Masters Degrees (Gender Development)

The MSc in Human Resource Development (International Development) enables you to critically understand the role of human resource development (HRD) in enhancing performance within your own institutions and societies. Emphasis is placed on how HRD can support economic and social advancement by improving public services, and in building capabilities within individuals, organisations and communities to effectively cope with social change. The programme aims to develop students' critical appreciation of globalisation processes, policy initiatives and development management plans to support skills development, competitiveness and human capabilities, including development issues associated with eradicating gender inequalities, fostering human well being and maintaining sustainable livelihoods.

The course aims to develop your professional understanding of HRD strategies and development tools to support skill and knowledge acquisition, and build organization and community capabilities. A focus on developing human knowledge and skills enables you to appreciate how education supports skills development. Students also acquire knowledge of the role of International Organizations (through governments and MNCs) such as the World Bank and the UN in supporting education and development initiatives. There is a strong emphasis on acquiring cross cultural leadership knowledge, relevant for many social change and development projects in the public sector, or in the private sector, MNCs, NGOs or international organizations like the World Bank The objectives are that, by the end of the programme, participants will have:
-Knowledge and understanding of the linkage between international development, education and HRD practices and policies

-Knowledge of how approaches to national human resource development affect organisation and societal performance in developing and transitional economies

-Knowledge and understanding of comparative education policy and governance frameworks, for capacity building, the political economy of skills formation and how national HRD training systems affect organization, industrial and societal development, including gender national planning

-Knowledge of globalisation and cross-cultural factors affecting the application of HRD theories and methods in developing, transitional and newly industrialised countries

-An understanding of HRD and development policies in diverse geographic regions and how they enhance human capabilities and support poverty reduction, empowerment, help eradicate gender inequality and advance human well being especially within transitional and developing country contexts

-A critical understanding of cutting edge international HRD policies including talent management, knowledge management, private sector management and entrepreneurship, corporate social responsibility (CSR), social justice and ethics, social capital, and strategies for managing inequality including gender and other differences

-Knowledge of leadership for development (lead4dev) and different HRD strategies for the building of leadership skills in the workplace/society, especially those from disadvantaged/marginalized groups including the poor and women

-An understanding of how to analyse and design HRD strategies at societal and organisational level, including gender national planning and empowerment

The programme is designed for individuals of any professional background in international organisations, public administration, transnational organisations and private sector companies who are involved in the HRD, leadership and capacity planning aspects of organisations in developing and transitional countries. These may include managers/leaders of HRD/training/learning, HRD and education in government administration; direct trainers, staff of training centres, staff involved in human development planning in governments; HRD and Leadership consultants involved in change projects, change consultants involved in community development; NGO managers and line managers concerned with the development of their staff.

Aims

You will gain:
-Knowledge and understanding of the linkage between international development and HRD practices and policies
-Knowledge of globalisation and cross-cultural actors affecting the application of HRD and education theories and methods in developing, transitional and newly industrialised countries
-Knowledge of education and HRD interventions and their role in building leadership skills and capacity
-Knowledge of how approaches to national human resource development (NHRD) affect organisation and societal performance in developing and transitional economies
-Knowledge of how new approaches to HRD strategies including private sector management and development, social capital, knowledge management, gender planning affect the context for competence and performance enhancement in organisations and societies
-Understanding of how to analyse and design HRD strategies at societal and organisational level
-Understanding of your own learning and leadership skills and how they may be improved

Special features

The course usually includes a field visit to a UK or overseas destination, enabling you to visit public sector organisations, companies and agencies to learn about HRD systems and practices. The cost of the visit is included in the course fee.

Career opportunities

Graduates acquire a range of skills and knowledge valuable in the global economy and relevant for a variety of professional careers in international development. Recent graduates have gained positions including: HRD consultants/managers/directors in Ministries of HRD or Ministries of Education and as NGO Leaders (Middle East, Thailand, Indonesia, Latin America); Knowledge Management Consultants (Middle East, Canada); university HRD and training directors (Middle East, Africa); leadership and capacity development advisors in the public sector (Africa, Asia), education and HRD leadership consultants (Pakistan, Middle East). Some go on to work for the UN or World Bank, for example, gender and HRD specialist, or capacity building advisers (Kazakhstan, India, USA, China) and development project leaders (Nigeria). Some students progress to PhD study and a career in academia.

The course is unique as it demonstrates understanding of institutional HRD practices within the context of globalisation, social change and economic development so graduates acquire relevant development, HRD, leadership and education knowledge for directing culture and social change.

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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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This course encourages you to question the concept of development, particularly western understandings of it, and gives priority to issues and debates identified within specific countries under study rather than relying on predominantly western literature. Located at the intersection of interdisciplinary gender studies and international feminist theory, it argues that gender relations are central to processes of international development and that gender is cross-cut by other significant differences.

You’ll study core modules that address theoretical perspectives on gender and development, and their relationship to paradigms in development thought, as well as policymaking and implementation in gender and development. You’ll also receive training in social sciences research through a core module shared across all of our MA programmes. You can then apply these skills as you undertake independent research under supervision in order to complete your dissertation.

