Masters Degrees (Environment And Development)

This programme combines environmental concerns with development economics and political economy. It draws on the specific strengths of SOAS, namely expertise in development economics, multi-disciplinary environmental focus, and area specialisations in Asia, Africa and the Middle East.

The MSc in Economics with reference to Environment and Development provides a unique specialisation in one of the most rapidly developing areas of economics. The effects of development on the environment and access to resources is one of the most challenging fields that has grown over the past four decades and is now one of the key areas of study. At SOAS, we understand the environment in a broad sense and the scope of courses offered includes various areas such as natural resources, agriculture, economic development, finance, and regionally - specialised courses.

All students are required to complete the compulsory preliminary course in Mathematics and Statistics (including Computing) to begin studying on this programme. This course is taught over a three week period from the beginning of September covering mathematics, statistics and computing. For further information about this course including a timetable please see here: Preliminary maths and Statistics Course (https://www.soas.ac.uk/courseunits/15PECC050.html)

Visit the website http://www.soas.ac.uk/economics/programmes/msceconenvdev/

Structure

The MSc Environment and Development is taught within a structured programme rather than being obtained mainly by research and dissertation. It consists of eight course modules delivered through lectures, classes, and tutorials and an 8,000-word dissertation. The degree is awarded on the basis of course work, examinations written in May/June, and a dissertation which is submitted in September.

The following is a complete list of courses in the programme, not all of which are offered in any single year. To see a list of courses being offered please visit the relevant departmental website or contact the Faculty office. Please note that some courses may be taught in other departments of the School.

Programme Specification

MSc Economics with reference to Environment and Development programme specification 2015/2016 (pdf; 63kb) - http://www.soas.ac.uk/economics/programmes/msceconenvdev/file77570.pdf

Teaching & Learning

The MSc includes eight taught modules plus a preliminary course in Mathematics and Statistics and an 8,000-word dissertation.

The courses are taught in seminar groups and lectures. The degrees are awarded on the basis of assessed coursework, examinations and the dissertation.

The MSc degrees are taught over a period of twelve months of full-time study within a structured programme. In the case of part-time study, the degrees will be taught over two or three years. Four modules are studied each year, with the dissertation normally being completed in the second year.

- Lectures

Most courses involve a 50-minute 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 and are expected to write papers that often require significant independent work.

- Dissertation
Students are required to complete an 8,000-word dissertation in applied economics.

Learning Resources

- 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.

Pre Entry Reading

- Preliminary Mathematics and Statistics Course

Our MSc programmes attract students with a wide range of backgrounds including many who have worked for a few years before coming to SOAS. Our popular quantitative courses are designed to be accessible to all of our students including those with a relatively small quantitative component in their first degree. Our well-received quantitative courses focus on applying basic methods used in empirical research. They equip students to carry out their own high quality empirical work and critically evaluate research, with relatively little emphasis on advanced econometric theory and mathematical proofs.

Our quantitative methods teaching begins with a three-week preliminary course in mathematics, statistics and computing. The objective of the course is to review the basic quantitative skills assumed once formal teaching commences. This course is compulsory.

Employment

A postgraduate degree in Economics with reference to Environment and Development from SOAS equips students with a range of important skills to continue in the field of research as well as a portfolio of widely transferable employability skills valued by a wide range of employers. These include numeracy, analytical thinking and general skills such as organisation and effective communication skills. Graduates of this programme will develop a specialised understanding of the environmental and development concerns. In addition the study of Economics gives students particular problem solving skills including: abstraction, analysis, quantification, strategic thinking and adaptability.

Postgraduate students from the SOAS MSc in Economics with reference to Environment and Development have followed successful careers in both academic work and also in international banking and financial analysis, in
national governments in many parts of the world, in international development agencies and in a range of non-government organisations. A postgraduate degree is a valuable experience that provides students with a
body of work and a diverse range of skills that they can use to market themselves with when they graduate.

Graduates of Masters programmes in the Department of Economics at SOAS have followed successful careers in international banking and finance, in national governments in many parts of the world, in international development agencies and in a range of non-governmental organisations. Graduates have been very successful in gaining highly competitive Overseas Development Institute (ODI) fellowships which have allowed them to work in government agencies in countries ranging from Mozambique to Papua New Guinea.

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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Study the complex relationships between tourism, the environment and development. Explore the advantages and disadvantages of tourism as a form of development and examine its environmental impact. Develop your own particular interests in tourism by choosing from a wide range of systematic and regional modules.

Key benefits

• The programme is a stimulating and enriching experience for students, not only because of its unusual approach to the study of tourism but because it attracts students from different countries, with different academic backgrounds and experience. There are around 20 students on the programme, an ideal size for interactive teaching. Students usually get to know each other well during the year at King's.

• Students are encouraged to carry out fieldwork for their dissertations. This normally proves a challenging and an extremely rewarding experience.

