MSc Climate Change and International Development (Part Time)

Key details

MSC CLIMATE CHANGE AND INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT (PART TIME)

Start Year

2020

Attendance

Part Time

Award

Degree of Master of Science

Duration (years)

In recent years climate change has held a lead position on the international development agenda and world political stage, making this course particularly relevant today.

You’ll cover a range of issues surrounding international and local dimensions, particularly the questions of mitigation and adaptation in resource-poor and vulnerable settings.

The course will address multiple dimensions of climate change and development including those mentioned earlier. You’ll also look at local responses to extreme events and disasters, and adaptation and mitigation impacts in Africa. There may also be the opportunity to participate in a United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Meeting (UNFCCC).

About

If you work in international development and climate change policy and practice, this is the course to further your career.

You’ll address multiple dimensions including international policy frameworks on climate change such as urban climate change governance, adaptation and mitigation choices and pathways, linking climate change mitigation and development, carbon trade, climate change and poverty reduction, trade-offs and synergies, and local responses to extreme events and disasters. You’ll be taught by a team of internationally renowned natural scientists, policy analysts and economists. Your course material will draw upon existing and ongoing research and applied work through the School of International Development and the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research.

The interdisciplinary approach of the course ensures you’ll have the opportunity to collaborate with the School of Environmental Sciences through science-based modules on climate change.

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Course Reference Number: 664614

Important Information

Whilst the University will make every effort to offer the courses listed, changes may sometimes be made arising from the regular review of course programmes. Where this activity leads to significant (but not minor) changes to programmes, there will normally be prior consultation of students and others. Changes may for example consist of variations to the content and method of delivery of programmes, courses and other services, to discontinue programmes, courses and other services and to merge or combine programmes or courses. The University will endeavour to keep such changes to a minimum, and will inform students.

Assessment for Year 1

You’ll be assessed using a variety of methods, including presentations, essays, exams and an optional dissertation. Further assessment methods will differ depending on the optional modules you choose.

You’ll receive oral feedback on your arguments and ideas during seminars, which will help you develop skills in articulating an argument orally.

You’ll also be encouraged to prepare essay plans or outlines in advance of essay deadlines, and to discuss these with the relevant lecturer during their office hours or by email. In addition, you’ll typically receive oral and/or written feedback on an initial coursework assignment well in advance of your deadline for the main coursework assignment.

Finally, the dissertation enables you to develop specific research skills such as conducting research using primary and secondary data, researching specific topics and questions, thinking critically, and linking theoretical concepts to practical issues.

If you have additional needs due to disabilities such as sensory impairment or learning difficulties such as dyslexia please talk to our Student Support Services about how we can help.

Structure

Over the course you’ll undertake 180 credits in total:

Compulsory and optional modules (120 credits)
Examination (20 credits)
Dissertation (40 credits)

As one of your core modules you’ll take Climate Change and Development I: Science, Impacts and Adaptation. Climate change presents a challenge to development that is both complex and urgent. Populations in less developed countries are amongst the most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.

A multi-disciplinary approach allows us to understand the causes, consequences and responses to climate change in the 21st century. This module explores the causes of climate change, its impacts on development and the role of adaptation in reducing vulnerability to climate change and promoting climate resilient development.

The first part of the module covers key aspects of climate change science necessary for an essential understanding of the causes and expected future impacts of climate change. The second part of the module focuses on the theory and practice of adaptation to climate change at different scales, from national policy making to local level case studies.

A programme of lectures, workshops and group and individual work allows you to explore the module material. This module gives you sufficient grasp of the scientific underpinnings of climate change science to engage confidently in debate with non-specialists on the causes and consequences of climate change. It also gives you the theoretical and applied knowledge to research and plan for adaptation to climate change.

You’ll also take the fascinating Climate Change and Development II: Governance, Policy and Society. This module critically examines international/national climate change governance, policy and societal impacts, and responses to climate change and climate change policy.

The first half of the semester will discuss the history and politics of the international climate change negotiations and then critically examine the way the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change operates.

You'll look in detail at several items under negotiation with significant implications for developing countries and we’ll discuss global carbon markets. The second half of the semester will turn to the interface of climate change and society. It’ll discuss participatory governance and urban responses to climate change as well as critically examining ethical/justice related debates, the role of energy demand and lifestyle in tackling climate change. The seminars will be interactive and will enable you to understand the international negotiating process and ways to engage positively with climate change.

