Postgraduate Handbook (MSc)
Department of Development Studies Postgraduate Handbook
Development Studies at SOAS
The Department’s MSc degrees are designed to provide a solid interdisciplinary social science formation in development theory and practice as well as developing students’ capacities for independent and critical analysis. They are not ‘vocational’ degrees in development in the sense that some postgraduate programmes are. Their aim is to equip students with a wide intellectual grounding and interdisciplinary competence in key development issues with which they will be able to make their own analyses and judgments in a variety of contexts. This emphasis on transferable analytical skills has been of great benefit to the many graduates of the MSc programmes at SOAS who have returned to or started professional careers in development in a range of international organisations, government agencies and non-government organisations. A small proportion of the students go on to further studies, either at SOAS or other universities.
The MSc in Development Studies is concerned with processes of change in developing countries, the major policy challenges they pose, and the various institutions and agencies of development. This highly successful programme is among the largest of its kind in the UK.
The MSc in Development Studies with Special Reference to Central Asia has the same core courses as the MSc in Development Studies, combined with an optional course and dissertation focused on Central Asia.
The MSc in Globalisation and Development examines the contemporary process of globalisation and how it influences the developing world, both before and after 9/11.
The MSc in Labour, Social Movements and Development the first and only MSc programme in the UK dedicated to labour conditions and relations, social movements of labour and their contributions to development processes and changes in the South.
The MSc in Migration, Mobility and Development focuses attention on the political economy of migration from a historical perspective, major trends in migration theories, and different forms of and approaches to the study of migration and displacement.
The MSc in Violence, Conflict and Development was the first dedicated postgraduate programme of its kind in the UK. It provides a thorough analytical grounding, together with extensive work on case studies, in issues of violence and conflict with special reference to countries in the South and their processes of development.
The MSc in Research for International Development is a newly established interdisciplinary Taught Masters programme at SOAS, offered jointly by the departments of Economics and Development Studies, offering advanced interdisciplinary training in research methods and topics in Research for International Development.
Degree Structures
All courses except for the MSc Research for International Development have four components: two compulsory core courses taught over two terms as below, one full-course option or two half-course options and a dissertation of 10,000 words on an approved topic. Details of these courses and of optional courses are given in the next section. Please note that part-time students are required to complete the two core courses during their first year and their optional course(s) and dissertation during the second year.
The MSc Research for International Development has eight components: three compulsory core courses: one full-course unit taught in Development Studies and two half-course units taught in Economics as below, four half-unit options from either Development Studies or Economics and a dissertation of 13,000 words on an approved topic.
Core Courses
MSc Development Studies & MSc Development Studies with Special Reference to Central Asia:
Theory, Policy and Practice of Development and
Political Economy of Development
MSc Globalisation and Development:
Globalisation and Development and
EITHER: Theory, Policy and Practice of Development
OR: Political Economy of Development
MSc Labour, Social Movements and Development:
Labour, Social Movements and Development and
EITHER: Theory, Policy and Practice of Development
OR: Political Economy of Development
MSc Migration, Mobility and Development:
Migration and Development and
EITHER: Theory, Policy and Practice of Development
OR: Political Economy of Development
MSc Violence, Conflict and Development:
Political Economy of Violence, Conflict & Development and
EITHER: Theory, Policy and Practice of Development
OR: Political Economy of Development
OR: Anthropology of Development (subject to availability of spaces)
MSc Research for International Development:
Battlefields of Method: Approaches to International Development Research and
Research Methods in Political Economy I and
Research Methods in Political Economy II
Optional Courses
The programme structure permits students to choose one two term or two one term additional courses from an approved list of options taught in the Development Studies or in another SOAS department. This provides the opportunity to take advantage of the wide range of thematic and regional expertise of School staff. Options can be chosen from courses in 25 modern languages; in the literatures and cultures of Africa, East Asia, South East Asia, South Asia and the Near and Middle East; as well as from courses covering Politics, History, Economics, Law, Study of Religions, Art and Archaeology, Social Anthropology, and Music. In the case of the MSc Development Studies with Special Reference to Central Asia, the optional course(s) and the dissertation must be taken in Central Asian topics.
Optional courses must be chosen from the approved lists in the ‘Structure’ tab of the programme page.
- MSc Development Studies
- MSc Development Studies with Special Reference to Central Asia
- MSc Globalisation and Development
- MSc Labour, Social Movements and Development
- MSc Migration, Mobility and Development
- MSc Violence, Conflict and Development
- MSc Research for International Development
For some options it is necessary to have previous training in a relevant discipline and the permission of the department offering the course. A student choosing half options must select two, of which one must be in Term 1 and the other in Term 2.
Language Courses
Students may take a language course in the Faculty of Languages and Cultures. Courses are listed at http://www.soas.ac.uk/languagecultures/reg/langoo/. However, sometimes demand may be low and places limited so students are advised to enquire at the Languages and Cultures Faculty Office (room 351) at the earliest opportunity. Options may be withdrawn if there is insufficient demand: students who have selected these options will be notified and asked to select an alternative.
Beginners Economics
The department runs two weekly sessions during term 1 for postgraduate students who require additional training in Economics methods. These are particularly useful to students who have not previously studied Economics.
Departmental Seminars
Through its varied seminar series, the Department of Development Studies provides the opportunity for students and the wider public alike to engage in aspects of the Development sector, from professionals working in the field to high profile thinkers and speakers.
Seminars take place throughout the teaching year and are usually free and open to the general public. An up-to-date list of upcoming events as well as video recordings of previous events may be found on the Development Studies web pages at: http://www.soas.ac.uk/development/events/
The Globalisation Lectures:
‘The Globalisation Lectures’ are a series of evening lectures (usually four per year), attracting high profile speakers on a range of issues in globalisation.