• Students have been successful in gaining relevant employment following the programme.

• Located in the heart of London.

Visit the website: http://www.kcl.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/taught-courses/tourism-environment-and-development-ma-msc.aspx

Course detail

- Description -

The MA Tourism, Environment and Developmentprogramme aims to provide students from a range of backgrounds, with an advanced critical understanding of the interrelationships between tourism, environment and development with special reference to the distinctive political, social and economic environments of the South, where tourism can be of great economic, environmental, social and political significance.

- Course purpose -

The MA Tourism, Environment and Development is the ideal programme for those seeking to explore the relationships between tourism, development and the environment. The programme makes particular reference to the world's poorest countries, critiquing the use of tourism as a vehicle for poverty alleviation, post-disaster and post-conflict development. The MA will be particularly attractive to students who have either worked in tourism, or wish to understand the contribution of tourism to social and economic development. The MA provides an excellent training in research and preparation for those seeking or returning to tourism-related employment.

- Course format and assessment -

Specialist taught modules assessed by essay, presentation, lab work and occasionally by examination. The three-month dissertation is core and can be taken overseas or in the UK.

- Required Modules -

- Core module (MA & MSc pathway: 60 credits):

7SSG5006 Dissertation in Tourism, Environment and Development (60 credits) (must Take and Pass)

- Compulsory modules (MA & MSc pathway: 60 credits):

7SSG5002 Practising Social Research (20 credits, T1)

7SSG5108 Tourism and Development (20 credits, T1)

7SSG5178 Tourism, Conservation and the Environment (20 credits, T2)

- Compulsory module (MSc pathway: 20 credits):

7SSG5150 Advanced Quantitative and Spatial Methods in Human Geography (20 credits, T2)

Career prospects

Students on this programme have gone on to: undertake further postgraduate study as research students; employment in the tourism industry and as Tourism and Development Officers for local councils; journalism; senior managers for various organisations; academic appointments and teaching; Government agencies in North and South.

How to apply: http://www.kcl.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/apply/taught-courses.aspx

About Postgraduate Study at King’s College London:

To study for a postgraduate degree at King’s College London is to study at the city’s most central university and at one of the top 20 universities worldwide (2015/16 QS World Rankings). Graduates will benefit from close connections with the UK’s professional, political, legal, commercial, scientific and cultural life, while the excellent reputation of our MA and MRes programmes ensures our postgraduate alumni are highly sought after by some of the world’s most prestigious employers. We provide graduates with skills that are highly valued in business, government, academia and the professions.

Scholarships & Funding:

All current PGT offer-holders and new PGT applicants are welcome to apply for the scholarships. For more information and to learn how to apply visit: http://www.kcl.ac.uk/study/pg/funding/sources

Free language tuition with the Modern Language Centre:

If you are studying for any postgraduate taught degree at King’s you can take a module from a choice of over 25 languages without any additional cost. Visit: http://www.kcl.ac.uk/mlc

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The MA Environment and Development programme is aimed at providing students with an advanced theoretical understanding of the relationship between development problems and environmental issues, grounded in differing regional contexts across the global South. This will involve the critical appraisal of paradigms generated in the North from the viewpoint of the South, as well as the detailed study of paradigms emerging in the South.

Key benefits

- Staff all have first hand experience of environmental and developmental issues in the world's poor countries.

- Interactive teaching, with regular classroom discussions.

- Students are encouraged to carry out original fieldwork either in the UK or overseas for their dissertations.

Visit the website: http://www.kcl.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/taught-courses/environment-and-development-ma-msc.aspx

Course detail

- Description -

The MA Environment and Development programme is aimed at providing students with an advanced theoretical understanding of the relationship between development problems and environmental issues, grounded in differing regional contexts across the global South. This will involve the critical appraisal of paradigms generated in the North from the viewpoint of the South, as well as the detailed study of paradigms emerging in the South. The programme provides a framework for the understanding of environmental issues and development problems in Asia, Africa and Latin America and provides relevant regional case studies to exemplify the problems raised.

- Course format and assessment -

Core modules:

- Dissertation in Environment and Development
- Practising Social Research
- Development and Environmentalism in the ‘South’
- Environment, Livelihoods and Development in the ‘South’

Specialist taught modules assessed by essay, presentation, lab work and occasionally by examination. The three-month dissertation is compulsory and can be taken overseas or in the UK.

Career prospects

Students on this programme have gone on to: undertake further graduate study as research students; work as research assistants for international development agencies; fundraisers for the VSO; Government agencies in North and Soth; Teaching and Lectureships.

