Master of International Development Practice

Equitable and environmentally sustainable development remains a pressing global concern. Complex political, economic, cultural and ecological challenges contribute to extreme poverty, reduced health, environmental vulnerability and fragile governance affecting the well-being of millions of people worldwide. These multidimensional challenges require professionals with the practical skills and analytical capacity to help address economic, political and environmental vulnerabilities at the community, national and global levels.

The course offers a multi-disciplinary applied approach to the theory and practice of sustainable development. Delivered by specialists from the humanities and social sciences, medicine, business and economics, education and law, it delivers rigorous research training along with project management and leadership skills development within an interdisciplinary core curriculum.

You may choose to focus your electives in one of the following areas:

• democracy, justice and governance
• gender, conflict and security
• crisis, change and management
• sustainable resource management.

Opportunities for fieldwork, study abroad and internship engagement include options to engage in field-schools at sites of significant development practice such as South Africa and the Asia-Pacific region. Options to include language extension in individual programs are also available.

Graduate employment opportunities may include human rights advocacy, aid agencies in government and non-government sectors, the Fair Trade business sector, community organisations, and international institutions such as the United Nations and the World Bank.

These course outcomes are aligned with the Australian Qualifications Framework level 9, the Bologna Cycle 2 and Monash Graduate AttributesAustralian Qualifications Framework level 9, the Bologna Cycle 2 and Monash Graduate Attributes (http://monash.edu/pubs/handbooks/alignmentofoutcomes.html).

Upon successful completion of this course it is expected that graduates will be able to:

1. demonstrate a critical understanding of the political, economic, cultural and environmental challenges contributing to human inequalities
2. articulate and apply knowledge of best practice within the broad realm of international development practice, policy, governance and research
3. identify complex sustainable development challenges and debates across diverse cultural and geo-political contexts
4. understand and critically appraise the range of organisations and institutions involved in international development, their working culture and funding processes
5. demonstrate an ability to successfully apply theoretical learning in practical contexts
6. demonstrate advanced reading and communication skills, both written and verbal
7. demonstrate a thorough understanding of research methodology and ethics, and an ability to plan and conduct, an independent research project in one of the aspects represented in the program.

The course is structured in three parts. Part A. Foundations for international development practice, Part B. Core master's study and Part C. Advanced expertise. All students complete Part B. Depending upon prior qualifications, you may receive credit for Part A or Part C or a combination of the two.

Note that if you are eligible for credit for prior studies you may elect not to receive the credit.

Part A. Foundations for international development practice (24 points)

These studies will introduce you to international development practice studies at an advanced undergraduate level. They are intended for students whose previous qualification is not in a cognate field.

Part B. Core master's core study (48 points)

These studies draw on best practices within the broad realm of international development theory, practice and research to address questions ranging from the causes of wealth disparity, and the growth of development thought and practice, to the impact of politics, economics, culture, history and natural resources on inequality.

Part C. Advanced expertise (24 points)

The focus of these studies is professional or scholarly work that can contribute to a portfolio of professional development. You have two options.

The first option is a program of coursework study where you select the units to suit your own interests. This option includes the opportunity to undertake an internship in the field.

The second option is a 24 point research thesis. Students wishing to use this master's course as a pathway to a higher degree by research should take this second option.

Students admitted to the course, who have a recognised honours degree in a cognate discipline including humanities or social sciences, will receive credit for Part C, however, should you wish to complete a 24 point research project as part of the course you should consult with the course coordinator.

The course comprises 96 points structured into three parts: Part A. Foundations for international development practice (24 points), Part B. Core master's study (48 points) and Part C. Advanced expertise (24 points).

Depending on prior qualifications you may receive entry level credit (a form of block credit) which determines your point of entry to the course:

• Students admitted at Entry level 1 complete 96 points, comprising Part A, Part B and Part C.
• Students admitted at Entry level 2 complete 72 points, comprising Part B and Part C.
• Students admitted at Entry level 3 complete 48 points, comprising Part B.

Note: Students eligible for credit for prior studies may elect not to receive the credit and complete one of the higher credit-point options.

Unless otherwise stated, units with codes beginning with 2 or 3 are 6 points, and units with codes beginning with 4 or 5 are 12 points.

Part A. Foundations for international development practice (24 points)

Students complete:

a. Two units (12 points) from the following, taken during the first full time equivalent year of study:

• ATS2378 The anthropology of international development
• ATS2490 Advanced professional writing
• ATS2624 Global governance
• ATS2628 Power and poverty: International development in a globalised world
• ATS2694 International political economy
• MGF5991 Professional development - Career dynamics

b. One unit (12 points) from the electives listed in Part C.

