Master of International Development

Admission requirements

Applicants must hold a recognised bachelor degree, with a GPA of 5 or better, in a Social Sciences or Humanities related field from an approved tertiary institution.

The Dean (Education) may, under certain circumstances and subject to specific conditions, admit others who can show evidence of fitness for candidature.

Credit

Credit may be granted towards completion of the degree for relevant prior study. Students who have completed at least 18 units of the Master of Arts (International Development), including GEOG9023 Research Design and Management, with a GPA of 5.5 are eligible to transfer into the Master of International Development and complete the remaining units of the program.

Course aims

The course aims to develop critical awareness, knowledge and skills required for careers in the public, private and non-governmental sector organisations that operate in international development or international affairs.

It aims to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of current development issues and policies areas the theories that inform them. Students will develop a broad range of research skills and apply them in a substantial piece of individual scholarship.

Students will be able to pursue specialist knowledge in a variety of related disciplines including environmental studies, international relations, population studies, public health, public policy and management, and gender studies. A selection of topics focusing on specific countries and regions is available. Practicum topics are offered which enable students to apply their knowledge and skills.

Learning outcomes

At the completion of the course students should be able to:

demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of contemporary theories in the field of development studies and the socio-economic, political, cultural and environmental forces that shape developing countries
demonstrate advanced skills in interpreting critically a vast array of information on the problems of development
plan and execute a substantial research project
work collaboratively across cultures and linguistic diversity and with a well-developed awareness of gender and other diversity aspects that affect development practices and experiences

Program of study

All applicants must submit to the Program Approver a satisfactory proposal for a coherent program of studies.

To qualify for The Master of International Development, a student must complete 72 units with a grade of P or NGP or better in each topic, according to the following program of study:

Core - Year 1 & 2 topics

GEOG8012 Development Problems and Solutions (4.5 units)*
GEOG9022 Debates in International Development (4.5 units)*
GEOG9023 Research Design and Management (4.5 units)*
GEOG9118 Research Thesis (18 units) or
GEOG9118A Research Thesis A (4.5/18 units) and
GEOG9118B Research Thesis B (4.5/18 units) and
GEOG9118C Research Thesis C (4.5/18 units) and
GEOG9118D Research Thesis D (4.5/18 units) or
GEOG9037 Research Paper (9 units)
INTR9077 Global Inequality (4.5 units)*

GEOG9118, GEOG9118A, B, C, D to be taken in year 2. Eligibility is dependent upon achieving a GPA of 5.5 in the previous 36 units of study in the International Development graduate program. Students who do not achieve a GPA of 5.5 may take GEOG9037 Research Paper.

GEOG9037 is to be taken in the final semester of study and is dependent upon achieving a GPA of 5 in the previous 36 units of study in the International Development graduate program.

Students who do not achieve a GPA of 5 in the previous 36 units of study in the International Development graduate program will exit with a Master of Arts (International Development) (54 units).

Students must complete at least one of the following topics:

DVST9031  Gender Analysis (4.5 units)*
DVST9032  Gender Mainstreaming (4.5 units)*
WMST8003  Gender, Globalisation and International Development GE (4.5 units)*

Students must make up the remaining units (for a total of 72 units) from the following list of option topics. Not all topics are necessarily available in a given year.

Option - Year 1 & 2 topics

DVST9036 Supervised Study in International Development (4.5 units)
DVST9038 Environment and Development in Asia (4.5 units)
GEOG8030 Sustainable Development: Concepts and Principles GE (4.5 units)*
GEOG8712  Asian Regional Development GE (4.5 units)
GEOG9035 Work Integrated Learning (9 units)*
GEOG9035A  Work Integrated Learning (4.5 units)*
GEOG9050 Population Dynamics GE (4.5 units)
GEOG9141 Women's Health and Child Survival (4.5 units)
INTR9051  International Human Rights: Theory and Practice (4.5 units)
INTR9055  African Politics: Global Issues (4.5 units)
INTR9059  Intensive Summer School on Global Citizenship (4.5 units)
INTR9062  Contemporary Issues in Gender and Development (4.5 units)
INTR9065A Policy Making on a Global Stage (4.5 units)*
INTR9076 Food Security (4.5 units)
INTR9078   Governing East Asia in the 21st Century (4.5 units)
PHCA9505  Primary Health Care Practice in Developing Countries (9 units)*
POAD9026  Management in Non-Government Organisations (4.5 units)*
POAD9030 Indigenous Issues in Public Policy (4.5 units)*
POAD9119  Regionalism, Decentralisation and Governance (4.5 units)*
POAD9131  Development Administration (4.5 units)*
POAD9135 Project Management (4.5 units)*
POLI9004  The Politics of Climate Change (4.5 units)
WMST9015  Women's Studies: Research Strategies (4.5 units)

* These topics are also available by distance education.

Note: Other topics may be taken with the approval of the course coordinator.

Every effort has been made to ensure the information published on the Course Rule pages is accurate at the time of publication. Flinders University reserves the right to amend its curriculum without prior notice, and will update the Course Rules to reflect any amendments at the earliest opportunity.