Our optional modules enable you to explore gender and development in relation to issues such as global capitalism and the labour process, human rights, and postcolonial theory. Our students have gone on to work in contexts including development agencies in their own or other countries, national or local government work, charities, private and public sector management and administration, and academic research.

Programme details

Our programme will give you a thorough understanding of the centrality of gender relations in development and how gender is cross-cut by other significant differences, such as sexuality, ‘race’/ethnicity, (dis)ability and social class. Through our two core modules you will achieve a rigorous theoretical and conceptual foundation linked to a strong practical focus on issues and policies of gender and development. A third optional core module will give you a detailed understanding of methodological debates in social research, and you'll also take at least one more gender/development module.

You will then select from a wide range of exciting and cutting-edge specialist modules, including an optional module in law and development. Optional modules provide opportunities to explore substantive issues that excite you, such as human rights, global capitalism, feminist jurisprudence, the labour process, feminist theory and epistemology, and postcolonial theory. With personal supervision from one of our leading scholars, you will then progress to research and write your own 15,000 word dissertation.

Our programme takes place in the unique academic context of both a Women and Gender Studies Research Centre, with an exciting programme of research seminars and events, and a thriving Sociology department, with a strong international research and teaching profile. You may be a development professional looking to progress your career, a student moving on to graduate study with an interest in development or a researcher seeking a relevant MA as preparation for a research degree; all have prospered on this course and all are welcome!

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Take advantage of one of our 100 Master’s Scholarships to study Gender and Culture at Swansea University, the Times Good University Guide’s Welsh University of the Year 2017. Postgraduate loans are also available to English and Welsh domiciled students. For more information on fees and funding please visit our website.

The MA in Gender and Culture offers an innovative interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary approach to the study of Gender and Culture.

Key Features of MA in Gender and Culture

This is an interdisciplinary MA scheme in Gender and Culture taught by Gender specialists across the Arts and Humanities – in the subject areas of Development Studies, Political and Cultural Studies, English Literature, Egyptology, European Languages, History, Media Studies, and Political and Cultural Studies.

If you are interested in gender and gender relations in politics, literature, culture, and history, like engaging in discussion and intellectual argument, and are excited about the idea of working within and across different subject areas, this MA in Gender and Culture is ideal for you.

The MA Gender and Culture examines the production, reproduction and transformation of gender in culture and society.

The Gender and Culture degree is supported by the research activity of GENCAS, the Centre for Research into Gender in Culture and Society in the College of Arts and Humanities. The College of Arts and Humanities has a Graduate Centre. The Graduate Centre fosters and supports individual and collaborative research activity of international excellence and offers a vibrant and supportive environment for students pursuing postgraduate research and taught masters study. The Centre provides postgraduate training to enhance academic and professional development and facilitates participation in seminar programmes, workshops and international conferences.

The full-time Gender and Culture course comprises three modules taken in each academic semester (a total of six modules) and then a dissertation over the summer. In part one, students study three compulsory modules and three optional modules. In part two, students are required to write the dissertation component which draws on issues and themes developed throughout the year.

Part-time study is available for the Gender and Culture programme.

Gender and Culture Programme Aims

To develop independent thinking and writing. You devise your own essay projects in consultation with a gender specialist - this combines the benefits of expert guidance with the rewards of shaping an intellectual project for yourself. To sharpen and develop your skills and take them to a new level by providing the chance for original thinking and intellectual freedom in writing the ‘dissertation’ element, where you complete your own research project.

Modules

Modules on the Gender and Culture programme include:

• Women and Politics
• Civil Society and International Development
• Critical Security Studies
• Rights-Based Approaches to Development
• War, Technology and Culture
• Approaches to IR
• Violence, Conflict & Development
• Governance, Globalization and Neoliberal Political Economy
• Human Rights and Humanitarian Intervention
• The Policy Making Process
• State of Africa
• Politics in Contemporary Britain
• War in Space
• Politics and Public Policy in the New Wales
• Postcolonialism, Orientalism and Eurocentrism
• War, Identity and Society
• Approaches to Political Theory
• International Security in the Asia Pacific
• Gender Trouble: the Medieval Anchorite, and Issues of Wombs and Tombs
• Women Writers of the 1940’s
• Women Writing India
• ‘The Great Pretender’: Masculinity in Contemporary Women’s Fiction
• ‘The Unsex’d Females’: Women Writers and the French Revolution
• British Women’s Fiction 1918-1939
• Contemporary Women’s Writing
• Angela Carter
• Gender in Contemporary European Culture
• Literature in Social Context
• Women and Gender in Ancient Egypt
• Nature’s Stepchildren: European Medicine and Sexual Dissidents, 1869-1939
• The making of Modern Sexualities, 1650-1800

Who should Apply?