There are a range of optional modules, including Understanding Global Environmental Change, which provides an interdisciplinary introduction to the analysis and understanding of issues of environmental change, and as well as the relationships between environment and development. Water Security – Concepts examines the competing and complementing issues related to water security and international development, from a theoretical and conceptual perspective – but tested with real-world examples.

A range of optional seminars and workshops are offered duringyour Master’s programme for the teaching and strengthening of your skills.Sessions to support learning – in particular essay and dissertation writing – occur throughout the year.Development practice training is also provided.

The Climate Change and Development Research Group
Research in the School of International Development addresses contemporary challenges in developing and transition economies via disciplinary and multi/interdisciplinary approaches. Research is organised into a series of Research Groups.

Teaching and Learning

Teaching

Teaching methods include mainly lectures and seminars. Your lectures go beyond the customary ‘chalk-and-talk’ approach, and include a range of interactive tasks and activities. The use of technology is also widespread, for example through visual representation of empirical evidence in international development (e.g. through statistical programmes). Other examples include the use of online reading materials and lecture screencasts.

Through seminar group work and presentations you’ll also be able to develop transferable skills such as articulating an argument both orally and in writing and presenting academic information in a clear and cogent manner.

Independent study

You’ll read suggested academic articles and books, submitting assignments as specified for each module. Your independent study gives you the chance to prepare for in-class sessions and assignments, and to concentrate on the areas that interest you the most.

Assessment for Year 2

You’ll receive oral feedback on your arguments and ideas during seminars, which will help you develop skills in articulating an argument orally.

If you have additional needs due to disabilities such as sensory impairment or learning difficulties such as dyslexia please talk to our Student Support Services about how we can help.

Structure

Over the course you’ll undertake 180 credits in total:

Compulsory and optional modules (120 credits)
Examination (20 credits)
Dissertation (40 credits)

A range of optional seminars and workshops are offered during your Master’s programme for the teaching and strengthening of your skills.Sessions to support learning – in particular essay and dissertation writing – occur throughout the year.Development practice training is also provided.

Teaching and Learning

Teaching

Independent study

This is the first year of your taught masters programme.

Assessment for Year 1

You’ll receive oral feedback on your arguments and ideas during seminars, which will help you develop skills in articulating an argument orally.

If you have additional needs due to disabilities such as sensory impairment or learning difficulties such as dyslexia please talk to our Student Support Services about how we can help.

Compulsory Modules

CLIMATE CHANGE AND DEVELOPMENT I: SCIENCE, IMPACTS AND ADAPTATION

Code DEV-7042A

Credits 20

Climate change presents a challenge to development that is both complex and urgent. Populations in less developed countries are amongst the most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. A multi-disciplinary approach allows us to understand the causes, consequences and responses to climate change in the 21st century. This module explores the causes of climate change, its impacts on development and the role of adaptation in reducing vulnerability to climate change and promoting climate resilient development. The first part of the module covers key aspects of climate change science necessary for an essential understanding of the causes and expected future impacts of climate change. The second part of the module focuses on the theory and practice of adaptation to climate change at different scales, from national policy making to local level case studies. A programme of lectures, workshops and group and individual work allow students to explore the module material. This module gives you sufficient grasp of the scientific underpinnings of climate change science to engage confidently in debate with non-specialists on the causes and consequences of climate change. It also gives you the theoretical and applied knowledge to research and plan for adaptation to climate change.

CLIMATE CHANGE AND DEVELOPMENT II: GOVERNANCE, POLICY AND SOCIETY

Code DEV-7051B

Credits 20

This module critically examines international/national climate change governance, policy and societal impacts from and responses to climate change and climate change policy. The first half of the semester will discuss the history and politics of the international climate change negotiations and then critically examine the way the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change operates. You’ll look in detail at several items under negotiation with significant implications for developing countries and we will discuss global carbon markets. The second half of the semester will turn to the interface of climate change and society. It will discuss participatory governance and urban responses to climate change as well as critically examining ethical/justice related debates, the role of energy demand and lifestyle in tackling climate change. The seminars will be interactive and enable you to understand the international negotiating process and ways to engage positively with climate change.

