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.

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, which you are welcome to attend (http://www.ru.nl/openday)

- 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

Read less

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/

Read less

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/

Read less

Increase your expertise and make a positive contribution to development practice around the world. Examine the theories and practices associated with inequalities in world development, and investigate the enormous differences between the living standards of people worldwide and what we can do about them.

Look at the relationships between people and institutions, developed and developing societies, and consider the effect these relationships have on the processes of social, political, economic and environmental transformation.

Postgraduate Development Studies is designed to suit people from a wide range of disciplines and occupations. If you have work experience in community and international development, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region, or want to work in the area in the future, postgraduate Development Studies is a good choice for you.

Overseas research opportunities

You'll be encouraged to spend some time in a developing country as part of your postgraduate study—you can complete your Master's thesis based on your work in a developing country.

Past research has been done in countries such as Cambodia, Chile, the Cook Islands, Indonesia, Laos, Peru, the Philippines, Samoa, Tonga and Vanuatu.

Current issues and possible research areas in Development Studies include:

• environmental change
• gender equity
• globalisation
• human rights
• inequality
• international aid
• participation and democracy
• poverty.

You'll be part of an active and dynamic culture of world-class research. Work with experienced staff who are internationally renowned in their fields. Choose an area of research that interests you.

Postgraduate Diploma in Development Studies

If you're wanting to study without doing a thesis, you can enrol for the Postgraduate Diploma in Development Studies (PGDipDevStud).

It's a great option if you're already in the workforce and are looking to update or build your skills, or if you're a recent graduate wanting to expand on your undergraduate degree.

Duration

The Master of Development Studies can be completed in two years of full-time study or in four years if you are studying part time.

The Postgraduate Diploma will take you one year of full-time study or two years part time.

Workload

If you are studying full time, you can expect a workload of 40–45 hours a week for much of the year. Part-time students doing two courses per trimester will need to do around 20–23 hours of work a week. Make sure you take this into account if you are working.

You can estimate your workload by adding up the number of points you'll be doing. One point is roughly equal to 10–12 hours work.

How you'll study

You should plan your course of study with the programme coordinator before you enrol.

Master's programme

The first year of the Master of Development Studies consists of four core courses. You'll look at the theories of development, professional practice and technique, and the concepts and tools of development policy.

Development Research (DEVE 514) will prepare you for your thesis. You'll cover research methodology for development fieldwork and put together a full research proposal for your thesis, which you'll submit at the end of the course.

You'll also do a further 60 points of approved 400- and 500-level courses. You'll need to work towards an average of B+ grades in your first year.

In your second year you'll research and write your thesis. Your thesis has a maximum of 40,000 words which is around 120—150 pages.

Diploma programme

The PGDipDevStud follows the same requirements as the first year of the Master's—five core courses and a further 60 points of approved 400- and 500-level courses.

With permission from the programme coordinator, you may be able to replace DEVE 514 with another approved course.

Community

Postgraduate study at Victoria will help you build valuable relationships and networks with peers, university staff and future colleagues. You'll have opportunities to attend events, seminars, workshops and social functions.

The Postgraduate Students' Association can also give you information on study at Victoria and provides a voice for you on campus.

Read less

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

Read less

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

Read less

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.

Read less

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.

Read less

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.

Read less

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

Read less

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/

Read less

DEVELOPMENT IN A COMPLEX AND HIGHLY DIFFERENTIATED WORLD

The world is rapidly changing; so is International Development Studies. After 15 years, the MDG-era (Millennium Development Goals) came to an end in 2015. A larger set of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were introduced to guide long-term development policies and end global poverty. Development is no longer considered as a problem ‘out there’ in the global south. Our contemporary world faces new global concerns, such as the 'migration crisis', food security, climate change, and energy crises.

We also witness massive changes in the relative power structure in our world system. Africa, Asia and Latin America are experiencing rapid transformations, turning traditional North-South relations upside down. Giants like India and China are strengthening their role in international development cooperation. These ‘new’ donors emphasise that ‘South-South cooperation’ is different from the Western notion of donors helping clients. While development has been traditionally defined by the donor community in the North/West, governments in Africa, Asia and Latin America have come up with their own versions of ‘development’.

