International Development
Master of International Development
Master of International Development (Honours)
CONTENTS
Welcome ................................................................................................................................................................. 4
Administration ....................................................................................................................................................... 5
Course Description ................................................................................................................................................. 6
Master in International Development .............................................................................................................. 6
Course Overview ............................................................................................................................................. 6
Issues and Themes .......................................................................................................................................... 6
Who should undertake this course? .............................................................................................................. 7
Entry Requirements ....................................................................................................................................... 7
Course Fees .................................................................................................................................................... 7
Why study International Development at La Trobe University? .................................................................. 7
Length and Delivery of the Course ........................................................................................................................ 8
Master of International Development .............................................................................................................. 8
Master of International Development with Honours ...................................................................................... 8
Key dates............................................................................................................................................................ 8
Graduate Skills and Attributes .......................................................................................................................... 9
Career Opportunities ......................................................................................................................................... 9
About the School of Social Sciences .................................................................................................................. 9
Industry Links ..................................................................................................................................................... 9
Enquiries .......................................................................................................................................................... 10
Course Structure .................................................................................................................................................. 11
Master of International Development (MID) ................................................................................................. 11
Course Units ................................................................................................................................................. 12
Master of International Development (Honours) ............................................................................................... 15
Begin early! ...................................................................................................................................................... 15
What is a Dissertation or Thesis? ..................................................................................................................... 15
Supervision ....................................................................................................................................................... 16
Deciding on a Topic .......................................................................................................................................... 17
Ethics Committee Approval .............................................................................................................................. 17
Writing.............................................................................................................................................................. 17
Computers and Word-Processing .................................................................................................................... 19
Presentation of the Thesis................................................................................................................................ 19
Resources.............................................................................................................................................................. 24
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The Library........................................................................................................................................................ 24
Further reading on academic writing and studying ......................................................................................... 26
La Trobe Research Centres .................................................................................................................................. 27
Institute for Human Security ........................................................................................................................... 27
Centre for Dialogue ......................................................................................................................................... 27
Staff Members who work on international development at la trobe and Their Interests ................................ 28
Development Professionals who teach subjects in the Master of International Development ....................... 30
This guide is to be read in conjunction with Humanities and Social Sciences Postgraduate
Student Handbook.
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WELCOME
Welcome to the Master of International Development program at La Trobe University. We hope your time
here will be intellectually stimulating and rewarding. It is our intention to provide a space to think through
some of the critical issues relating to development theory and practice. We are not interested in focusing on
theory at the expense of practice, or being naïve about what the aid and development industry can achieve.
Rather, our intention is to be critically reflective about development and by conversation, logic, analysis,
practice and research, think through some of the key contemporary issues that our planet faces. The
development field needs thoughtful and reflexive practitioners. It needs people to ask the hard questions and
to take risks in proposing alternative pathways. It needs people to resist inappropriate bureaucratization and
standardisation. And it needs people who are committed to social change. We hope in a small way to be part
of the movement for a more progressive and engaged development practice that values genuine participation,
local knowledge, and learning.
You are asked to undertake two core units as part of your coursework. The first, Contemporary Approaches to
Development, provides an engaging theoretical overview of the field. Some people are hungry for action and
consider theory a somewhat arcane and useless exercise. However, as Kurt Lewin suggested many decades
ago, there is nothing as practical as a good theory. Even those who don’t theorise do nonetheless practise
development through a conceptual framework – they just do so without being aware of it. The person who
says that theory is a load of bunkum is the person who thinks their approach is right. Looking at the failures of
so many good intentions in development, they have little reason to be so confident. So, we encourage you to
think with the great thinkers and practitioners. How have they theorised the field? What are its limits? Why
have things gone wrong? What can we learn from the successes? What lies ahead? Where are you in the field
of development?
The second core unit is optimistically titled Making Social Change Happen. The title is not meant to suggest a
voluntarist approach to change – that willpower suffices to make things happen. This subject asks you to
engage with social change activists and thinkers. How different academic disciplines think about change? What
are the conditions and who are the actors for change? What strategies might succeed and in what context?
