Masters Degrees (Development Studies)

Overview

A multidisciplinary perspective on the most relevant local and global issues regarding solidarity, including citizenship, poverty, sustainability, migration, welfare reform, social movements and private initiatives.
Solidarity is one of today’s main challenges. Highly volatile flows of people, goods and ideas, as well as the restructuring of markets and governing institutions have led to a high degree of globalization. Global links crisscross national borders and challenge established conceptions and structures. In addition, neoliberal reforms of state and society across the globe rewrite social contracts between people and states. How is solidarity imagined and practiced in this contemporary context?
The Master’s programme in Anthropology and Development Studies – with the theme of Shifting Solidarities – is at the cutting-edge of both social and cultural anthropology and development studies. The issue of solidarity in a neoliberal, postcolonial world encompasses a wide array of anthropological and development questions. By developing your own research questions, you'll be encouraged to delve deeper into the most relevant local and global challenges of solidarity.

See the website http://www.ru.nl/masters/ads

Why study Anthropology and Development Studies at Radboud University?

- This programme is at the cutting edge of both social and cultural anthropology and development studies. Joint classes with students from anthropology and development studies will give you a great opportunity to see all the global challenges from the other discipline as well as your own.
- Using a multidisciplinary perspective this programme also draws on knowledge from other disciplines including sociology, political sciences, economics and geography.
- This programme will prepare you for a wide array of jobs. From policy officer in the public sector or at (international) aid organisations to consultant at an engineering or consultancy firm.
- You can choose to go abroad for the research for your Master's programme.
- The Master's programme is run by the chair of Anthropology and the chair of Development Studies, both of whom have a wide network of international contacts that extends from China to Chile and from South Africa to the Pacific . This means you’ll have plenty of opportunities for arranging internships internationally.
- Radboud University offers a unique one-year Advanced Master in International Development (AMID) that you could apply for after completing your Master's. During this postgraduate programme, you'll combine real-life work at an aid organisation or a government department with practice-based instruction at the university.

Quality label

This programme was recently rated number one in the Netherlands in the Keuzegids Masters 2015 (Guide to Master's programmes).

Current programme (2015-2016)

The programme (including courses, reading requirements and course schedule) for the current academic year 2015-2016 can be found in the online prospectus http://www.studiegids.science.ru.nl/2015/en/socsci/prospectus/caos2

Career prospects

Studying Anthropology and Development Studies constitutes excellent preparation for a wide range of jobs. You're not limited to the career-path of becoming an aid worker, but are also trained for research and policy-making jobs. Many of our students therefore find work in the public sector or at international organisations, as well as in in education. After studying Anthropology and Development Studies at Radboud University, you'll have a broad array of options in the job market.

- Entering the labour market as an ADS graduate
As an Anthropology and Development Studies graduate from Radboud University, you'll have excellent prospects on today's job market. Former student, Margriet Tolsma, found work as a regional coordinator at Amnesty International. Anoeshka Gehring continued in the field of research and commenced her PhD in legal anthropology and migration in February 2011. Other graduates found work as:
- a policy maker or executive at cultural institutions;
- an advisor at aid and welfare organisations such as the UN, Oxfam NOVIB, Cordaid or the Dutch Council for Refugees;
- a researcher at a university or NGO, trade union, consultancy firm or private institution;
- a policy officer, advisor or researcher at the central government (diplomat training, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Justice Department) and local government (provincial and municipal level) or non-profit organisations;
- a social studies teacher in secondary or vocational education;
- a journalist.

- Want to boost your chances of landing a job? Take the postgraduate course!
After completing your Master's you will have the option of doing the Advanced Master in International Development (AMID). This one-year postgraduate programme is offered by the chair of Development Studies and is unique in the Netherlands. During this programme, you will combine real-life work at an aid organisation or a government department with practice-based instruction at the university. This programme will significantly boost your chances on the labour market.

Meet Radboud University

- Information for international students
Radboud University would love to meet you in your country (http://www.ru.nl/english/education/masters/behavioural-science/meet-radboud/information-for) in order to give all the information you need and to answer any questions you might have about studying in the Netherlands. In the next few months, an advisor of Radboud University will be attending fairs in various countries, always accompanied by a current or former student.
Furthermore, we understand if you would like to see the Radboud Campus and the city of Nijmegen, which is why we organise an Master's Open Day for international students (http://www.ru.nl/english/education/masters/behavioural-science/meet-radboud/open-day-0/open-day) which will take place on 5 March 2016.

- Information for Dutch students
Radboud University offers students in the Netherlands plenty of opportunities to get more information on your programme of choice, or get answers to any questions you might have. Apart from a Master's Evening and a Master's Day, we also organise Orientation Days and a Master’s Afternoon for HBO students.

See the website http://www.ru.nl/masters/ads

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Applicants apply for the MSc Development Studies programme but can decide to follow the Contemporary India Pathway upon arrival by choosing the combination of modules required for this pathway (see Structure tab).

We welcome applications from those who have worked in a broad field of development, but also from students without relevant work experience who can demonstrate a strong interest in, and understanding of, development issues in Contemporary India.

Students taking the Contemporary India Pathway will develop a specialist understanding of Development Studies in the context of Contemporary India. Development issues in Contemporary India are a major focus of NGO and international organisations that work in the India. SOAS' recognised strengths in this area, including the establishment of the SOAS South Asia Institute, makes this a unique and exciting opportunity for those interested in Contemporary India.

