Background of the Program

Development Studies examines the transformation of communities and societies around the world while critically engaging with concepts and outcomes of sustainable development from various perspectives. It concerned with the causes, frameworks and consequences of social, political and economic processes of development. Development Studies seeks to understand how societies, regions and communities change and critically examines the policies and practices of governments, NGOs, international donors and other development agents to facilitate social transformation and improve the quality of life in so-called ‘developing’ countries. Development studies equips students for professional work in government agencies, international business and finance, international development agencies and non-governmental organizations as practitioners, policymakers, development researchers, program analysis, financial analysis and economists. The program provides outstanding opportunities to put theory into practice through rigorous field research, with a strong focus on integrating quantitative and qualitative methods. The field of development studies incorporates several disciplines to gain an understanding of the complex elements of advancement; blends social sciences and international relations to address the issues of poverty and economic inequality. An advanced degree prepares students for careers that take action to alleviate the problems associated with these inequities.

As Ethiopia envisioned reaching middle income status in 2025, it is very eminent to scientifically research and build capacity on development issues and problems such as poverty, food insecurity, inequality, sustainable natural resource management and climate change. Ethiopia requires strategic interventions to combat the multifaceted forms of poverty that affects significant proportions of its societies. One of the reasons for its underdevelopment is partially the lack of trained and skilled manpower to meet its national development objectives. The MA program in Development Studies is an interdisciplinary program established in response to the government development agenda of Ethiopia such as Growth and Transformation Program, Climate Resilient Green Economy, Sustainable Development Goals and others. The MA program in Development Studies is, therefore, entrusted with the task of producing sufficient number of qualified graduates, who are capable of analyzing diverse and complex development issues, and contribute to planning of appropriate policy and interventions that are locally contextualized and intertwined with regional, national and global realities. The MA Program responds to the need of qualified development professionals with multidisciplinary knowledge and comprehensive understating of development challenges. The program allows students to broaden, as well as deepen their subject knowledge as they undertake their own research and develop transferable professional skill in preparation for careers as professional educators, researchers or senior experts in public and private sector organizations.

The combination of disciplines like development sociology, geography, social anthropology, economics, management and political economy offers students methodological and scientific, as well as professional competencies in the area of development studies. Due to the multidisciplinary conception, students are able to study development processes from different angles, so that varying methodological and theoretical approaches can be linked in order to detect connections between social, economic and spatial conditions. Students will also acquire skills to analyze social, political, and economic development problems, and discuss these in relation to socio- and economy-scientific theories. Furthermore, the multidisciplinary orientation thoroughly prepares students for research and practical work in the field of development, which in itself stands out by the connections and tensions between the different disciplinary perspectives and competing epistemologies. The occupational area of development cooperation requires the ability to communicate across disciplinary boundaries and to comprehend competing perspectives in order to understand the complexity of development processes. Students enrolled in the program gain insights into the economic, social, ethical, and cultural contexts and constraints of development.

Objective of the Program:

The objective of the program is to produce high caliber graduates who are capable of analyzing the complex and multifaceted development related issues; and to carry out research on diverse spheres of the development arena; and undertake policy analysis that are vital in improving the wellbeing of the people. More specifically, the program intends to: