International Development Studies
The International Development Studies (IDS) collaborative specialization provides a focal point for graduate teaching and research in the area of international development. The collaborative specialization combines training in a particular discipline with exposure to a broad range of social science perspectives. Faculty expertise encompasses various aspects of development in Asia, Africa, Eastern and Western Europe and the Americas. Students wishing to pursue a Master's or PhD degree with the designation "International Development Studies" must enter the collaborative specialization in International Development through a participating department.
Administrative Staff
Director
Andrea Paras (516 MacKinnon, Ext. 53134)
aparas@uoguelph.ca
Graduate Program Coordinator
Candace Johnson (511 MacKinnon, Ext. 52179)
cajohnso@uoguelph.ca
Graduate Program Assistant
Heather Douglas (900C MacKinnon, Ext. 54217)
ids@uoguelph.ca
Graduate Faculty
This list may include Regular Graduate Faculty, Associated Graduate Faculty and/or Graduate Faculty from other universities.
Paula Barata
BA British Columbia, MA, PhD Windsor - Associate Professor
Graduate Faculty
Ryan C. Briggs
BSS Ottawa, PhD American - Associate Professor
Graduate Faculty
Ataharul Chowdhury
B.Sc., M.Sc. Bangladesh, M.Sc. Wageningen, PhD Vienna - Associate Professor
Graduate Faculty
Catherine E. Dewey
DVM, M.Sc., PhD Guelph - Professor
Graduate Faculty
Jordi Díez
BA Toronto, MA Essex, PhD Toronto - Professor
Graduate Faculty
Elizabeth Finnis
BA McMaster, MA Western, PhD McMaster - Associate Professor
Graduate Faculty
Karine Gagné
BA Concordia, M.Sc., PhD Montreal - Associate Professor
Graduate Faculty
Paulina García-Del Moral
BA, MA Queen's, PhD Toronto - Assistant Professor
Graduate Faculty
Noella Gray
B.Sc. McGill, MA Western, PhD Duke - Associate Professor
Graduate Faculty
Rosario Gómez
BA, MA, PhD Toronto - Associate Professor, Linguistics, SOLAL
Graduate Faculty
Roberta Hawkins
B.Sc. Queen's, MES, MA York, PhD Clark - Associate Professor
Graduate Faculty
Spencer Henson
B.Sc., PhD Reading - Professor
Graduate Faculty
Carmen Ho
BA Western, M.Sc. London, PhD Toronto - Assistant Professor
Graduate Faculty
Jasmin Hristov
BA, MA, PhD York - Assistant Professor
Graduate Faculty
Kris Inwood
BA Trent, MA, PhD Toronto - Professor
Graduate Faculty
Candace Johnson
BA Toronto, MA, PhD Dalhousie - Professor
Graduate Faculty
Craig A. Johnson
BA Queen's, MA Toronto, PhD School of Economics London - Professor
Graduate Faculty
Thomas (Tad) McIlwraith
BA Toronto, MA British Columbia, PhD New Mexico - Associate Professor
Graduate Faculty
Heather Murphy
B.Eng., M.A.Sc. Dalhousie, PhD Guelph - Associate Professor
Graduate Faculty
Erin Nelson
BA, PhD Guelph, MA Waterloo - Associate Professor
Graduate Faculty
Andrea Paras
BA British Columbia, MA, PhD Toronto - Associate Professor
Graduate Faculty
Kate Parizeau
B.A.Sc. McMaster, M.Sc., PhD Toronto - Associate Professor
Graduate Faculty
Manish N. Raizada
B.Sc. Western, PhD Stanford - Professor
Graduate Faculty
Robin Roth
BA Victoria, PhD Clark - Professor and Chair
Graduate Faculty
Silvia Sarapura
B.Sc. Central Peru, M.Sc., PhD Guelph - Assistant Professor
Graduate Faculty
Adam Sneyd
BA Queen's, MA York, PhD McMaster - Associate Professor
Graduate Faculty
Ian S. Spears
BA Toronto, MA Queen's, PhD McGill - Associate Professor
Graduate Faculty
Sharada Srinivasan
BA Tata Institute of Social Sciences, MA, PhD Eramus (Rotterdam) - Associate Professor
Graduate Faculty
Deborah Stienstra
BA Alberta, MA, PhD York - Professor
Graduate Faculty
Admission Requirement
Master's Requirements
Students wishing to pursue a Master's degree with the designation "International Development Studies" must enter the collaborative specialization in International Development through a participating department or program.
