MSc Global Development (Poverty and Inequality) / Course details

The overarching aims of this is to provide students with (i) an understanding of how research in development is conceived of and designed as well as introduction key methods used in development research; and (ii) an opportunity for students to develop competencies in transferable areas, including research design, methods and analysis, as well as teamwork and written and verbal forms of communication.

This unit will enhance students' employability by equipping them with core research competencies valued across development, policy, consultancy and academic career pathways. Students will develop the ability to design research, formulate evidence-based arguments, and critically evaluate diverse sources of data — skills directly transferable to roles in international development organisations, government agencies, NGOs and the private sector.

The unit will further enhance student outcomes by developing specific skills needed for employability, including: research design and critical thinking skills; quantitative and qualitative analytical skills; written and oral communication skills; time management; and teamwork.  

(Part 1)

1

Lecture

An introduction to research for development

Tutorial

Formulating research questions, hypotheses and rationales

2

Lecture

Research design and research questions

Tutorial

Writing methods and analyses sections

3

Lecture

Analytical frameworks and theories of change

Tutorial 

Writing research proposals

(Part 2)

4

Lecture

Cases and case-based methods

5

Lecture 

Thinking about research ethics and methods

Practical

Qualitative Methods 1  

6

Practical 

Qualitative Methods 2

7

Lecture 

Introduction to quantitative methods (part 1)

Practical 

Quantitative Methods 1

8

Lecture

Introduction to quantitative methods (part 2)

Practical

Quantitative Methods 2  

9

Lecture 

Transforming research into practice

Teaching and learning will occur through weekly lectures and a series of tutorials and practicals that will provide a conceptual understanding of, and practical basis for conducting development research. The learning and teaching approach will therefore combine a series of different approaches, including the use of pre-recorded lecture material (e.g., introductions to epistemology and research design), group work (e.g., the development and formulation of research questions and interview protocols) and software training (e.g., basic coding in R).  

• Critically compare principles of research design — including rigour, validity, replicability and epistemological positioning — as applied across different development research contexts
• Analyse the strengths and weaknesses of different research methods and approaches used in development research

• Formulate and justify research questions that address development research challenges drawing on appropriate theoretical frameworks and theories of change
• Critically evaluate different sources of information and data for relevance, reliability and bias, and synthesise evidence to construct coherent written arguments

• Implement quantitative and qualitative development research methods and approaches including the use of digital tools for data analysis

• Design and implement simple research projects specifying appropriate methods, sampling strategy, analytical approach and ethical considerations for a defined development research question

   

• Apply digital tools and software (including R) to support qualitative and quantitative data collection, analysis and interpretation
• Independently gather, sift and critically evaluate material from multiple sources to construct and communicate structured, evidence-based arguments in writing

Research Proposal 1,000 words

Written Exam (2 hours)

Written formative and summative feedback will be delivered via VLE

Students will be given the opportunity to submit short essay plans for feedback.

Tutorials and practical sessions will be primarily interactive and/or discussion-based.

General texts

Blaikie, N.W.H. and Priest, J. 2018.Designing social research: The logic of anticipation. Medford, MA: Polity Press.

Booth, W. C. et al. 2016. The Craft of Research (4th ed.). Chicago: Chicago University Press. (or earlier editions)

Dalgaard P. 2008. Introductory Statistics with R. Springer

Gerring J. 2007. Case Study Research: Principles and Practices. Cambridge University Press

Leavy, P. 2017.Research design: Quantitative, qualitative, mixed methods, arts-based, and community-based participatory research approaches. The Guilford Press, New York.

King G, Keohane RO, & Verba S. 1994. Designing Social Inquiry: Scientific Inference in Qualitative Research. Princeton University Press

Robson, C. & McCartan, K. 2016, Real World Research (4th ed.) Wiley, Chichester.

Williams N. 2011. Research Methods: The Basics. Routledge

Research in Development studies

Deasi, V. & Potter, R. B. (eds) 2006. Doing Development Research. SAGE, London.

Hammett et al (2015) Research and Fieldwork in Development. Abingdon: Routledge.

Skovdal, M. and Cornish, F. 2015. Qualitative Research for Development. Rugby: Practical Action Publishing.

Scheyvens, R. 2014. Development Fieldwork: A Practical Guide (2nd edn.). SAGE, London) (or other editions)

Dissertation

Biggam J. 2015. Succeeding with your Master’s Dissertation: A Step-By-Step Guide 

Booth, W. C. et al. 2016. The Craft of Research (4th ed.). Chicago: Chicago University Press. (or earlier editions)

Leavy, P. 2017. Research design: Quantitative, qualitative, mixed methods, arts-based, and community-based participatory research approaches. The Guilford Press, New York.

Turabian, K. L. (2018)A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations. 9th edition. Chicago: Chicago University Press. (or earlier editions)

Oldekop J et al. 2016. 100 key questions for the post-2015 development agenda. Development Policy Review 34: 55-82  

Information
GDI Programmes on which course unit is offered:

MSc Global Development (core for all pathways)