How to apply: http://www.kcl.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/apply/taught-courses.aspx

About Postgraduate Study at King’s College London:

To study for a postgraduate degree at King’s College London is to study at the city’s most central university and at one of the top 20 universities worldwide (2015/16 QS World Rankings). Graduates will benefit from close connections with the UK’s professional, political, legal, commercial, scientific and cultural life, while the excellent reputation of our MA and MRes programmes ensures our postgraduate alumni are highly sought after by some of the world’s most prestigious employers. We provide graduates with skills that are highly valued in business, government, academia and the professions.

Scholarships & Funding:

All current PGT offer-holders and new PGT applicants are welcome to apply for the scholarships. For more information and to learn how to apply visit: http://www.kcl.ac.uk/study/pg/funding/sources

Free language tuition with the Modern Language Centre:

If you are studying for any postgraduate taught degree at King’s you can take a module from a choice of over 25 languages without any additional cost. Visit: http://www.kcl.ac.uk/mlc

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About the MSc programme

While the world is experiencing rapid and unprecedented changes to its natural environment, human societies and economies are also undergoing profound transformations. The MSc Environment and Development is intended for those with a primary interest in the linkages between environment and development. It provides students with a rigorous training in the social science dimensions of environmental and development policy, management and evaluation within a developing country context. The study of environment and development is multi-disciplinary by nature, and the programme seeks to integrate key concepts and perspectives from core social science disciplines. The aim is to provide students with an understanding of the issues involved in sustainable development both from a theoretical and practical perspective.

The programme will enable you to gain a deep understanding of the way environmental degradation and low levels of development are linked together; analyse meaningful policies that aspire to make economic development more environmentally sound and ultimately sustainable; and pursue an academic programme in a world-renowned institution benefiting from excellent employer recognition and career prospects.

Graduate destinations

Our graduates enter a wide variety of employment opportunities in the public sector, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), international organisations, research, consultancy and international firms.

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Contemporary concerns with environment and development require a combination of biological and social anthropological approaches to examine the ecology of resource use in developing societies. This MSc evaluates the environmental implications and outcomes of these activities in terms of human subsistence and welfare via a systematic, theoretical and methodological training.

Degree information

Drawing on the strengths of our broad-based department and expertise in human ecology, social anthropology and demography, key areas of investigation include: the implications of changing environments for production systems and human welfare, the sustainable use of natural resources in developing countries and the environmental and welfare impacts of changing patterns of resource use with development.

Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits. The programme consists of three core modules (60 credits), two optional modules (30 credits) and a research dissertation (90 credits).

Core modules:
-Resource Use and Impacts
-Anthropological Research Methods
-Statistics

Optional modules - choose two options from within the department - and in some cases outside the department - including at least one of the following that have been designed specifically for this programme:
-The Ecology of Human Groups
-Population and Development
-Anthropology of Development

Dissertation/report
All MSc students undertake an independent research project which culminates in a dissertation of 15,000 words.

Teaching and learning
The programme is delivered through lectures, seminars, group presentations, tutorials, interactive teamwork, video, and film and web based courses. It includes a non-examined weekly seminar series with both internal and invited speakers. Assessment is through essays, seen and unseen examinations, and the research dissertation.

Careers

Graduates of this programme have gone on to a wide range of relevant careers in research, teaching, consultancy, policy and advocacy work in universities, governmental bodies, national and international NGOs and international research organisations such as the CGIAR.

Top career destinations for this degree:
-Public Researcher and Administrator, Global Canopy Program
-Education for Sustainable Development Researcher, Change Agents
-Anthropologist, Fundación Etnollano
-International Health Programme Officer, Royal College of General Practitioners
-Volunteer Co-Ordinator, Marine Research and Education Fund of Andenes (MAREFA)

Employability
The Master's integrates both natural and social science approaches and combines this with training in the methodological and practical dimensions of field work. The interdisciplinary perspective and demonstrable research skills obtained are an ideal training ground for students wishing to work with government, national or international NGOs or conduct further PhD research in the fields of environment and/or development. In addition to specialist knowledge and fieldwork experience, other skills graduates acquire include presentation and IT, research design and development, qualitative and quantitative analysis, project management, team building and leadership, fundraising and critical analysis and evaluation.

Why study this degree at UCL?

UCL Anthropology is one of the largest anthropology departments in the UK offering an exceptional breadth of expertise. Our results in the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise and 2014 Research Excellence Framework show that we are the leading broad-based anthropology department in the UK.

Teaching staff are all actively engaged in research or consultancy work in the area of environment and development. A strong alumni network within the Human Ecology Research Group and dedicated programmes of invited speakers allow for significant networking opportunities.

Students are also encouraged to take advantage of the wider anthropological community in London.

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The need for sustainable development is a global concern. This scheme aims to prepare you to address the challenges faced in safeguarding the planet’s ecosystems while improving the environments of impoverished communities. You can take either the MA or MSc, depending on your choice of dissertation. The scheme has a broad choice of optional modules, combined with the specialisation of the dissertation project, which includes the option of overseas fieldwork. This programme provides the ideal education for anyone interested in a career that will address environment and development issues, in the private, public, or not-for-profit sectors.

