This course-based master's program focuses on development practice through a global justice lens, and will enhance students' abilities to pursue careers in development and related professions. Students engage with theoretical and empirical aspects of development in Canada and internationally. A set of required core courses provide training in anti-racism and decolonial approaches to development, global justice, gender-based analysis, research methods and community-engaged development practice. Additionally, students take one elective courses on a thematic topic of their choosing. Students have the opportunity to gain practical hands-on experience, participating in a course-based community-engaged learning experience with an external partner, as well as learn from experts in the field of international development.

Administrative Staff

Director, Guelph Institute for Development Studies
Andrea Paras
aparas@uoguelph.ca`
Graduate Program Coordinator
Erin Nelson
enelson@uoguelph.ca
Graduate Program Assistant
Iman Shivji
mdpgj@uoguelph.ca

Graduate Faculty

This list may include Regular Graduate Faculty, Associated Graduate Faculty and/or Graduate Faculty from other universities.

Admission Requirements

To be considered for admission, applicants must have successfully completed an undergraduate/baccalaureate degree, with a minimum grade average of B, from a recognised university. Applicants are also required to have completed:

• Minimum of 3.0 undergraduate credits in social science disciplines; and
• Minimum of 0.5 credits in social science-related methods.

An honours degree in a development-related discipline will be preferentially considered. Applicants with degrees in other programs including the natural sciences are encouraged to apply. We recommend these students have at least 2.0 credits of undergraduate-level courses in development studies or international studies. 

Relevant professional and lived experience will also be considered in addition to academic record.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the program, students will have the capacity to:

1. Apply interdisciplinary theoretical and empirical perspectives in order to critically analyze complex development problems through a global justice lens. 

2. Analyse empirical problems using quantitative and qualitative analytical methods.

3. Apply anti-racist and anti-oppressive theory and praxis within development contexts, including Indigenous, Black and feminist perspectives.

4. Understand and apply principles and practices of community-engaged partnership to build ethical collaborations with community partners.

5. Use different forms of oral and written communication methods to participate in advocacy and engage with diverse audiences about complex development issues.

6. Develop professional skills related to career development, conflict management, intercultural competence, and anti-oppression in the workplace.

Program Requirements

Students are required to complete a total of 3.75 credits of coursework. Students must complete six core courses (2.75 credits), one restricted elective (0.5 credits) and one open elective (0.5 credits). Normally students will complete the program in two semesters.

Core Courses
Students are required to complete the following core courses:

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
IDEV*6200	Development Theory, Issues and Process	0.50
IDEV*6350	Applied Statistical Evaluation of Development Projects	0.50
IDEV*6400	Gender, Generation and Development	0.50
IDEV*6600	Decolonisation in Development Practice	0.50
IDEV*6700	Principles and Practice of Community-Engaged Development	0.50
IDEV*6900	Professional Practice and Career Development	0.25

Restricted Electives

Students must take one elective course (0.5 credits) from the following list of restricted electives:

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
POLS*6730	Development and Global Justice	0.50
SOC*6270	Diversity and Social Equality	0.50
ANTH*6270	Diversity and Social Equality	0.50

Additionally, students choose one open elective course from any discipline on a topic of relevance to development practice and/or global justice (0.5 credits). Students will be provided with a list of possible electives to choose from, although their options are not restricted to this list.