What are the top International Development Studies programs?

[gaia12]

What do you consider to be the top international development studies programs, particularly outside of the United States?

 

I have found many lists, some from blogs or magazines and others from students listing the schools they will apply to. So often, these schools change and are replaced by others I have not even heard of. I recognize each school has their strengths, but which are the strongest overall? Among those, please feel free to speak about particular strengths and weaknesses.

 

These lists are interesting, but very different than what I would have expected. What do you think of them?

http://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings/university-subject-rankings/2015/development-studies- development studies programs

https://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/world-university-rankings/2014-15/subject-ranking/subject/social-sciences- this one is only for social sciences

 

Below are the schools and programs I'll be applying for in the fall, any comments about the schools or programs would be greatly appreciated!:

Sciences Po - MSc in Development Studies

London School of Economics - MSc Development Management

Geneva IHEID - Master in Development Studies

University of Sussex - MA Development Studies

University of London School of Oriental and African Studies SOAS - MSc Development Studies

University of Toronto - MA Political Science of International Development

Carleton University - MA International Affairs 

University of Ottawa - MA Development Studies

University of Cape Town - MPhil Sociology (Development Studies) - This will be a backup as the application cycle begins in May. I'm very curious about this program, does anyone have any experience at Cape Town?

 

Thanks everyone!

 

 

 

[Figgamonda]

LSE, Sciences Po, IHEID are all solid choices. Well-known schools within the field of IR and beyond. You have to think more about the overall reputation of the school than the subject ranking ie. development. Employers will never know how each school ranks in terms of development studies but they'll have a general feeling regarding the school. I think the most important thing is to look closely at each program and see which ones resonates with your goals and what you want. For example, LSE is more academically focused wheras IHEID is more practically based preparing students for future employment. At Sciences Po, you'd be taking classes that are shared with other masters programs.

[Karoku_valentine]

What about Duke: http://dcid.sanford.duke.edu/academics/midp

[dpgu800]

In terms of quality of academic research produced, LSE and the Sussex IDS are potentially the best on the list (mostly owing to the fact that "development studies" as a purely academic discipline rather than a hybrid academic/professional field of study is mostly confined to the UK and Commonwealth countries). Both LSE and Sussex IDS but esp. the latter are also very well-connected with the policy world, and esp. the IDS mixes instructions from career academics and professional practitioners quite well. You'll be able to encounter and interact with both academics and practitioners with more professional and field experiences (But in terms of quality of instruction and general quality of academic institution at the taught masters level--as a current MSc student at LSE--I have to say that LSE is still very lacking. While individual courses and instructors are excellent most of the time, there is little thought put into curriculum planning or general academic direction for each program, and each program really feels like a bundle of loosely related courses rather than a well thought out degree).

 

SOAS on the other hand seems to be excellent in terms of student satisfaction, according to many friends currently pursuing development studies masters there. I know many excellent academics at SOAS, but in terms of quality of research or quality of instruction, I couldn't comment as I'm not really familiar with the school other than through indirect contact. 

Heard Canadian universities do a good job with ID masters, but again I only formed this opinion through indirect contact. 

[El pichichi]

Thank you !

[Figgamonda]

IHEID has a huge advantage in that its located in the international district of Geneva with many organisations located right next to the school. So in terms of encountering and interacting with professional practitioners, IHEID beats the other schools any day.

[reddog]

On 10-7-2015 at 2:57 PM, dpgu800 said:

(mostly owing to the fact that "development studies" as a purely academic discipline rather than a hybrid academic/professional field of study is mostly confined to the UK and Commonwealth countries).

I'm wondering if you could clarify this for me? What is the concrete difference between a 'purely academic' and a 'hybrid' approach?

[Malthusian]

On 28/07/2015 at 11:42 PM, Figgamonda said:

IHEID has a huge advantage in that its located in the international district of Geneva with many organisations located right next to the school. So in terms of encountering and interacting with professional practitioners, IHEID beats the other schools any day.

 

I can confirm this as someone who has lived in Geneva and been exposed to the industry for many years.