1. Choosing a Masters Course Chris Yates and Jenny Parkes
Institute of Education, University of London
Doing a masters course is a big commitment – in time, money and intellectual demands
But it can also be stimulating, exciting, rewarding
Need to select carefully 1. whether to do an MA and 2. which course is right for you.
Why do a masters course (in international development)
Courses we offer at IOE for people interested in international development
Some of the realities
What skills/knowledge/personal characteristics we are looking for
Costs
Possibilities for employment

2. Why do a masters course? Knowledge and skills Research
Increased employment opportunities
Knowledge and skills
To develop knowledge, understanding and skills about an area of personal/professional interest
To build skills in critical, analytical enquiry
Because of interest in and commitment to global social justice
Research
To have the opportunity to carry out a research project, with support
Expand employment opportunities (esp. in field of int development) - Chris

3. Education and International Development
Education, Gender and International Development
MA’s in
Educational Planning, Economics and International Development
Education,
Health Promotion and International Development
All focus on education in low and middle income countries
EID – introduces range of concepts of development and education; looks at the role of education and learning in the development process
EGID – focus on gender dimensions of research, policy and practice in low and middle income countries
EHPID – develops skills to plan, implement and evaluate health promotion initiatives
EPEID – interconnections between education planning, development and economics – for those interested in working in education planning, policy, management and administration
Combination of core and optional taught modules (F2f/online)
Research leading to dissertation of 20,000 words
Full time over 1 year/parttime over 2-4 years

4. Entrance requirements
Essential
Good first Degree – 2.2 or equivalent
Experience of working in low/middle income countries (minimum 6 months – but ideally more)
English language competency
Money – fulltime fees £3,756 (home/EU) to £8,616 (overseas), with living costs to circa £15-20,000 plus foregone opportunity costs
Desirable
Strong interest in developing your understanding of the role of education in the promotion of national and international development and particularly for poverty reduction
Developing ICT skills…
Team work and peer support

5. Some personal characteristics
Passion – to engage with EFA as a Global Social Justice Project
Vision - to identify interests and to focus on important issue areas
Persistence, Resilience, Ability to Multi-task
Commitment to understand better, confront, and seek to change complex patterns of inequality
A will to learn, to share what is learned, and to engage with important contemporary problems
A lifelong commitment to development and positive change which values human agency and freedoms

6. Dakar EFA Goals
Expanding and improving comprehensive Early Childhood Care and Education
Ensuring that by 2015 all children have access to and complete, free and compulsory primary education of good quality
3. Ensuring that the learning needs of all young people and adults are met
4. Achieving a 50 per cent improvement in levels of adult literacy by 2015
5. Eliminating gender disparities in primary and secondary education by 2005, and achieving gender equality in education by 2015
6. Improving all aspects of the quality of education.

7. What is needed? Research skills Analytical skills
Communication and presentation skills
Reflecting and developing your voice; your argument
Identifying, assessing and deploying evidence
A critical engagement and developing a new sense of ‘Being’ and ‘Becoming’
Being a part of a greater ‘collective’ enterprise -
From ‘externalities to social capital, to glocal cultural awareness and notions of multiple identity’

8. What do graduates go on to do?
Government Agencies/Ministries (e.g. Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Ministry of Education; International Development)
Education institutions
International Development Agencies
Non Government Organisations
Set up own organisations
Go to do further research
Combinations: The portfolio-cosmopolitan life