Visit the website http://www.soas.ac.uk/development/programmes/msc-development-studies-contemporary-india-pathway/

Duration:

One calendar year (full-time) Two (part-time, daytime only) We recommend that part-time students have between two and a half and three days free in the week to pursue their course of study.

Structure

Applicants apply for, and will be formally enrolled on, the MSc Development Studies programme. Students wishing to follow the Contemporary India Pathway will take two core modules in Development Studies (Political Economy of Development and Theory, Policy and Practice of Development), one module specific to Contemporary India and a dissertation (which must be written on a Contemporary India-related topic). The dissertation will include the option of undertaking a 2-4 week internship during the summer months, either arranged by the student to be approved by the Convenor or, through the Careers Office who have a database of organisations offering internship positions in India.

If the following combination of modules has been successfully completed, students may request that the following specialism appears on their final degree transcript: 'MSc Development Studies with special reference to Contemporary India'.

- Non-Assessed Courses

All MSc students in Development Studies are eligible to attend the one-term , non-assessed module, Economics for Beginners,which introduces students to basic concepts in microeconomics, macroeconomics, development economics, and statistics and econometrics.

Materials

- SOAS Library
SOAS Library is one of the world's most important academic libraries for the study of Africa, Asia and the Middle East, attracting scholars from all over the world. The Library houses over 1.2 million volumes, together with significant archival holdings, special collections and a growing network of electronic resources.

Teaching & Learning

Modules are taught by a combination of methods, principally lectures, tutorial classes, seminars and supervised individual study projects.

The MSc programme consists of three taught modules (corresponding to three examination papers) and a dissertation.

- Lectures

Most modules involve a two hour lecture as a key component with linked tutorial classes.

- Seminars

At Masters level there is particular emphasis on seminar work. Students make full-scale presentations for each unit that they take, and are expected to write papers that often require significant independent work.

- Dissertation

A quarter of the work for the degree is given over to the writing of an adequately researched 10,000-word dissertation. Students are encouraged to take up topics which relate the study of a particular region to a body of theory.

Employment

A postgraduate degree from the Department of Development Studies at SOAS will further develop your understanding of the world, other peoples’ ways of life and how society is organised, with an emphasis on transferable analytical skill. These skills have been of great benefit to the many graduates who have taken up professional careers in development in international organisations,
government agencies and non-government organisations. This, in addition to your detailed subject knowledge, will also equip you with a set of other specific skills, including: critical skills; the ability to research extensively; a high level of cultural awareness; and the ability to solve problems.

For more information about Graduate Destinations from this department, please visit the Careers Service website (http://www.soas.ac.uk/careers/graduate-destinations/).

Find out how to apply here - http://www.soas.ac.uk/admissions/pg/howtoapply/

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Applicants apply for the MSc Development Studies programme but can decide to follow the Palestine Pathway upon arrival by choosing the combination of modules required for this pathway (see Structure tab).

We welcome applications from those who have worked in a broad field of development, but also from students without relevant work experience who can demonstrate a strong interest in, and understanding of, development issues in Palestine.

Students taking the Palestine Pathway will develop a specialist understanding of Development Studies in the context of Palestine. Development issues in Palestine are a major focus of NGO and international organisations that work in the Middle East. SOAS' recognised strengths in this area, including the establishment of the Centre for Palestine Studies, makes this a unique and exciting opportunity for those interested in Palestine.

Visit the website http://www.soas.ac.uk/development/programmes/msc-development-studies-palestine-pathway/

Structure

Applicants apply for, and will be formally enrolled on, the MSc Development Studies programme. Students wishing to follow the Palestine Pathway will take two core modules in Development Studies (Political Economy of Development and Theory, Policy and Practice of Development), two modules specific to Palestine and a dissertation (which must be written on a Palestine-related topic).

If the following combination of modules has been successfully completed, students may request that the following specialism appears on their final degree transcript: 'MSc Development Studies with special reference to Palestine'.

- Non-Assessed Courses

All MSc students in Development Studies are eligible to attend the one-term , non-assessed module, Economics for Beginners,which introduces students to basic concepts in microeconomics, macroeconomics, development economics, and statistics and econometrics.

Programme Specification

Programme Specification 2015/16 (pdf; 90kb) - http://www.soas.ac.uk/development/programmes/mscdevstud/file101803.pdf

Materials

- SOAS Library
SOAS Library is one of the world's most important academic libraries for the study of Africa, Asia and the Middle East, attracting scholars from all over the world. The Library houses over 1.2 million volumes, together with significant archival holdings, special collections and a growing network of electronic resources.

Teaching & Learning

Modules are taught by a combination of methods, principally lectures, tutorial classes, seminars and supervised individual study projects.

The MSc programme consists of three taught modules (corresponding to three examination papers) and a dissertation.

- Lectures

Most modules involve a two hour lecture as a key component with linked tutorial classes.

- Seminars

At Masters level there is particular emphasis on seminar work. Students make full-scale presentations for each unit that they take, and are expected to write papers that often require significant independent work.

- Dissertation

A quarter of the work for the degree is given over to the writing of an adequately researched 10,000-word dissertation. Students are encouraged to take up topics which relate the study of a particular region to a body of theory.

Employment

A postgraduate degree from the Department of Development Studies at SOAS will further develop your understanding of the world, other peoples’ ways of life and how society is organised, with an emphasis on transferable analytical skill. These skills have been of great benefit to the many graduates who have taken up professional careers in development in international organisations,
government agencies and non-government organisations. This, in addition to your detailed subject knowledge, will also equip you with a set of other specific skills, including: critical skills; the ability to research extensively; a high level of cultural awareness; and the ability to solve problems.