Students must meet the University's general requirement a four-year Honours degree, or equivalent, from a recognized post-secondary institution with a B- average over the last two years of full-time equivalent study. Note that some departments set their admission requirement higher than B-.
Students must have completed the following:
- One undergraduate course in economics.
- One undergraduate course in a social science discipline
- One course in social science research methods or equivalent.
The collaborative specialization in International Development Studies (IDS) is a PhD program that provides an opportunity for advanced students to engage with interdisciplinary development theories and to conduct research on international development issues based on approaches of selected academic disciplines. The collaborative specialization in IDS is undertaken jointly with a discipline-based degree. Students enter IDS through a participating department or unit with a PhD program. At present these include Sociology; Plant Agriculture, Philosophy, Political Science; Population Medicine, Geography; Food, Agricultural and Resource Economics; Economics; History; Engineering; Environmental Sciences; Psychology (Applied Social Psychology); Critical Studies in Improvisation; and Social Practice and Transformational Change.
Based on the experience of faculty advisors in key participating departments, the program focuses on issues such as international political economy, food security, environmental dynamics and governance, gender inequality, rural development, long-term economic change, and other interdisciplinary cutting-edge topics in international development.
Doctoral Requirements
To be considered for admission, an applicant must have a recognized Bachelor's degree and a Master's degree in a relevant discipline or related interdisciplinary field. Applicants to the IDS collaborative specialization must meet the specific departmental admission requirements, which vary from one department to another. For information on the admission requirements and application deadlines of your selected department, please contact the relevant department directly.
In addition to the specific departmental admission requirements, applicants are expected to have a strong background in the social sciences a demonstrable track record of experience in the course-based study of development issues, development research and/or development practice and a stated research interest relating to international development.
Program Requirements
Master's Requirements
Students complete International Development Studies core requirements and the requirements of their home department. The following are requirements for select departments; consult the IDS Graduate website for other departments.
IDS Master's Core Courses
Code | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
IDEV*6200 | Development Theory, Issues and Process | 1.00 |
IDEV*6300 | Research and Analysis in a Development Context | 0.50 |
Optional IDS Courses
Students in the collaborative specialization may undertake two optional interdisciplinary courses:
Code | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
IDEV*6000 | Regional Context | 0.50 |
IDEV*6500 | Fieldwork in International Development Studies | 0.50 |
Departmental or Program Requirements
Programs not listed below are designed by special arrangements. All departmental requirements are subject to change. Students should confirm the departmental course requirements with the respective Graduate Program Coordinator.
Capacity Development and Extension (MSc)
Code | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
Three core courses: | ||
CDE*6070 | Foundations of Capacity Building and Extension | 0.50 |
CDE*6260 | Research Design | 0.50 |
RPD*6380 | Application of Quantitative Techniques in Rural Planning and Development | 0.50 |
or EDRD*6000 | Qualitative Analysis in Rural Development | |
Select two additional courses of the following CDE restricted electives group: | ||
CDE*6290 | Special Topics in Capacity Building and Extension | 0.50 |
CDE*6311 | Community Engagement and Public Participation | 0.50 |
CDE*6320 | Capacity Building for Sustainable Development | 0.50 |
CDE*6330 | Facilitation and Conflict Management | 0.50 |
CDE*6410 | Readings in Capacity Building and Extension | 0.50 |
CDE*6420 | Communication for Social and Environmental Change | 0.50 |
CDE*6690 | Community Environmental Leadership | 0.50 |
One open elective (one IDS Master’s Core Course will fulfill this requirement) | 0.50 | |
CDE*6900 | Major Research Paper | 1.00 |
Or a thesis | ||
Select two more courses from the restricted electives group (see course list above) | 1.00 |
Economics (MA)
Code | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
ECON*6000 | Microeconomic Theory I | 0.50 |
ECON*6020 | Macroeconomic Theory I | 0.50 |
ECON*6940 | Research Project | 1.00 |
Select one of the following: | ||
