International Development MSc
28 Months Part-Time | January Start

You will learn approaches to physical, psychological, social, political, economic, cultural and environmental aspects of health and well-being associated with immediate crises and longer-term health burdens. This lays foundations for comparing and contrasting strategic policy for preparedness and responses to emergent health hazards, complex political disasters, resilient health care and ways of looking at communities and the socio-economic, political, psychological and environmental characteristics they exhibit. This agenda is based on a demand to understand the nature and context of changes in human health and well-being in response to local and global crisis. It provides grounding in applied principles and practices of health and well-being centred disaster risk reduction and health care relative to conceptions of ‘health and well-being’ in emergency’, and transformations, bottom-up capabilities, leadership and hopes from inside and outside a community. Critical issues in both minority and majority worlds are examined either in terms of health hazards, vulnerability, resilience, coping, individual and institutional health care and societal responses and in terms of a virtual or real project in community well-being. These central themes, which are adjustable to most health and well-being phenomena, are addressed for the cases of infectious disease, nutrition, mental health and well-being, primary and emergency health care systems, the political economy of care, self-care, one health and other integrated well-being perspectives. A prime purpose of the module is that students from varied backgrounds will be equipped to contribute to policy and practice debates or health disaster avoidance, survivability and sustainable well-being.

You will learn to identify research questions and project ideas by critically evaluating current research and /or practice in a discipline and identifying an appropriate topic for your own exploration through reviews and analyses of appropriate literature and the planning, development and management of a study. The module enables you to design your research using appropriate project methodologies including through analysis and evaluation of data and within the context of existing literature. You will learn to apply concepts, models or theories to consolidate an extended knowledge in your chosen field of study whilst being aware of your own influence on the research and project process. In formulating, researching, and writing your dissertation you will be guided by your dissertation supervisor. The dissertation is the culmination of your taught experience and will enable you to deploy the skills develop during the taught programme.

The module enables you to apply combinations of theoretical, empirical or practice-based analysis in proceeding to further research and/or practice and to present findings effectively using academic conventions. You will learn to comprehend the importance and application of research and project ethics, good practice and health and safety aspects of field research and projects including confidentiality and data protection. You will be able to write up the research in the form of a 20,000-word dissertation. The dissertation module equips you to cope with an extended piece of work that significantly increases your employability in the sectors represented by the MSc programme. This may include through an internship with an external organisation.

You will learn about the foundations (research theories), benefits / advantages and limits /drawbacks of a range of advanced standard social science research methodologies. You will thus be in a better position to design a research strategy and operationalise this, particularly for your Masters Dissertation or Project, but also for future graduate employment in knowledge societies and research-rich or informed careers and professions. You will also be better prepared to scrutinise other people’s / organisations’ research, and to what extent it is appropriate, robust and meaningful – particularly the connection between research objectives / questions and methods and interpretation of findings.
Research methods covered will include both qualitative and quantitative methods and techniques to explore issues in disaster and development studies, and global development from a human / societal / social processes / organisations / communities perspective. Particular attention will be devoted to evidence-based policy making and “wicked issues”. “Natural” environmental processes will be within the scope of the module as far as a social science-based exploration of “produced nature” is fruitful and necessary.

Key topics/themes/issues covered can include, but are not limited to: Approaching Research Methods, Designing Your Research Process, Ethics and Risk Assessment, Fieldwork Research Issues, Consultancy / Stakeholder issues, Case study research, Qualitative / Institutional Research Methods and Analysis, Quantitative Research Methods and (spatial and thematic) Data Analysis, Development Fieldwork through Interviewing, Participatory methods, Survey research, qualitative versus quantitative research and its applications, mixed methods research, research analysis and communication (writing-up and for of presentation).

Academic skills when studying away from your home institution can differ due to cultural and language differences in teaching and assessment practices. This module is designed to support your transition in the use and practice of technical language and subject specific skills around assessments and teaching provision in your chosen subject area in the Department of Architecture and Built Environment. The overall aim of this module is to develop your abilities to read and study effectively for academic purposes; to develop your skills in analysing and using source material in seminars and academic writing and to develop your use and application of language and communications skills to a higher level.

The topics you will cover on the module include:

• Understanding assignment briefs and exam questions.
• Developing academic writing skills, including citation, paraphrasing, and summarising.
• Practising ‘critical reading’ and ‘critical writing’.
• Planning and structuring academic assignments (e.g. essays, reports and presentations).
• Avoiding academic misconduct and gaining credit by using academic sources and referencing effectively.
• Listening skills for lectures.
• Speaking in seminar presentations.
• Giving discipline-related academic presentations, experiencing peer observation, and receiving formative feedback.
• Speed reading techniques.
• Discussing ethical issues in research, and analysing results.
• Describing bias and limitations of research.
• Developing self-reflection skills.

This is an innovative experiential module that will involve you preparing for, taking part in and reflecting on an overseas study visit. Visits will take place in various locations and will draw on the expertise, partnership, and experiences of the teaching staff. You may visit India, Indonesia, Peru, Uganda or other countries where teaching staff maintain well-established research projects and professional relationships. The location of each study visit will be advertised in advance.

Through this module you will (a) seek to develop a sound knowledge and understanding of the development trajectory of the country/region you are visiting, (b) engage with key civil society development actors and educational partners in that context, (c) deepen your understanding of development practice, (d) develop key transferrable fieldwork skills and (e) develop a critical appreciation of the importance of experiential learning in your own personal and academic development.

The central part of this module will be your experiences whilst overseas in which you will be supported through a range of activities to engage with development practitioners and development challenges as well as the cultural life of the location visited. In order to prepare you for this, workshop will focus on cultural awareness training, the development of core fieldwork skills and planning for enhanced group work activities.