How significant is advocacy and mobilisation? How would you conceive of strategizing for change on a
particular issue? How might a non-governmental organization’s resources be best deployed for change? How
do those who seek to support process of social change need to think, behave and act?
We ask you to come to these and your other classes well prepared. That means doing the requested reading,
taking notes, thinking about points you might make, being willing to listen and engaging with others. It is your
engagement with other that forms the core of the collective learning process. Each of you brings to class
unique experiences and insights. We want to hear from you and, not for that reason alone, our classes are
premised on respect for diversity and difference. In part that means there are other world views that we need
to understand. However, respect also entails that we engage with each other as equals, that we are willing to
argue, disagree and learn from each other.
Chris Roche
Convenor, Master of International Development
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ADMINISTRATION
For general administrative matters, see Louise Saw, Program Administrator, at Social Sciences Building Room
309, or contact her at l.saw@latrobe.edu.au or +61 3 9479 2728.
For questions regarding the particular subject within the course, it is usually best to see the relevant Subject
Co-ordinator (see the Politics and International Relations Honours Coursework Units section of this booklet).
For more general issues regarding the course, you can also consult Convenor of the Master of International
Development, Chris Roche (C.Roche@latrobe.edu.au).
Back to Study after a long Break?
We recommend you take a look at the Academic Language and Learning website located at:
http://www.latrobe.edu.au/learning/
Similarly, Master of International Development (Honours) students can refer to the Postgraduate Resources:
Thesis Thoughts Online: http://www.latrobe.edu.au/students/humanities/your-studies/academic-learningand-language-unit/postgraduate-resources
Keep in touch
You will be allocated a La Trobe University email address. Please use it for your correspondence with staff.
Remember to check your email on a regular basis. An increasing proportion of communication within La Trobe
University occurs this way. You will also find email useful for keeping in touch with your fellow students and
for raising queries with members of faculty. Concerning issues specific to particular subjects, Moodle and LMS
Blackboards are becoming an increasingly useful means of communication.
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COURSE DESCRIPTION
MASTER IN INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
COURSE OVERVIEW
La Trobe University’s Master of International Development is taught at the Melbourne (Bundoora) and the
Franklin St. (City) campus. The course offers a unique combination of theoretical and practical subjects which
support critical and reflexive engagement with governmental and non-governmental organisations, aid
agencies, advocacy groups and movements seeking progressive social change.
The Master of International Development engages students in multidisciplinary learning about human society
because the causes and implications of poverty, injustice, conflict, poor governance, and human insecurity are
complex and multi-dimensional. Academics teaching in the Master’s program have research expertise in
development, economics, ecology, sexuality, gender, anthropology, public health, sociology, politics, history,
and planning. You will also study with practitioners who will provide unique insights into the world of
development work and project management. The course convenor Chris Roche has over 25 years’ experience
working for International NGOs.
ISSUES AND THEMES
The failure of mainstream development is universally acknowledged. Quite reasonably, some people see
‘development’ as a form of hegemonic power that reproduces the inequalities that development agencies
formally oppose.
In recent years development agencies, governmental and nongovernmental, have sought to promote more
participatory and bottom-up development. They have aspired to be socially inclusive and to foster support for
the emergence of open and accountable government. In some senses ‘alternative development’ has become
mainstreamed.
Recognising the contested nature of development, the Master of International Development is structured to
allow students to look at questions of power, gender, the environment, politics, health, conflict, economics
and social justice from different development perspectives. The Master of International Development offers
students the opportunity for critical reflection, allowing for a more informed appreciation of the broad history,
politics, theory and practice of development. A student’s future engagement in the development field, or their
part in the struggle for social justice, can then be more effective.
More specifically, the Master of International Development aims to:
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Enhance understanding of the complexity of development as theory and as practice
Nurture an appreciation of diversity in development and engender respect for indigenous and local
knowledge in thinking about problem solving
Improve appreciation of the development industry, its structure, its politics and its power
Develop skills that facilitate social change, such as networking, advocacy and communication
Understand development practice, including designing, implementing, monitoring and evaluating
development projects.