ECON*6050 & ECON*6180 | Introduction to Econometric Methods and Econometric Methods | 1.00 |
ECON*6140 | Econometrics I | 0.50 |
Engineering (MEng in Environmental Engineering or Water Resources Engineering)
Code | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
Select six courses from the list of required graduate courses in Engineering (to be selected in consultation with advisor) | ||
ENGG*6950 | Final Project in Environmental Engineering | 1.00 |
or ENGG*6900 | Final Project in Water Resources Engineering |
Engineering (MASc in Environmental Engineering or Water Resources Engineering)
Code | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
Select three courses from the list of required graduate courses in Engineering (to be selected in consultation with advisor) | ||
Thesis |
English (MA)
Code | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
Select one of the following: | ||
Four English courses and a thesis | ||
Or | ||
ENGL*6803 | Major Research Project | 1.00 |
Six English courses |
Environmental Sciences (MSc)
Code | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
ENVS*6900 | Research Seminar in Environmental Sciences | 0.50 |
Two other courses in consultation with the department. | ||
Thesis |
Family Relations and Applied Nutrition (MSc)
Applied Human Nutrition
For all students in the MSc program in the field of Applied Human Nutrition, a minimum of 2.25 graduate credits will be chosen in consultation with the student's advisor and advisory committee including:
Code | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
FRAN*6000 | Quantitative Research Methods | 0.50 |
FRAN*6010 | Applied Statistics | 0.50 |
FRAN*6020 | Qualitative Research Methods | 0.50 |
FRAN*6550 | PhD Research Seminar | 0.25 |
Select one additional graduate elective course 1 | 0.50 |
- 1
Such as FRAN*6610 Advances in Clinical Nutrition, FRAN*6510 Nutrition in the Community or another graduate level elective course related to the student’s research specialization. It can be taken within Family Relations and Applied Nutrition or in other academic units of the university.
Students who enter the MSc-AHN program from a non-nutrition undergraduate program will also be required to take those undergraduate and/or graduate courses necessary to meet foundational knowledge in applied human nutrition. In addition, students must complete a research thesis.
Food, Agricultural and Resource Economics (MSc OR MFARE)
Thesis based MSc
Code | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
FARE*6380 | Applied Microeconomics for Agricultural Economists | 0.50 |
FARE*6970 | Applied Quantitative Methods for Agricultural Economists | 0.50 |
FARE*6910 | Applied Policy Analysis I | 0.50 |
FARE*6100 | The Methodologies of Economics | 0.50 |
FARE*6600 | Food Security and the Economics of Agri-Food Systems in Developing Countries | 0.50 |
FARE*6800 | Seminar in Agricultural Economics | 0.00 |
One additional course | ||
Thesis |
Course Work and Major Research Paper MFARE
Code | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
FARE*6380 | Applied Microeconomics for Agricultural Economists | 0.50 |
FARE*6910 | Applied Policy Analysis I | 0.50 |
FARE*6970 | Applied Quantitative Methods for Agricultural Economists | 0.50 |
FARE*6100 | The Methodologies of Economics | 0.50 |
FARE*6600 | Food Security and the Economics of Agri-Food Systems in Developing Countries | 0.50 |
FARE*6400 | Advanced Topics in Agricultural Economics | 0.50 |
FARE*6800 | Seminar in Agricultural Economics | 0.00 |
FARE*6140 | Major Paper in Food, Agricultural and Resource Economics | 1.00 |
One additional course |
Course Work MFARE
In order to satisfy the degree requirements of the course work option, students will complete successfully the following courses:
Code | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
FARE*6380 | Applied Microeconomics for Agricultural Economists | 0.50 |
FARE*6910 | Applied Policy Analysis I | 0.50 |
FARE*6970 | Applied Quantitative Methods for Agricultural Economists | 0.50 |
FARE*6100 | The Methodologies of Economics | 0.50 |
FARE*6600 | Food Security and the Economics of Agri-Food Systems in Developing Countries | 0.50 |
FARE*6800 | Seminar in Agricultural Economics | 0.00 |
Select three additional graduate courses approved by the student’s advisory committee. 2 |
- 2
Students in this option are restricted from taking FARE*6140 Major Paper in Food, Agricultural and Resource Economics
Geography (MA or MSc)
Code | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
GEOG*6090 | Geographical Research Methods I | 0.50 |
GEOG*6091 | Geographical Research Methods II | 0.50 |
Select one other Geography course (which can be taken from the IDS core) | ||
GEOG*6180 | Research Project in Geography (or a thesis) | 1.00 |
Select one other Geography course not taken as part of the IDS core |
History (MA)
Code | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