Students interested in Gender and Culture from a Classics and Ancient History, English, European Languages, History, Media Studies, and Political and Cultural Studies or related background. Professionals interested in the challenge of digital studying Gender and Culture. Students interested in preparation for postgraduate research, MPhil or PhD, or who wish to develop skills and knowledge related to gender and culture.

Career Prospects

Career expectations are excellent for Gender and Culture graduates. Our graduates are employed in diverse and dynamic vocations such as education, business, law and finance, marketing, sales and advertising; commercial, industrial and public sectors; media and PR; creative and professional writing; social and welfare professions; heritage and tourism; government and politics; foreign affairs and diplomatic corps; humanitarian organisations and some go on to study a PhD.

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Take advantage of one of our 100 Master’s Scholarships to study Gender and Culture at Swansea University, the Times Good University Guide’s Welsh University of the Year 2017. Postgraduate loans are also available to English and Welsh domiciled students. For more information on fees and funding please visit our website.

Key Features of MA in Gender and Culture

This is an interdisciplinary MA scheme in Gender and Culture taught by Gender specialists across the Arts and Humanities – in the subject areas of Development Studies, Political and Cultural Studies, English Literature, Egyptology, European Languages, History, Media Studies, and Political and Cultural Studies.

If you are interested in gender and gender relations in politics, literature, culture, and history, like engaging in discussion and intellectual argument, and are excited about the idea of working within and across different subject areas, this MA in Gender and Culture is ideal for you.

The MA Gender and Culture examines the production, reproduction and transformation of gender in culture and society.

The Gender and Culture degree is supported by the research activity of GENCAS, the Centre for Research into Gender in Culture and Society in the College of Arts and Humanities. The College of Arts and Humanities has a Graduate Centre. The Graduate Centre fosters and supports individual and collaborative research activity of international excellence and offers a vibrant and supportive environment for students pursuing postgraduate research and taught masters study. The Centre provides postgraduate training to enhance academic and professional development and facilitates participation in seminar programmes, workshops and international conferences.

The full-time Gender and Culture course comprises three modules taken in each academic semester (a total of six modules) and then a dissertation over the summer. In part one, students study three compulsory modules and three optional modules. In part two, students are required to write the dissertation component which draws on issues and themes developed throughout the year.

Part-time study is available for the Gender and Culture programme.

The Extended MA (EMA) in Gender and Culture is a 240-credit postgraduate qualification that is equivalent to 120 ECTS (European Credit Transfer System) and is thus a recognised Masters qualification throughout the European Union. The EMA is a standard UK MA plus an additional 60 credits (30 ECTS) and this additional coursework is undertaken in one semester at a partner institution overseas. The EMA is therefore not only an EU recognised postgraduate qualification it also adds a study abroad experience thus enhancing the qualification’s employability credentials.

The partner institution for EMA Gender and Culture is the University of Regensburg. Founded in 1962, Regensburg is a renowned international centre of teaching and research. Although it has over 21,000 thousand students, the university offers a broad range of disciplines of study, as well as having excellent infrastructure and a favourable staff-student ratio. Regensburg is also active in research, with six special research areas supported by the German Research Society and a strong presence in German- and EU-funded research initiatives. The university has a significant international presence, offering exchange links with more than 200 European institutions and 45 overseas universities. Students will have access to the complete range of services and facilities offered at the university, along with inclusion in the many academic and social activities that take place. Located right in the heart of the old town of Regensburg, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the university is situated in the centre of a culturally and socially rich area with over 2000 years of history.

Gender and Culture Programme Aims

To develop independent thinking and writing. You devise your own essay projects in consultation with a gender specialist - this combines the benefits of expert guidance with the rewards of shaping an intellectual project for yourself. To sharpen and develop your skills and take them to a new level by providing the chance for original thinking and intellectual freedom in writing the ‘dissertation’ element, where you complete your own research project.

Modules

Modules on the Gender and Culture programme include:

• Women and Politics
• Civil Society and International Development
• Critical Security Studies
• Rights-Based Approaches to Development
• War, Technology and Culture
• Approaches to IR
• Violence, Conflict & Development
• Governance, Globalization and Neoliberal Political Economy
• Human Rights and Humanitarian Intervention
• The Policy Making Process
• State of Africa
• Politics in Contemporary Britain
• War in Space
• Politics and Public Policy in the New Wales
• Postcolonialism, Orientalism and Eurocentrism
• War, Identity and Society
• Approaches to Political Theory
• International Security in the Asia Pacific
• Gender Trouble: the Medieval Anchorite, and Issues of Wombs and Tombs
• Women Writers of the 1940’s
• Women Writing India
• ‘The Great Pretender’: Masculinity in Contemporary Women’s Fiction
• ‘The Unsex’d Females’: Women Writers and the French Revolution
• British Women’s Fiction 1918-1939
• Contemporary Women’s Writing
• Angela Carter
• Gender in Contemporary European Culture
• Literature in Social Context
• Women and Gender in Ancient Egypt
• Nature’s Stepchildren: European Medicine and Sexual Dissidents, 1869-1939
• The making of Modern Sexualities, 1650-1800

Who should Apply?