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WHO SHOULD UNDERTAKE THIS COURSE ?
We welcome and encourage students from a variety of backgrounds. You may be a professional already
working in the field looking to further develop or enhance your skills, or, a recent graduate who seeks to gain
employment with a development agency. You may wish to advance your career prospects in the aid sector or
government more broadly, including international agencies. You may be interested in the area of social
activism or going abroad as a volunteer.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
Applicants must have successfully completed an Australian undergraduate degree (or its equivalent) in the
humanities and social sciences or cognate discipline with a B average. Where a B average has not been
achieved appropriate professional experience will be taken into account, especially if it involves substantial
writing assignments.
COURSE FEES
Local Students (Australian Citizens or Permanent Residents)
This is a fee paying course. Some partial scholarships are available on the basis of academic merit. For
information regarding fees refer to: http://www.latrobe.edu.au/postgrad-coursework/costs
WHY STUDY INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT AT LA TROBE UNIVERSITY ?
The Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences is home to the Institute of Human Security and also hosts the
Centre for Dialogue. The Faculty consists of dedicated researchers and teachers, some of whom are leaders in
their field. The Faculty has regional and country expertise – including China, Malaysia, Indonesia, the
Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand, South Asia, India, the Pacific and Latin America. Furthermore this course seeks
to bring experienced practitioners into the classroom so that theory and practice can be usefully combined.
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LENGTH AND DELIVERY OF THE COURSE
MASTER OF INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
The Master of International Development is a one year Master by coursework. The course has an intake in
Semester 1 and 2. Semester 1 commences in March. Semester 2 commences in July.
To be awarded the degree students must successfully complete 120 credit points. Students are required to
undertake two core subjects worth 45 credit points, and choose additional subjects totalling 75 credit points
from an approved list of electives. It is highly recommended that students take no more than one 30 credit
point elective. You are not required to take any 30 credit point units other than Contemporary Approaches to
Development (DST5CAD).
Core subjects are Contemporary Approaches to Development and Making Social Change Happen.
Examples of electives that are available include: Development and the Environment, Human Security
and Development, and Program Management in Development .
For further information regarding course structure and subject descriptions refer to:
http://www.latrobe.edu.au/handbook/2013/postgraduate/humanities/courses/amid.htm
MASTER OF INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT WITH HONOURS
The Master of International Development with Honours is an 18 month Master by coursework. To undertake
the coursework degree with a research component you will need to complete an additional semester of study
(6 months) which includes the writing of a 15,000 word thesis.
For further information regarding course structure and subject descriptions refer to:
http://www.latrobe.edu.au/handbook/2013/postgraduate/humanities/courses/amidh.htm
Master of International Development
1 year full-time or part-time equivalent*
Master of International Development with Honours
18 months full-time or part-time equivalent*
*Please note that the part-time study option is not available to international students.
KEY DATES
Both courses have intakes in Semester One and Two. Semester One commences in March. Semester Two
commences in July.
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GRADUATE SKILLS AND ATTRIBUTES
The course aims to offer students the opportunity to develop skills in the following areas:
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Understand key approaches to development and evaluate their relevance for specific problems
Undertake critical inquiry and analysis of development issues
Acquire a range of professional skills relevant to participatory development practice, including
communication, advocacy, planning and management skills
Demonstrate awareness and the implication for development practice of cultural diversity and
difference
Communicate opinion, argument and research findings in scholarly and professional genres
Engage in forms of global citizenship that enhance social justice.
