International Development and Education (M Ed)

An Exciting Pathway!

Pathway Leader: Dr Pauline Dixon

12 months full time.

This pathway is unable to be taken as a part time route.

Introduction

Does private education have a role in meeting the United Nations Millenium Development Goal (MDG) of universal primary education by 2015. Many assume that private education is concerned with the serving the privileged, so is irrelevant to concerns about extending access to the poor. However, the existence of a burgeoning private education sector serving the poor is now acknowledged in development literature.

This pathway looks at development issues from an historical, philosophical and economic perspective. It uses as its core the research carried out by Professor James Tooley and Dr Pauline Dixon in Asia and Africa which looks at private and government schools that operate in slum and low-income areas.

Kibera, a slum in Kenya where education can make a difference

Who is this pathway for?

This exciting NEW pathway is aimed at anyone interested in pursuing careers in sectors concerned with

  • international development;
  • international aid agencies and;
  • the education sector in developing countries.

This course will appeal to anyone concerned about development issues, government policy and the reduction of poverty using entrepreneurial ideas. The new pathway is designed for graduates from education, economics, politics, geography or business backgrounds who wish to develop an understanding of international development issues in education. Graduates from other disciplines will also be considered as will those who do not have a degree but relevant experience.

Pathway Description

The course offers modules in areas of economics, development and education policy as well as optional specialist modules in areas such as educational technology and placement module.

Compulsory modules:

Plus 20 or 40 credits from the following modules

Pathway Optional Modules

For 2009/10, all candidates shall select modules (not already selected) from the optional modules list, so as to bring their total credits up to 180.

 

Placement in India or Africa

Within the programme there is an exciting opportunity, for those that choose the optional 2- 4 week placement module, to visit and work in schools or non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in the low income areas and slums of India and where appropriate Africa during part of this course.  This visit is funded totally by the student but will provide an invaluable experience that will bring issues learnt on the course to life. The timing of the placement is flexible.


www.ncl.ac.uk/ecls

Coursework and assessment

Teaching and learning is delivered through workshops, lectures, seminars, and colloquiums. Students are assessed on their work in the form of essays, practical assignments, project, portfolios and presentations. If the placement is chosen a diary exercise will be carried out and presented as well as a research project and presentation.

Please see Pauline's Blog where you can find out more about the pathway leader.