Department of Development Studies

MSc Research for International Development (2021 entry)

Select year of entry: 2021 2020

Overview

“Getting to grips with development these days requires the ability to understand grand theory as well as a slew of expert subfields, each with their conceptual languages and real-world power structures.
Pursuing research means justifying one or two of them, or reasoning your way into starting afresh. Whatever happens the battlefield must be surveyed and negotiated and SOAS is an excellent place for this adventure.”
Barbara Harriss-White, Emeritus Professor of Development Studies,
Oxford University

The MSc Research for International Development is a cutting-edge degree funded and supported by the UK’s ESRC (The Economic and Social Research Council) as part of the Bloomsbury Doctoral Training Centre.

The programme’s equips students with the theoretical background and analytical skills to inquire into the relationship between theory, research methods and politics in international development. It provides students with knowledge about the plurality of methodological approaches in key
areas of international development research, and the policy choices and strategies associated with these. The module offers students the opportunity to engage with a selection of methods used in international development research.

"Developmental research is a combination of science and art, resting on sound theoretical knowledge, a capability of handling a variety of methodologies and something that is just as important, a "feel" for the subject. There is no one perfect methodology or set of tools; a good social scientist must appreciate the strengths and limitations of each on offer. Uniquely, this module will equip future developmental explorers with the sophisticated tools. They will have to bring the "feel" themselves."
Guy Standing, Professor of Economic Security University of Bath, UK

Two of the three core modules focus on the research methods. The first, Fundamentals of Research Methods for Development Studies, reviews the main research designs and techniques used in development research. The module explores both the use of secondary sources (text,
numbers, images, audio, etc.) and the process of collecting primary empirical materials for analysis. The course addresses the dichotomy quantitative-qualitative in social research methodology, the key differences between the two approaches and the potential for
complementarity.

The second core model, Statistical Research Techniques in International Development, covers the necessary statistical methods for social sciences including survey design and regression analysis. It aims to a) introduce students to statistical inference; b) encourage the clear and
coherent expression of statistical results; and c) promote the critical reading of statistics within the development literature. Students without prior training in statistics and maths are advise to either audit or choose Introductory Statistics as one of their optional modules.

The two core courses above give students advanced interdisciplinary training in research methods. The third core module, for which students can choose either Political Economy of Development or Theory, Policy and Practice of Development, grounds students in the key topics, and
the analytical and policy debates surrounding them, in international development.

Students further engage with international development debates through their choice of four optional modules, from a large number of available options available from SOAS departments of Economics and Development Studies. Students will therefore benefit from studying with experts in a variety of fields of international development, and from the
wide regional expertise in developing countries and development issues.

Venue: Russell Square: College Buildings

Start of programme: September intake only

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or Part-time

Who is this programme for?:

The degree has been developed to meet the needs of both development practitioners and researchers on international development, including those wishing to pursue an MPhil/PhD in International Development. The programme will suit students with a variety of backgrounds in social sciences, including politics, sociology, economics, and so on. It would also meet the needs of people working, or hoping to work in international agencies, humanitarian organisations, and NGOs. Students with a strong interest in research and research methods will thrive on the MSc distinctive focus on training in research methods.

Entry requirements

We will consider all applications with 2:ii (or international equivalent) or higher. In addition to degree classification we take into account other elements of the application including supporting statement and references.

Featured events

duration:: One calendar year (full-time) Two (part-time, daytime only) We recommend that part-time students have between two and a half and three days free in the week to pursue their course of study.

Fees 2020/21

UK/EU fees:: £12,720

Overseas fees:: £21,750

Fees for 2020/21 entrants. This is a Band 3 fee. The fees are per academic year. Please note that fees go up each year. Further details can be found in the Fees and Funding tab on this page or in the Registry Postgraduate Tuition Fees page

Convenors

Dr Matteo Rizzo Convenor

Structure

Students must take 180 credits per year comprised of 120 taught credits (including core, compulsory and optional modules) and a 60 credit dissertation.

Core modules: A core module is required for the degree programme, so must always be taken and passed before you move on to the next year of your programme.

Compulsory modules: A compulsory module is required for the degree programme, so must always be taken, and if necessary can be passed by re-taking it alongside the next year of your programme.

Optional modules: These are designed to help students design their own intellectual journey while maintaining a strong grasp of the fundamentals.

This programme allows you to select one of the Department's online optional modules as part of your degree. Further details on the available modules can be found here.

Dissertation

Module	Code	Credits	Term
Dissertation in Research Methods for International Development	15PDSC997	60	Full Year

Core Modules

Module	Code	Credits	Term
Statistical Research Techniques in International Development	15PECC052	15	Term 2
Fundamentals of research methods for Development Studies	15PDSH017	15	Term 1

Students also take ONE of the following:

Module	Code	Credits	Term
Theory, policy and practice of development	15PDSC001	30	Full Year
Political Economy of Development	15PDSC002	30	Full Year

Optional Modules

Choose modules to the value of 60 credits from the list below:

List of modules (subject to availability)