CAREER OPPORTUNITIES
Graduates will be suited to employment in international development organisations, government and intergovernmental agencies, campaigning/advocacy organisations, media organisations, and research or training
institutes. These include: AusAid (Australian Agency for International Development), the Australian Federal
Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), Oxfam International, World Vision, Red Cross,
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
Graduates are able to seek employment in the following roles:
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Development Project Officer
Humanitarian Delegate
Policy and Research Officer (NGO, Government, business, academic)
Journalist
Communications Officer
Analyst
Public Health/ Emergency Relief Officer
Campaign/Advocacy Officer
Fundraising
ABOUT THE SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES
The School of Social Sciences at La Trobe University, Bundoora, offers a unique combination of disciplines:
Sociology, Anthropology, Politics and Asian Studies. This makes La Trobe one of the pre-eminent universities
for the study of the social sciences in Victoria. The breadth and depth of its teaching in these fields, coupled
with the international reputation of its leading scholars, have given Social Sciences at La Trobe a widely
acknowledged national and international profile.
Further information can be found at: http://www.latrobe.edu.au/humanities/
INDUSTRY LINKS
The Master of International Development was designed after consultation with major development agencies in
Australia. The course is currently convened by Associate Professor Chris Roche who has worked for Oxfam and
other NGOs for more than twenty five years. Justin Coburn from Peace and Diversity Australia, and former
Oxfam employee, teaches our Program Management course. Experienced practitioners from the Humanitarian
Advisory Group led by Dr Phoebe Wynn-Pope will coordinate the Human Security and Development unit. Tom
Bamforth who works for the Australian Red Cross in the area of disaster management and development,
teaches the subject Research and Writing for Development.
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ENQUIRIES
Local students
Associate Professor Chris Roche
La Trobe University
Victoria 3086 Australia
Email: c.roche@latrobe.edu.au
or
Politics and International Relations Program Office
Email: politics@latrobe.edu.au
Phone: +61 3 9479 6765
Fax: +61 3 9479 1997
International students
For information on how to apply, living costs, support services, accommodation, campus lifestyle, visa
requirements and much more, please contact:
La Trobe International
Victoria 3086 Australia
Tel: +61 3 9627 4805
Fax: +61 3 9479 3660
Email: international@latrobe.edu.au
Web: http://www.latrobe.edu.au/international
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COURSE STRUCTURE
MASTER OF INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT (MID)
To be awarded the MID degree, students must successfully complete 120 credit points over 1 year full time,
2-3 years part time.
Core Units
Semester 1
DST5CAD Contemporary Approaches to Development (30)
Semester 2
POL5MSH Making Social Change Happen (15)
Electives A list (Students choose 45 to 75 credit points from the list below):
Semester 1
DST5PRM Program Management in Development (15)
POL5HSD Human Security and Development (15)
POL4GAG - Globalisation and Governance (30)
Winter School
DST5RWD Research and Writing in Development (15)
Semester 2
DST5DAE Development and the Environment (15)
POL4SPW - Security In A Borderless World (30)
Electives B list (Students may choose a maximum of 15 credit points from the list below):
Semester 1
PHE5EBP Evidence Based Public Health (15)
PHE5IHE International Perspectives in Health Economics (15)
THS5TDD Tourism Destination Development (15)
Semester 1 & 2
IBU5IEC International Economics and Trade (15)
Semester 2
PHE5IPO International Health Policy (15)
JRN5ONJ Online Journalism (15)
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COURSE UNITS
SEMESTER ONE
DST5CAD Contemporary Approaches to Development (30)
SEMESTER 1 SS 324 TUESDAY (EVENING) 5-8 BUNDOORA
DR CELIA MCMICHAEL
In this subject we critically interrogate the idea of development from a number of perspectives including:
growth-centred development, human development, post-development, gender and development, indigenous
development, participatory development and alternative development. The focus is on contemporary
manifestations of these different approaches, and we place them in historical perspective. This course is
taught flexibly depending on the participants interests and what contemporary issues may be of relevance.
DST5PRM Program Management in Development (15)
SEMESTER 1 FS 104 WEDNESDAY (EVENING) CITY/ 6, 13, 20, 27 MARCH, 3, 17 APRIL, 1, 15, 29 MAY.
MR JUSTIN COBURN
The objectives of both governmental and non-governmental development agencies are largely pursued
through the “development project”. In this subject students are offered an opportunity to develop insights
into the theoretical and practical aspects of the management of development projects. Students will be
introduced to management approaches involved in the project cycle such as needs identification, monitoring
and evaluation, participatory methodology and overall project design. Students will be presented with case
studies of real projects in order to reflect on what makes for effective program management.