For more information about Graduate Destinations from this department, please visit the Careers Service website (http://www.soas.ac.uk/careers/graduate-destinations/).

Find out how to apply here - http://www.soas.ac.uk/admissions/pg/howtoapply/

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Development Studies is a dynamic field concerned with processes of change in the South - social and economic, political and cultural - and the major policy challenges they present to efforts to overcome poverty and insecurity. This programme provides a solid interdisciplinary social science formation in development theory and practice and develops students’ capacities for independent and critical analysis. The MSc Development Studies with Special Reference to Central Asia has four components: the two compulsory courses as for MSc in Development Studies; a course option which must be on a Central Asian topic; and a dissertation linked to the option.

Who is this programme for?:

Applicants apply for the MSc Development Studies https://www.soas.ac.uk/development/programmes/mscdevstud/ programme but can decide to follow the Central Asia Pathway upon arrival by choosing the combination of modules required for this pathway (see Structure tab).

We welcome applications from those who have worked in a broad field of development, but also from students without relevant work experience who can demonstrate a strong interest in, and understanding of, development issues in Central Asia.

Students taking the Central Asia Pathway will develop a specialist understanding of Development Studies in the context of Central Asia. Development issues in Central Asia are a major focus of NGO and international organisations that work in Central Asia. SOAS' recognised strengths in this area, including the establishment of the Centre of Contemporary Central Asia and the Caucasus https://www.soas.ac.uk/cccac/, makes this a unique and exciting opportunity for those interested in Central Asia.

Materials

SOAS Library
SOAS Library is one of the world's most important academic libraries for the study of Africa, Asia and the Middle East, attracting scholars from all over the world. The Library houses over 1.2 million volumes, together with significant archival holdings, special collections and a growing network of electronic resources.

Teaching & Learning

Modules are taught by a combination of methods, principally lectures, tutorial classes, seminars and supervised individual study projects.

The MSc programme consists of three taught modules (corresponding to three examination papers) and a dissertation.

Lectures

Most modules involve a two hour lecture as a key component with linked tutorial classes.

Seminars

At Masters level there is particular emphasis on seminar work. Students make full-scale presentations for each unit that they take, and are expected to write papers that often require significant independent work.

Dissertation

A quarter of the work for the degree is given over to the writing of an adequately researched 10,000-word dissertation. Students are encouraged to take up topics which relate the study of a particular region to a body of theory.

Apply online here - https://app.hobsons.co.uk/AYApplicantLogin/fl_ApplicantLogin.asp?id=soas

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The course is structured around five core papers and a number of option papers, so that study pathways suited to a range of differing interests and needs can be explored. Each of the core papers (Development Economics; Institutions and Development; Sociology and Politics of Development; Globalisation, Business and Development: Cities and Development ) is taught by a member of Development Studies' academic staff. Some option papers are full papers and some are half papers. Students take four full papers (or their equivalent in half papers) concurrently. At least two papers must be core papers. One (full) option paper may be replaced by a 12,000 word dissertation. A number of option papers are shared with other MPhil Courses (Economic and Social History; Planning, Growth and Regeneration, Management, and Politics.

See the website http://www.graduate.study.cam.ac.uk/courses/directory/hsdvmpmdv

Course detail

The MPhil provides a framework within which students can construct a pathway suited to a wide range of differing interests and needs: those for whom the MPhil represents a one year preparation for a career in development policy can select a broad inter disciplinary set of subjects, while those who wish to continue their studies at the doctoral level can select a more specialised set of options concentrating on the analytical tools of their subject, and discover which university department or faculty is most suited to their research plan.

Format

The course is structured around five core papers and a number of option papers, so that study pathways suited to a range of differing interests and needs can be explored. Each of the core papers (Development Economics; Institutions and Development; Sociology and Politics of Development; Globalisation, Business and Development: Cities and Developmant ) is taught by a member of Development Studies' academic staff. Some option papers are full papers and some are half papers. Students take four full papers (or their equivalent in half papers) concurrently. At least two papers must be core papers. One (full) option paper may be replaced by a 12,000 word dissertation. A number of option papers are shared with other MPhil Courses (Economic and Social History; Planning, Growth and Regeneration, Management, and Politics.

The teaching for all papers, whether core or option, takes place over the first two of the three terms in the academic year (Michaelmas and Lent terms) and, in some cases, extends into the first four weeks of the third (Easter) term. Students who choose to write a dissertation must complete and submit their dissertations along with the rest of their course work before the written examinations begin in the third (Easter) term.

Assessment

One (full) option paper may be replaced by a 12,000 word dissertation on a subject of your choice.

Papers are examined either by assessed essays written and submitted during the course of the year, or by a take-home project, or by a formal written examination. At the discretion of the Examiners there may also be an oral examination.

All five core papers have a written examination. The examinations for these core papers are two-hours and for each paper you will be required to answer two questions out of a total of eight. At the discretion of the Examiners there may also be an oral examination.

Continuing

6 - 8 students annually continue to the PhD in Development Studies. For continuation on to the PhD candidates will have to achieve on average of 70 (high pass) in their overall mark in the MPhil course. They will also need an acceptable PhD proposal.

In recent years Development Studies students have been accepted as PhD students by the Faculties of Education, Social and Political Sciences, and History, by the Departments of Social Anthropology, Geography, and Land Economy, by POLIS , and by the Judge Business School.

