This course involves students carrying out a research project on a policy or development issue of their choice. It gives students the opportunity to undertake detailed reaearch which can be preparatory work for PhD study. In collaboration with the Course Convenor, students will choose a topic of interest to them and focus on a sustained period of research into that topic. There is an option for limited field for which ethics clearcne would generally be required. 

A supervisor with knowledge or experience in the relevant field of study will be nominated, with whom the student is expected to schedule regular contact for advice and support. This will follow the development of a research proposal and presentation of a seminar. The write up of the project will be in the form of a sub-thesis of 10-15,000 words.

Students who satisfy the requirements of this course will have the knowledge and skills:

• to scope, plan, implement and report on a modest research task with minimal direction; and
• to demonstrate critical appreciation of a particular development issue;
• to demonstrate the capacity to analyse a complex set of issues drawing on theory, practice and exisiting literature, and communicate it in a scholarly manner.