MA in International Development
The MA in International Development, taught jointly by Geography and Town & Regional Planning, is an exciting new course for 2009, and brings together expertise from geography, planning and development studies to engage with the challenges of international development in today's complex world. The course explores contemporary theory, policy and practice within international development. The last thirty years have seen major changes and challenges to the ways in which we understand social, economic, political and cultural change. These are complex processes within international development requiring considerable attention to the detail of local situations and circumstances. The course provides specialised teaching to equip students with the skills to take on these challenges in the international development workplace. A distinctive feature of the course is its applied emphasis to ensure that students engage with the complexities of international development as played out in everyday life. - The core fieldtrip to a country in the Global South provides students with practical field skills in a unique environment.
- The placement-based dissertation offers students the opportunity to work within a development organisation in Europe or the Global South whilst conducting their dissertation, gaining valuable experience for future careers.
The MA in International Development provides high quality, in-depth teaching dedicated to preparing students both for further academic studies and those developing or continuing their careers in development and environmental research and practice in the public and private sectors. The programme is driven by our practical engagements with development as well as by theory, making this course of interest to both recent graduates and those with existing professional experience. Students from, or with work experience in, the Global South are particularly encouraged to apply. We are looking for students who will respond positively to the intellectual challenges this degree programme will present, and who will use the experience to inform their professional practice on graduation. Course Structure The MA in International Development comprises three elements that make up 180 credits worthy of study: - Training in development research methods and professional skills for the workplace, including core field class (60 credits)
- Training in specialised subject areas (60 credits)
- A placement based research dissertation (60 credits)
The core modules that make up the course are: GEO6801 Ideas and Practice in International Development (15 credits )
GEO6802 Research Design and Methods in Development (15 credits )
GEO6803 Professional Skills for Development (15 credits )
TRP0611 Spatial Planning and Development in the South (15 credits )
TRP6018 Qualitative Research Methods (15 credits)
GEO6804 Field class (15 credits)
GEO6805 Dissertation with placement (60 credits) The optional modules include: GEO6012 Researching Practice
GEO6019 Global Inequalities
GEO6023 Postcolonial Geography and Spatial Politics
GEO6808 HIV/AIDS
GEO6809 Living with Climate Change
HAR618 International Health: Systems and Policy
HAR659 Gender Relations, Health and Health Care
HAR666 Issues and International Perspectives in Mental Health
SCS657 Practice and Evaluation in International Development
TRP6013 Cities of Diversity
TRP6014 Cities of the South: Planning for Informality The research training and professional skills modules provide grounding in key research skills and techniques applicable to a wide range of research situations, whilst the specialised subject modules are designed to develop a sophisticated understanding of and critical engagement with environmental change and international development. The MA dissertation with placement is completed over the summer months in the final stages of your study.
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