How to apply: http://www.graduate.study.cam.ac.uk/applying

Funding Opportunities

Funding is available for two students from sub-Sahara Africa or from other developing countries. Funding will be allocated to those students to whom an offer to study the MPhil in Development Studies has been made and who have not secured other funding and scholarships.

General Funding Opportunities http://www.graduate.study.cam.ac.uk/finance/funding

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The Master of Development Studies equips students with knowledge and tools for understanding and researching today’s development issues. The coursework of this programme lays the foundation for studying development in multidisciplinary perspective, covering theoretical and practical aspects. We address contemporary challenges arising from globalization, and transition students to the dissertation portion of the program through training in research methodology. Elective courses focus on major issues in development: poverty and inequality, industrialization, the role of institutions, sustainable development, and entrepreneurship.

INTRODUCTION

The Master of Development Studies is a multidisciplinary programme that sets to provide solid grounding in development from theoretical, conceptual, historical and contemporary perspectives, as well as a good grasp of empirical research, policy analysis, and development in practice particularly applicable to development scholars, practitioners and policymakers. The programme exposes students to development theories and a wide range of topics related to development. The students are also trained to conduct research in development studies.



ENTRY REQUIREMENT

A Bachelor degree with a minimum of CGPA 3.0 or equivalent and sufficient knowledge of development studies or relevant field.



PROGRAMME STRUCTURE

CORE COURSES (24 Credits)

- Philosophy and Methodology of Research

- Research Project

- Development Theory and Practice

- Globalization and Development



OPTIONAL COURSES (A+B)



(A) AT LEAST 3 OPTIONAL COURSES (9 Credits)

- Poverty and Inequality

- Sustainable Development and Environmental Management

- Entrepreneurship and Development

- Institutions, Industrial Development and Economic Growth

- Economics of Education

- Gender and Development Issues



(B) NOT MORE THAN 3 OPTIONAL COURSES (9 Credits)

- The Malaysian Economy

- Economic Development and Planning

- Public Economics

- Islamic Banking and Finance

- Public Policy Analysis

- Social Policy and Development

- Planning Community and Development



PROGRAMME DURATION

Minimum: 2 Semesters

Maximum: 8 Semesters



LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS (For International Applicants)

Minimum TOEFL score of 550 or;

Minimum IELTS overall band score of 5.5



FEES STRUCTURE

AVERAGE FEES*

MALAYSIAN

RM 14,130.00*

INTERNATIONAL

RM 27,867.50*

*Subject to change

Facilities

The faculty is equipped with state-of-the-art facilities such as two computer teaching laboratories equipped with LCD and statistical software with a total capacity for 105 students, a student computer laboratory for 51 students and five lecture theatres.

In addition, the beautiful new building for postgraduate studies, houses 15 seminar rooms, a computer laboratory with a capacity for 54 computer workstations, 2 conference halls with a capacity of 100 persons each and 3 wireless LAN coverage (WiFi) zones within the faculty.

Indeed, FEA is one of the few premier institutions that can provide such quality, in terms of facilities.

Career Opportunity

- Government agencies ( federal, state, local and others)
- International development agencies
- Non-governmental organizations (NGOs)
- Non-profit organizations
- Educational services (universities, colleges and others)
- Policy and research bodies

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Development Studies is a dynamic field concerned with processes of change in the South - social and economic, political and cultural - and the major policy challenges they present to efforts to overcome poverty and insecurity. At SOAS, we seek not only to understand the major drivers of development, but also to critically evaluate them with a view towards informing more just and equitable approaches.

Course detail

This programme will provide you with a solid interdisciplinary social science formation in development theory and practice and will develop your capacity for independent and critical analysis. The emphasis on transferable analytical skills has been of great benefit to the many graduates who have returned to, or taken up, professional careers in development in international organisations, government agencies and NGOs.

You will also have access to a wealth of study resources including the SOAS Library, one of the world's most important academic libraries, attracting scholars from across the globe.

A global perspective

Studying at SOAS University of London enhances your learning experience by giving you a global perspective on issues such as: neoliberalism and its critiques, industrialisation, labour and capital, state failure, poverty and insecurity, gender and class analysis, and commodity chains and trade.

You will join a worldwide network of people who are passionate about thinking about and working towards development and equality for all.

Expert at where the world is changing

Many of our staff come from development practitioner backgrounds and this informs what we teach. We are all engaged in field research, which routinely sends us to places where development policies and approaches touch people’s lives in direct ways, and we draw on this experience in the classroom.

We regularly engage in a wide range of research with international development institutions, including United Nations agencies and NGOs, on crucial topics such as labour, violence, neoliberalism, peace and development, migration, development policy, aid and poverty reduction.

Format and assessment

The MSc Development Studies has four components: two compulsory modules (Political Economy of Development and Theory, and Policy and Practice of Development); one full-module option or two half-module options; and a dissertation of 10,000 words.

Please see Postgraduate Modules for details on core and optional modules taught within the Department. For a full list of modules offered, please see the Postgraduate Handbook, available on the Development Studies homepage (http://www.soas.ac.uk/development/).

Modules are taught by a combination of methods, principally lectures, tutorial classes, seminars and supervised individual study projects.