Optional A Modules

(20 credits)

UNDERSTANDING GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE

Code DEV-7014A

Credits 20

This module provides an interdisciplinary introduction to the analysis and understanding of issues of environmental change, and of the relationships between environment and development. Students will have a critical understanding of social constructions of cause and effect relationships in environment and development issues, including a critical understanding of scientific assessments. They will be able to link these understandings to topics encountered in other courses, and to develop their own perspectives on environment and development issues. In particular they should understand the somewhat different perspectives in ‘less developed countries’ on environment and development issues. The course consists of weekly workshops and seminar sessions, which include videos and discussions oriented around core issues and readings. Assessment is based on coursework and written examination.

TOOLS AND SKILLS IN ENVIRONMENT AND DEVELOPMENT

Code DEV-7022B

Credits 20

How can sustainable development be achieved in a way that both protects the environment whilst pursuing development that is fair and equitable? Often those who benefit least from development projects are most vulnerable to the costs of development, such as pollution of rivers and loss of land, yet they have little say in development decisions. This module introduces you to important tools and frameworks used by researchers, government agencies, businesses and non-governmental organisations for managing environmental and natural resources for sustainable development. You will learn to critique and apply a range of the most widely used tools. Examples that are covered in this module include climate vulnerability assessment, livelihoods analysis, Environmental Impact Assessment, participatory decision making and scenarios methods. The module places an emphasis on putting concepts and tools into practice and understanding how environmental assessments influence management actions. The module includes lectures and seminars; including a series of ‘competency skills’ based seminars which will provide an opportunity to experience and develop some of the key skills that are used widely in the environment and development sectors (e.g. writing a government policy brief, or an Expression of Interest for tender). For this module, both individual and team working will be important. You will gain confidence and skills in applying and critiquing the leading tools and frameworks used by sustainable development professionals.

Important Information

Whilst the University will make every effort to offer the modules listed, changes may sometimes be made arising from the annual monitoring, review and update of modules. Where this activity leads to significant (but not minor) changes to programmes and their constituent modules, the University will endeavour to consult with students and others. It is also possible that the University may not be able to offer a module for reasons outside of its control, such as the illness of a member of staff. In some cases optional modules can have limited places available and so you may be asked to make additional module choices in the event you do not gain a place on your first choice. Where this is the case, the University will inform students.

This is the second year of your taught masters programme.

Assessment for Year 2

You’ll receive oral feedback on your arguments and ideas during seminars, which will help you develop skills in articulating an argument orally.

If you have additional needs due to disabilities such as sensory impairment or learning difficulties such as dyslexia please talk to our Student Support Services about how we can help.

Compulsory Modules

Optional A Modules

(60 credits)

DISSERTATION

Code DEV-7056X

Credits 60

Production of a short (8000-12000 words) dissertation on an approved topic.

DEVELOPMENT WORK PLACEMENT

Code DEV-7057X

Credits 60

This module gives you an opportunity to identify, apply for and do an internship or work placement, worth 60 credits, as an integral part of your Masters programme. You would take this module in the summer semester as an alternative to the Dissertation module, and it is open to most MA /MSc programmes. The placements are for a period of 8-10 weeks between May and, preferably, the end of July. In recent years, students have done placements across a range of United Nations institutions, in specialist consultancy and research Organisations, and non-governmental organisations both in the UK and across the world. You are responsible for finding a suitable placement but will be given a range of support from International Development which includes giving the students access to the International Development internship host data base compiled over nearly a decade; advice on identifying appropriate placements; advice on CV design, fund-raising (where necessary), health and safety, ethical considerations etc.; facilitate communication between student and potential host, in some cases acting as a mediator. Whilst we cannot guarantee a placement we are confident that most students who take this module and apply themselves to identifying an internship, will be successful. The module is assessed by the production of an Analytical Report based on the internship which allows you to reflect both on the content of the placement, and the personal expense of undertaking this work.

Optional B Modules

(0-40 credits)

RESEARCH TECHNIQUES AND ANALYSIS

Code DEV-7005A

Credits 20

The course lectures and seminars will include the following topics: • Development research & research ethics • Research design and method; sampling, questionnaire design, interviews • The role of qualitative methods in quantitative research and mixed methods • Participatory and action research • Design and implementation of household surveys on various topics, e.g. income, consumption, employment, health, nutrition, education, etc. Basic data processing and statistical analysis and presentation are shown based on tools such as Excel, SPSS and STATA.