POL5HSD Human Security and Development (15)
SEMESTER 1 FS 101 and 104 Intensive 11-14 April (DAY), CITY
DR PHOEBE WYNN-POPE, BETH EGGLESTON, LOUISE SEARLE AND KATE SUTTON
The advancement of human security is a broadly agreed objective of development, but one that is proving
elusive. This unit looks at human security from a humanitarian perspective. Students will explore the
international humanitarian system, the protection of civilians in armed conflict, the Responsibility to Protect,
civil-military relations in emergencies, issues facing refugees and displaced populations and international legal
frameworks including the implications of the International Criminal Court for humanitarian practice. This unit
will offer insights into international efforts to prevent genocide and crimes against humanity, whilst realising
the challenges to humanitarian action in a complex world. This unit aims to challenge assumptions about aid
and intervention, as well as provide discussion around the current trends that impact on humanitarian work.
POL4GAG - Globalisation and Governance (30)
SEMESTER 1 SS 324 TUESDAY (DAY) 2- 5 BUNDOORA
DR. JONATHAN SYMONS
In this subject we examine how globalisation is understood in the context of international relations, including
the institutional architecture and policy implications of globalisation in different issue-areas, and the ethical
challenges posed by these shifts in global politics. The subject examines these themes in three parts. In Part A,
we explore the theoretical debates about globalisation, focussing specifically on understanding global
governance and conceptualising the role of nation-states and other actors in the contemporary world. In Part
B, we take a look at the main issue-areas to explore the nature and extent of contemporary globalisation and
the implications of these processes for governance within and between states. In Part C, we address the main
ethical challenges posed by contemporary globalisation, focussing on the problem of poverty, environmental
degradation, and the impacts of globalisation on democracy.
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WINTER SCHOOL
DST5RWD Research and Writing in Development: Policy and Practice in Humanitarian Action (15)
WINTER SEMESTER FS 103 WEEKEND BLOC MODE 23-24 JUNE, 30 JUNE - 1 JULY 9.30-5 CITY
MR TOM BAMFORTH
This subject provides students the opportunity to conduct applied research on an approved topic within the
broad field of International Development. Students are expected to undertake independent research, with the
assistance of a supervisor, which will lead to the production of a 4-5000 word research report presented in a
professional writing format relevant to their objectives, such as a Briefing Paper or Project Proposal. Please
note that this subject will be taught by a professional development worker and the focus will be on
humanitarian action in response to disasters.
SEMESTER TWO
POL5MSH Making Social Change Happen (15)
SEMESTER 2 SS 324 TIMING TO BE ANNOUNCED BUNDOORA
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR CHRIS ROCHE
In this subject we explore the conditions that enable progressive social change and those that constrain it. We
do so in dialogue with a number of practitioners involved in development. We examine the interplay of actors
and structures in the development field with the objective of identifying elements of successful development
practice. Moving from broad debates in the social sciences, students are invited to consider a range of
practical issues related to development practise, including: how non-governmental organizations mobilise
people; the conditions for successful advocacy; the role of networking and informal structures in advancing
social change; the constraints and opportunities facing development and aid agencies; the politics of
partnership and leadership; and the negotiation of power. Students apply this learning to specific projects they
research during the unit.
DST5DAE Development and the Environment (15)
SEMESTER 2 SS 324 TIMING TO BE ANNOUNCED BUNDOORA
PROFESSOR ALBERTO GOMES
With environmental issues, such as climate change, looming large, there has been considerable scholarly and
public attention focused on the ecological implications of capitalist production, economic development, and
consumerist lifestyle in the ‘Western’ world as well as what has been variously referred to as the ‘developing
world’ or ‘Third World’. To resolve these issues, several multilateral agencies have advocated and promoted
environmentally friendly policies such as ‘sustainable development’ and more recently, a range of carbon
emission reduction strategies. Since the mid-1980s, sustainable development has become an agenda pursued
by many, if not all, nations in the world. Taking a political ecological approach, which combines in its critical
analysis of ecological issues approaches from conventional human ecology, political economy, and poststructuralism, we will critically examine ecological and sustainability issues in this course with key questions
such as What are the underlying causes of ecological degradation? How is development related to
environmental problems? How are ecological issues linked to conflict and collective violence? What is
sustainable development and can sustainability be achieved through it? Has environmentalism and
conservation made a difference in solving environmental problems? The subject will end on a positive and
optimistic note with a discussion on alternative approaches, such as sustainable de-growth and forms of
development that are socially inclusive, just and ecologically sound.