Careers

A postgraduate degree from the Department of Development Studies at SOAS will further develop your understanding of the world, other peoples’ ways of life and how society is organised, with an emphasis on transferable analytical skill. These skills have been of great benefit to the many graduates who have taken up professional careers in development in international organisations, government agencies and non-government organisations. This, in addition to your detailed subject knowledge, will also equip you with a set of other specific skills, including: critical skills; the ability to research extensively; a high level of cultural awareness; and the ability to solve problems.

For more information about Graduate Destinations from this department, please visit the Careers Service website (http://www.soas.ac.uk/careers/graduate-destinations/).

Postgraduate Open Evenings

You’ll be able to have one-to-one discussions with academics and current students. You can also attend specialist subject talks and take a tour of our campus.

Book now: http://www.soas.ac.uk/admissions/pg/openevenings/

Webinars

Our webinars give you an opportunity to hear and ask questions about the subject you’re interested in studying. We also cover topics such as making an application, Tier 4 Visa entry, fees and funding, scholarships, accommodation options as well as career related information.

Book now: https://www.soas.ac.uk/admissions/pg/webinars/

How to apply

Find out how to apply here - http://www.soas.ac.uk/admissions/pg/howtoapply/

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Why take this course?

This course will allow students to gain specialism in a chosen topic through a production of an extended piece of academic writing building on their choice of optional units taken in the second year covering the areas of health, education, gender, international relations, criminology and making use of the applied research methods in development skills acquired in the first year.

The distance learning and part time mode of the programme provides a flexible learning framework with opportunities for students to undertake a full Master's qualification, a postgraduate Diploma or a postgraduate Certificate.

What will I experience?

On this course you can:

Critically engage with an international development studies topic of choice, assembling information from a variety of sources to compose clear detailed and logical argument;
Learn to formulate a systematic and methodologically sound research process through undertaking a literature review and empirical research;
Where applicable, justify ethical considerations surrounding research carried out.

What opportunities might it lead to?

You can expect to graduate from this course with enhanced career prospects in the international development sector, greater knowledge of development issues and an increasing professional network that may allow you to identify career opportunities. You will also be prepared for doctoral study.

Module Details

You will study the following core units:

Theory & Practice of Development:
Explore the history, theory and practice of international development studies, through topics from colonialism to globalisation. You will be introduced to the tools, such as social enterprise, that are used in development practice. Assessment includes a social enterprise project alongside a traditional essay.

Applied Research Methods for Development:
Learn the strategies and methods of collecting and analysing quantitative and qualitative data in the social sciences. You will learn to use SPSS for data manipulation, quantitative data analysis and interpretation, using a range of data sets relevant to international development studies.

Dissertation:
Demonstrate your achievement on the course as a whole, through the production of a 15,000-word research project on a topic of your choice, informed by the optional units you have selected, under the advice and guidance of a personal supervisor.

You will also select two optional units:

International and Comparative Criminal Justice:
Compare differing systems of criminal justice, including international courts and criminal tribunals, as well as international norms and standards. You will examine the role of international criminal justice bodies within the UN and the EU, institutional development, and criminal justice capacity building.

Gender for Development Cooperation:
Combine study of theories in gender (including masculinities) with practical knowledge of the tools used by practitioners to approach gender mainstreaming in development. You will also look at the application of a gendered lens to the design and implementation of development programmes.

Contemporary Security in International Relations:
Examine the most pressing international security challenges facing policy makers, reflect on new debates in security studies, and explore the enduring relevance of strategic thought in the face of contemporary challenges.

Education and Development:
Consider key issues in contemporary debates relating to education and international development, through a range of approaches, theories and research in historical and regional contexts. Themes include fair access, inclusivity, diversity and equity in education and skills policy.

Health and Development:
Examine the challenges in defining and measuring population health, and explore a variety of health topics relevant to both the developed and developing countries including obesity, ageing, health and migration, health inequalities and child under-nutrition.

Economics of Development:
Gain insights into the ways in which economics and economists play a critical role in terms of development policy. You will examine resource endowment and exploitation, poverty and inequality, historic trade theory and the role of finance and microfinance in economic development.

Units (30 credits per unit, 60 credits for the dissertation) are offered individually as credit-bearing short courses, or as part of the Postgraduate Certificate (60 credits), Postgraduate Diploma (120 credits), or MSc International Development Studies (180 credits).

Programme Assessment

This course will be offered entirely through distance learning methods. All course materials and readings, lecture notes, as well as additional links to useful organisational sites, social media hubs and further resources, will be posted and regularly updated in our virtual learning environment. Human contact will be an important part of the programme too, with regular ‘webinars’, discussion forums, one-on-one tutorials with lecturers, email correspondence and skype meetings where necessary.

The assessment methods used on this programme are varied and test all the skills developed in the different modules at different stages of the learning process. These include essays, leading and participating in discussion forums and blogs, portfolios, policy briefs and research projects, allowing for a balance between formative and summative assessment.

Student Destinations

The course is designed to support the needs of those who hope to be, or are already, engaged in the international development sector. It offers highly desirable transferable skills such as communication, qualitative data collection, quantitative data manipulation and data analysis and writing skills. Additionally, the applied nature of this course means that students will be working within ‘live’ development contexts from the start. This will ensure that they are able to develop their professional networks and identify career opportunities. Additionally students will benefit from the advice and guidance regarding career progression given by the experts and development practitioners who teach on this course.

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Why take this course?

This course builds on the knowledge in theory and practice of development and applied research methods for development gained in the first year to allow for an in-depth understanding of two optional courses depending on students’ interest and background taken in the second year. Optional units will cover the disciplines of health, education, economics, politics and criminology and the topic of gender.

