东安格利亚大学

Take on the challenge of social development issues such as vulnerability, resilience, gender inequality, education and health. These fascinating topics are at the forefront of global development goals, and on the agendas of key international development agencies such as theUN and the World Bank.

You’ll have the opportunity to learn about theory, analytical skills and practices, which inform more appropriate and effective social development interventions. You’ll also be able to add professional skills and work experience to your academic learning, for example by taking an internship in the summer with a social development organisation, and by taking one or more of our professional training workshops.

You’ll graduate with the skills, and - if you choose the work placement option - relevant experience, to work in a range of social development fields and organisations, from the community level to project design and policy.

OVERVIEW

Why do micro-credit interventions, designed to empower women, often contribute to continuing gender inequalities? What role do policy elites play in causing ethnic conflicts? What social changes explain rising levels of witchcraft accusations across many societies, and how can social development practitioners engage with these cultural practices? What are masculinities and how do they affect men’s vulnerability to HIV? How can we, as social development practitioners, build interventions that can support people to reshape their lives and promote wellbeing? What roles should the state or civil society be playing in social development? These are a taste of some of the fascinating questions and challenges you’ll tackle in your degree.

The MA International Social Development enables you to understand local and global challenges to people’s wellbeing, in order to better inform solutions. You’ll also learn about success stories and positive development processes, which offer these potential solutions to problems. The academics teaching on the course bring their current research into the learning sessions, so that you have the chance to study at the cutting edge of research and new knowledge.