UNDERSTANDING GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE

Code DEV-7014A

Credits 20

Optional C Modules

(0-40 credits)

DEVELOPMENT PERSPECTIVES

Code DEV-7001A

Credits 20

You will explore different theoretical ideas and debates about development, and place these in their historical and political contexts. You will critically assess the various ways in which development has been conceptualised, from the end of the Second World War to the present day. You will cover topics including modernisation theory; dependency theory; the role of the state; neo-liberalism and the Washington Consensus, neo-institutionalism and the post-Washington Consensus; poverty and basic needs; human development and capabilities; equity and justice; rights and empowerment; and sustainable development. A key point of the module is to show how ideas in development emerge and how they shape policies and practice in development in the present day.

INTRODUCTION TO EDUCATION FOR DEVELOPMENT

Code DEV-7002A

Credits 20

The aim of the module is for you to gain an understanding of current debates on the principles and theories linking education to development in a range of social contexts. The module will introduce you to theories of education and development including international and comparative education. These are examined in relation to the broader challenges of development. Topics in the module may include: theories of human development and capabilities, human capital and rights based approaches, theories of equity, social justice and inclusive education. You will examine schooling in contexts of chronic poverty, models of schooling and de-schooling, formal and non-formal education, the challenges of linguistic and cultural diversity, inclusive education and disability, gender inequalities, and the education of nomads and other migratory groups.

GENDER PERSPECTIVES IN INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Code DEV-7003A

Credits 20

The aim of this unit is to provide you with a solid grounding in gender analysis of development, and to enable you to understand the link between gender and key debates within development studies such as poverty, violence, religion and the role of men in gender and development. The module introduces and explains the range of ideas, debates and tools, which are the foundations of gender analysis, within a discussion of key issues in gender analysis of development: the nature of the household and kinship, gender roles, power and empowerment, and environmental change. The unit stands alone as a foundation for gender analysis of development, it also builds the necessary basis for the more applied units which follow in the spring semester, and for dissertations based on gender topics.

MICROECONOMICS OF DEVELOPMENT

Code DEV-7018A

Credits 20

The module provides the building blocks for microeconomic analysis of development. Topics include: • Poverty, inequality and welfare • Agricultural household production • Intra- household allocation • Risk, uncertainty and insurance • Markets and Institutions: credit • Markets and institutions: labour • Human capital : education, health and nutrition • Public goods, collective action • Institutions, transaction costs • Policy reforms • Household surveys and their analysis. The module consists of lectures, seminars and workshops. Students are assessed by essay and exam.

RURAL LIVELIHOODS AND AGRARIAN CHANGE

Code DEV-7020A

Credits 20

Poverty and hunger remain key developmental challenges, driving poor health and ill-being on the one hand and conflict and violence on the other. This is the central question addressed by this module. In this module, you will explore different approaches to understanding rural livelihoods. You will be equipped with the tools and frameworks to critically assess different strategies for livelihoods-building and their implications for poverty and inequality, including those of class and gender, at the micro-level. Starting with an understanding of key concepts of poverty, food security, gender, capabilities, capitals and entitlements, you will apply these to a host of contexts and programmes through seminar discussions. This will enable a deeper understanding of the interconnections between the wider policy context, the social structure that shapes entitlements, the assets available to groups and individuals and their livelihood strategies. You will also explore the links between the rural and urban, and the changes over time. You will have an opportunity to experience some of the dilemmas confronting the rural poor through an experiential game.

SOCIAL ANALYSIS FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Code DEV-7021A

Credits 20

Effective social development and policy are based on sound conceptual foundations, and this module focuses on the conceptual tools that underpin policy relevant social analysis. You will develop skills to analyse social contexts which influence interventions and social change (‘development’), using concepts from sociology, anthropology and political analysis. There is an old development adage that ‘if you give a man a fish you feed him for a day, but if you give him a fishing rod you feed him for a lifetime’. Think about social theory and concepts as a fishing rod! The module is about social concepts and theory, but we always apply these concepts to practical social development issues and interventions. You will apply your knowledge and understanding of social concepts to important international development issues, for example (and these can vary each year) the social analysis of HIV, the social analysis of poverty & micro-credit interventions, or the social analysis of conflict and peace.