Students interested in Gender and Culture from a Classics and Ancient History, English, European Languages, History, Media Studies, and Political and Cultural Studies or related background. Professionals interested in the challenge of digital studying Gender and Culture. Students interested in preparation for postgraduate research, MPhil or PhD, or who wish to develop skills and knowledge related to gender and culture.

Career Prospects

Career expectations are excellent for Gender and Culture graduates. Our graduates are employed in diverse and dynamic vocations such as education, business, law and finance, marketing, sales and advertising; commercial, industrial and public sectors; media and PR; creative and professional writing; social and welfare professions; heritage and tourism; government and politics; foreign affairs and diplomatic corps; humanitarian organisations and some go on to study a PhD.

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The Education, Gender and International Development MA will develop a student's understanding of the gender dimensions of research, analysis, policy and practice in relation to education in low- and middle-income countries. It will encourage them to consider how developing countries connect with more affluent and powerful regions of the world.

[Degree information]]
The programme provides students with the opportunity to follow a course of study unique in the UK, looking at a range of current issues and debates, including discussions about girls’ access to and achievements in school; femininities, masculinities and gender relations within education; the ways in which the state and society shapes the politics of gender and education; and approaches to social justice and education.

Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits.

The programme consists of two core modules (60 credits), and either two optional modules (60 credits) and a dissertation (60 credits), or three optional modules (90 credits) and a report (30 credits).

Core modules
-Education and International Development: Concepts, Theories and Issues
-Gender, Education and Development

Optional modules - students select either two or three optional modules from a range across UCL Institute of Education (IOE) Master's-level offering, including:
-Economic Perspectives of Education Policy
-Education and Development in Asia
-Education and Muslim Communities
-Education, Conflict and Fragility
-Gender, Sexuality and Education
-Learners, Learning and Teaching in the Context of Education for All
-Planning for Education and Development
-Promoting Health and Wellbeing: Planning, Practice and Participation

Dissertation/report
All students undertake an independent research project which culminates in either a 20,000-word dissertation (60 credits) or 10,000-word report (30 credits).

Teaching and learning
Teaching is delivered by lectures or other structured inputs by staff; participant-led presentations and discussions based on selected readings or a clearly specified project; tutor-led seminars; workshops; problem/issue-based paired and small-group work; occasional debates and occasional invited speakers; reflections on film and video inputs. Assessment is via various forms of coursework including discursive essays, critical analysis of empirical research, reviews of literature, and the dissertation or report.

Fieldwork
Students may undertake fieldwork in relation to their research for their dissertation or report, but it is not a requirement. If undertaken, fieldwork must be self-funded.

Careers

Graduates of this programme are currently working across a broad range of areas. Some are working as specialist professionals in NGOs and international development organisations, while others have jobs as teachers and education managers. Graduates can also be found working as government officials, civil servants and university lecturers worldwide.

Top career destinations for this degree:
-Director of Strategic Partnerships, Olusegun Obasanjo Foundation
-Gender and Communications Officer, Concern Worldwide
-Reports Officer, World Food Programme (WFP)
-Operations Analyst, Business Monitor International
-Research and Evaluation Officer, Coffey International Development

Employability
It is intended that students who have participated fully in the programme will be able to:
-Reflect critically on debates concerning education, gender and international development.
-Understand the ways in which knowledge forms, and is formed by, education politics, policy, practice and research in national settings in low- and middle-income countries, and in transnational organisations.
-Consider the implications of theory, research and analyses developed through class discussions for their own future practice and professional development.
-Use oral and written communication skills in order to make arguments, examine evidence and creatively advance this area of inquiry.
-Understand processes entailed in research and conduct a small research study.

Why study this degree at UCL?

The Department of Education, Practice and Society at UCL Institute of Education is the well-established home of an interdisciplinary grouping bringing together high-quality teaching and research in the history, sociology and philosophy of education and international development.

The department has extensive experience and expertise in education planning, health and gender in Africa, Asia and Latin America; 'policy sociology'; education, equality and human rights; issues of gender, 'race', sexuality, disability and social class. Visits to international organisations, policy seminars and a vibrant student/alumni group provide excellent networking opportunities.

Linking research, policy and practice, students benefit from an extraordinarily powerful learning community.

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Linking sustainable development to social inclusion

While governments around the world have committed themselves to fighting poverty, poverty can only be eradicated once marginalised individuals and groups experience equality, regardless of their gender, race, ethnicity, disabilities or age. That is why discussions on sustainable development and reversing poverty often refer to social inclusion. Development organisations and government agencies can contribute to inclusive transformation processes that improve circumstances for marginalised people and allow them to take part in society and benefit from social services and various political, social, physical and market spaces.

Youth are particularly important drivers of innovation, entrepreneurship and prosperity in developing countries and engaging them in the agricultural sector and keeping them in the rural areas should be a priority. To ensure context-specific inclusive transformation processes, development professionals and organisations need to understand and define marginalised peoples’ needs, interests, constraints and possibilities, as well as understand their roles in decision-making processes at household, economic and societal levels.

