Master of Arts in Development Economics

About this programme

Paul Bowles, Professor Emeritus Fiona MacPhail, Professor Emerita Karima Fredj, Associate Professor and Chair Jalil Safaei, Professor Komla Avoumatsodo, Assistant Professor Leandro Freylejer, Assistant Professor Dawit Guta, Assistant Professor Muhebullah Karimada, Assistant Professor Liam Kelly, Assistant Professor Economic development remains a critical issue for more than three-quarters of the world’s population who reside in countries classified as “low income” or “middle income.” The causes and consequences of economic development remain contested issues. This academic program considers the changing global, regional and national contexts for economic development; the policy lessons that can be learned from comparative studies; and the tools required to enable development economists to contribute to the development process. Economic development cannot be studied in isolation from other dimensions of development. An understanding of poverty, for example, requires not only economic analysis but also an understanding of the insights provided by other social and health sciences. The training of a development economist must therefore expose students to interdisciplinary approaches to development. The Master of Arts degree in Development Economics is available on a full-time or part-time basis. Students must complete all required work to meet the degree requirements in one of the following options: coursework only, project-based, and thesis option. Normally, students are initially admitted into the coursework only option.