Modules on offer include:
• Behaviour of Pollutants in the Environment
• Conservation Biology
• Data Analysis and Interpretation
• Ecology, Conservation and Culture
• Globalisation and Democratisation
• Habitat Management
• Sustainable Soil Management
• Wildlife Population Ecology

Other modules available can be found on our website.

Our upcoming Open Days will take place on:
Saturday 8th April 2017
Saturday 15th July 2017
You can find out more and register at: http://www.lancaster.ac.uk/lec/graduate-school/masters/open-days/

We also have a Virtual Open Day on Friday 17th March. For further information and to register please go to: http://www.lancaster.ac.uk/lec/graduate-school/masters/open-days/

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Overview

You will be provided with high-quality interdisciplinary training, you and prospective employers need to focus on the issues where the need for sustainable economic development and environmental conservation meet.

To help you understand the many perspectives on these issues, this masters is led by the Sustainability Research Institute, bringing together academic expertise from the School of Earth and Environment, the School of Politics and International Studies, and from the practitioner community,

Sustainable economic development and environmental management are two key challenges facing the world today. This course enables you to investigate the challenges associated with achieving development that is environmentally, socially and economically sustainable. You will gain the knowledge, skills and practical experience which enable you to contribute towards achieving solutions in this topical field.

The course is ideal if you would like to develop or continue a career in environment and/or development practice, policy, training or research. Preparing you for work in both the public and private sectors, and within local, national and international institutions. Alternatively, you could pursue a research career or go on to a PhD.

Course highlights:

• You have a large degree of flexibility – meaning you can choose the modules you take, enabling you to develop your degree in line with your interests and ambitions
• Gain both theoretical and practical experience – our teaching draws on specialist knowledge from practitioner and research communities covering both the natural and social sciences.
• Carry out a wide range of fieldwork, from a FREE field course to East Yorkshire, to an overseas trip to Tanzania.
• Attend excellent research seminar series run by the School of Earth and Environment, School of Politics and International Studies, plus those organised in Leeds’ Biology and Geography departments.

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About the course:
-Home to the Walker Institute – a world-leading authority on climate change
-Juxtaposes and critically examines the interdisciplinary environment-development nexus at a range of levels
-Takes a “one-world, one-future” approach to economic growth, equity and global environmental change
-Explores the drivers and consequences of environmental crises
-Aimed at graduates and mid-range professionals from a range of disciplines

WHAT WILL YOU STUDY?

Sample modules:
-Global environmental change and development
-Theories and practices of development
-Ecosystem services
-Addressing poverty and inequality
-Plants, green space and sustainability

Please note that all modules are subject to change.

WHAT CAREER CAN YOU HAVE?

Our programmes are excellent preparation for careers in international and rural development, agricultural economics, and marketing within the food chain and policy. Some 96% of our graduates are in work or further study six months after graduating.

Engagement with a wide variety of visiting speakers and field trips provides many opportunities for networking. In addition, competitive internships and placements, and research dissertations are an opportunity to showcase your skills, undertake overseas field research or link with organisations in the development sector. For examples of organisations our graduates go on to, please visit: http://www.reading.ac.uk/giidae

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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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Overview

Sustainable economic development and environmental management are two key challenges facing the world today.

You will be provided with high-quality interdisciplinary training to help you understand the many perspectives on these issues. This Masters is led by the Sustainability Research Institute and brings together a wide range of academic expertise from the School of Earth and Environment, the School of Politics and International Studies, and from the practitioner community.

A key part of your learning will be based around an international field course to Tanzania, where you will gain first-hand practical experience and apply classroom-based learning in a developing country context.

Investigate the issues associated with achieving development that is environmentally, socially and economically sustainable and contribute towards achieving solutions in this topical, fast-growing field.

And gain the knowledge, skills and practical experience, employers require to focus on the issues where the need for sustainable economic development and environmental conservation meet.

The course is ideal if you would like to develop or continue a career in environment and/or development practice, policy, training or research, and/or if you are thinking of working in an international capacity. The Masters will prepare you for work in both the public and private sectors, and within local, national and international institutions. Alternatively, you could pursue a research career or go on to a PhD.

Course highlights:

• You have a large degree of flexibility – choose the modules you take and develop your degree in line with your interests and ambitions.
• Carry out a wide range of fieldwork in the UK and overseas, from East Yorkshire to our flagship trip to Tanzania.
• Learn from experts in the field – our teaching draws on specialist knowledge from practitioner and research communities covering both the natural and social sciences.
• Attend the excellent research seminar series run by the School of Earth and Environment, School of Politics and International Studies, plus those organised in Leeds’ Biology and Geography departments.