The distance learning and part time mode of the programme provides a flexible learning framework with opportunities for students to undertake a full Master's qualification, a postgraduate Diploma or a postgraduate Certificate.

What will I experience?

On this course you can:

Study with academic staff that are actively engaged in research in your chosen optional unit and with an area/regional specialism
Critically engage with a range of topics from the field of international development studies, assembling a clear argument from a variety of information sources
Take advantage of flexible provision that aims to meet your specific needs

What opportunities might it lead to?

You can expect to graduate from this course with enhanced career prospects in the international development sector, greater knowledge of development issues and an increasing professional network that may allow you to identify career opportunities.

Module Details

You will study the following core units:

Theory & Practice of Development:
Explore the history, theory and practice of international development studies, through topics from colonialism to globalisation. You will be introduced to the tools, such as social enterprise, that are used in development practice. Assessment includes a social enterprise project alongside a traditional essay.

Applied Research Methods for Development:
Learn the strategies and methods of collecting and analysing quantitative and qualitative data in the social sciences. You will learn to use SPSS for data manipulation, quantitative data analysis and interpretation, using a range of data sets relevant to international development studies.

You will also select two optional units:

International and Comparative Criminal Justice:
Compare differing systems of criminal justice, including international courts and criminal tribunals, as well as international norms and standards. You will examine the role of international criminal justice bodies within the UN and the EU, institutional development, and criminal justice capacity building.

Gender for Development Cooperation:
Combine study of theories in gender (including masculinities) with practical knowledge of the tools used by practitioners to approach gender mainstreaming in development. You will also look at the application of a gendered lens to the design and implementation of development programmes.

Contemporary Security in International Relations:
Examine the most pressing international security challenges facing policy makers, reflect on new debates in security studies, and explore the enduring relevance of strategic thought in the face of contemporary challenges.

Education and Development:
Consider key issues in contemporary debates relating to education and international development, through a range of approaches, theories and research in historical and regional contexts. Themes include fair access, inclusivity, diversity and equity in education and skills policy.

Health and Development:
Examine the challenges in defining and measuring population health, and explore a variety of health topics relevant to both the developed and developing countries including obesity, ageing, health and migration, health inequalities and child under-nutrition.

Economics of Development:
Gain insights into the ways in which economics and economists play a critical role in terms of development policy. You will examine resource endowment and exploitation, poverty and inequality, historic trade theory and the role of finance and microfinance in economic development.

Units (30 credits per unit, 60 credits for the dissertation) are offered individually as credit-bearing short courses, or as part of the Postgraduate Certificate (60 credits), Postgraduate Diploma (120 credits), or MSc International Development Studies (180 credits).

Programme Assessment

This course will be offered entirely through distance learning methods. All course materials and readings, lecture notes, as well as additional links to useful organisational sites, social media hubs and further resources, will be posted and regularly updated in our virtual learning environment. Human contact will be an important part of the programme too, with regular ‘webinars’, discussion forums, one-on-one tutorials with lecturers, email correspondence and skype meetings where necessary.

The assessment methods used on this programme are varied and test all the skills developed in the different modules at different stages of the learning process. These include essays, leading and participating in discussion forums and blogs, portfolios, policy briefs and research projects, allowing for a balance between formative and summative assessment.

Student Destinations

The living contexts of the work undertaken on this course will offer valuable experience and contacts in the international development sector, while the advice and guidance regarding career progression given by lecturing staff will be invaluable. You may use this career to support work in governmental bodies and NGOs, or charities.

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Why take this course?

International Development Studies is a multidisciplinary course that can be approached from different angles of various disciplines. However, any international development professional needs to have knowledge in the theory of development and skills required in international development practice. This course combines theories of development with core professional skills needed for a successful career in development such as quantitative and qualitative research methods and social enterprise.

The distance learning and part time mode of the programme provides a flexible learning framework with opportunities for students to undertake a full Master's qualification, a postgraduate Diploma or a postgraduate Certificate.

What will I experience?

On this course you can:

Engage in debates on what is development, how development is measured and the historical influences and theories of development;
Be introduced to the tools used in development practice;
Learn to undertake quantitative data analysis using books that are light hearted and have a gentle treatment to statistics;
Take advantage of flexible provision that meets the needs of different stakeholders, including those already professionally employed in international development.

What opportunities might it lead to?

You can expect to graduate from this course with enhanced career prospects in the international development sector, greater knowledge of development issues and an increasing professional network that may allow you to identify career opportunities.

Module Details

You will study the following core units:

Theory & Practice of Development:
Explore the history, theory and practice of international development studies, through topics from colonialism to globalisation. You will be introduced to the tools, such as social enterprise, that are used in development practice. Assessment includes a social enterprise project alongside a traditional essay.

Applied Research Methods for Development:
Learn the strategies and methods of collecting and analysing quantitative and qualitative data in the social sciences. You will learn to use SPSS for data manipulation, quantitative data analysis and interpretation, using a range of data sets relevant to international development studies.

Units (30 credits per unit, 60 credits for the dissertation) are offered individually as credit-bearing short courses, or as part of the Postgraduate Certificate (60 credits), Postgraduate Diploma (120 credits), or MSc International Development Studies (180 credits).