Development Studies

Module	Code	Credits	Term
Aid and Development	15PDSH027	15	Term 2
Agrarian Development, Food Policy and Rural Poverty	15PDSH026	15	Term 2
Borders and Development	15PDSH023	15	Term 1
Cities and Development	15PDSH072	15	Term 1
Critical Insights in Forced Migration	15DISD229	30
Development Practice	15PDSH013	15	Term 1
Environment, Governance and Development	15PDSH050	15	Term 2
Energy Transition, Nature, and Development in a Time of Climate Change	15PDSH048	15	Term 2
Gender and Development	15PDSH010	15	Term 1
Global Approaches to Peace	15PDSH074	15	Term 2
Global Commodity Chains, Production Networks and Informal Work	15PDSH024	15	Term 1
Global Health and Development	15PDSH051	15	Term 1
Human and Critical Security Studies	15DISD213	30
Migration and Policy	15PDSH029	15	Term 1
Partnerships Beyond Borders: NGOs, Social Movements and Civil Society in Transnational Development	15DISD230	30
Problems of Development in the Middle East and North Africa	15PDSH019	15	Term 2
The Politics of Gender and Feminism in Development	15DISD231	30
Labour, Activism and Global Development	15PDSH032	15	Term 2
Understanding Violence, Conflict and Development	15DISD019	30
Water and Development: Commodification, Ecology and Globalisation (Development Studies)	15PDSH049	15	Term 2
Water Justice: Rights, Access and Movements (Development Studies)	15PDSH041	15	Term 1

Economics

Students need to get approval from the Module Convenor in order to take modules from the list below

Module	Code	Credits	Term
Political Economy of Development and Change in the Middle East	15PECC028	15	Term 1
Economic development in the Asia Pacific region	15PECC030	15	Term 1
China and World Development	15PECH023	15	Term 2
Economics of Environment and Development	15PECC048	15	Term 2
Financial Systems and Economic Development	15PECC036	15	Term 1
Gender Economics (PG)	15PECH026	15	Term 1
Global Economic Policy Analysis	15PECC063	15	Term 1
Green Finance	15PECH030	15	Term 2
Macroeconomics	15PECC005	15	Term 1
Microeconomics	15PECC006	15	Term 1
Introductory Statistics	15PECH032	15	Term 1

Gender Studies

Module	Code	Credits	Term
Gender in the Middle East	15PGNH001	15	Term 1

Programme Specification

MSc Research for International Development Programme Specification 2020-21 _ SOAS University of London (pdf; 471kb)

Important notice

The information on the programme page reflects the intended programme structure against the given academic session. If you are a current student you can find structure information on the previous year link at the top of the page or through your Department. Please read the important notice regarding changes to programmes and modules.

Teaching and Learning

Materials

SOAS Library
SOAS Library is one of the world's most important academic libraries for the study of Africa, Asia and the Middle East, attracting scholars from all over the world. The Library houses over 1.2 million volumes, together with significant archival holdings, special collections and a growing network of electronic resources.

Teaching & Learning

Our teaching and learning approach is designed to support and encourage students in their own process of self-learning, and to develop their own ideas, responses and critique of international development practice and policy. We do this through a mixture of lectures, and more student-centred learning approaches (including tutorials and seminars). Teaching combines innovative use of audio-visual materials, practical exercises, group discussions, and weekly guided reading and discussions, as well as conventional lecturing.

In addition to the taught part of the masters programme, all students will write a 10,000 word dissertation. Students develop their research topic under the guidance and supervision of an academic member of the Department. Students are encouraged to explore a particular body of theory or an academic debate relevant to their programme through a focus on a particular region.

Contact Hours

All Masters programmes consist of 180 credits, made up of taught modules of 30 or 15 credits, taught over 10 or 20 weeks, and a dissertation of 60 credits. The programme structure shows which modules are compulsory and which optional.

As a rough guide, 1 credit equals approximately 10 hours of work. Most of this will be independent study, including reading and research, preparing coursework, revising for examinations and so on. It will also include class time, which may include lectures, seminars and other classes. Some subjects, such as learning a language, have more class time than others. At SOAS, most postgraduate modules have a one hour lecture and a one hour seminar every week, but this does vary.

More information is on the page for each module.

Pre Entry Reading

Kuhn, T. S. (1962) The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, Chicago: University of Chicago Press
Fine, B., D. Johnston, A. Santos and E. Van Waeyenberge (2015). “Nudging or Fudging: The World Development Report 2015”, Development and Change, 47(4): 640–663.
Oya, C. (2013), ‘Methodological reflections on land 'grab' databases and the land 'grab' literature “rush”’. Journal of Peasant Studies, 40(3): 503-520.
Rizzo, M., Kilama, B., and Wuyts, M. 2015. ‘The Invisibility of Wage Employment in Statistics on the Informal Economy in Africa: Causes and Consequences’. The Journal of Development Studies 51: pp. 149-161.
Sayer, A. 1984. Method in social science: A realist approach. London: Hutchinson.
Schmidt, Anna 2007 ‘I Know What You’re Doing’, Reflexivity and Methods In Refugee Studies’ in Refugee Survey Quarterly, Vol. 26, Issue 3
Sumner, A. and M.Tribe. 2008. International Development Studies. Theories and Methods in Research Practice. London: Sage.
Vlassenroot, K (2006) ‘War and Social Research. The limits of empirical methodologies in war-torn environments’, Civilisations 54, pp 191-198.

Fees and funding

Tuition Fees

Full details of postgraduate tuition fees can be found on the Registry's Postgraduate Tuition Fees page.

This is a Band 3 tuition fee.

Fees for 2020/21 entrants. The fees below are per academic year. Fees go up each year, therefore, your tuition fee in your second & subsequent years of study will be higher. Our continuing students, on the same degree programme, are protected from annual increases higher than 5%.

Full-time		Part-time 2 Years		Part-time 3 Years
UK/EU Students	Overseas Students	UK/EU Students	Overseas Students	UK/EU Students	Overseas Students
£12,720	£21,750	£6,360	£10,875	£4,240	£7,250

Scholarships

Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) Studentships

ESRC

Application Deadline: 2020-01-06 23:59

Felix Non- Indian Scholarship

Application Deadline: 2020-01-31 15:00