Watson Institute for International StudiesBrown University

Declaring the Concentration

DECLARING A CONCENTRATION IN DEVELOPMENT STUDIES

Prior to declaring his or her concentration, prospective concentrators should meet with at least one of the DS faculty advisors to discuss their interest in DS. In consultation with the advisor, students then develop a curricular program that best meets the student's interests and fulfills the concentration requirements. In order to formally declare, students must list the 10 courses chosen for the concentration, as well as DEVL 1980, on the first page of the Registrar's three-page concentration declaration form. (The form can be downloaded from the Registrar's website or picked up at the Registrar's Office). The student must meet with Prof. Baiocchi to review and sign all three pages of the completed form, including the two essay pages. Finally, student must then submit the yellow and white copies (or photocopies of the downloaded version) of the signed declaration form to the Registrar as soon as possible, and the blue copies (or an additional photocopy) of the form must be delivered to the Development Studies Program Office in the Watson Institute for the student's DS file.


Changing Your Program

Students can substitute other courses for those listed on their concentration declaration form only if the new course appears on the pre-approved list at the end of this document. (All other substitutions must be approved by the director). In doing so, care should be taken to ensure that requirements are still being met (for example taking 2 courses in two different regions). Any student who has made any changes must however submit a revised Declaration of Concentration (the first page only of the declaration form) signed by the Director no later than March of their senior year. The blue copy (or photocopy) will be filed at the DS Program Office. Since students need to maintain an academically coherent program of study, they are strongly encouraged to discuss major changes to their curricular program with a DS faculty advisor.


Senior Year and Revising Concentration Forms

During Senior year, graduating DS students are strongly encouraged to meet with the Director to review their curricular program and their progress on the thesis. Any student who has made any changes to their curricular program must submit a revised Declaration of Concentration (the first page only of the declaration form) signed by the Director no later than March. The blue copy (or photocopy) will be filed at the DS Program Office.


Double Concentrators

Students may opt to concentrate in another field in addition to Development Studies. Often this includes a field that overlaps in part with DS, such as one of the component disciplines (e.g., Environmental Studies) or an area studies program (e.g., Latin American Studies). Such double concentrations are permissible, but no more than two courses used to fulfill the requirements of another concentration may be applied to meet the requirements of Development Studies. Note that the same thesis often will not be accepted by two different concentrations, so the other concentration should be one that doesn't require a thesis (or that will accept your DS thesis as meeting their thesis requirement also).


Adding an M.A. in Development Studies

Students may combine work toward a B.A. in Development Studies with work toward a Master's degree at Brown. With the approval of Louis Putterman, Graduate Advisor of the Development Studies program, students in other concentration programs may also combine undergraduate and graduate studies in this way.  Information on the masters program can be found on the Watson Institute website.

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