The Rural Development, Social nclusion, Gender and Youth specialisation equips students with competences needed to understand and define these contextual factors, reduce inequities and improve social and economic conditions for everyone.

Competences

By the time you graduate, you will have developed the ability to:

• identify opportunities for systemic change and to enhance opportunities and interests of youth, men and women in rural environments
• promote social inclusion and mainstream gender and other socialequity issues in rural development
• recommend changes that will bring about gender equality in organisations
• develop a personal strategy for enhancing empowerment, social inclusion, youth involvement and gender equality in your own profession and organisation.

Career opportunities

Specialists in Rural Development, Social Inclusion, Gender and Youth contribute to inclusive transformation of social processes that improve circumstances for marginalised people to take part in society. Recognising that equal access to markets and social services, influence over decisions affecting one’s life and young people as key drivers of innovation, entrepreneurship and prosperity will increase security over livelihood and improve social economic conditions for everyone, specialists may design interdisciplinary projects to mainstream social inclusion and reduce inequities. As agents for community development, they may be managers, coordinators or consultants in a (non-)governmental organisation or in the private sector.

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Why take this course?

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

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

What will I experience?

On this course you can:

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

What opportunities might it lead to?

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

Module Details

You will study the following core units:

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

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

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

You will also select two optional units:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Programme Assessment

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

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

Student Destinations

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

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Why take this course?

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

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

What will I experience?

On this course you can:

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

What opportunities might it lead to?

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

Module Details

You will study the following core units:

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

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

You will also select two optional units:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Programme Assessment

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

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

Student Destinations

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

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

INTRODUCTION

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



ENTRY REQUIREMENT

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



PROGRAMME STRUCTURE

CORE COURSES (24 Credits)

- Philosophy and Methodology of Research

- Research Project

- Development Theory and Practice

- Globalization and Development



OPTIONAL COURSES (A+B)



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

- Poverty and Inequality

- Sustainable Development and Environmental Management

- Entrepreneurship and Development

- Institutions, Industrial Development and Economic Growth

- Economics of Education

- Gender and Development Issues



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

- The Malaysian Economy

- Economic Development and Planning

- Public Economics

- Islamic Banking and Finance

- Public Policy Analysis

- Social Policy and Development

- Planning Community and Development



PROGRAMME DURATION

Minimum: 2 Semesters

Maximum: 8 Semesters



LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS (For International Applicants)

Minimum TOEFL score of 550 or;

Minimum IELTS overall band score of 5.5



FEES STRUCTURE

AVERAGE FEES*

MALAYSIAN

RM 14,130.00*

INTERNATIONAL

RM 27,867.50*

*Subject to change

Facilities

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

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

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

Career Opportunity

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

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Who is this programme for?:

The Violence, Conflict and Development programme attracts applicants with a variety of academic and working backgrounds. We welcome those who have worked in the field of development and/or conflict, but we also welcome applications from students without relevant work experience who can demonstrate a strong interest in the major themes of the programme and a strong first degree, preferably in a social science.

The degree has been developed to meet the needs of people working, or hoping to work, in international agencies, humanitarian organisations, and NGOs.

As the pioneering programme of its kind internationally, this MSc programme develops detailed empirical knowledge and analytical skills for understanding the complex linkages between violent conflict and development, both historically and today. It enables students to explore these linkages both within specific country and regional contexts and in the context of global interdependencies and the ways these affect peace, war, and non-war violence.

The programme introduces students to competing analytical approaches. It is multi-disciplinary though shaped by a particular interest in political economy. It encourages deep case study knowledge. And it offers students the ability to tailor their choice of optional courses and dissertation research to their own interests.

The MSc in Violence, Conflict and Development draws on the exceptional expertise at SOAS in different disciplinary understanding of development challenges and processes as well as the strong commitment among all teaching staff to area expertise. Staff teaching on this programme are research active and have a range of links to international organisations.

The programme is of interest for development practitioners, activists, and students with a scholarly interest in the patterns of violence internationally, in how violence affects development, and in how the uneven processes of development themselves may both generate violence and generate mechanisms for containing violence.

Highlights include:

- Zoe's Blog! (http://vcd-soas.blogspot.co.uk/) A convenor's-eye view of the MSc Violence, Conflict and Development programme

- Exploration of the long history of theories of human violence

- Relationships between violence and long-run historical change

- The concept of a continuum of violence

- The relevance of historical and more recent evidence that the process of structural change involved in ‘development’ is inherently conflictual and often violent

- To what extent democratisation is a mechanism for securing perpetual peace

- The challenges of understanding gender based violence

- Whether abundant natural resources, or high levels of inequality, or clear markers of religious or ethnic difference are clear sources of violent conflict

- How highly localised violent conflicts are connected to processes of global economic development

- The challenges of post-conflict reconstruction and ‘war to peace transitions’

- The role of NGOs in causes of, dynamics of, and responses to conflict

- Explaining the prevalence of high levels of non-war violence

- Explanations of the political economy of – and alternative perspectives on – terrorism

- Students can draw on SOAS's unique expertise to specialise further in particular regions or topics. Please see Postgraduate modules for details on core and optional modules.

