MA in International Development

The learning goal of the master (MA) program in International Development is to produce highly skilled human resources in the field of international development by providing theoretically and practically oriented curriculum, and make students future leaders in the realm of international development at the global stage. This program trains policy experts with a wide range of knowledge and expertise through interdisciplinary education focusing on economics, public management, and international relations.

In order to accomplish the objectives stipulated in the IUJ Graduate School Regulations, as well as the mission of GSIR, International Development Program (IDP) defines the degree requirements and learning objectives which are necessary to MA in International Development as follows:

Degree Requirements

• Enrollment Requirements
  Students are required to enroll for a minimum of two years (six terms) on a degree candidate basis. However, as an exception, students recognized to have achieved distinguished academic performance may meet the requirements within an enrollment period of one to two years.

• Course/Credit Requirements
  Students are required to complete a necessary number of credits of core required courses, core elective courses, and elective courses in accordance with the requirements designated by IDP. These amount to at least 40 credits for students opting to write an MA Thesis, or 44 credits for those choosing to write a Research Report.Credits will be given to students who have completed all activities related to the assessment specified in the course syllabus and have a final evaluation score of 60 points or above (out of 100).

• MA Thesis/Research Report Requirements
  Students are required to complete and submit an acceptable MA Thesis or Research Report under the guidance of supervisors.

• Final Examination Requirements
  Students who opt to write a Thesis are required to pass a final oral examination conducted by a thesis examining committee. For those selecting the Research Report option, no oral examination is required. The examining committee will determine how to conduct the final examination and the students are required to pass the exam.

• GPA Requirement
  Students are required to obtain a total GPA of at least 2.5 out of 4.0.

Learning Objectives

The students in the degree program of MA in International Development are required to:

Knowledge

• Have in-depth knowledge in economics, public management, and international relations;
• Be able to identify development challenges at the country and the global levels;
• Be able to analyze development problems by applying acquired analytical skills;
• Be able to develop feasible solutions and reform options to development problems; and
• Be able to articulate and communicate messages to policymakers that are major influences on the issues concerned.

Skills

• Demonstrate practical leadership in development with an appropriate understanding of diverse values and systems at the regional, country, and global levels;
• Demonstrate capacity to dissect major development problems by applying economics, public management, and international relations theories;
• Demonstrate capacity to articulate feasible solutions for development problems based on an in-depth analysis;
• Demonstrate capacity to communicate main messages on development policies and reforms to all stakeholders, including policy makers, academia, and civil society, in an easy language to facilitate the process of economic reforms; and
• Demonstrate capacity to work in multidisciplinary teams with due respect to other disciplines to enrich perspective as a development expert.

Attitudes

• Enthusiastic and great initiative to think development issues in logical, critical, and creative ways;
• Retain strong analytical capacity to development problems;
• Contribute to practical policy reforms for development;
• Respect diverse perspectives from other disciplines; and
• Respect diverse values and systems in the field;