Programme Specifications CERTIFICATE IN INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT 1 Awarding body University of Cambridge 2 Teaching institution Institute of Continuing Education* 3 Accreditation details none 4 Name of final award Certificate in International Development 5 Programme title International Development I International Development II 6 UCAS code n/a 7 JACS code(s) L420 8 Relevant QAA benchmark statement(s) Geography 9 Qualifications framework level FHEQ Level 4 10 Date specification produced/ July 2014 last revised 11 Date specification last reviewed 2014 *Cognate Faculty endorsement provided by: Faculty of Earth Sciences and Geography The Certificate in International Development will be delivered by the University of Cambridge Institute of Continuing Education (ICE), as part of its credit-bearing programme of at FHEQ levels 4, 5 and 6 (HE levels 1, 2 and 3), offered to part-time adult students. ICE is a General Board, non-school institution whose purpose can be defined in two complementary ways. It is a conduit both for transmission of the University s knowledge and research on the one hand and for enabling members of the public to access higher education courses, whether for personal interest or professional development, on the other. In these ways it contributes significantly to the University s public engagement and widening participation commitments. ICE Courses at FHEQ 4 are offered on open access. They are taught by members of ICE s Tutor Panel, all of whom are assessed under quality assurance procedures approved by the General Board. It is a requirement of Panel membership that tutors should have expertise in teaching adult learners with widely differing levels of academic experience and expertise. Academic responsibility for monitoring the performance of individual tutors working within the Public and Professional Programmes Division of ICE rests with the appropriate academic staff member (ASM), who is a designated University Teaching Officer.
Aims of the Programme The programme aims to: introduce participants to the inter- and multi-disciplinary theoretical and conceptual base underpinning international development; enable participants to develop an understanding of the target groups and subjects on which international development is focused, and how international development works in practice; introduce participants to the broad range of strategies and techniques required by those working in international development, and the critical, analytical, evaluative and interpretative skills that will enable them to make the appropriate choices between these strategies and techniques; introduce participants to the skills and understanding required to plan and evaluate small, assisted or mentored projects in international development. Learning outcomes By the end of the Certificate, within the constraints of the course, students should be able to demonstrate the following learning outcomes: Knowledge and understanding - demonstrate a broad knowledge and critical understanding of the main theories, concepts, debates and issues relating to economic, social, political and environmental inequality which underpin the study of international development; - demonstrate a familiarity with the main interpretations of the processes creating particular geographies of difference and inequality as they relate to international development, and the ways in which interactions at one magnitude influence those at another; - begin to demonstrate an appreciation of change and stability, cause and consequence in international development; - begin to recognise the main moral and ethical issues and debates relating to international development. Critical skills - evaluate critically the main concepts underlying international development and sustainability; - demonstrate a general awareness of the practical applications and limitations of the main methodological strategies relating to international development; - begin to be able to collect, use and critically evaluate, analyse and interpret, data relating to international development, including such representations as maps, texts, visual images and (where appropriate) digital technologies; - be able to plan and/or evaluate small, assisted or mentored projects in international development. Teaching methods Teaching and learning on the programme will be delivered through a combination of formal presentations by the tutor, a range of interactive and participative methods of teaching and learning, and through reading and assignments to be undertaken individually by students outside the course sessions. Such interactive and participative methods of teaching and learning will include small and whole group work, projects, case studies, structured discussions, role play, oral presentations etc. (see also Assessment Methods below). Page 2 of 5
The teaching will utilise the prior experience in the field of international development of enrolled students. Assessment methods Students are awarded a course grade on the basis of 1. Summative assignments totalling 9,000-12,000 words or their equivalent 2. Timely submission of assignments Students who encounter difficulties affecting their performance in one or more of the above points may submit a claim of mitigating circumstances to be considered at the end of the course. The word length specified for assignments is inclusive of references in the main body of the text and footnotes and endnotes but exclusive of any bibliography or list of resources consulted and any list of abbreviations that may be included at the beginning or end of the assignment. The use of appendices is generally discouraged except where additional data, not available in published form, must be presented, and must be previously agreed with the tutor. It is anticipated that assignments will include: essays, projects, oral presentations, workbooks, and coursework related to field trips. Programme structure: overview The programme will be a named certificate, a nationally recognised qualification which is equivalent to 60 credits at FHEQ level 4 (HE level 1). Each unit carries 20 credits at FHEQ level 4 although credit is awarded only on completion of the year-long course. Programme structure: Students must complete 60 credits from the units listed below. The units run each year can be selected from the following: International Development I International Development II Term 1 Unit C, D or F Unit A, E or B Term 2 Unit C, D or F Unit A, E or B Term 3 Unit C, D or F Unit A, E or B The order in which these elements are offered within each Certificate remains flexible and is at the discretion of ICE. Programme structure: detail International Development II - Unit A: The making of international development: concepts, theories and ideas. This unit provides an introduction to the concepts and terminology of international development, with a view to investigating who the subjects of international development are. Tracing the path of international development from a relief mode to the regime of rights, students are able to map out the Page 3 of 5