Visit the website http://www.soas.ac.uk/development/programmes/mscviolconfdev/

Structure

- Overview
There are four main components to this degree: three taught modules and a 10,000 word dissertation. All students take a core module, Political Economy of Violence, Conflict and Development. They then select one of three ‘development’ modules: Political Economy of Development; Theory, Policy and Practice of Development; or Anthropology of Development. Through these modules, students build their analytical skills and their knowledge of the main issues and debates in Development Studies. A distinctive feature of the core module is that students put together a group case study presentation.

- Specialisation
Students also take optional modules (one full unit module or two half-unit modules). By tying these to their individual dissertation topic, students design their degree to suit their own interests and career development goals.

Students should be aware that not all optional modules may run in a given year. Modules at other institutions are not part of the approved programme structure.

Programme Specification

Programme Specification 2015/16 (pdf; 97kb) - http://www.soas.ac.uk/development/programmes/mscviolconfdev/file101806.pdf

Materials

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

MSc Violence, Conflict & Development postgraduate students leave SOAS with a portfolio of widely transferable skills which employers seek. These include analytical skills, presentation skills, the ability to think laterally and employ critical reasoning, and knowing how to present materials and ideas effectively both orally and in writing. 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 from MsC Violence, Conflict & Development have gone on to work in a range of different organisations, including Development and Human Rights Organisations, and many have continuted in the field of research.

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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Gender Health & Development - Masters Module/Short Course

This module is designed to provide participants with a critical approach to gender and to be able to develop competency in gender sensitive planning and practice in health and social development.

Indicitivate content will include:

-gender as a social concept
-theoretical perspectives which explain gender differences
-gender, class, ethnicity and age
-gender based violence
-gender effects on health
-gender effects on development
-gender relations
-men and women's health
-gender planning frameworks
-gender sensitive health interventions

Credit Rating: 15 SCOTCAT/5ECTS

Participants of the professional development courses will receive a certificate of attendance from the Institute.

However, participants wishing to gain an award may register for a post graduate certificate. The modules are then taken for credit on a part-time basis each year. A PG Cert requires 60 credits and a post graduate diploma requires 120 credits. If you do a dissertation in addition to the short courses, you will gain 180 credits.

If you register for an award, you can have up to 4 years for a PG Cert, 5 years for a PG Dip and 7 years for a MSc to complete in part-time mode.

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This MSc offers a critical approach to 'people-centred' development, addressing the challenges for equitable citizenship in the context of social diversity and globalisation, particularly in urban contexts. Participants engage in a critical analysis of the theory and practice of social development alongside gaining the skills required to be a reflective social development practitioner.

Degree information

The programme objectives are to give participants a solid grounding in social analysis skills and perspectives, rooted in social theory around identity, inequality, and social change processes. Students learn how development interventions can best support the citizenship claims of diverse groups of women and men, and girls and boys living in the Global South, and consider the role of the social development practitioner in this endeavour.

Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits.

The programme consists of three core modules (90 credits), either one or two optional modules (totalling 30 credits) and a dissertation (60 credits). A Postgraduate Diploma (full-time nine months) is offered, comprising three core modules (90 credits) and one or two optional modules (30 credits).

Core modules - all three of the following:
-Social Policy and Citizenship
-Social Diversity, Inequality, and Poverty
-Social Development in Practice

Optional modules - one or two optional modules, totalling 30 credits, usually including the following, among others:
-NGOs and Social Transformation
-Communication, Technologies and Social Power
-Gender in Policy and Planning
-Participatory Processes: Building for Development
-Disaster Risk Reduction in Cities
-Post Disaster Recovery: Policies, Practices and Alternatives
-Critical Urbanism Studio I and II
-Housing as Urbanism: Housing Policy and the Search for Scale
-Housing Policies: Practical Dimensions and Alternative Options
-Neo-Structuralism and the Developmental State
-Political Economy of Development: Land, Food and Agriculture
-Political Economy of Development: Industrialisation and Infrastructure
-Adapting Cities to Climate Change in the Global South
-Sustainable Infrastructure and Services in Development
-Urban Water and Sanitation, Planning and Politics
-Transport Equity and Urban Mobility
-Urban and Peri-Urban Agriculture: Knowledge Systems in the Global South
-The City and Its Relations: Context, Institutions and Actors in Urban Development Planning
-Managing the City Economy

Dissertation/report
All students undertake an independent research project related to the main themes of the programme, culminating in a dissertation report of 10,000 words (60 credits). Topics may be chosen to enhance career development or for their inherent interest.

Teaching and learning
The programme is delivered through a combination of lectures, seminars, practical classroom exercises, and fieldwork within the UK and abroad. Student performance is assessed through coursework, examinations, and a dissertation report as well as an assessment of practical work, including the international fieldwork group report.