Part B. Core master's study (48 points)

Students complete:

a. The following units (36 points):

• APG5054 Research methods for development practice and change
• APG5628 Doctrines of development
• APG5805 Project planning and management in international development

b. One capstone unit (12 points) from the following:

• APG5044 Professional internship
• APG5045 Gender and development
• APG5856 Research project*

* Students electing to take the research option in Part C (a) should consider that as their capstone. Students admitted to the course at Entry level 3 who wish to complete the 24 point research thesis in Part C (a) should consult with the course coordinator.

Part C. Advanced expertise (24 points)

Students complete either a. or b. below:

a. The following unit:

• APG5848 Research thesis (24 points)** or APG5849 Research thesis A (12 points) and APG5850 Research thesis B (12 points)**

** Students admitted to the course at Entry level 3 who wish to complete this 24 point research thesis should consult with the course coordinator.

b. Elective units (24 points) from the lists below including any capstone unit not already completed in Part B (b).

Democracy, justice and governance

• APG5064 Gender, security and conflict
• APG5065 Governing migration: Refugees, borders and development
• APG5092 Human rights in global politics
• APG5337 Governance and democratisation
• APG5372 Community development in a globalising world (6 points)
• LAW5304 Overview of international human rights law (6 points)
• LAW5383 International refugee law and human rights (6 points)
• LAW5418 Transitional justice (6 points)
• MGF5760 International Institutions and organisations (6 points)
• MGF5300 Governance (6 points)
• MGF5370 Policy analysis (6 points)
• MGF5730 International trade policy (6 points)

Gender, conflict and security

• APG4287 War and peace: Models of conflict resolution
• APG5064 Gender, security and conflict
• APG5372 Community development in a globalising world (6 points)
• LAW5359 International human rights law and women (6 points)
• MPH5248 Primary health care in developing countries (6 points)
• MPH5250 Health of women and children in developing countries (6 points)
• MPH5255 Health and human rights (6 points)
• SWM5260 Gender, climate change and sustainability

Crisis, change and management

• APG5064 Gender, security and conflict
• APG5087 Introduction to disaster preparedness
• APG5089 Responding to international disasters and humanitarian crises
• APG5372 Community development in a globalising world (6 points)
• EDF5636 Leading organisational decision making
• EDF5637 Inner leadership: Understanding self and others
• MPH5248 Primary health care in developing countries (6 points)
• MPH5251 Communicable diseases control in developing countries (6 points)
• MPH5254 Nutrition in developing countries (6 points)
• MPH5258 Effective responses to HIV in developing countries (6 points)
• MPH5260 Health policy and prevention in a global world (6 points)

Sustainable resource management

• APG4287 War and peace: Models of conflict resolution
• APG4553 Field studies in regional sustainability
• APG4554 Resource evaluation and management (6 points)
• APG4556 Urbanisation and regional development in the Indo Pacific rim (6 points)
• APG5067 Cultural economy and sustainable development
• APG5229 Prosperity, poverty and sustainability in a globalised world (6 points)
• APG5390 Contemporary tourism and development in emerging economies
• APG5433 Corporate sustainability management (6 points)
• APG5609 Sustainable tourism development and planning
• APG5627 Research in political ecology (6 points)
• APG5804 Environmental revolutions (6 points)
• ATS3248 Field methods in anthropology and international development

Language units

Students intending to take fieldwork requiring knowledge of Indonesian or Spanish are encouraged to take language units as part of their electives if they do not have a background in these languages.

• APG5201 Intensive Intermediate Indonesian for fieldwork (6 points)
• APG5202 Intensive Introductory Indonesian for fieldwork (6 points)
• APG5207 Intensive Introductory Spanish for fieldwork (6 points)
• APG5208 Intensive Intermediate Spanish for fieldwork (6 points)

Students entering at Entry levels 1 and 2 can complete a research thesis (24 points) that will provide a pathway to a higher degree by research. Students entering at entry level 3 will normally already have an honours degree, however, students in this group who wish to complete a research thesis in international development practice should discuss the options with the course coordinator.

Students may exit this course early and apply to graduate with one of the following awards, provided they have satisfied the requirements indicated for that award during their enrolment in this master's course:

• Graduate Certificate in Arts after successful completion of 24 credit points of study with a minimum of 18 credit points at level 4 or above.
• Graduate Diploma in Arts after successful completion of 48 credit points of study with a minimum of 36 credit points at level 4 or above.