Master of Arts in Development Management

The aim of the 18-month MA in Development Management is the training of professionals to meet the increasing need for experts in programme and project management that has emerged in international development cooperation. The course gives the student a solid theoretical background and introduces the necessary tools for dealing with the practical problems of managing development programmes and projects. Elements of the curriculum are an introduction to relevant theories in social science and economics, methods of empirical social research, project cycle management, and the application of theoretical and methodological knowledge. During the first semester, an interdisciplinary introduction to relevant theories and strategies of development, mainly from the economic and social science perspective, is given. Attention is also given to methods of empirical research. The second semester further substantiates the knowledge about developmental topics, focusing in particular on different methods of programme and project planning, implementation, and evaluation. During the third semester, students concentrate on finalising their Master's thesis. For their Master's thesis projects, students, in consultation with their mentor, identify a research problem related to a development programme or project as a starting point during the first semester. During the second semester, the topic is addressed from a theoretical perspective in a seminar paper which is also aimed at preparing the student for the empirical research carried out after that semester. The final thesis is designed to demonstrate the student's ability to embed their research in the scientific debate and to communicate it in a clear and coherent way.