Three 0.50 credit History courses at the 6000 level | ||
HIST*6400 | Major Paper (or Thesis) | 1.00 |
Latin American and Caribbean Studies (MA)
Code | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
LACS*6010 | Latin American Identity and Culture | 0.50 |
LACS*6020 | Re-Imagining Latin American, Latino and Caribbean Communities | 0.50 |
LACS*6030 | Globalization and Insecurity in the Americas | 0.50 |
LACS*6100 | Research Project (or Thesis) | 1.00 |
Select one other LACS course |
Management (MSc)
Course Work Major Research Project Requirements (Innovation, Commercialization, and Entrepreneurship)
Code | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
Common core courses | 1.00 | |
Innovation, Commercialization, and Entrepreneurship field specific courses | 1.50 | |
One qualitative or quantitative research methods course | 0.50 | |
Electives | 1.00 | |
MGMT*6000 | Management Seminar Series | 0.00 |
MGMT*6500 | Major Research Project | 1.00 |
Thesis-based Requirements (Management Research)
Code | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
Common core courses | 1.00 | |
Management Research field specific courses, chosen in consultation with Advisor | 1.50 | |
One qualitative or quantitative research methods course, chosen in consultation with Advisor | 0.50 | |
MGMT*6000 | Management Seminar Series (Fall and Winter Semester) | 0.00 |
Thesis | 0.00 |
Philosophy (MA)
Code | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
PHIL*6950 | MA Seminar | 0.50 |
Additional philosophy courses in consultation with the department | ||
Either a thesis or research paper (in conjunction with) | ||
PHIL*6990 | Major Research Project | 1.00 |
Political Science (MA)
Code | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
IDS Requirements | ||
POLS*6900 | Communications | 0.25 |
POLS*6940 | Research Design and Methods | 0.75 |
POLS*6730 | Development and Global Justice | 0.50 |
POLS*6970 | Major Paper | 1.00 |
Or a thesis | ||
One additional course from the Political Science Department (elective) |
Population Medicine (MSc Course Work)
Code | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
POPM*6200 | Epidemiology I | 0.50 |
POPM*6210 | Epidemiology II | 0.50 |
POPM*6250 | Project in Population Medicine | 1.00 |
Note: A student's Population Medicine advisor may require a student to take POPM*6100 Seminar.
Psychology (MA)
Applied Social Psychology
Code | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
PSYC*6060 | Research Design and Statistics | 0.50 |
or PSYC*6940 | Discrete-Variable Research Design and Statistics | |
(upon consultation with Advisor as to which is most appropriate) | ||
PSYC*6471 | Practicum I | 0.50 |
PSYC*6880 | Ethical Issues in Psychology | 0.25 |
At least 2 of the following 3 core AS courses: | ||
PSYC*6910 | Critical Approaches to Applied Social Psychology | 0.50 |
PSYC*6920 | Applied Social Psychology and Intervention | 0.50 |
PSYC*6930 | Community, Culture and Global Citizenship | 0.50 |
At least 1 elective, which may be fulfilled through completion of one of the IDS Master's Core Courses | ||
And MA Thesis. |
Public Health (MPH)
Code | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
PABI*6500 | Infectious Diseases and Public Health | 0.50 |
POPM*6200 | Epidemiology I | 0.50 |
POPM*6510 | Health Promotion | 0.50 |
POPM*6520 | Introduction to Epidemiological and Statistical Methods | 0.50 |
POPM*6530 | Health Communication | 0.50 |
POPM*6540 | Concepts in Environmental Public Health | 0.50 |
POPM*6550 | Public Health Policy and Systems | 0.50 |
POPM*6560 | Public Health Practicum | 1.00 |
POPM*6570 | Public Health Capstone | 0.00 |
POPM*6580 | Public Health Leadership and Administration | 0.50 |
Public Issues in Anthropology (MA)
Code | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
IDS Requirements | ||
ANTH*6080 | Anthropological Theory | 0.50 |
ANTH*6140 | Qualitative Research Methods | 0.50 |
ANTH*6000 | Public Issues Anthropology | 0.50 |
ANTH*6600 | Reading Course (or a Thesis and one additional course) | 0.50 |
Three additional courses |
Rural Planning and Development (MSc Planning)
Departmental Requirements
Code | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
RPD*6030 | International Rural Development Planning: Principles and Practices | 0.50 |
RPD*6170 | Rural Research Methods | 0.50 |
RPD*6240 | Planning and Development Theory | 0.50 |
RPD*6291 | Rural Development Administration | 0.50 |
RPD*6380 | Application of Quantitative Techniques in Rural Planning and Development | 0.50 |
RPD*6360 | Major Research Paper | 1.00 |
Or a thesis and one additional RPD course | ||
Three additional RPD courses |
Sociology (MA)
Code | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
SOC*6070 | Sociological Theory | 0.50 |
SOC*6700 | Pro-seminar | 0.00 |
SOC*6130 | Quantitative Research Methods | 0.50 |
or SOC*6140 | Qualitative Research Methods | |
SOC*6600 | Reading Course | 0.50 |
Or a thesis and one additional Sociology course | ||