Fieldwork
The programme incorporates group fieldwork in London and in a selected country of the Global South. The cost of flights, visas, necessary vaccinations, accommodation, and fieldwork-related travel and facilitations costs, are incorporated within the programme fees. Meals and other expenditure must be covered by the student.

Careers

Graduates of this Master's programme are likely to find employment as officers for local and international NGOs, as officers for international organisations, as officers in local or national government departments and as consultants. Some graduates pursue an academic career, either through doctoral studies or through teaching and research in a number of prestigious universities.

Top career destinations for this degree:
-Head of Strategy Funding, Global Witness
-Researcher, Chinese Federation of Trade Unions
-Development Consultant, World Bank Group
-Corporate Responsibility Manager, Odebrecht
-Project Co-Ordinator, Thamani Youth of Kenya

Employability
Graduates of this programme are able to link theory to practice, critically reflect, and negotiate complex social relations as well as facilitate social processes in a context of diversity - all key transferable skills in the job market. Graduates have secured jobs in a variety of sectors and countries and built fulfilling careers in social development.

Why study this degree at UCL?

The programme introduces students to critical, analytical and practical skills that will be of use in their future careers, whether as academics, social development practitioners or advocates for the need to place the 'social' at the centre of development. Students have an opportunity to critically examine relevant bodies of knowledge, current debates and field experience in primarily urban contexts, and to consider the challenges of making development policy, planning and practice more socially responsive.

Students on this MSc benefit from the strong practical component, which includes fieldwork assignments in London and an international field trip to a city in the Global South. This trip provides the opportunity to develop practical skills, use tools for participatory action research, and reflect on the roles and responsibilities of social development practitioners.

The practice-based components of the programme also provide students with the opportunity to network with organisations and professionals working in the social development sector. In a complementary series of careers sessions, students can network with Development Planning Unit alumni and partners who are working in relevant fields.

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This Anthropology MA provides an understanding of the ways in which anthropological approaches and debates inform the study of meanings and concepts in development, its priorities, policies and practice. It attracts students with diverse backgrounds and study/work experiences which makes for a lively and challenging atmosphere.

The degree is designed to provide students with a fairly detailed knowledge of anthropology, development issues, research methods and either an ethnographic region (and/or language) and/or thematic interest in health/gender/food/ media. Advice will be given to match the choice of optional components to the requirements, interests, and qualifications of individual students whose background may be in general social science, regional, language or other studies. While the focus of the degree is on development issues and practice, its disciplinary orientation remains anthropological.

Students explore the contribution of anthropology to contemporary development debates, for example, on donors/aid agencies and NGOs, poverty, migration and development, dominating discourses, human rights, violence and complex emergencies, refugees, gender, social capital and community action, health, climate change, the ‘market’ (as a core metaphor of globalised development), whether there are alternatives to the market, the role of business in development (corporate social responsibility and markets for the poor) and the importance of ethical, professional conduct by anthropologists. Anthropological studies provide the basis for understanding issues of state and governance in development, as well as the meaning of community development, and of popular ‘participation’ and ‘empowerment’. Throughout the programme, the role of, and opportunities for anthropologists as professionals in development is discussed, in part through a dedicated series of seminars in term 2.

Note: (1) Students registered in other departments who wish to take this course MUST write to the Director of Study for this course for permission to take it.

The programme consists of four elements: three assessed course units and a dissertation of 10,000 words.

The degree’s core course – ‘Anthropology of Development’ – provides an up-to-date and in-depth understanding of anthropological perspectives on policy and practice in contemporary international development, and gives a theoretical overview of the relationship between development and anthropology. The course examines the politics of aid, shifting aid frameworks, and concrete intervention programmes, bridging the disparate worlds of planners and beneficiaries. This involves close reading of anthropological monographs/studies which examine the nature of policy-making, bureaucracy and programmes in a variety of sectors – health, agriculture, water and others – while always paying close attention to the specific cultural contexts of intervention. Students should note that the course is continuously assessed which each term students are expected to write 1 book review, 1 essay and sit a 50 minute examination. This form of assessment has been found to be much fairer to overseas students whose first language is not English. While continuous assessment requires students to organize their studies efficiently from the very beginning of the year, we have found that a much higher proportion of our students graduate having achieved a distinction.

Commonwealth Shared Scholarship Scheme

The Commonwealth Shared Scholarship scheme (http://www.soas.ac.uk/registry/scholarships/soas-hakluyt-scholarship.html) has been extended to cover the MA Social Anthropology of Development.

Note (2). Students registered in other departments at SOAS, notably in Development Studies, must apply in writing/email to the Director of Studies for permission to take this course as part of their degree.

Visit the website http://www.soas.ac.uk/anthropology/programmes/masocanthdev/

Structure

Overview
The programme consists of four units in total: three units of examined taught courses and a one unit dissertation of 10,000 words.

