SOCIAL SCIENCE FOR SCHOOLS Careers in Development studies

Why can foreign aid hinder developing countries? How do you solve humanitarian crises? Does gender equality exist in the Middle East? Development studies focuses on world issues including poverty, civil war and human rights abuses.

Why study development studies? This diverse and evolving field is an entry point for “The fact is that ours is the first many careers including government and aid work, as development studies explores long-term solutions generation that can look disease to some of the biggest challenges encountered in and extreme poverty in the eye, different global settings. What happens in developing nations is a major concern for policy makers look across the ocean to , worldwide, as their progress can have a global and say this, and mean it…we impact in terms of immigration, climate change and political unrest. Many development studies courses do not have to stand for this.” are flexible and allow you to mix with other Bono, departments, and there’s also the chance of work placements abroad to get first-hand experience. Musician and humanitarian

What will I study at university? University departments vary widely in their Around 20 departments across the UK offer approach to development studies. Modules during a development studies degree. These include your first year could include: single honours degrees but the majority combine development studies with another subject such as: n Introduction to political ideas such as liberalism n and conservatism n n Introduction to economic analysis n n and its impact on the world. n n n n n n Languages

Some development studies degrees are more specialised, such as International Development with NGO . In this course you would learn about project evaluation and the role of non- governmental organisations (NGOs) such as Oxfam or Save the Children. SOCIAL SCIENCE FOR SCHOOLS Careers in social science Development studies What skills will I gain? A development studies degree can help in all sorts of jobs. By the end of your course, you will have developed a number of specific skills such as: n Independent thinking and critical evaluation n Analytical skills such as interpreting data n An understanding of different cultures and religions.

After my degree... what next? After you graduate you have several choices. Many universities offer postgraduate teaching and research, and you may want to continue your studies in a specialist area such as migration or . Development research organisations such as BRAC and UNESCO sometimes offer placements for development studies students. There is no set career path. Development studies graduates are employed in a range of jobs in a variety of organisations, such as: What do students say? n Civil service n Think tanks and lobbying firms “I originally began my course as a wide-eyed n Conservation student who wanted to ‘save the world’ and n Teaching through my subjects and the people I have n Government agencies met here, I received more solid ground work n Charities and not-for-profit organisations for my plans.” n Refugee agencies n Consulting Development studies student

Top tips from employers

n Be flexible: you’ll need to change direction when development priorities shift in your areas of interest n Get experience: do volunteer work during your degree n Learn a language that’s in demand: this can get you a position with an international organisation. SOCIAL SCIENCE FOR SCHOOLS Further resources n The Institute of Development Studies (IDS) n Studying Development is an initiative set up is based at the . It is a by a small group of former London School global charity for international development of Economics (LSE) development students. research, teaching and communications The website provides an online directory of and hosts postgraduate courses as well as courses in international development aimed at producing useful resources such as policy prospective students or those already working documents. The goal of IDS is to improve in International Development. The directory is human wellbeing. international and covers professional training, www.ids.ac.uk as well as university degree courses. www.studying-development.org n Development Studies Association (DSA) was set up to promote the advancement of n The Department for International knowledge on international development. Development (DFID) leads the UK They have over a thousand members including government’s fight against world poverty. It institutions from the academic and NGO runs long-term programmes to help stop the sectors. Their focus includes representing underlying causes of poverty, responds to members in consultations and highlighting humanitarian emergencies and is responsible their work for prospective students, partners for honouring the UK’s international and donors. commitments. Other targets include achieving www.devstud.org.uk the Millennium Development Goals and making British aid more effective by improving n The Centre for the Study of African transparency, openness and value for money. Economics (CSAE) carries out economic www.dfid.gov.uk research with a particular focus on Africa. The aim is to improve economic and social n European Association of Development conditions in the poorest societies. CSAE Research and Training Institutes (EADI) is based in the Department of Economics is a -wide network of institutes, at Oxford University and produces policy researchers and students of various disciplines recommendations including those addressing in the field of development studies. It political and economic issues. organises activities and offers facilities for www.csae.ox.ac.uk the international exchange of knowledge and experience in the professional field. EADI runs n BRAC was set up in Bangladesh in 1972 a conference devoted to a topical issue every as a development organisation dedicated three years. to alleviating economic hardship through www.eadi.org empowering the poor. BRAC spreads antipoverty solutions to Bangladesh and ten n DevNetJobs advertises jobs in the other developing countries including Sierra international development sector including Leone, Liberia, Haiti and Afghanistan, with a aid agencies, NGOs, research institutes and focus on creating opportunities for people in management consultancies. these areas. www.devnetjobs.org www.brac.net

Published January 2014