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Sustainable development, or development that balances economic, social, and environmental aspects, is one of the greatest challenges of our time, and Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) can be powerful tools in helping to achieve this.

The ICT for Development (ICT4D) specialism is a strand within the established and highly successful MSc Practising Sustainable Development. It is offered jointly by the Politics, Development and Sustainability (PDS) Group and the UNESCO Chair/Centre in ICT4D at Royal Holloway, University of London.

This ICT4D Masters strand takes a global perspective on sustainable development and the role of ICTs; placed at the interface of research and practice, it is designed for those who want to launch or further their careers as development practitioners or scholars. It combines cutting-edge teaching on ICT4D with rigorous training in the broader field of sustainable development, to provide a well-rounded perspective on current and future development challenges. This degree extends knowledge, develops key skills and optimises career prospects.

The course is also offered at Postgraduate Diploma level for those who do not have the academic background necessary to begin an advanced Master’s degree. The structure of the Diploma is identical except that you will not write a dissertation. If you are successful on the Diploma you may transfer to the MSc, subject to academic approval.

See the website https://www.royalholloway.ac.uk/geography/coursefinder/mscpgdippsdict4d.aspx

Why choose this course?

- This is an intellectually exciting and inspiring course, drawing on both physical and social sciences, which attracts a diverse, international group of students.

- Our teaching staff are leading international experts and have wide experience in different developing regions and economies in transition, including Latin America, the Caribbean, Africa, South Asia, East Asia and South-East Asia.

- You will benefit from small group learning and an intense but friendly atmosphere, and will receive individual mentoring and career advice from our staff (both from your personal tutor and a dissertation supervisor).

- You will receive an internationally renowned University of London degree, giving you a solid foundation for a career in the field of development and/or environment.

- The course will provide you with training in the skills needed to research and assess ICT for development. These include research design, project development, geographic information systems, remote sensing, participatory methods, project analysis and evaluation.

Department research and industry highlights

The UNESCO Chair/Centre in ICT4D at Royal Holloway is an interdisciplinary centre involving staff in Geography, Management, Computer Science and Earth Sciences. One of the world leaders in its field, with 17 affiliated staff and 18 PhD students, it is a vibrant research community embedded in both the College and the international ICT4D Collective of ICT4D practitioners. It has excellent links with NGOs, businesses and international organisations. Friendly and diverse, it is an exciting place to study and network with other ICT4D experts.

The Politics, Development and Sustainability (PDS) group consists of over 20 research-active staff, 35 PhD students and 50 Master’s students on four MSc programmes. We are committed to conducting collaborative research which seeks to understand and contribute to addressing problems of social inequality, environmental destruction and injustice. The breadth of its members’ research places it in an ideal position to contribute to theoretical and policy debates on key challenges facing Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean today.

Course content and structure

The course is divided into three compulsory elements; theory, policy and practice; research training; and a dissertation. Students studying for the Postgraduate Diploma do not undertake the dissertation.

Core course units:
Sustainability, Development and Governance
This course will equip students with a detailed understanding of the development of sustainable development as a discourse. Students will explore key sustainability issues such as climate change, globalisation, and human responses with an emphasis on the emergence of environmental governance as a means to pursue sustainability.

Technology and Development
This course provides you with an introduction to the role of technology in development, focusing particularly on mobile phone and computer technologies. The course combines an understanding of key theoretical debates and how technologies have been applied in diverse sectors such as health and education. The course also includes training in the use of GIS (geographical information systems) within a development context.

ICT4D
This course gives you the opportunity to develop deeper understandings of cutting-edge applications of ICT4D research and practice. Topics covered include environmental change and Green ICT, open development and subversive forms of technology use, and logics of inclusion and exclusion in ICT programmes. You will also examine project planning, monitoring and evaluation in the field of ICT4D.

Participatory Research
This course combines detailed understanding of the theoretical underpinnings of participatory research and methods with practical experience of using different participatory research techniques. These include participatory diagramming, participatory video and participatory environmental monitoring.

Research Training
You will be provided with training in a range of methods to enable you to plan, carry out and complete a piece of research. There are three modules in this element:
- Social Research Methods Training - provides a range of social science methods for field research and analysis.
- Quantitative Methods for Graduates - provides basic statistical concepts and procedures used in empirical research.
- Development and Environment Research Training - provides guidance for planning, developing and undertaking research in a development and environment context.

Dissertation (MSc only)
The dissertation is of between 12,000 and 15,000 words, on a topic of your choice which has been approved by the supervisor. It requires both secondary and primary research, and the demonstration of originality in integrating theoretical and practical research methods in tackling a particular problem. You will be encouraged to carry out your dissertation in collaboration with an organisation in the field of development and environment.

