MSc in Development Management - Learning Outcomes

Educational aims

Underpinning this MSc is a view of development management as a process of steering social change, involving multiple actors with common and conflicting interests, values and agendas. The MSc aims to provide you with learning that makes for a better understanding of this process and the capacity to manage development more effectively, in whatever context you are working. 

Learning outcomes

The programme leading to this MSc degree provides opportunities for you to develop and demonstrate knowledge and understanding, qualities, skills and other attributes in the following areas.

Knowledge and understanding

On completion of this MSc degree you will have knowledge and understanding of:

  • different types – historical and contemporary – of development management, in theory and in practice
  • the theory and practice of institutional development as a means of development management
  • the nature and dynamics of conflict, the complexity of its roots, and the diverse ways of intervening and managing conflict
  • tools, methods and frameworks for planning, implementing and evaluating development interventions, and their limitations
  • tools, methods and frameworks for investigation and analysis aimed at informing development policy and practice, and their limitations.

Cognitive skills

On completion of this MSc degree you will be able to:

  • analyse and assess the theory and practice of development management
  • analyse and assess the contexts, processes and outcomes of development interventions, and the relationships by means of which interventions are undertaken
  • think strategically and creatively about development policy and practice
  • appreciate your own standpoint and the standpoint of others with respect to development management theory, policy and practice.

Practical and/or professional skills

On completion of this MSc degree you will be able to:

  • use mapping and modelling skills to organise and share thinking and action with respect to development interventions
  • use negotiation and brokering skills to make possible common action on development interventions
  • design, develop and evaluate theoretically informed, evidence-based development interventions
  • design, undertake and evaluate investigations that contribute to the understanding and enhancement of development policy and practice
  • produce a theoretically informed, evidence-based report that explores and helps resolve a development management problem.

Key skills

On completion of this MSc degree you will be able to:

  • deal effectively with the complexity, conflict and uncertainty that characterise development and development management
  • develop theoretically informed, evidence-based arguments with respect to development management theory, policy and practice
  • communicate theoretically informed, evidence-based arguments with respect to development management theory, policy and practice
  • build and engage in working relationships that make for effective development management
  • make ethical and political judgments with respect to development interventions
  • use sound methodological principles and practices to investigate a development management problem.

Teaching, learning and assessment methods

To help you develop your knowledge and understanding and to nurture your skills the modules offer:

  • core teaching texts and study guides
  • extensive guided reading
  • case studies, using text and audio-visual media
  • audio and visual resources
  • face-to-face and online tutorials
  • activities, individual and group, giving opportunities to develop and practice a range of skills
  • opportunities for you to reflect on your own practice.

The above knowledge, understanding and skills are assessed formally via assignments and an examinable component at the end of each module. Your understanding and skills are reinforced by support from tutors in the form of feedback based on your assignment answers. The examinable component is an examination or an end-of-module project report.

Throughout you receive support from tutors. Your tutors are selected for their knowledge of the subject areas and experience in its practical application and they support your learning by phone, letter or email when required, and by group tutorials.

The project module that you take to complete your MSc requires that you develop a project proposal on a topic of your choice, one that can be identified as a development management problem. When formulating this problem, and throughout your research into it, you are supported by a tutor. You produce four pieces of continuous assessment and a final project report of 10,000 words.

The project, mandatory for the award of the MSc, provides an extended opportunity for you, working on your own initiative, to further demonstrate and be assessed on the above knowledge, understanding and skills that have been developed throughout the programme.

The core modules in the MSc and also many optional modules make extensive use of electronic working in delivery, assessment, tutor-student support and student-student support. Students from the UK and worldwide are therefore able to study this programme whilst remaining in full-time employment.

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