Nov 23, 2024

OHIO University Graduate Catalog 2024-25

International Development Studies - MA

Master of Arts in International Development Studies

International Development Studies – MA4209

Communication & Development Studies and International Development Studies
Center for International Studies
Yamada International House
Ohio University
Athens, Ohio 45701
740.593.1840
development.studies@ohio.edu

Delivery Mode: Athens Campus

Term of Entry: Fall only

Terms of Entry Requiring Program Permission: None

Program Overview

Founded in 1977 as the Development Studies Program, the International Development Studies (IDS) Program at Ohio University offers a diverse and stimulating atmosphere for students who have a background and interest in the social, natural, and health sciences, and wish to apply this interest and learning to international development. The program provides a supportive environment for examining the issues and challenges of social, economic, and human development in varied contexts. It is multi-and inter-disciplinary with flexibility to meet individual needs and interests while providing specialized training. It provides opportunities to develop new skills and perspectives that cross disciplinary and geographic boundaries and to reflect on development goals and issues with the support of a diverse community of scholars. It is international in scope with more than fifty percent of students from outside the U.S. and global in reach with alumni of the program in countries from Japan to Moldova, from Indonesia to Pakistan, from Guatemala to Chile, and from South Africa to Morocco.

The program is normally completed in 4 semesters, or two academic years.

Program Learning Outcomes

The CIS M.A. programs provide students with a strong grounding in core disciplines while giving them the opportunity to form their course of study around their professional and academic goals. Students can enroll in courses offered by a range of schools and departments across the university in disciplines of their interest. This flexible design of graduate curricula supports individualized learning experiences across disciplinary boundaries and allows student to take courses and capstone options that help them achieve and demonstrate the CIS M.A. learning outcomes below:

Students will be able to synthesize core area or international studies concepts and theories within multiple disciplinary subfields, and acquire the skills to apply and evaluate these concepts to global opportunities and challenges.
Students will be able to develop effective written and oral communication skills, characterized by the ability to write and present in the styles and forms that are acceptable in the professional world and/or for research in international studies.
Students will be able to develop an effective research skill and demonstrate it in their capstone experience.

Further Information

Link to Program: https://www.ohio.edu/cis/ids

Admission Requirements

Admission requirements, beyond the university minimum of a 4-year bachelor’s degree or its equivalent and a TOEFL of 80 or above for non-native English speakers, are 3 letters of recommendation, a statement of purpose which addresses why this program, and a resume/CV which provides background on the applicant. A short biography is optional, but useful. We do not require the GRE exam for admission.

International Students

This program permits full-time enrollment in residence at Ohio University, and an I-20 may be issued based on admission to this program.

Graduation Requirements

The M.A. in International Studies requires a minimum of 48 credit hours, with a minimum GPA of 3.0 and two or fewer grades below B. Complete the following requirements:

Development Foundation Core

Complete a minimum of 8 hours from among the following courses:

Development Core

Complete a minimum of 12 hours from among the following courses:

Methodology

Complete a minimum of 8 hours of methods courses from the list below. Courses with equivalent program outcomes may be substituted at the discretion of the program director.

Concentration Electives

Complete a minimum of 20 hours in one of the following concentrations. With the approval of the program director, up to 6 hours of language instruction courses taken to satisfy the language proficiency requirement may be counted in these 20 hours.

International Development and the Environment

International Development and Gender

International Development and Health

International Development and Social Sciences

A very large number of courses in diverse areas fall within this disciplinary concentration. Many thematic groups of courses are possible: Business, Culture, Communication, Economic Policy, Education, Gender, Politics/Public Policy, as well as area studies in Africa, Latin America, and Southeast and East Asia. Director will approve individual courses of study in consultation with student.

Language Requirement

A minimum of two semesters of a language other than English is required. Students entering with language proficiency will not be required to fulfill the language requirement.

Culminating Experience

A capstone project will be due in the final semester of the program. The capstone can take the format of a comprehensive exam, professional project, or a thesis.

Comprehensive Exam: The examination permits a final synthesis, asking students to relate course work, research skills and literature. It is a final review of the student’s progress and an opportunity for students to draw together their disciplines. One of the major purposes of the comprehensive exam is, in fact, to cause the student to reflect upon the interdisciplinary dimensions of their program. Three possible overall results may emerge from the exam; Pass, Partial Pass where the student will have to follow-up with an oral exam; and Fail.
Professional Project: Students who are not planning to continue their education at the doctoral level may opt for a more practical educational experience. The professional project, typically in the form of a final paper intended for submission to an academic journal or a grant proposal intended for submission to a granting agency, allows students to prepare to enter the workforce by developing a submission quality grant proposal that may or may not be submitted to an actual organization. A committee of three faculty members must be chosen by the end of spring semester of the student’s first year of study.
Thesis: Students who wish to pursue this option should see the program director early in their first semester to discuss the possibilities and also consult the Thesis and Dissertation (TAD) guidelines on the Graduate College website.

A maximum of 6 hours in project or thesis courses may be counted toward degree requirements.