This course provides students with a practical introduction and a critical appreciation of international development work. It introduces them to a set of approaches and tools that are used by international development practitioners in the design and development of projects in the field. The course encourages critical reflection of the tools and approaches used in international development today. In particular, it considers the value of different approaches across different social and political contexts and the trade-offs involved in using these tools and approaches. The course will also consider the merits and value of “project-based” development more generally and also the respective merits of different design and implementation approaches to specific social programs and their political-philosophical underpinnings.

Students will also learn about different types of projects and the realities of funding these projects. They will gain a deeper understanding of considerations in project design particularly the broader institutional and political issues faced when they enter the world of international development. Students also learn essential team working skills by working in small groups to analyze a problem situation, design an intervention and present this in the form of a project proposal.

This course aims to develop students’ practical understanding of international development in terms of project management and planning and also its practical implementation. It will, therefore, use practical exercises and case studies, which will enable students to develop the skills necessary to design international development projects. It will prepare students who might be considering a career in international development whether that is with international organizations and NGOs or national development agencies.

Assessment

This course has two forms of assessment:

This course has two forms of assessment:

The final individual student grade is based on the group grade and individualized through peer assessment.

Final grade = Group grade (85%) + Peer assessment (15%)

GROUP WORK GRADE

• Project Proposal (40% of the final grade)
• Tutorial Assignments (30% of the final grade)
• In-class Presentation (15% of the final grade)
• Peer Assessment (15% of the final grade)

Competences, learning outcomes and teaching activities (PDF)