GOVERNANCE, DEMOCRACY AND DEVELOPMENT

Code DEV-7023A

Credits 20

“Good governance” and durable democracy are key items on the International Development agenda. However, despite their prominence in the development discourse, it remains contested not only how to achieve these political development goals, but also how to define them in the first place. The aim of Governance, Democracy and Development is to critically assess the possible definitions, contested causes and arguable consequences of “good governance” and democracy. Key topics to be discussed include how to define and measure democracy and “good governance”, explanations for the emergence of democracy, theories on the survival of democracy and dictatorship, local forms of governance and democracy, aid and governance, trust and cooperation, the effects of democracy and dictatorship on prospects of economic development, and key challenges to democracy in the 21st century. Throughout the module, you will be expected to assess the strengths and limitations of central concepts and theories from the academic debate by applying them to relevant empirical evidence, such as political regime trends in Turkey or the economic effects of recent elections in Kenya.

ECONOMETRIC METHODS FOR DEVELOPMENT

Code DEV-7025A

Credits 20

The aim of this introductory module is to introduce you to basic econometric theory and provide you with sufficient knowledge and practical skill for competent use of econometrics in empirical research. The module also enables you to understand and interpret econometric research results. By the end of the module you’ll have acquired sufficient knowledge and skill to apply multivariate analysis of cross-sectional and time-series data to a wide range of macroeconomic and microeconomic problems of development. In addition to lectures, the module includes computer workshops on Stata (widely used econometrics software) and seminars.

PERSPECTIVES ON GLOBALISATION

Code DEV-7028A

Credits 20

Globalisation refers to the increasingly interconnected nature of social life on our planet. It has been described as ‘the most important change in human history’. You will critically examine a number of key debates about globalisation: about what is driving the process, and about what impacts it is having – for example, on economic development, poverty and inequality, conflict, and the environment. This module takes an inter-disciplinary approach, presenting different conceptual frameworks within which contemporary globalisation is analysed.

MEDIA AND INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Code DEV-7030A

Credits 20

The media plays an increasingly important role in international development - from promoting mass mobilisation and participation to facilitating the flow of information locally, nationally and internationally. The media are also central to encouraging charitable donations, promoting democracy and human rights, and delivering public health messages during emergencies. You’ll gain a critical introduction to the broad range of issues relevant to the relationship between media and development. You’ll explore the fields of development communication, media development and media representations of development.

WELFARE AND EVALUATION IN DEVELOPMENT

Code DEV-7038A

Credits 20

This module provides you with an introduction to the theory and practice of impact evaluation. The focus will be on issues around evidence-based policy making, approaches to wellbeing, and their practical application in terms of evaluating the effect of development interventions on the quality of people’s lives. The first part discusses the notion of evidence-based policy, introduces the students to the area of evaluation and reviews the role of programme theory in evaluation. The second part addresses the theory of welfare, with particular reference to poverty, inequality, and multi-dimensional ill-being as well as cost effectiveness. The third part considers policy and evaluation in practice looking at a range of sectors and contexts.

GLOBAL MEDIA STUDIES

Code DEV-7044A

Credits 20

This module will provide you with a broad, current and inter-disciplinary understanding of the changing role of the mass/news media today. You’ll look at the structure of media globally as well as in the UK. You’ll consider, from several different academic perspectives, how media content is produced and circulated and what shapes these processes. You’ll also examine how media affects peoples and societies and review debates about media influence and power. Within this module you will also be introduced to relevant research methods for critically analysing media content and be guided through critical readings of key research in this area.

CRITICAL ISSUES IN DEVELOPMENT PRACTICE

Code DEV-7052A

Credits 20

The module offers you a critical introduction to and perspectives on development interventions. A key goal of the module is to provide you with a critical and comprehensive overview of project management, how humanitarian management differs, and the innovations shaping contemporary development practice. The module does this by setting out key aspects of development practice, from the tools used in development planning such as project management cycles to complexity theory, and taking a critical and analytical approach to their implications. We start off with a review of the overarching history of development interventions and thought, exploring how different approaches have been used over the years, with varying effects and influenced by varied political agendas. This includes trends in aid finance, which provides an important framing for then exploring how projects are constructed, with tools such as log frames and monitoring and evaluation plans, the variations when planning a rapid onset humanitarian intervention, and how overall planning systems and actors shape these processes. The module will help you understand how the diversity of development actors and agencies, their positionality and their interactions, shape interventions and affect their ability to have positive impact. We also reflect on these from an anthropological perspective, standing away from the development enterprise and thinking critically about how those involved in aid are also challenged by the processes in which they are involved.

