages. There are also seven research centres or consulting agencies attached to the college: Centre for Integrated Agricultural Development (CIAD), Research Institute of Peasant Issues, Centre for Extension and Innovation Management, Centre for Agriculture and Rule of Law in Rural Areas, Centre for Gender and Development, Centre for Higher education, and Institute of Rural Communication. Apart from this, COHD has set up an innovation base for rural development and policy research in philosophy and social sciences, funded by 985 Project of the Ministry of Education. It is also authorized to edit the Journal of China Agricultural University (Social Sciences Edition).

The mission of the college is to build up a system of applied social science and higher education which studies and promotes rural development in China with both international and Chinese perspectives. The college seeks to meld development experiences from related international agencies and adapt them to the major agrarian issues of rural China. The multi-linked programs are designed to explore the possibilities of formulating and innovating rural development theories as well as cultivating student practice in rural development issues in China. It promotes not only the amalgamation, integration and innovation among different disciplines, but also the marriage between theories and practice in field studies and training. More importantly, the college is devoted to internationalizing the Chinese experience through its educational and research programs.

The college has established a comprehensive and multi-functional system composed of education, research, training and consultancy, with broad international exchanges, long-term international cooperation and long-standing social impacts. It currently recruits undergraduates, masters and doctorates in the fields of rural development and management, sociology, regional economics, economic law, history of science and technology, philosophy of science and technology, international business English, and communications. It also welcomes international students in an English programme of rural development and management. The college offers programs in Sino-China Educational Cooperation , a masters of public administration (MPA), and a masters of agricultural extension. The main research areas of the college include topics such as rural development policies and interventions, rural society and management, rule of law in rural China and rural politics etc. The practice of education and research involves seven level-1 disciplines (philosophy, economics, law, arts, history, agriculture and management), covering almost all the advanced studies essential to the future development of China, especially of rural China.

The college acts also as the College of Public Administration (COPA) in China Agricultural University. COPA is in charge of education, research, training and consultancy work for a masters of public administration. The research conducted by COPA in poverty alleviation and left-behind populations have produced far-reaching social impacts in China. There are seven research centres attached to COPA: Centre for Poverty Alleviation, Centre for Development Intervention, Centre for Left-behind Population, Centre for Methodology of Development Practice, Centre for Disaster Studies, Centre for Development Planning, and Centre for Social Gender and Development Studies. Training offered by COPA includes poverty alleviation management, participatory development planning, participatory project management and social gender and development. COPA provides technical supports as well to the government departments and non-government organisations working in rural development in terms of planning management, project management, poverty alleviation management, social work, land and natural resource management, and social gender and development.

The college has long received support and guidance from the ministries of Education, Agriculture, Science and Technology, among many others. It has had successful cooperation with multilateral organisations (such as the United Nations, World Bank, the European Union, and the Asian Development Bank), bilateral development assistance organisations (from countries such as Germany, Canada, Australia and etc.) and international donors (such as the Canada International Development Research Agency, Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst (EED) Church Development Service from Germany, the Ford Foundation etc.). Broad exchanges and cooperation in research and education have been founded with a variety of well-known universities and research institutes: including the London School of Economics and Political Science (UK), Cornell University (USA), Humboldt University (Germany), Wageningen University (The Netherlands), University of Reading (UK), Peking University, Tsinghua University, Renmin University of China, the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, and the Chinese Academy of Forestry.

The college, with a solid basis of humanities and a creditable tradition of practice, regards the enhancement of people-centered development as its responsibility. It strives to offer a premium course structure of humanities and development, to advocate the spirit of humanitarianism, to develop social sciences actively, and to create a free, harmonious, and serious academic atmosphere. We look forward to a deeper and wider cooperation with all organizations of a similar outlook and seek advice, suggestions, and support of all interested parties.