BA International Development (Period Abroad)

Year 3

(Award available for year: Bachelor of Arts)

Learning outcomes

On completion of the year/programme students should have provided evidence of being able to:
- demonstrate a critical appreciation of the core concepts and processes of international development, the global economic system, and social and political change, as well as familiarity with specialist theories and literatures relevant to specific areas of study
- appreciate and critically evaluate the appropriateness of different theoretical approaches used to understand the processes and dynamics of international development;
- evaluate and critique the roles and practices of various development actors, such as NGOs, the state and community led organisations;
- evaluate and choose between generic and subject specific intellectual tools in order to evaluate empirical material and case studies examples from the developing world;
- proficiently use basic generic and subject specific intellectual qualities i.e.
- be able to communicate the results of their work;
- present a structured and coherent argument;
- access and evaluate qualitative and/or quantitative data;
- critically appraise a range of research techniques used by different development actors to produce and assess data and information, and apply relevant research skills for assignments;
- present a nuanced and coherent argument, based on critical analysis of the appropriateness of different approaches to problem solving associated with development theory and practice
- work autonomously within a structured environment;
- critically evaluate their own strengths and weaknesses as learners.

Transferable (key) skills

Students will have had the opportunity to acquire, as defined in the modules specified for the programme:
- qualities and transferable skills necessary for employment in the field of international development, and related NGOs and the civil service;
- the deployment of decision making skills in complex and unpredictable situations;
- the communication of information, ideas, problems and solutions in a variety of ways to a variety of audiences;
- the ability to undertake appropriate further training of a professional or equivalent nature;
- skills necessary for the exercising of personal responsibility;
- evaluate their own achievement and that of others;
- think critically and communicate complex ideas as appropriate to the context and assignments;
- learn independently and manage time effectively, completing work to deadlines;
- develop presentation and team work skills;
- adapt flexibly to a range of tasks and working expectations of different modules;
- work within the expectations of academic boundaries and norms.

Assessment

Achievement will be assessed by a variety of methods in accordance with the learning outcomes of the modules specified for the year/programme and will include:
- demonstrating the ability to apply critical analysis to a broad range of issues and debates relevant to the study of the global system, including the global economy, social processes and social, political and economic power;
- applying critical thinking to both typical and atypical situations and distinguish between the two;
- apply a critical perspective and critical analysis in reference to a wide range of material;
- the ability to evaluate and criticise received opinion;
- the ability to reflectively assess their own performance and that of others.