CLIMATE CHANGE: PHYSICAL SCIENCE BASIS

Code ENV-7014A

Credits 20

Climate change and variability have played major roles in shaping human history and the prospect of human-caused global warming is a pressing challenge for society. But how and why has climate changed, how do we predict future climate and how do our choices affect future climate? Throughout this module, you will learn how climate science can answer these questions. Discover the approaches, methods and techniques for understanding the history of climate change and for developing climate projections for the next 100 years. You'll also explore the scientific evidence about climate change and where the uncertainties lie. Starting with an introduction to the changing climate and the main themes in current climate research, your study will be structured around three topics. (1) Fundamentals of the changing climate. (2) Research methods. (3) Climate change and causal mechanisms. Studying the physical science basis of climate change will enable you to understand what controls our climate, to explain the causes of the changes we have observed, and to interpret projections of future climate change.

SUSTAINABLE CONSUMPTION

Code ENV-7025A

Credits 20

If everyone on Earth lived like a typical UK citizen, we’d need three planets-worth of resources. But we only have one. Why do we consume the way we do? What drives our behaviour and how might we persuade people to live more sustainably? What do we mean by a sustainable lifestyle, anyway? These are questions academics, business people, campaigners and policy makers struggle with every day and there are no easy answers. In this module you’ll get to grips with competing visions about what sustainable consumption is. You’ll gain an understanding of a range of theoretical approaches to understanding consumption behaviour and you’ll learn how to apply these theories to develop strategies for achieving sustainable consumption. You’ll begin by examining the impacts of western-style consumerism on the Earth’s social, economic and environmental systems. Drawing on interdisciplinary social science theories from economics, psychology, sociology and ethnography, you’ll go on to investigate a range of strategies for achieving change. You’ll get hands-on experience testing and applying these ideas yourselves, in participative workshops, alongside award-winning innovative teaching methods. In lectures, you’ll learn about topics such as Ethical Consumption, Limits to Growth, Collaborative Consumption, Community-based initiatives, Life Cycle Analysis and Behaviour-change campaigns. Understanding the theoretical debates behind everyday actions for sustainability will make you better able to design and implement sustainability strategies in the workplace – whether in the public or private sector, or civil society. You’ll be able to identify the strengths and weaknesses in sustainable consumption campaigns and policies and offer theoretically-informed solutions.

GEOENGINEERING THE CLIMATE: SCIENCE AND POLICY

Code ENV-7031A

Credits 20

This module studies a set of different proposed techniques, called geoengineering, that seek to modify the Earth’s climate by reducing the degree of anthropogenic radiative forcing, either by reflecting more sunlight back to space or by removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. This is a complex, controversial and highly uncertain area of science that requires a strongly interdisciplinary approach. The potential role of geoengineering techniques as a complement to mitigation and adaptation in tackling future climate change raises a number of important questions, not least for international policy making.

Optional D Modules

(0-40 credits)

TOOLS AND SKILLS IN ENVIRONMENT AND DEVELOPMENT

Code DEV-7022B

Credits 20

POLITICAL ECOLOGY

Code DEV-7033B

Credits 20

This course seeks to provide students with a solid understanding of political ecology theory and to enable them to apply this theory for analysing environment and development problems. After a brief introduction to key theoretical concepts in political ecology, students review key contributions to major policy fields in environment and development. They do this in a series of reading seminars, covering agriculture and biotechnology, climate change, conservation, fisheries, forestry, water management and other fields. The course ends with a workshop on the role of policy in political ecology.