Programme Assessment

This course will be offered entirely through distance learning methods. All course materials and readings, lecture notes, as well as additional links to useful organisational sites, social media hubs and further resources, will be posted and regularly updated in our virtual learning environment. Human contact will be an important part of the programme too, with regular ‘webinars’, discussion forums, one-on-one tutorials with lecturers, email correspondence and skype meetings where necessary.

The assessment methods used on this programme are varied and test all the skills developed in the different modules at different stages of the learning process. These include essays, leading and participating in discussion forums and blogs, portfolios, policy briefs and research projects, allowing for a balance between formative and summative assessment.

Student Destinations

The course is designed to support the needs of those who hope to be, or are already, engaged in the international development sector. It offers highly desirable transferable skills such as communication, qualitative data collection, quantitative data manipulation and data analysis and writing skills. Additionally, the applied nature of this course means that students will be working within ‘live’ development contexts from the start. This will ensure that they are able to develop their professional networks and identify career opportunities. Additionally students will benefit from the advice and guidance regarding career progression given by the experts and development practitioners who teach on this course.

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About the MSc programmes

No field in contemporary social science is more challenging and exciting than the study of development – the processes involved in overcoming poverty and creating healthy, wealthy and sustainable societies. The MSc in Development Studies provides students with a high quality academic training in development studies using contemporary theory in the social sciences to understand the processes, policy and practice of development.

A full-unit core course in Development: History, Theory and Policy introduces you to the theories and historical experience of development, as well as cutting-edge policy debates. The course provides you with a strong foundation to engage with the economic, political and social dimensions of development policy and practice. You will also choose from a wide range of optional courses within the School to deepen or broaden your disciplinary training, or take up the advanced study of a particular region of the developing world.

The programme brings together students from diverse academic and professional backgrounds, and recent graduates have gone on to work in government, international development agencies, NGOs, as well as development consultancies and think tanks, or to PhD study.

Graduate destinations

Recent graduates have gained employment in government, international development agencies, international and local non-governmental organisations (NGOs), international and local private firms, development consultancies and think-tanks, or have gone on to obtain PhDs in development studies or other social science disciplines.

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MSc International Development Studies

If development aid is just a waste of money, how can we find a better way to improve the livelihoods of people? With regions and countries fighting for land, water, and resources, how can we help people recover from conflict and war? How can we transform the right to food, water, and a clean environment into reality? These are just a few examples of issues relating to development studies.

The International Development Studies programme allows you to develop a critical understanding of development theories. You will learn to plan and conduct research. You acquire the skills to translate your finding into development policies, intervention strategies and institutional innovations. You will learn to include the diverging views of various stakeholders and to work in multidisciplinary teams.

Programme summary

This programme deals with worldwide processes of development and change related to livelihoods, agro-food networks and the environment in a dynamic international context. Special attention is given to exclusion processes, equity, unequal access to resources and sustainability. Social, economic, political, technological, and environmental change is studied from various perspectives and at different levels. You will develop a critical understanding of recent development theories, learn to plan and conduct research, and acquire skills to translate research findings into recommendations for policies and intervention strategies. You will learn to include the diverging views of various stakeholders and to work in multidisciplinary teams. Depending on your previous education, you can follow one of the specialisations. .

Specialisations

Students can choose one of the following three specialisations after consultation with the study advisor. The selected specialisation mainly depends on your academic background.

Sociology of Development
This specialisation focuses on social transformation processes, especially the local consequences of globalisation and environmental change, and the way people cope with uncertain circumstances. Themes studied include natural resource degradation, refugees, migration, post-disaster reconstruction, social unrest, poverty, and lack of access to resources crucial to the livelihoods of people. This specialisation applies sociological and anthropological perspectives to development problems with special attention given to understanding the differing interests and views of numerous actors. You can choose a major in Disaster Studies, Environmental Policy, Sociology of Development and Change, or Rural Sociology.

Economics of Development
The central themes in this specialisation are the role of agriculture in development, food security and the global food crisis, regional economic issues, sustainable use of natural resources, rural-urban income disparities, and issues related to poverty and the role of institutions. These themes are examined from a microeconomic perspective to gain insight into the behaviour of individuals and institutions, as well as from a macroeconomic perspective to obtain insight into development processes at regional and national levels. You can major in Agricultural Economics and Rural Policy, Development Economics, Environmental Economics and Natural Resources, or Regional Economics.

Communication, Technology and Policy
In this specialisation, social transformation and sustainable development are examined with a specific focus on communication, technological innovations, and policy processes. An important theme is how technologies and policies are developed in the interaction between various parties (e.g. governments, social organisations, and citizens) and the role of communication in these processes. Another theme is the relationship between technological change (in the agricultural and food sectors), institutional processes and social transformation. You can choose a major in Knowledge, Technology and Innovation, Law and Governance, or Strategic Communication.

Your future career

Graduates are employed in various (inter-) national organisations as a programme/ project coordinator, trainer, consultant, advisor, policymaker or researcher. You could work, for example, as policymaker in a government or semi-governmental institute, as programme coordinator or advisor in an international (non-)governmentalorganisation or (consultancy) company, or as researcher and/or teacher at a university or research institute. Examples of organisations include: FAO, World Bank, European Union, UTZ Certified, Oxfam Novib, Rabobank Foundation, CARE, Sustainalytics and UNICEF.

Alumnus Luckmore Jalisi.
“I have really benefitted from what I learnt during my studies. This master has opened doors for me." Luckmore did the specialisation Sociology of Development and conducted both his internship and thesis research in a refugee camp in Uganda. These experiences were important in getting him his job as Youth and Governance Advisor at ActionAid in Liberia. “I support postconflict youth development programmes based on a human rights approach, and develop monitoring & evaluation tools for governance and youth development work. I draw on the knowledge and skills acquired during my studies and my classmates from Wageningen remain valuable contacts in my network.”