Core Courses:
- Anthropology of Development - 15PANC090 (1.0 unit).

- Dissertation in Anthropology and Sociology - 15PANC999 (1.0 unit). This is a 10,000 word dissertation on a topic agreed with the Programme Convenor of the MA Social Anthropology of Development and the candidate’s supervisor.

- Additionally all MA Anthropology students 'audit' the course Ethnographic Research Methods during term 1 - this will not count towards your 4 units.

Foundation Course:
- Theoretical Approaches to Social Anthropology - 15PANC008 (1.0 unit). This is compulsory only for students without a previous anthropology degree.

Option Courses:
- The remaining unit(s) of your programme can be selected from the Option Courses list below.

- A total of either 1 unit of option courses (if taking Theoretical Approaches to Social Anthropology) or 2 units (if exempted from Theoretical Approaches to Social Anthropology), may be selected.

- Your 1 or 2 total units may be made up of any combination of 0.5 or 1 unit option courses.

- However, courses without a "15PANxxxx" course code are taught outside of the Anthropology Department. No more than 1 unit in total of these courses may be selected.

- Alternatively, one language course may be taken from the Faculty of Languages and Cultures.

Programme Specification

Programme Specification 2012/2013 (pdf; 134kb) - http://www.soas.ac.uk/anthropology/programmes/masocanthdev/file39771.pdf

Employment

A postgraduate degree in the Social Anthropology of Development at SOAS develops students’ understanding of the world, other peoples’ ways of life and how society is organised with a particular focus on how anthropological approaches and debates inform the study of meanings and concepts in development, its priorities, policies and practice. Over the years the SOAS department has trained numerous leading anthropologists who have gone on to occupy lectureships and professorships throughout the world. Equally, students gain skills during their degree that transfer well to areas such as information and technology, government service, the media and tourism.

Postgraduate students leave SOAS with a portfolio of widely transferable skills which employers seek, including analytical and critical skills; ability to gather, assess and interpret data; high level of cultural awareness; and problem-solving. 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.

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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Who is this programme for?:

This programme is designed for those who want to understand global processes and development, and for those who want to work on, or analyse, development related tasks and issues. It is also highly relevant to anyone working, or intending to work, in development advocacy, policy making, and global development policy analysis, in the NGO sector, government agencies, and international development organisations.

We welcome students with a strong background in the social sciences in their first degree, but we also welcome students who have worked in the area of development, or in a related field.

This exciting programme offers a critical examination of the contemporary process of globalisation and how it influences the developing world, both before and after the ongoing global crisis. The MSc Globalisation and Development blends, in equal measure, critical analysis of mainstream thinking, alternative theories and practices, and case studies of political, social and cultural aspects of globalisation and development.

This degree draws its strength from the unrivalled expertise at SOAS in development problems and processes. The programme is of interest for development practitioners, activists, and students with a scholarly interest in how globalisation influences the developing world, and how the poor majority responds to these challenges.

Highlights include:

- Critical and historical approaches to globalisation and their relationship to neoliberalism, imperialism and US global hegemony.

- Contemporary globalising processes – capital flows, state-market relations, transnational corporations, global commodity chains, inequality and poverty on a global scale.

- Transformation of work in the age of globalisation – new types of work, informalisation and precarisation, labour migration, agrarian change and gender relations.

- Globalisation and imperialism – post-Cold War imperial and civil wars, global and regional challengers to US hegemony: China and Russia.

- Globalisation, democracy and culture – human rights, democratisation, cosmopolitanism, standardisation, homogenisation.

- Alternatives to neoliberal globalisation – global labour movement, transnational social movements and NGOs, environmental issues.

Students can draw on SOAS's unique expertise to specialise further in particular regions or topics. Please see 'Structure' for details on core and optional modules.

Visit the website http://www.soas.ac.uk/development/programmes/mscglobdev/

Structure

- Overview
There are four main components to this degree: three taught modules and a 10,000 word dissertation. All students take a core module, Globalisation and Development. They then select one of two further modules: Political Economy of Development or Theory, Policy and Practice of Development. Through these modules students build their analytical skills and knowledge of the main issues and debates in Development Studies.

- Specialisation
Students also take optional modules (one full module or two half modules), allowing them to specialise in particular areas of development and possibly use them to develop a dissertation in a related theme. By tying optional modules to their individual dissertation topic, students design their degree to suit their own interests and career development goals.

Students should be aware that not all optional modules may run in a given year. Modules at other institutions are not part of the approved programme structure.

Programme Specification

Programme Specification 2015/16 (pdf; 76kb) - http://www.soas.ac.uk/development/programmes/mscglobdev/file101725.pdf

Materials

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 in Globalisation and Development from SOAS provides graduates with a portfolio of widely transferable skills sought by employers, including analytical skills, the ability to think laterally and employ critical reasoning, and knowing how to present materials and ideas effectively both orally and in writing. Equally graduates are able to continue in the field of research, continuing their studies either at SOAS or other institutions. An MSc in Globalisation and Development 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.

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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