GLOBALISED AGRICULTURE AND FOOD SYSTEMS

Code DEV-7045B

Credits 20

The aim of this module is to understand how forces operating at the global scale affect food and agriculture. These forces include trends in farming and trade, environmental change, policy developments, and social movements. Food security is a central theme; we explore different ways food security is defined and how it is contested internationally, considering global institutions like FAO, interest groups, and diverse policy agendas (e.g. food sufficiency, nutrition, sustainability). The module considers a range of issues currently affecting food and farming systems - environmental change, changing diets (more meat, processed foods), `post-production' concerns with food safety or farming’s impact on ecosystems, global agribusiness, agricultural innovation systems and global-scale changes in food prices. Students will gain critical understanding of debates around these issues and of how different policy actors engage with them. These actors include firms, public R&D institutions, farmers' movements, and major donors and philanthropic organisations. An abiding concern is understanding impacts for the poor and vulnerable, particularly smallholder farmers, but also consumers in the North and South, and those involved in value chains. The module will help students develop a critical and inter-disciplinary understanding of key international policy debates that have relevance to agriculture.

Optional G Modules

(0-40 credits)

CONTEMPORARY WORLD DEVELOPMENT

Code DEV-7000B

Credits 20

The objective of Contemporary World Development is to examine key debates around development objectives, processes and agencies. While issues discussed here are of contemporary significance, references will be made to the historical contexts in which these debates have arisen. Concerns central to development policy making will be reviewed through theoretically grounded critical perspectives. Topics covered include the Millennium Development Goals, donors and aid politics, state and NGOs, and poverty.

RURAL POLICIES & POLITICS

Code DEV-7004B

Credits 20

Around three-quarters of the world's poor live in rural areas and within most developing countries the gap between the rural poor and better off urban residents continues to widen. The lives of the rural poor can be greatly influenced by policies in areas such as agriculture, land, social protection, natural resources, health, education and trade. This module reviews important policies and issues in these and other areas. It also guides students to critically analyse policy choices within specific contexts. Rural Policies & Politics recognises the importance of looking at rural policies with consideration of particular socio-economic and political contexts, as well as in relation to larger-scale trends that are affecting rural areas including globalisation, urbanisation, de-agrarianisation, and rapid technological change.

EDUCATIONAL POLICY AND PRACTICE FOR DEVELOPMENT

Code DEV-7011B

Credits 20

The aim of this module is to help you understand and critically examine, policy-making processes and specific policies for educational development. You will discover the relationships between policy and practice in a range of international, national and local development contexts. Through this module you will explore different approaches to policy development and familiarise yourself with dominant global policy agendas in education - asking who makes or influences policy, and considering policies as socially situated documents, practices and processes. The module introduces you to educational policy-making to address a range of development challenges and how related strategies are enacted in practice; drawing on policy theory and ethnographic and school-based research, as well as practical sessions to critique policy-related writing, examine models of educational quality and curricula, and explore issues of school-related gender based violence.

CONFLICT, CIVIL WARS AND PEACE

Code DEV-7015B

Credits 20

The number of violent intrastate conflicts has outweighed the number of violent interstate conflicts for more than five decades. Yet it was only with the end of the Cold War that academics and policy-makers started paying more attention to the possible causes and consequences of large-scale intrastate violence. Today, questions of effective conflict management, especially of large-scale civil wars, are among the top priorities of international development agencies. The aim of the Conflict, Civil Wars and Peace module is to critically assess the possible causes and consequences of violent intrastate conflicts as well as their implications for the wider development agenda. Key topics to be discussed in the module include causes, dynamics and consequences of different types of violent conflict, strategies and causes of terrorism, the role of gender during and after violent intrastate conflicts, the (contested) relationship(s) between natural resource wealth and civil wars, institutional approaches to conflict management, the rationale and possible effects of third-party intervention in civil wars, and post-conflict reconstruction efforts, including state- and peace-building as well as transitional justice. Throughout the module, you will be expected to assess the strengths and limitations of central concepts and theories from the academic debate by applying them to relevant empirical evidence, such as the role of gender during the Rwandan genocide in 1994 or the performance of Bosnia and Herzegovina's post-civil war power-sharing arrangement.

ECONOMIC POLICY ANALYSIS

Code DEV-7017B

Credits 20

You will examine a selection of topics in applied development economics that are important for government policy – chosen from areas such as international trade, foreign investment, government taxation and spending, labour markets and employment, agriculture, finance, business regulation, energy and climate change. You will look at the economic theory relevant to each topic, and how government policies have worked in practice.

