StudyQA — Master: International Development Studies

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If development aid is just a waste of money, how can we find a better way to improve the livelihoods of people? With regions and countries fighting for land, water, and resources, how can we help people recover from conflict and war? How can we transform the right to food, water, and a clean environment into reality? These are just a few examples of issues relating to development studies. The International Development Studies programme allows you to develop a critical understanding of development theories. You will learn to plan and conduct research. You acquire the skills to translate your finding into development policies, intervention strategies and institutional innovations. You will learn to include the diverging views of various stakeholders and to work in multidisciplinary teams.

The programme teaches students to deal with development processes relating to social, economic, political, technological, or environmental change. You examine the complexity of development issues from different perspectives: sociology/anthropology, economics, etc. You can focus on transformation processes either in developing countries or in European (western) counties.

In this programme, you learn to deal with development processes relating to social, economic, political, technological, or environmental change. You examine the complexity of development issues from different perspectives: sociology/anthropology, economics, etc. You can focus on transformation processes either in developing countries, or in European (western) countries.

The total two-year master programme contains 120 European Credits. In the first year, you choose a specialisation based on your academic background. You then follow courses from your specialisation in the first year. The programme consists of the following:

Specialisation Part

Theory and practice of development (RDS31806) where you get acquainted with the Wageningen themes in development studies
Specialisation course which depends on the specialisation you are following
Thesis-preparation course within the specialisation which depends on which group you want to do your thesis
Supporting courses when necessary, which is determined by your study adviser based on your academic knowledge
Thesis in your specialisation (33 credits) which takes on average about six months

During the second year, you do a thesis in your specialisation. Additional elements in the programme include the following:

Common Part

Internship (24 credits) with an organization for a period of 16 weeks
Academic Consultancy Training (9 credits) where you learn to integrate and share knowledge and cooperate in a multidisciplinary team
Modular Skills (3 credits) where you learn skills to function more efficiently in a job
Food Ethics or Ethics and Social Sciences course where you learn to appreciate ethical problems and dilemmas which social scientists face
Seminar course (3 credits) which helps you to develop a critical and scientific mind-set

The internship, Academic Consultancy Training course and Modular Skills of the Common Part are done during in the second year.

Optional courses

Based on your interests, you can also follow optional courses. The study advisor will inform you how many optional courses you will be able to do depending on how well your academic background corresponds to this programme. You can choose optional courses based on your own interests. If you have a university degree in a discipline well related to the programme, you may have 4-5 optional courses.

Research Master Variant

If you are interested in a research-oriented career then you should consider taking the Research Master Variant. The Research Master Variant has a strong methodological focus and provides you with an advanced disciplinary basis. The programme is intended to prepare you for a future career in scientific research, such as a PhD position. This variant focuses extra on developing research competencies and acquiring in-depth disciplinary knowledge and trains students a high academic caliber.
The Wageningen Graduate School of Social Sciences is involved through partnerships with the International Development Studies programme ensuring that you achieve the highest academic standards. The Research Master Variant can be done within any of the three MID specialisations.
Special Features of the Research Master Variant
The research master programme is a variant of the two-year MSc programme International Development Studies (120 credits) and includes as special features:

Advanced disciplinary courses in the domain of the specialisation so that you receive excellent theoretical grounding (12 credits)
Research Master Cluster: a set of methodological courses which focus on the continued development of research skills (18 credits)
Considerable actual research experience is obtained during your study: Minor thesis of 24 credits in the second year plus Major thesis of 36 credits in the second year
Your thesis could involve cooperation with a foreign university or research oriented institute. The Research Master Variant promotes research work at, or in cooperation with, a foreign university or research institute for one of the theses.

You receive guidance on how to translate your thesis into a manuscript for an international scientific journal.

SpecialisationsWithin the programme International Development Studies you follow one of the following specialisations, depending on your academic background and your interests, and in consultation with your study advisor.

Sociology of Development
Economics of Development
Communication, Technology and Policy

Possibilities for optional courses

Optional courses allow you to personalise your programme. If you have completed an academic programme which is well-related to International Development Studies, you may be able to include several optional courses in your programme. Suppose you are interested in focussing on issues relating to disaster studies. You could then choose to do some courses in disaster studies. Or you may be interested in doing some courses in Economics while you are following the Sociology of Development specialisation. You can discuss this with your study advisor who can let you know whether that is possible, and also suggest which courses you could take. If you have 18 credits in a particular theme or discipline outside your own specialisation, the Examination Commission may award you a Minor in that theme, for example a Minor in Disaster Studies or a Minor in Economics.

You must check with the study advisor if your academic background is sufficient to follow the course and if the course can be included in your programme as an optional course.

Multi-disciplinary courses

If you are interested in an area which is outside the social sciences, for example, courses in the environment sciences, or in irrigation, it may be possible for you to include these courses in your programme. You get an opportunity to be truly multi-disciplinary in your approach. You should check with your study advisor whether you have the right background and if the course is appropriate for you.

A Grade Point Average (GPA) for the B.Sc. or B.A. study of at least 70% of the maximum scale.At least a 7 out of 10 for your written B.Sc. or B.A. thesis or project.Fluency in English, both written and spoken.Good skills in mathematics and/or statistics.Basic computer skills. English Language Requirements IELTS band: 6.5 CAE score: (read more) Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE) is part of the Cambridge English suite and is targeted at a high level (IETLS 6.5-8.0). It is an international English language exam set at the right level for academic and professional success. Developed by Cambridge English Language Assessment - part of the University of Cambridge - it helps you stand out from the crowd as a high achiever. 75 (Grade B) FCE score : (read more) Cambridge English: First (FCE) is part of the Cambridge English suite and is targeted at an upper-intermediate level (IELTS 5.5-6.5). It is an international English language exam which provides the perfect foundation for success in study and work. Take Cambridge English: First to prove your ability to use everyday written and spoken English when applying to study abroad. 80 (Grade A) TOEFL iBT® test: 92