A6006 Master of International Development Practice

The course is structured in five parts. Part A. Foundations of International development practice, Part B. Principal study, Part C. Applied study, Part D. Professional enhancement and Part E. Specialist study. 

Part A. Foundations of International development practice 

These studies will introduce you to international development practice studies at an advanced  level. 

Part B. Principal  study

These studies will immerse you in international development practice at graduate level and draw on best practices within the broad realm of international development theory, practice and research to address questions ranging from the causes of inequality and disparity, evolving aid and development thought and practice, to the impact of politics, economics, culture, history and natural resources human development.

Part C. Applied study  

The focus of these studies is professional or scholarly work that can contribute to a portfolio of professional development.

Part D. Professional enhancement 

Designed in association with industry experts, select from this suite of professional enhancement offerings to build essential competencies for your career pathway

Part E. Specialist study 

Select from a range of options designed to enhance specific knowledge and skills in international development practice and related fields.

Master's entry points

Depending on prior qualifications you may receive entry level credit (a form of block credit) which determines your point of entry to the course:

• If you are admitted at entry level 1, you complete 96 credit points, comprising Part A, Part B, Part C, Part D and Part E.
• If you are admitted at entry level 2, you complete 72 credit points, comprising Part A, Part B (24 credit points), Part C, Part. D (6 credit points) and Part E (24 credit points).
• If you are admitted at entry level 3, you complete 48 credit points, comprising Part A, Part B (24 credit points), Part C and Part. E (6 credit points).

Note: Students eligible for credit for prior studies may elect not to receive the credit and complete one of the higher credit-point options.

Course progression maps

The course progression map provides guidance on unit enrolment for each semester of study.

If you are eligible to enrol in the 1.5-year entry point, you have the option of completing this course intensively over a 12-month period by following the intensive course progression map.

The course comprises 96 points structured into five parts: Part A. Foundations of International development practice (6 points), Part B. Principal study (36 points), Part C. Applied study (12 points), Part D. Professional enhancement units (12 points) and Part E. Specialist study (30 points)

Units are 6 points unless otherwise stated

PART A. Foundations of International development practice (6 points)

You must complete:

• APG5628 Understanding development: Discourse, practice and power

Part B. Principal study (36 points)

You must complete six units from the following (36 points)*

• APG5045 Gender and development 
• APG5073 Conflict, security and development 
• APG5129 Evaluation
• APG5140 Guiding principles for professionals engaged in disasters and humanitarian crises 
• APG5103 Policy Analysis 
• APG5367 Campaigns, advocacy and change
• APG5805 Project planning and management in international development
• MGF5760 International institutions and organisations

*Note: Entry levels 2 and 3 are only required to complete four units (24 points).

Part C. Applied study (12 points)

You must complete one of the following capstone units:

• APG5044 Professional internship (12 points)
• APG5856 Research project (12 points)
• APG5969 Advanced Simulation (12 points)

Part D. Professional enhancement units (12 points)

You must complete 12 points from the list below*:

• APG5084 Designing research**
• APG5470 Managing multicultural teams
• APG5471 Leadership in intercultural environments
• APG5967 Professional enhancement A
• APG5968 Professional enhancement B (12 points)

*Note: Entry level 2 is only required to complete one unit (6 points).

** If you intend to pursue the research pathway, please note that APG5084 is a co-requisite for APG5849 Research Thesis A.

PART E. Specialist study (30 points)

If you are admitted at entry level 1 you must complete 5 units (30 points) from the elective lists below.
If you are admitted at entry Level 2 you must complete 4 units (24 points) from the elective lists below.
If you are admitted at entry level 3 you must complete 1 unit (6 points) from the elective lists below.

You may also complete units not undertaken from Parts B, C and D.

Discipline electives

You may choose one area in which to focus on or choose units across the range of elective streams.  

Note: The units are grouped in themes to aid and inform unit selection.

Democracy, justice and governance

• APG5092 Human rights in global politics (12 points)
• APG5180 Strategic political leadership and communication  
• APG5354 Indigenous peoples and the state 
• LAW5304 Overview of international human rights law 
• MGF5911 Geopolitics and business globalisation 
• LAW5330 International refugee law and practice 

Gender, Peace and Security

• APG5075 Using data to understand family violence
• APG5153 Gender and family violence
• APG5367 Campaigns, advocacy and change 
• LAW5359 International human rights law and women 
• LAW5439 Sexual and gender minorities and human rights 
• MGF5630 Principles of negotiation 

Crisis, change management and leadership

• APG4248 Field methods in anthropology and international development
• APG5158 Pandemics and social justice 
• APG5381 Crisis communication and issues management 
• APG5367 Campaigns, advocacy and change 
• APG5471 Leadership in intercultural environments
• APG5619 Community resilience and disaster risk reduction 
• APG5805 Project planning and management in international development
• ENS5510 Innovation to influence change
• MPH5252 Global health care delivery: Principles and challenges 
• MPH5042 Climate change and public health 
• MGF5670 Leadership 
• MGF5630 Principles of negotiation 
• LAW5454 Climate change and displacement

Sustainable resource management 

• APG5067 Sustainable cultural development
• APG5229 Prosperity, poverty and sustainability in a globalised world 
• APG5609 Sustainable tourism development and planning
• APG5627 Power, politics and development in a changing environment
• APG4554 Resource evaluation and management
• FSC5070 Future food supply and security 
• LAW5314 International environment law 
• OPM5901 Managing the project context

Sustainable economies

• APG5390 Contemporary tourism and development in emerging economies
• APG5229 Prosperity, poverty and sustainability in a globalised world 
• APG5324 International political economy
• APG5067 Sustainable cultural development
• MGF5730 International trade policy 
• LAW5424 Human trafficking, modern slavery and the law 
• BEX5060 Challenges in global agribusiness 
• OPM5901 Managing the project context
• MGF5691 Global sustainable operations and supply chain management

 Leading in multicultural and intercultural contexts

• APG5092 Human rights in global politics (12 points)
• APG5471 Leadership in intercultural environments 
• APG5470 Managing multicultural teams 
• MGF5130 Managing diversity and inclusion 
• MGF5630 Principles of negotiation 
• MGF5670 Leadership 
• MGF5940 Intercultural communication and negotiation

Arts enrichment units

Note: A maximum of 12 points can be completed from the Arts enrichment units.

• APG5136 Mindfulness for workplace wellbeing and productivity
• APG5170 Social entrepreneurship challenge in the Indo-Pacific
• APG5470 Managing multicultural teams
• APG5471 Leadership in intercultural environments

Complementary Electives

You may take approved units from other Arts Graduate coursework programs subject to meeting individual unit prerequisites.  These units must be selected from the Principal study and/or Specialist study parts. Note: A maximum of 12 points can be completed from the Complementary electives.

Research pathway (18 points) - optional

If you are admitted into entry point 1 and 2 and you wish to complete a research thesis (15,000 – 18,000 words), you must enrol in APG5084 in Part D and replace the capstone in Part C (12pts) and one elective in Part E (6pts) with the following units in consultation with the coordinator.

• APG5849 Thesis A
• APG5850 Thesis B (12 points)

If you are admitted into entry point 3 and wish to complete a research thesis (15,000 – 18,000 words), the replacement units will be determined based on previous study in consultation with the course director.

Notes: APG5084 Designing research is a co-requisite for enrolment in APG5849 Research thesis A and must be completed in the same semester. Only students with a course WAM of 80 or higher will be eligible to commence the research pathway.