MACROECONOMICS OF DEVELOPMENT

Code DEV-7029B

Credits 20

This module will provide you with an understanding of macroeconomic theory and policy in developing countries. This will include an evaluation of alternative theories of economic growth and their policy implications, and an analysis of the macroeconomic effects of external shocks. By the end of the module, you will have a good understanding of modern theories of economic growth and open economy macroeconomics, and be able to apply those theories to economic policy issues in developing countries.

QUALITATIVE RESEARCH AND ANALYSIS

Code DEV-7036B

Credits 20

The broad aim of the module Advanced Qualitative Research and Analysis (AQRA) is to prepare students who already have a basic grasp of qualitative research methods for carrying out data analysis using different techniques. It will also aim at understanding how to link research questions, theory and methods and the research design more generally, as well as how to collect and manage data, and produce a piece of written work from the data. The module aims to start where the basic courses left off by moving from the research proposal required in the RTA coursework to producing a piece of written analysis based on existing qualitative datasets. Examples of tecnhiques covered are interviews, focus groups, participant observation, and the use of audio-visual and expressive arts. Classes will be practice-oriented in a workshop format, where students can experiement with conducting discourse analysis, thematic analysis, and narrative analysis of the datasets that will be provided.

APPLIED METHODS FOR IMPACT EVALUATION

Code DEV-7037B

Credits 20

This module will provide you with a comprehensive overview of the most important methods of impact evaluation. For that purpose, it will provide you with instruction in and hands-on experiences of the main quantitative and qualitative impact evaluation methods, with an emphasis on the quantitative.

GLOBALISATION, BUSINESS AND DEVELOPMENT

Code DEV-7047B

Credits 20

This module provides an analysis of the way in which global production is organized and the roles played by the state, business and civil society, and the relations between them. It focuses on key business actors, such as transnational, and looks in depth at issues of resource extraction in developing countries. Various aspects of Corporate Social Responsibility, including relations with local communities and workers, as well as the impacts on the environment and human rights, are discussed.

CRITICAL ISSUES IN DEVELOPMENT PRACTICE

Code DEV-7052A

Credits 20

ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Code ENV-7029B

Credits 20

In this module you will also consider climate change from the viewpoint of energy generation and usage. You will learn about the key relationships between energy, fossil fuels and the economy. The module draws on historical analyses to understand how energy systems have evolved in the past, as well as examining the role that scenarios play in exploring energy futures. You will gain an in-depth understanding of the complexities of changing energy systems, enabling you critically engage with debates around future “energy transitions”, the role that innovation and emergent technologies might play, and the various challenges of shifting towards renewable based energy systems.

SCIENCE, SOCIETY AND SUSTAINABILITY

Code ENV-7038B

Credits 20

How can science and society work better together to solve sustainability challenges? How can society be properly engaged and accounted for in addressing pressing issues like climate change, energy transitions and natural hazards? These questions, that lie at the core of this module, have become major concerns for scientists, governments, businesses, NGOs and citizens the world over. Throughout the module you will gain a rich appreciation of key theories, approaches and practical methods for understanding and improving relations between science, technology and society in sustainability settings. You’ll explore the nature of science and how it relates to society. You’ll discover a wealth of approaches for public engagement with science and consider how sustainability can be more effectively governed. You’ll also learn how to critically evaluate and communicate these ideas through written, oral and self-reflective means. You’ll learn through a mixture of lectures, practical classes, in-class debates, and self-directed study. Your new knowledge and skills will be put into practice by creating a blog to communicate your ideas, as well as through written work and presentations. You’ll also benefit from the module being taught by staff in the Science, Society and Sustainability (3S) Research Group, which houses some of the world’s leading experts on societal engagement with sustainability.

NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENTAL ECONOMICS

Code ENV-7116B

Credits 20

Environmental economics provides a set of tools and principles which can be useful in understanding natural resource management issues. This module introduces you to key principles and tools of environmental economics for students who have not studied the subject previously. It then explores how these principles can be applied to address a number of complex economy-environment problems including climate change, over-fishing and water resources management. In this module you will have the opportunity to practically apply cost-benefit analysis as a framework for decision-making and will gain knowledge on the key non-market valuation techniques that are used to monetarily value environmental goods and services. At the end of the module you will have gained insights into how environmental economics is used in developing natural resource management policy as well as some of the challenges in using environmental economics in policy-making.

MSc CLIMATE CHANGE AND INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT (PART TIME)