Related programmes:
MSc Development and Rural Innovation
Health and Society (specialisation)
MSc Applied Communication Science
MSc International Land and Water Management
MSc Leisure, Tourism and Environment
MSc Management, Economics and Consumer Studies

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The Master of Development Studies sheds light on the challenges in achieving sustainable economic development on a local, national and global scale. Bringing together critical theories from across the social sciences, this expansive cross-disciplinary program allows you to specialise in topics such as international relations, political economy, human rights, peace and conflict studies, anthropology, linguistics, public health, human geography, economics and sociology.

With a grounding in such wide‑ranging areas of study, you will leave this program with a comprehensive awareness of the development industry and its real-world applications in poverty reduction, project design and international organisations.

As a Master of Development Studies candidate, you can take advantage of the region’s greatest concentration of esteemed and active researchers in the developing world, while building on the insights from a diverse international student body.

The program provides hands-on experience in Development Studies as you train to become an effective administrator and planner. Our program offers exciting opportunities to put your development knowledge into practice, including chances to participate in a research project on a community- based organisation in Sydney, internship electives at local or international non-government organisations and a field trip to Indonesia.

To ask a question about this course, visit http://sydney.edu.au/internationaloffice/

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Researchers can specialise in geography, geographical information science, environmental studies, development studies, international childhood studies, or community, youth and voluntary sector studies. Our MPhil/PhD programmes aim to train you to conduct research of the highest academic standard and to make an original contribution to the subject through your research. Our doctoral programme aims to respond to the needs and interests both of students seeking an academic career or other professional employment and of those who wish to pursue a line of intellectual enquiry for its own sake. We aim to recruit both recent graduates and mature students who now have the time to pursue an intellectual enthusiasm, perhaps after a lifetime of professional work.

Our students benefit not only from the advisory insight of specialist academics within the department, but also from a wider culture of support and advice from staff and other research students. We see our research students as a central part of our community, who play a key role in the vitality of the wider research process. Those completing our research degrees in the past have often moved on into highly skilled occupations in both the commercial and academic worlds.

Research students in GEDS are able to participate in subject-specific doctoral seminars and can attend relevant modules on any of the MSc degrees offered within GEDS as part of their research training. Students also have the opportunity to participate in guest lectures, films and workshops offered both within the department and in wider groupings such as the Birkbeck Institute for Social Research, the Birkbeck Institute for the Humanities, the Institute of Voluntary Action Research, and the London International Development Centre. We offer financial assistance for conference attendance where appropriate.

Studying for an MPhil in any of the areas offered in GEDS involves working closely with a small group of staff on an independent research project. This means that we are only able to accept students whose proposed research project lies within the areas of expertise of our staff. If there is a particular member of staff you would like to work with, please contact them to discuss your project before applying.

Community, Youth and Voluntary Sector Studies

The department offers supervision in theoretical perspectives and understandings of community theory and practice and youth and voluntary sector studies. Staff in this research area have established excellent links with professional organisations in their fields and also have international links with academic institutions in the USA and South Africa, working collaboratively on issues concerning religion and race in public life.

Development Studies

The department offers supervision in theoretical and empirical research on practices and experiences of development. Our research areas include ageing, childhood, gender and development, migration, NGOs and political activism, regional specialisation in Latin America and South Asia, rights, social policy, urban and rural poverty, and visual culture and development.

Geography

Research study in geography can take a wide variety of forms across the social and physical sciences dependent on topic, but the common thread is the distinctive perspective, often interdisciplinary, that a geographical approach to research offers. Key research interests are: cities and socio-spatial inequality, coastal geomorphology and coastal policy, food security and climate change, flooding and flood insurance, impact of environmental change on nature and agriculture, long-term river behaviour and climate change, remote sensing, renewable energy, and social and urban geography.

Geographical Information Science

At Birkbeck, we pride ourselves in offering one of the longest-running GISc programmes. The Birkbeck GISc academic team works in a broad range of areas of geographic information knowledge, including spatial analytical methods, cartography and visualisation, remote sensing, and geocomputation and their research activities are at the forefront of GIS development.

International Childhood Studies

The department offers supervision in theoretical and empirical research on practices and experiences of childhood. Our research areas include cultures of childhood, visual culture and representation of childhood, the governance of childhood, childhood and social identities, and histories of childhood.

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The master’s programme in Globalisation & Development Studies is a social science programme that focuses on how globalisation trends affect and interconnect different areas of the globe while marginalising others and how they produce diverse ‘local’ responses. While acknowledging the roles of the state and the market, you will examine the processes of globalisation and development ‘from the ground up’. You will look at how they are experienced in the everyday lives of families, indigenous communities, migrant diasporas, grassroots organisations and NGOs.

This programme builds on 20 years of globalisation and development teaching at the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. It has a pronounced global and transnational orientation: from the dynamics of inclusion and exclusion, to emancipation and empowerment, hybrid identities, transnational social and political formations, and new possibilities for transforming society. You will develop a sound knowledge basis in the concepts, theories and issues relating to globalisation and development. Using Problem-Based Learning (PBL), which is very well suited for Globalisation and Development Studies, your learning is problem-driven and theory-driven and requires students to be active rather than passive.

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