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POL4SPW - Security In A Borderless World (30)
SEMESTER 2 SS324 TUESDAY (DAY) 3-5PM BUNDOORA
DR. MICHAEL O’KEEFE
The transport and communications revolution of the last several decades, coupled with the computerisation of
knowledge, has drastically impacted on the state, not least on security policy. The rising threat posed by
weapons of mass destruction and increasingly sophisticated means of delivery has raised new questions about
the use of force as an appropriate or rational instrument of policy. At the same time the march of economic
globalisation appears to be contributing to the increasing frequency and intensity of intra-state conflicts. We
examine the implications of these complex trends for security, understood both in its traditional sense as
protection against military threats, but also in its less conventional sense as economic, political or
environmental security. Issues to be explored include terrorism, piracy, large population movements,
transnational crime, pandemics (notably HIV/AIDS), and the environment.
* PLEASE CHECK YOUR LA TROBE EMAIL REGULARLY FOR ANNOUNCEMENTS.
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MASTER OF INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT (HONOURS)
Students enrolled in the Master of International Development (Honours) are required to write a 15,000 word
thesis. Students enrolled in the coursework MID may transfer to MID (Honours) at any time.
BEGIN EARLY!
For most people, the thesis will represent the most extensive piece of research and writing that they have so
far undertaken. It will be more complex and demanding than 5-6 undergraduate essays strung end-to-end!
The thesis is in many ways a voyage of discovery during which you will learn a good deal about yourself –
about how to motivate and discipline yourself, and about where your skills lie. All this takes time, something
that will be in short supply once the academic year begins.
A clearly delineated research question is essential for good thesis writing. Formulating a suitable topic takes
time and effort. You must explore possible topics and their suitability for an honours thesis with your
supervisor as soon as you begin to work on your honours thesis. Hence, before you launch into extensive
research you should have your supervisor’s approval regarding the issues you intend to explore and the
approach you intend to take.
WHAT IS A DISSERTATION OR THESIS?
A thesis is the presentation of research findings in a formal academic manner. It consists of a clear and
coherent exposition of an argument or finding that is derived from substantial independent research.
There are many different forms that a thesis can take. Some will examine a wide range of empirical material
and develop a new interpretation of existing material. Others may make an intellectual intervention in an
existing academic argument or debate. And there are many other approaches that students have taken in the
past. In all cases, however, you are aiming to add to existing knowledge a contribution that bears your
personal and distinctive stamp. You are not seeking simply to summarise or recount work that has been done
by others. This means that, wherever possible, you will look at primary sources – for example, the original
writings of thinkers or politicians, newspapers, documents or official reports and statistics. You should know all
that you can about previous research in your area; this will enable you to distinguish the way in which your
own research is original – how it ‘fills a gap’; ‘breaks new ground’; ‘goes beyond’; ‘differs from’; ‘redefines’; or
even ‘tests’ existing work in the field. At the end of the day you must ask yourself exactly what your personal
contribution has been – what does it amount to, why is it significant?
In short, you are expected to develop a clear and coherent argument or interpretation that is logical, shows
intellectual sophistication and that is supported by evidence and reason. You will be assessed on your ability to
collect, organise interpret and communicate the argument and its reasoning.
Remember: the keys to a good thesis are:
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comprehensive, independent research
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use of primary materials (where appropriate)
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a coherent and sustained argument
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systematic and sophisticated command of the relevant literature and material
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SUPERVISION
It is important for you to develop a good rapport with the person who is to become your supervisor. The MID
Convenor will endeavour to match your research interests with an appropriate supervisor. It is the
responsibility of students to establish and maintain contact with supervisors during enrolment in the honours
component of the MID.
