MPhil in Development Studies is a programme especially designed for students who want to work with development in the South. The programme was from the beginning especially designed for students from developing countries, but since 2002 has also been extended to include Norwegian students who want to work with development issues.

The programme focuses on central development issues such as:

• the relation between growth and poverty
• the significance of social change
• globalisation and marginalisation

There are compulsory and elective courses that cover different aspects of these issues.

The programme gives students experience in independent research and critical thinking in social sciences. It aims at providing training and experience in independent reflection, rather that just knowledge reproduction. The learning is problem orientated and students have to work on specific problems themselves. Empirical examples, exercises and assignments build on studies and development strategies of the South. Further, the programme encourages interdisciplinary thinking. This is sought through an interdisciplinary introductory course and elective courses offered in several departments. The programme emphasises the need to listen to voices from the South. Accordingly, the MPhil in Development Studies uses teachers from developing countries. The Norwegian teachers on the programme have long working experience from the South.

Fieldwork

The fieldwork is usually carried out in a developing country (in the home country for students from the South) in the summer between the second and the third semester. Students start working on their thesis in the beginning of the second semester, and the compulsory courses (especially History of Geographical Thought and Research Methodology) actively link theories and methodologies to the students' own research problems. The fieldwork is thoroughly planned in the second semester together with a supervisor. The length of the fieldwork is usually 2 ½ - 3 months. Fieldwork is carried out individually, but with the supervisor's approval of the student's fieldwork plan, interview guides and preliminary questionnaires prior to the data collection.