Three additional Sociology courses |
Doctoral Requirements
The collaborative specialization in International Development Studies (IDS) provides an opportunity for advanced students to engage with interdisciplinary development theories and to conduct research on international development issues based on approaches of selected academic disciplines. The collaborative specialization in IDS is undertaken jointly with a discipline-based degree. Students enter IDS through a participating department or unit with a PhD program. At present these include Sociology; Plant Agriculture, Philosophy, Political Science; Population Medicine, Geography; Food, Agricultural and Resource Economics; Economics; History; Engineering; Environmental Sciences; Psychology (Applied Social Psychology); Critical Studies in Improvisation; and Social Practice and Transformational Change.
Based on the experience of faculty advisors in key participating departments, the program focuses on issues such as international political economy, food security, environmental dynamics and governance, gender inequality, rural development, long-term economic change, and other interdisciplinary cutting-edge topics in international development.
Students complete requirements for the departmental degree as well as the IDS components which consist of two core courses, including an interdisciplinary course on theories and debates in development and a course on development research and practice. Students must obtain a minimum final grade of 75% in each of the two IDS PhD core courses to remain in the IDS collaborative specialization. While the students have to successfully complete these courses to remain in the IDS collaborative specialization, they do not have to pass a separate qualifying examination in addition to the departmental qualifying exam. Furthermore, the expectation is that the IDS students’ PhD research will bridge two or more disciplines in a way that relates to the field of IDS. The departmental supervisor must have knowledge and understanding of International Development Studies as it relates to the requirements of the IDS collaborative specialization. One of the members on the student’s advisory committee needs to be an appointed IDS affiliated faculty member approved by the IDS Admissions Committee.
For further information regarding course offering, please contact the IDS Graduate Program Assistant.
IDS PhD Core Courses
Code | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
IDEV*6800 | Theories and Debates in Development | 0.50 |
IDEV*6850 | Development Research and Practice | 0.50 |
Departmental PhD Requirements
Departmental requirements are assigned in collaboration with the student's home department. See respective departmental web pages.
Courses
This reading course provides an opportunity for in-depth investigation about a particular region in preparation for a thesis, major paper or research project. The course normally is directed by the student's advisor.
This course will examine key issues in development, for example: social justice, poverty and inequality, sustainability, governance and inclusiveness, and how perspectives on these issues have changed over time and differ across disciplinary perspectives. The course will be writing-intensive and focus on the development of skills in oral communication of development issues.
This two semester course prepares students to conduct research in a development context. It emphasizes power relations and supports students as they reflect on their own positionality and the development context of their research. Through reading, discussion and practice, students develop skills in areas such as: scoping research questions, data collection, data analysis, navigating ethical complexities and knowledge mobilization. There will be an emphasis on reflective writing and on communicating development research and analysis to diverse audiences.
This course recognizes an intensive commitment to research in an archival repository, 'in the field' or at an appropriate development institution in Canada or abroad. The course normally is directed by the student's advisor in consultation with the advisory committee.
This course examines recent approaches in development theory explaining international inequality, poverty and long-term change. It also investigates selected current debates in international development - such as food security, trade, good governance, sustainability or gender - from various discipline-based and interdisciplinary perspectives, and analyzes selected regional experiences of development.
In this course students establish the linkages between their doctoral research topic and the wider field of development studies and practice. The course will examine development policies and projects, ethical issues related to (cross-cultural) development research, and relationships between research and development practice.