main currents in development practice and thinking in relation to the present day globalised world in order to set their own interests within a wider context. International Development II - Unit B: Making poverty history: issues of debt and trade Global trade patterns, the debts associated with aid, ineffective or insufficient aid, and the economic and international development policies of national government all contribute to continuing economic inequalities between nations. This unit examines the major issues and policies underpinning such inequalities and evaluates strategies for dealing with them. International Development I - Unit C: Being a developmental practitioner: multiple roles and contributions Engagement with stakeholders in international development is core to obtaining funding and ensuring sustainability in international development. This unit provides an overview of the various players that are involved, include international financial organisations, NGOs, local community organisations, governments, bilateral organisations, civil society, businesses, academic and research institutions etc. Specific attention is paid to the role of funding organisations in shaping the field and issues of sustainability of funding. International Development I Unit D: Contemporary issues in development: challenges and pathways This unit examines specific sectors of international development, including health, education, microfinance, environment, livelihoods, migration and conflict. Case studies from across the world address main issues and debates in each sector. International Development II Unit E: A multi disciplinary approach to international development The skills and strategies required in international development are embedded in development economics, the sociology of development and the politics of development. This unit, based on an overview drawn from these disciplines, presents for discussion the outline skills and strategies employed by workers in international development in the interdisciplinary context of these three streams. International Development I - Unit F: Sustainable development in theory and practice Sustainable development in the Global South is seen both as a solution to poverty and a way of dealing with environmental problems. This unit critically examines the different approaches to sustainable development and assesses its impact through country-based case studies and the work of local NGO s. There is an opportunity to have some experience of practical sustainable technologies and solutions. Delivery The programme will be offered part-time. Programme requirements The course is targeted at Volunteers and, where appropriate, professionals engaged in non-governmental organisations to operate overseas Page 4 of 5
University staff and students considering placements, voluntary work, careers and/or further study in this field Those with a general interest in issues of international development. Progression Successful completion of the Certificate will require students to demonstrate the appropriate level of achievement against the learning outcomes of each unit, and the learning outcomes of each Certificate as a whole. Students who have completed Certificates I or Certificate II will be able to progress to other FHEQ level 5 provision within the Institute. Credit awarded by the Institute can be transferred into the degree programmes of other higher education providers. The amount of credit which can be transferred into degree programmes varies from institution to institution and is always at the discretion of the receiving institution. Employability and career destinations Students completing either or both of these Certificates will have demonstrated high levels of motivation and personal commitment through part-time study. They will also have gained and demonstrated a number of valuable transferable skills, including: the capacity to analyse and critically examine diverse forms of discourse; the ability to engage in processes of drafting and redrafting texts to achieve clarity of expression and an appropriate style; the capacity for independent thought and judgement demonstrated through critical and creative practice. Management of teaching quality and standards The teaching quality and standards of the programme will be monitored throughout by the appropriate academic staff member (ASM), who will report annually to the Subject Moderation Panel, consisting of the internal assessor, University and external examiners and other Faculty and ICE members as agreed by the Education Committee. Student Support Academic advice to students taking ICE courses is available both before and after they have registered for a course: first, from the appropriate member of the academic staff and, once the course has begun, from the course director and/or the course tutor. Administrative enquiries are dealt with by Academic Programme Managers. All students are provided at the start of a course with the ICE Student Handbook. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information in this programme specification. At the time of publication, the programme specification has been approved by the relevant Faculty Board (or equivalent). Programme specifications are reviewed annually, however, during the course of the academical year, any approved changes to the programme will be communicated to enrolled students through email notification or publication in the Reporter. The relevant faculty or department will endeavour to update the programme specification accordingly, and prior to the start of the next academical year. Further information about specifications and an archive of programme specifications for all awards of the University is available online at: www.admin.cam.ac.uk/univ/camdata/archive.html Page 5 of 5