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Postgraduate

MSc, Postgraduate Diploma/Certificate in Managing Rural Development

Syllabus

C116 Economics and institutions for development

You will gain an understanding of the economic behaviour of people and firms, and the interactions between them, and between institutions and national economies in development processes. Development concepts, standard economic models and their relation with each other are introduced. You will explore the roles of institutions in economic exchange and resource allocation, and their contribution (or hindrance) to more efficient and equitable resource allocation and to development.

C130
Rural development
Gives an economics perspective on issues and methods in rural development, the role of rural development in poverty reduction, roles of agricultural and non-agricultural sectors and of markets and governments in development, impacts of new technology, agricultural research and extension policy and methods, and rural financial markets.

C131
Management in rural development
Considers the management and organisation of interventions to promote rural development. The course examines the scope and demands of rural development management, dimensions of rural development, the relevance of management theories of organisations and management, and the changing roles of the state, the private sector and civil society in rural development.

C140
Society, gender and development
Develops an analytical framework within which to think critically about development planning and practice from a social perspective. The scope of conceptual tools is reviewed, together with an understanding of the interrelations between gender relations and development.

C10
Agricultural trade and policy
Introduces neo-classical trade theory and examines trade theory as it applies to a range of interventions in trade, in particular, agricultural trade. The course also introduces standard agricultural policy analysis tools, before a review of current issues affecting international trade in agriculture.

C138
Agrifood marketing in developing countries
Explores the importance of the marketing of agricultural and food products in developing countries. Introduces the key concepts of marketing management and is concerned with identifying and analysing the performance of the marketing functions within the food chain from a business perspective.

C132
NGO management
Non-government organisations play an increasingly important role in all aspects of development. They are key actors in the worlds of politics, industry and commerce, influencing both development agendas and policy implementation. This course sets out to explain the key processes that encompass the management of NGOs, and covers issues such as strategic management and decision making, structures and systems (including monitoring and financial management), the generation of financial resources, and improving overall organisational performance.

C134
Project planning and management
Covers the planning and management of public and private investment in the agricultural sector. Students learn economic concepts for project identification, preparation, appraisal, monitoring and evaluation, and the methods of logical framework, financial and economic cost benefit analysis, and social and environmental assessment.

C35
Socio-economics of rural livelihoods
Analyses the decisions facing smallholder farmers in managing their activities and resources. The course examines the circumstances and objectives of peasants and socio-economic theories that describe their livelihood strategies, and policy implications arising from this analysis.

C126
Water resource management
Applies economics to the evaluation of water resource policy. Topics include key economic concepts, the management and sustainability of irrigation and water supply, user participation, and environmental, social and political dimensions of water use.

C106
Research methods
Introduces research methods and the role of information in rural development before addressing sampling and questionnaire design, measurement techniques, case study and participatory approaches, and methods of data processing and analysis.

Research report
MSc students only

  • the impact of vulnerability analysis (VA) in targeting the poor – a case study of Mozambique
  • the internet and rural development
  • the political economy of land reform in an economy in transition
  • the social and environmental consequences of economic change in a peri-urban society
  • institutional and tenurial constraints to women’s development in South Africa
  • feasibility study for the production and processing of organic lemon grass, ginger and turmeric in Nepal and their import to, and marketing in, the uk
  • the Mauritius sugar industry, studies in a global context: past, present and future
    lessons for capacity building in counterpart for people-centred rural development: case study of
  • Japan’s project-type technical cooperation
  • chocolate, conservation and commerce: can the market save the chocolate forests and birds of Belize
  • promoting a community development approach within Cambodia that is sensitive to the impacts of emotional trauma upon communities and facilitators.