Over the past decade, the number of actors active in the development domain has multiplied. In addition to the traditional donors, new ‘players’ have entered the scene, including foundations and diaspora-organisations. Furthermore individual migrants and socially-engaged entrepreneurs are acknowledging their role in societal changes; many are taking responsibility for the social and environmental impacts of production activities and/or consumption.

The multidisciplinary Master's programme in International Development Studies addresses current development challenges and engages with these highly important and urgent issues. In particular, the programme focuses on topics surrounding migration/mobilities, climate change, land governance, urbanisation and corporate social responsibility. You will study in an international environment, with peers and staff from diverse disciplinary and cultural backgrounds. A research-oriented internship abroad is a core component of the programme. International Development Studies takes prides in its large, expanding, and active alumni and friends network.

PROGRAMME OBJECTIVE

The central objective of the Master's in International Development Studies programme is to equip you with conceptual and empirical knowledge as well as research skills necessary to understand and analyse contemporary issues pertaining to international development in broad geographical contexts (local, regional, and international levels).

Upon completion of the programme you will have acquired theoretical, methodological and practical competency. These skills will be useful for your career in further academic research, development policy and practice sector, as well as other work fields. You will gain an understanding of world affairs and international experiences as well as analytical, communication and project implementation skills.

Read less

The master's programme International Development Studies is a two-year MSc programme. It focuses on worldwide social transformation processes related to livelihoods, agro-food networks and the environment in a dynamic international context. In the programme social, economic, political and environmental change are studied from various perspectives.

What makes the programme unique?

• You focus on current themes such as disasters, migration, food security, resource conflict, and environmental policy; and you learn to work in an interdisciplinary way combining anthropology, sociology, economics, governance studies, etc.
• You acquire useful practical skills during a four-month internship at an organisation in your second year.
• You develop your research skills by formulating your own thesis research and carrying out your own fieldwork.

Study programme

On the programme of International Development Studies page you can find the general outline of the programme and more detailed information about courses, theses and internships. You can also read more about the background of the programme. The programme is intended for students with a background in the social sciences, or in economics.

Specialisations

Within the master's programme you can choose one of the following specialisations to meet your personal interests.

• Sociology of Development
• Economics of Development
• Inclusive Innovation, Communication and Development
• Politics and Governance of Development

Student experiences

The best way to get to know a place is by getting to know the people. Students share their experiences with you about the master's programme and student life in Wageningen on the page student experiences.

Future career

Graduates of the programme are employed as programme/project coordinators, consultants, advisors, policymakers, researchers, or trainers. Almost half of the graduates surveyed work as consultant, advisor or project coordinator in the non-profit sector, or as manager/consultant in the private business sector or in a bank. Read more about career perspectives and opportunities after finishing the programme.

Related programmes:

MSc Development and Rural Innovation

Health and Society (specialisation)

MSc Communication, Health and Life Sciences

MSc International Land and Water Management

MSc Leisure, Tourism and Environment

MSc Management, Economics and Consumer Studies

Read less

The MSc Development Studies course is interdisciplinary and innovatory. It is designed for those who wish to pursue careers with governments, non-governmental organisations, international agencies, public and private organisations and enterprises. It provides a thorough grounding in the development field, and its emphasis on research enables students to specialise in their particular areas of interest.

The MSc Development Studies is led by Professor Gaim Kibreab and taught by excellent research-active lecturers who specialise in social and economic development, as forced migration. See the current research projects tied to the International Development, Emergencies and Refugee Studies (IDEARS) Research Group.

Through the use of case studies you'll analyse a range of issues, crucial for Development policy and practice, such as:

• Globalisation: markets, trade and the global economy;
• Trade and Aid: the role of international institutions and agencies;
• Strategies for Industrialisation: economic growth and human development;
• Social Development: livelihoods, poverty and poverty reduction;
• Developing the Rural Sector: Agrarian Policies, migration and urbanisation;
• Environmental policies and sustainable development;
• Political empowerment, participation, and human rights.