Community Volunteer Project
You will undertake an independent volunteer project which will give you practical experience in gaining sustainability related work experience in a non-for profit organisation. The project will enhance your employability whilst and provide an opportunity to gain practical experience of third sector organisational objectives, cultures and practices.

Elective course units:
Sustainability, Development and Society
You will develop a detailed understanding of key social / environmental relationships incorporating contemporary issues in the geographies of sustainability. These will include 'risk society', sustainable cities, and the impacts of corporate sector activities on the environment. You will also understand the challenges to sustainable development at household and community levels, with a focus on community-based approaches to sustainable development.

Business Ethics and Enterprise
The aim of the course is to equip students with the moral frameworks and critical abilities necessary to understand the role of business in society from an ethical perspective. The course will cover different types of business including large publicly traded multinationals, small and medium sized enterprises, social enterprises and family firms. Students will be expected to understand the different issues in these organizational types and to articulate moral arguments from a range of different perspectives.

International Sustainability Management
This course provides participants with an understanding of how Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) informs sustainability management issues in large, transnational organisations. It will focus on issues such as consumption and sustainability as dichotomised between the apparently incompatible tensions of economic and environmental interests.

Other courses Geopolitics and Security / PIR / Management / Computer Science

On completion of the course graduates will have:
- an understanding at an advanced level of the relationships between, and complexities of, social, economic, political and environmental aspects of sustainable development and ICT4D

- an understanding at an advanced level of how the key issues in sustainable development theory and ICT4D influence policy and impact on practice

- the ability to critically analyse complex or contradictory areas of knowledge in aspects of sustainable development.

Assessment

Assessment is carried out by a variety of methods including coursework and a dissertation.

Employability & career opportunities

Past students of the MSc Practising Sustainable Development are now employed by international development and/or environment agencies, national government in their countries, national programmes and implementing agencies, higher education institutions, consultancies, private sector businesses, social enterprises and NGOs; as environmental and development policy-makers, managers, workers, activists, teachers and researchers. Many of our alumni are also currently undertaking doctoral programmes in the UK and abroad.

How to apply

Applications for entry to all our full-time postgraduate degrees can be made online https://www.royalholloway.ac.uk/studyhere/postgraduate/applying/howtoapply.aspx .

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Would you like to develop the specialist skills and knowledge required to work in a range of careers across the international development sector?

The MSc International Development course will equip you with a critical and up-to-date understanding of this broad sector.

You will engage with contemporary debates on the issues that are currently defining the sector, whilst critically examining key international development policies, theories, strategies and practices. You will also analyse the operation of development organisations, and the ways in which individuals and communities experience and challenge poverty and marginalisation.

As part of your dissertation, you will have the opportunity to undertake a research placement to allow you to apply your knowledge in a real-world environment.

This course is delivered by our specialist teaching team, who draw on their extensive experience to ensure that you graduate with knowledge that is at the forefront of the sector.

Our relationship with the MSc International Development programme at Northumbria University gives COCO the opportunity to tap into the minds of students who are up to speed on current development thinking and possess the drive and determination to help us expand our research. The findings from university research projects are invaluable, allowing us to monitor and evaluate our work, learn from each project and put this learning into action to deliver more robust and effective programmes year on year. - Lucy Philipson, CEO COCO

This course has several available start dates and learning methods - for more information, please view the relevant web-page:
January full time - https://www.northumbria.ac.uk/study-at-northumbria/courses/msc-international-development-dtfitd6/

September part time - https://www.northumbria.ac.uk/study-at-northumbria/courses/international-development-dtpitz6/

January part time - https://www.northumbria.ac.uk/study-at-northumbria/courses/msc-international-development-dtpitd6/

Learn From The Best

This course is delivered by a team of internationally-recognised academics with extensive experience in international development research and practice across the global south.

Our staff research specialisms and diverse range of national and international practitioner links will further enhance your learning experience.

In addition to the teaching delivered by our team, you will have the opportunity to attend enhancement sessions on ‘Working in International Development’, where experts who are currently working within the industry will share their first-hand experience of what it’s like to work in the sector.

We also work with the Centre for International Development to provide additional opportunities for real-world engagement with key organisations and individuals.

Teaching And Assessment

This course examines a wide range of subjects such as conflict and security, civil society and non-government organisations (NGOs), the impacts of China and India’s rising economic power, gender, the environment and resource conflicts, advocacy and citizenship.

On graduation you will be able to understand and critically engage with key development theories, tools and techniques, including participatory methodologies, rights-based approaches and monitoring and evaluation strategies.

This course is delivered via interactive workshops, involving a mixture of small group discussion, lectures, and seminar activities, which are further supported by networking and placement opportunities.

The assessment methods utilised on this course have been specifically developed to prepare you for employment, and incorporate the writing of funding bids, policy briefs, stakeholder statements and academic poster presentations. Traditional essays and a dissertation also form part of the assessment process.

