The Masters Program in Development Studies
Important: Effective June 1, 2008, the masters program is unable to consider applicants until further notice. Students already in the program or accepted into the program can complete their degrees as planned, but the future of the program is to be reviewed and there is a possibility that it will be terminated. With the exception of current Brown undergraduates, prospective applicants are asked not to contact the masters program director at this time. Further information will be posted when it is available.
Introduction
The M.A. program in Development Studies consists of the interdisciplinary study of the problems facing developing countries. It combines the perspectives of Anthropology, Economics, History, Political Science and Sociology in order to understand the social, cultural, economic, and political changes that take place during the development process. For training at the doctoral level, students must enroll in the Ph.D. program of one of the above-mentioned social science departments. Among these, the Sociology Department has a long-established focus on the comparative study of development as well as on demography and population studies within its Ph.D. program; the Economics Department has long-standing macro- and micro-economics expertise related to development and economic growth; and the Political Science Department has strong expertise in international political economy including a focus on developing areas.
Prospective students should bear in mind that the masters program is a small, “do-it-yourself” type program that should not be confused with dedicated schools of international relations and public policy. The program does not have its own faculty and course offerings, but instead relies on the faculty of and courses offered by the affiliated discipline-based departments. The program does not have staff to arrange for student internships or job placements, and available financial aid is extremely limited. Given the high tuition charges, estimated living expenses, and mandatory health insurance, we must unfortunately discourage students who lack private means or a scholarship from a government or foundation from investing their time in the application process. Thirty-six students have earned the masters degree during the program’s first nineteen years, and the three to six students enrolled at any one time look to the larger number of graduate and undergraduate students studying development-related topics in departmental programs for a broader community.
Structure
The graduate program in Development Studies consists of advanced, multi-disciplinary studies of the long-term changes that accompany the eradication of poverty and stagnation as well as the extension of democratization and citizenship in Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the former Soviet Union. The program focuses both on theoretical issues related to the growth of modern states and industrialization and on
questions of development policy and the implementation of development programs.
M.A. candidates plan their own programs of study in conjunction with their advisors. The overall program should fit each student's background, interests, and goals, as well as provide an interdisciplinary and comparative understanding of development issues. The requirements of the M.A. program are as follows:
- A minimum of eight courses, taken from the instructional offerings of departments and centers at Brown University that provide advanced instruction. These courses will normally include:
- Four Mandatory Courses:
Development Studies (DS) 198 (the Senior Seminar for concentrators and M.A. degree
candidates in Development Studies)
Sociology 215 (Socio-economic Analysis of Development)
Economics 151 (Economic Development)
Anthropology 204 (Ideology of Development)
Exceptions to these courses can be made with the approval of the Graduate Advisor.
- A carefully chosen set of four other courses, involving different disciplinary and geographic perspectives on development and including at least two 200-level courses (ones intended mainly for graduate students)
Below is a partial list of undergraduate and graduate courses that deal with development-related issues. Students are welcome to investigate other courses that may be relevant to their particular interests in development.
Students may also take reading courses or engage in guided independent study on areas in which they are particularly interested. Students are encouraged to seek out faculty in order to learn about their interests and the different courses offered in each department.
- A thesis, consisting of either a comprehensive survey of literature on a given subject or an original contribution to knowledge, between approximately 15,000 and 30,000 words in length.
The M.A. thesis should represent the culmination of the candidate's academic and practical work up to that point. It is an opportunity to do an in-depth study of a particular topic, and should show the candidate's mastery of the literature of a particular area of scholarship related to Development Studies. Each student will need two advisors from two departments to oversee and evaluate the thesis as it takes shape. A list of faculty interested in working with graduate students in Development Studies is given below.
- There is no formal requirement that candidates for an M.A. in Development Studies should display competence in reading and speaking a foreign language; however, candidates are strongly encouraged to acquire language skills that may be needed for their research.
Admission
Application to the program will follow the rules of the Graduate School. Applicants should submit GRE scores; those whose undergraduate study was not conducted primarily in English-speaking institutions are also required to submit TOEFL scores.
The time normally required to complete the M.A. degree is three semesters. While the eight courses that are required can be taken in two semesters, thesis preparation, even if formally registered as a course, is not to be counted toward the eight course requirement. Experience suggests that with thesis research and, in the case of many foreign students, language adjustments, completion of the requirements in three semesters is a reasonable expectation.
Concurrent B.A./M.A. Program
The Concurrent Baccalaureate/Master's Degree program allows exceptionally capable students to combine their last year or two of undergraduate study with graduate study, resulting in the simultaneous completion of both a Baccalaureate degree and a Master's degree. Students must apply for this program during their junior year. Their applications must be first approved by the Committee on Academic Standing, which will ascertain that the student's academic performance has been outstanding and that the student's undergraduate program is sufficiently broad (normally meaning taking at least ten courses outside their fields of concentration). Applications then must be approved by the Graduate Council and the appropriate department, which may place additional requirements on admission to this special program. The candidate must complete a minimum of thirty-six courses within eight or nine semesters and complete the requirements of both the Baccalaureate degree and the Master's degree. No more than two courses may be used to satisfy both Baccalaureate concentration requirements and Master's requirements. For such an integrated B.A./M.A. degree, candidates will write a single thesis and take a minimum of six courses in addition to those required for the B.A. degree (including those specified above, unless these have been taken previously). A preliminary version of the thesis will serve to satisfy the requirements for the B.A. degree.
5th Year Masters Program
The Five-Year Baccalaureate/Master's Degree program allows Brown students, after completing their Baccalaureate degree, to continue at Brown for a Master's degree and use courses taken while an undergraduate to satisfy some of their Master's course requirements. Students must apply for this program before they complete their undergraduate study. Of the eight courses required for the Master's degree, two may be completed while the student is an undergraduate, even if taken before the student was admitted to the Master's program. At least six semester courses must be taken while in residence as a graduate student at Brown University. Admission must be approved by the department in which the Master's degree is sought and by the Graduate School. While a student must be enrolled as an active undergraduate student at the time of application, admission to the graduate program can be deferred for up to two years with approval of the department.
Funding
Funding for M.A. students at Brown, in any discipline, is very scarce. Teaching assistantships and fellowships become available from time to time, but in general these are reserved for doctoral candidates. The M.A. program in Development Studies does not currently have sufficient resources to provide funding for M.A. students. We encourage candidates to seek alternative sources of support.
To request an information and application packet for graduate study, please contact: The Graduate School, Box 1867, Brown University, Providence, RI, 02912, 401-863-2600 or submit a request through the Graduate School website. If you have additional questions, you may send email to: Louis_Putterman@brown.edu.
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