Development Studies Seminar Series:
Development Studies Seminars usually take place weekly during terms one and two with speakers representing the full range of development-related disciplines including economics, political science, anthropology, sociology and history.
Agrarian Change Seminars:
The Agrarian Change Seminars are organised by the Journal of Agrarian Change and the Department of Development Studies, SOAS. They usually take place every two weeks during terms one and two, with speakers examining agrarian issues across the developing world.
Professional Practice Seminar Series:
The Professional Practice seminar series takes place in Term 1 and brings leading figures working in development to speak in an informal environment about their work, the issues facing development and humanitarian affairs today, and their views on their profession.
Guidelines for students
BLE (Moodle)
BLE is run on Moodle, a virtual learning environment which is used to make reading lists and other course information available online. Log-on to http://ble.soas.ac.uk. For further information about BLE, contact ble@soas.ac.uk. During the busy registration period, all students will have access to all courses within their registered departments. From the second week of term, students will only have access to courses they are registered for. If you don’t have access to any of your courses on BLE, there is likely to be a problem with your registration. In this case, please contact the faculty office as soon as possible.
Assessments
Marking criteria are available on the faculty website. Please note that coursework cannot be reassessed and appeals against the academic judgment of markers will not be accepted, nor will requests that work should be re-marked.
Submission of Dissertations
The dissertation deadline is before 16.00 on 15 September of the year in which the dissertation is undertaken. If 15 September falls on a Saturday or Sunday, then the deadline is before 16.00 on the Monday immediately following 15 September. For further information please see the Guidelines for the Preparation of Masters Dissertations in the SOAS Postgraduate Taught Masters regulations for the current year, available at http://www.soas.ac.uk/registry/degreeregulations/.
Submission of coursework
All coursework is to be submitted online via Moodle, please the online instructions for details.
Work must be submitted before 11.59pm on the due date, however students should aim to submit coursework at least an hour before the deadline.
If students encounter any technical problems whilst trying to submit their work they should email devstud@soas.ac.uk with the assignment attached.
Please see section 6 and 7 of the SOAS Postgraduate Taught Masters regulations for the current year, available at http://www.soas.ac.uk/registry/degreeregulations/ for information about the regulations relating to coursework (submission, late submission, resubmission, plagiarism and word count). Please note that you must undertake all elements of assessment and examination prescribed for each course you are taking and must submit sufficient work for each assessment to enable it to be assessed or examined.
If you are unable to meet a course deadline and wish to request that the Examination Sub-Board waive or reduce the penalty for late submission, the procedure is as follows:
1. Go to the Faculty Office (room R201) as soon as you think you might have a problem meeting the deadline.
2. Collect and complete a Late Submission Request form.
3. You may contact relevant members of staff to support your claim - e.g., a student counsellor or tutor.
4. Attach any supporting evidence (e.g. medical notes or letters from a tutor) to the form. All information provided will be handled sensitively and confidentially.
5. Submit the form (with supporting documentation) to the Faculty Office as soon as possible and no later than the School deadline.
All applications will be considered by the July meeting of the Examinations Board to determine appropriate deductions. The Board will determine what is acceptable evidence and ‘good cause’ in consultation with Registry and the Associate Dean where necessary.
Please note that ONLY the Sub-Board of Examiners have the authority to remit the penalty for late submission. Individual members of staff or tutors have no powers to grant extensions or to waive the penalty. All requests should be made through the procedure described above.
If you have any questions about these procedures, please ask at the Faculty Office.
House style for submitting coursework
When submitting coursework students must ensure that their essay has a coversheet with the following information on it:
Name of student in full
ID number
Name of course
Code of course
Name of Marker
Assignment number e.g. 1 for first assignment, 2 for second assignment – etc.,
Date of deadline, which is given out at the start of term with the course outlines – also available on BLE.
Word count
Students who fail to meet the attendance and coursework requirements stated above
Programme Convenors will inform the Head of Registry of the names of students who fail to meet the attendance and coursework requirements. The Associate Dean (Learning and Teaching) of the relevant Faculty or Faculties will review each case, and will decide what further action should be taken. The School may withdraw permission to take examinations or terminate the degree courses of students who persistently fail to meet the attendance and coursework requirements. Please see section 5 of the SOAS Postgraduate Taught Masters regulations for the current year, available at http://www.soas.ac.uk/registry/degreeregulations/, for more information.
Key Contacts
For faculty contacts see http://www.soas.ac.uk/lawsocialsciences/keystaff/
For department contacts see http://www.soas.ac.uk/development/staff/
N.B. For Welfare and Personal Tutor information see http://www.soas.ac.uk/development/staff/welfaretutor/
For Registry contacts see http://www.soas.ac.uk/registry/
For Student Services contacts (Welfare, Counselling, Disabilities, and Mental Health and Wellbeing) see http://www.soas.ac.uk/studentservices/contact/.
N.B. For information on making appointments and drop-in times, see http://www.soas.ac.uk/studentservices/appointment/.
For Library contacts and information see http://www.soas.ac.uk/library/subjects/devstudies/
For Careers contacts and information see http://www.soas.ac.uk/careers/about/
Key Dates
For terms and other key dates see http://www.soas.ac.uk/about/keydates/.
For events at SOAS see http://www.soas.ac.uk/about/events/ and http://www.soas.ac.uk/careers/events/
Key Locations
For a map of the SOAS’ campus, please see http://www.soas.ac.uk/visitors/location/maps/.
Teaching at SOAS takes place on different sites. For more information on how to find rooms, see http://www.soas.ac.uk/timetable/teaching-and-meeting-rooms/finding/.