If you choose to do a placement, you will have the opportunity to develop your own real-world research project.

Module Overview
EF0126 - E.S.A.P. in FADSS Level 7 (Optional, 0 Credits)
SO7001 - Advanced Study Skills (Core, 0 Credits)
SO7002 - Social Sciences Postgraduate Dissertation (Core, 60 Credits)
SO7005 - Development Research, Management and Practice (Core, 30 Credits)
SO7006 - Critical Development Thinking (Core, 30 Credits)
SO7007 - Changing Geopolitics and New Development Actors (Core, 30 Credits)
SO7008 - Contemporary Development Challenges (Core, 30 Credits)

Learning Environment

When studying the MSc International Development course you will be part of the Centre for International Development – a vibrant, multidisciplinary virtual research centre that provides an engaging, supportive and research-rich learning environment.

The Centre brings together academics, practitioners and students to promote research, consultancy, teaching, training and public engagement on issues of global poverty and inequality, the communities and individuals who experience this, and the policies, practices and approaches that seek to address it.

Technology is embedded throughout all areas of this course. Learning materials such as module handbooks, assessment information, lecture presentation slides and reading lists are available via our innovative e-learning platform, Blackboard. You can also access student support and other key University systems through your personal account.

Research-Rich Learning

When studying the MSc International Development course you will benefit from our multidisciplinary teaching team’s cutting-edge research experience which they bring into the classroom through case studies, problem-solving activities and group discussion.

Research is integrated into all aspects of teaching and each member of our team boasts their own individual specialisms, in subjects such as environmental governance and development; natural resource conflicts, including anti-mining activism; public engagement and development education; cosmopolitanism and global citizenship; wellbeing and development; international volunteering; transnationalism, migrant mobilities and their impacts on development. Staff research expertise spans Africa, Asia and Latin America.

All members of the MSc International Development teaching team are internationally recognised academics who publish in high impact international journals and regularly receive research funding from prestigious organisations such as the ESRC, the British Academy, the Leverhulme Trust and the Newton Fund.

You are also encouraged to undertake your own research projects to further aid your learning and will have the opportunity to engage with development organisations such as Traidcraft, Lifeworlds Learning, Shared Interest Foundation, and COCO, as well as development NGOs working in India and Latin America.

Give Your Career An Edge

This course has been designed to enhance your employability in international development practice and research thanks to the diverse range of knowledge and skills you will acquire whilst you study.

You will regularly engage in real-world research and problem-solving, in addition to developing the practical skills required to successfully pursue a career in this sector.

Core employability skills are also embedded throughout all aspects of this degree, ensuring you leave with skills that can be transferred to a broad spectrum of organisations.

Completion of an optional research placement will also help to further enhance your career edge by providing you with industry contacts and experience of international development in a real-world environment. You will also benefit from bespoke careers development support throughout the programme.

Your Future

On graduation you will possess the specialist skills and knowledge required to work in a range of careers across the international development sector.

Our graduates are able to work in a broad range organisations such as charities and third sector organisations, UK and international government agencies, NGOs and international organisations. They may also wish to pursue careers in research, consultancy or to launch their own NGO.

The MSc International Development course will also prepare you for doctoral study should you wish to further advance your learning.

Former graduates have gone on to work for national and international organisations including Barnardo’s, Leprosy Mission, and International Service.

The MSc International Development course regularly attracts students from a wide variety of professional and disciplinary backgrounds including government, the private sector and NGOs. It is also popular with continuing students who have just graduated from a wide range of undergraduate programmes, including Social Sciences, Law, Human Geography and Business.

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Interest in development, environment and issues of sustainable development has never been so intense. UN climate change summits , Millennium Development Goals and the World Social Forum have brought environmental and development issues and problems long on local and national agendas, onto the international scene.

All sustainable development issues are a complex and dynamic web of natural, social, political and economic processes, and it is this unique interdisciplinary approach which drives the MSc in Practising Sustainable Development. This popular course has evolved and expanded in scope and appeal, and has attracted students from about 30 countries and a diverse range of backgrounds who work or are interested in development issues and the environment.

This course is also offered at Postgraduate Diploma level for those who do not have the academic background necessary to begin an advanced Master’s degree. The structure of the Diploma is identical except that you will not write a dissertation. If you are successful on the Diploma you may transfer to the MSc, subject to academic approval.

See the website https://www.royalholloway.ac.uk/geography/coursefinder/mscpgdippractisingsustainabledevelopment.aspx

Why choose this course?

- Our teaching staff have wide experience in different developing regions and economies in transition, including Latin America, the Caribbean, South, East and South-East Asia, and Sub-Saharan Africa. Staff have also worked with indigenous and marginalised communities in North America.

- You will benefit from a diverse range of teaching and learning strategies including tutor-led discussions and seminars, oral presentations, role-playing, problem-solving and group work.