Your supervisor should assist you in defining your topic and locating relevant sources, recommend appropriate
methodological and theoretical readings, and read and criticise your manuscript. Your supervisor has other
responsibilities towards you, which include helping you establish a workable timetable for meetings and
submission of work, and reading and returning any drafts you submit in a reasonable period of time. The
following guidelines are used for the supervision of Honours theses and the conduct of supervisor/student
relations:1.
Students are responsible for initiating and maintaining contact with supervisors while enrolled in the
honours component of the MID. However, supervisors should try to establish a regular time for
meetings with students.
2.
Students are entitled to weekly or fortnightly half-hour supervision meeting during enrolment in the
honours component of the MID. However, staff and students have the discretion to alter this
arrangement subject to both parties agreeing. Staff should indicate at the outset how much time they
are prepared to grant students for meetings.
3.
Supervisors should be willing, particularly in the early stages, to facilitate a student’s research. This
might involve helping a student gain access to sources (a set of private papers, for example) or simply
introducing a student to key people in our, or another, library.
4.
Supervisors should be willing to suggest possible, ‘do-able’ topics. A common pattern is for a student
to express an interest in a particular country or problem; a supervisor may then help to identify
events, periods or facets which a student can have a fair prospect of adequately researching within
the constraints of a semester.
5.
Supervisors should be willing to read chapters closely and provide detailed advice and suggestions
about writing and organisation. ‘Sub-editing’ - pointing out where prose, grammar and spelling are
inadequate and suggesting corrections - is a proper activity for a supervisor, but remember that your
supervisor is not your co-author.
6.
Supervisors should encourage students to think about their writing timetable. (Almost all students
need to be asked to start writing sooner rather than later).
7.
Supervisors should help students focus on the broad ‘argument’ or ‘thesis’ of their thesis. The
honours thesis represents the largest piece of work students will have hitherto attempted. They will
usually need help in becoming aware of the need for overall cohesion and the techniques by which
such cohesion can be achieved.
8.
Supervisors have a responsibility to monitor student progress and to raise any issues of concern they
might have about a student’s progress both with the student and with the MID convenor.
While your supervisor is your primary adviser, you should feel free to consult with others in the School who
may be able to help with your work. It is reasonable to inform your supervisor about this, not least because
other staff members are potential examiners, who may feel obliged to decline the role of examiner following
any advice given to you.
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DECIDING ON A TOPIC
You should ask yourself first, what aspects of development have interested you most in your studies so far.
What problems would you have liked more opportunity to investigate? You may wish to consider which staff
members have proved most stimulating to you. The answers to such questions should give you a broad idea of
the area in which you wish to work. It is also a good idea to talk to a number of staff members about areas that
they feel would repay study. Do not hesitate to approach staff members; all will be pleased to discuss thesis
topics with you.
Having decided generally on the area in which you would like to work, you and your supervisor will need to
determine whether it is feasible or appropriate for an honours thesis. The word length and time constraints
are hard parameters that establish fairly clear limits on what is plausible. In the early stages, you may well
suggest questions that are too broad to be dealt with in the time you have available. A comparison (for
example) of the philosophies of Karl Marx, Sigmund Freud and John Rawls is not a viable topic for an Honours
thesis, nor is a history of international development policy since 1945 That ground-breaking piece of work that
history will remember you for may be better kept for a PhD thesis. The key is to be able to devise a specific
question within the broad area in which you are interested. Remember, narrow and deep trumps broad and
shallow.
The first thing you will therefore do is to narrow down and refine the topic. This often requires intensive work
examining aspects of the literature, as well as asking some hard practical questions. MID staff will be glad to
advise you about what may or may not be a possible topic, and your supervisor will be at pains to keep your
ambitions within the realm of the possible. You are strongly advised to look at theses from previous years to
help you form an idea of what is involved – and staff members will be able to advise you about past theses
that are particularly relevant to your interests. Past theses are kept in the Politics and International Relations
General Office.