The course develops the skills required to undertake development research, focusing on appropriate methodologies, data collection, policy and project design and implementation. A research dissertation forms a central part of your work on the course.

Modules

Contemporary issues in development
Human development in a globalised world
Research methods for development
Economies in transition: strategies for industrialisation
Forced migration and development
Human rights and development
Research dissertation (triple module)

The MSc also offers a series of workshops in project design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, providing these essential skills for student's Development careers

Teaching and learning

Class contact time is typically 12 hours per week on the full-time mode of the MSc, and six hours on the part-time mode plus individual tutorial and independent study. This accumulates to typically two days a week, afternoons and evenings typically two evenings a week.

All staff members teaching on the course have considerable experience of working and conducting research in developing countries. They have all published work on Development issues and are well known in their respective fields.

Placements

Our social policy students have taken up work placements at the following organisations:

• Chance UK, a unique early intervention mentoring organisation who provide adult volunteer mentors to work with children aged 5-11 years at risk of developing anti-social behaviour in later life)
• Kairos in Soho (a pan-London LGBT Community Development Organisation)
• Naz Project London (a sexual health organisation that works to mobilise Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) communities in relation to HIV and other sexual health concerns)
• Richmond Advice and Information on Disability (RAID)
• Women's Royal Voluntary Service (WRVS) one of the UK's largest charities and voluntary organisations who aim to give older people the opportunity and choice to get more out of life

Professional links

The MSc has excellent relations with Development Agencies and NGO working in the development field. Students from these organisations are regularly enrolled on the course and members of these organisations gave regular presentations to MSc students.

Research in the Development field

Recent and current research by staff includes projects funded by the World Health Organisation, the World Bank, the United Nations Children's Fund, the United Nations Development Programme, the UK Department for International Development, and the Economic and Social Research Council.

In recent years, staff members have conducted research in Bangladesh, Brazil, China, East Timor, Eritrea, Ethiopia, the Gambia, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Nigeria, Pakistan, Somalia, Sudan, Uganda and Zambia. Staff teaching on the MSc regularly publish books and articles both on development issues, and on the countries in which they have expertise.

Employability

A humanities masters has the real advantage of opening up careers in a number of professions such as teaching, social work, administration and higher level education. Graduates have forged exciting careers in research-related work, public relations, advertising, retail, management and media-related work.

Previous students have entered careers in many fields working for international organisations such as the United Nations and its constituent organisations, the World Bank, the International Labour Organisation and the World Health Organisation. Many students take up posts in their home countries within government, non-government and civil society organisations, or with non-governmental development organisations in the UK, in addition to teaching posts in universities and colleges specialising in Development research and practice.

LSBU Employability Services

LSBU is committed to supporting you develop your employability and succeed in getting a job after you have graduated. Your qualification will certainly help, but in a competitive market you also need to work on your employability, and on your career search. Our Employability Service will support you in developing your skills, finding a job, interview techniques, work experience or an internship, and will help you assess what you need to do to get the job you want at the end of your course. LSBU offers a comprehensive Employability Service, with a range of initiatives to complement your studies, including:

• Direct engagement from employers who come in to interview and talk to students
• Job Shop and on-campus recruitment agencies to help your job search
• Mentoring and work shadowing schemes.

Read less

Do you have a passion for research and work in the field of globalisation and development, rooted in undergraduate studies or experience in the field? Are you interested in individuals and communities, as well as in the broader relations between the Global North and South? Do you have the ambition to develop your academic research skills and to use academic insights to make a positive impact in the world? If so, this may be the right programme for you. The master’s in Globalisation & Development Studies is a social science programme that focuses on how the dynamics of globalisation affect developing areas. You will develop the theoretical, analytical and practical skills that are essential for either an academic or professional career in globalisation and development.

Why this programme?

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.

Read less