- You will be well prepared for a career in the development and environment field as the course is very highly regarded.

- The course can be used as part of an ESRC (Economic and Social Research Council) research training pathway for PhD study. This indicates that the content and approach of our academic research training is of a very high standard.

- You will be provided with training in skills needed to research and assess sustainable development, such as research design, project development, environmental monitoring, geographic information systems (GIS), participatory

Department research and industry highlights

The Politics, Development and Sustainability (PDS) group consists of over 20 research-active staff, 35 PhD students and 50 Master’s students on four MSc programmes. We are committed to conducting collaborative research which seeks to understand and contribute to addressing problems of social inequality, environmental destruction and injustice. The breadth of its members’ research places it in an ideal position to contribute to theoretical and policy debates on key challenges facing Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean today.

Course content and structure

The course is divided into three compulsory elements. Students studying for the Postgraduate Diploma do not undertake the dissertation.

Core course units:
Sustainability, Development and Governance
This course will equip students with a detailed understanding of the development of sustainable development as a discourse. Students will explore key sustainability issues such as climate change, globalisation, and human responses with an emphasis on the emergence of environmental governance as a means to pursue sustainability.

Technology and Development
This course provides you with an introduction to the role of technology in development, focusing particularly on mobile phone and computer technologies. The course combines an understanding of key theoretical debates and how technologies have been applied in diverse sectors such as health and education. The course also includes training in the use of GIS (geographical information systems) within a development context.

Sustainability, Development and Society
You will develop a detailed understanding of key social / environmental relationships incorporating contemporary issues in the geographies of sustainability. These will include \'risk society\', sustainable cities, and the impacts of corporate sector activities on the environment. You will also understand the challenges to sustainable development at household and community levels, with a focus on community-based approaches to sustainable development.

Participatory research
This course combines detailed understanding of the theoretical underpinnings of participatory research and methods with practical experience of using different participatory research techniques. These include participatory diagramming, participatory video and participatory environmental monitoring.

Research Training
You will be provided with training in a range of methods to enable you to plan, carry out and complete a piece of research. There are three modules in this element:
- Social Research Methods Training - provides a range of social science methods for field research and analysis.
- Quantitative Methods for Graduates - provides basic statistical concepts and procedures used in empirical research.
- Development and Environment Research Training - provides guidance for planning, developing and undertaking research in a development and environment context.

Dissertation (MSc only)
The dissertation is of between 12,000 and 15,000 words, on a topic of your choice which has been approved by the supervisor. It requires both secondary and primary research, and the demonstration of originality in integrating theoretical and practical research methods in tackling a particular problem. You will be encouraged to carry out your dissertation in collaboration with an organisation in the field of development and environment.

Community Volunteer Project
You will undertake an independent volunteer project which will give you practical experience in gaining sustainability related work experience in a non-for profit organisation. The project will enhance your employability whilst and provide an opportunity to gain practical experience of third sector organisational objectives, cultures and practices.

Elective course units:
ICT4D
This course gives you the opportunity to develop deeper understandings of cutting-edge applications of ICT4D research and practice. Topics covered include environmental change and Green ICT, open development and subversive forms of technology use, and logics of inclusion and exclusion in ICT programmes. You will also examine project planning, monitoring and evaluation in the field of ICT4D.

Business Ethics and Enterprise
The aim of the course is to equip students with the moral frameworks and critical abilities necessary to understand the role of business in society from an ethical perspective. The course will cover different types of business including large publicly traded multinationals, small and medium sized enterprises, social enterpises and family firms. Students will be expected to understand the different issues in these organizational types and to articulate moral arguments from a range of different perspectives.

International Sustainability Management
This course provides participants with an understanding of how Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) informs sustainability management issues in large, transnational organisations. It will focus on issues such as consumption and sustainability as dichotomised between the apparently incompatible tensions of economic and environmental interests.

Other courses Geopolitics and Security / PIR / Management / Computer science

On completion of the course graduates will have:
- an understanding at an advanced level of the relationships between, and complexities of, social, economic, political and environmental aspects of sustainable development

- an understanding at an advanced level of how the key issues in sustainable development theory influence policy and impact on practice

- the ability to critically analyse complex or contradictory areas of knowledge in aspects of sustainable development.

Assessment

Assessment is carried out by a variety of methods including coursework and a dissertation.

Employability & career opportunities

Past students of the course are now employed by international development and environment agencies, national policy making and implementing agencies, higher education institutions, private sector natural resource companies and NGOs; as environmental and development workers, activists, teachers and researchers. Many of our alumni are also currently undertaking doctoral programmes in the UK and abroad.

How to apply

Applications for entry to all our full-time postgraduate degrees can be made online https://www.royalholloway.ac.uk/studyhere/postgraduate/applying/howtoapply.aspx .

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