You must also consider whether the sources on which you want to work are available in Melbourne or on
inter-library loan. Remember that government files are sometimes closed to researchers (most archives, for
example, have a rule that closes files for a minimum of 30 years after deposit), and people whom you may
wish to interview or survey may not be willing to co-operate. Many interviews require prior approval by an
ethics committee (see below), interviewees may be busy and vital books may be unavailable when you want
them, an important body of literature may take a long time to master, and the writing of some crucial section
of your work may prove more difficult than you anticipated.
ETHICS COMMITTEE APPROVAL
It is University policy that all research involving vulnerable or potentially vulnerable human subjects must be
reviewed in advance and must conform to ethical guidelines. Check with your supervisor about this or consult
with members of the Faculty Ethics Committee.
WRITING
The American writer Truman Capote is said to have remarked that ‘writing is easy – you just sit down at a
typewriter and open a vein.’ The task of explaining complex ideas requires a subtle vocabulary and a confident
sense of how to write coherent sentences and paragraphs. As you begin to write your thesis, you may discover
that you want to improve your command of language.
You can do this in a number of ways. First, you can become conscious of how writers you admire perform their
craft. Why is a particular essay interesting or helpful? Why does a particular sentence or phrase stick in your
mind?
17
Second, you can read about writing technique. Strunk and White, Elements of Style is a small paperback that
has been around for more than fifty years; but it remains entertaining (eg consider the confusion caused by
the Dangling of a Participle) and helpful (eg what does a semi-colon do?).
You must also be precise about keeping a bibliography, either electronically or using a card system. Trying to
find a book or article again wastes time. There are a range of software packages that can assist with this
process. As noted earlier, the workshops held throughout the year will assist you with many aspects of thesis
writing.
18
COMPUTERS AND WORD-PROCESSING
Remember the five Golden Rules of word-processing:
1. Never end a session without backing up your work.
2.
Print out regularly. You can’t grasp the connections in your writing if you see it only one
screen at a time. You have to read whole segments of your writing over and over again in
hard copy.
3.
Don’t expect to create the final version of your thesis in a few hours. You must allow at least
two days for the final spell-checking, formatting, printing and binding. DO NOT BELIEVE YOU
CAN DO ALL THIS IN A MORNING.
4.
Run the spell check before you print out.
5.
Proof read.
PRESENTATION OF THE THESIS
Near completion of your thesis you will ask your supervisor about how to format your thesis for submission.
The answer will be: the information is in this booklet. This is a probably a good time to have another look at
theses from previous years as guides to presentation.
You must present three copies of the thesis. After marking, two will be returned to you and the other will be
kept on file in the School.
The thesis should be typed, double-spaced, on one side of the page only, on A4-size paper. It should be neatly
bound; preferably with a clear plastic cover and a flat glued spine (rather than spiral-bound). It should include
a title page, table of contents, a 150 word abstract, and a bibliography. Ideally, notes should be at the bottom
of each page, numbered consecutively throughout each chapter. Less desirably, they may be placed together
at the end of the thesis in front of the bibliography. You will find good advice about writing, footnotes and
bibliography in the La Trobe University Style Guide, available by following this link
http://www.lib.latrobe.edu.au/help/style-guides.php.
The title page should be set out as follows:-
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Title of thesis
By
Name of Student
Thesis submitted as partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of International
Development
School of Social Sciences
La Trobe University
Month Year
20
The second page should contain the following two statements, together with any necessary
acknowledgements:-
1.
This thesis is my own work containing, to the best of my knowledge and belief, no material published or
written by another person except as referred to in the text.
Signed ...............................
2.
Date .................................
Research Ethics Approval
For this thesis entitled
Submitted for the degree of
Either [please tick one]
 None of the research undertaken required the approval of a University Ethics Committee,
or
 The research undertaken was approved by a University Ethics Committee, approval no(s):
Signed
Date. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
A Table of Contents should be set out on the third page. It should include pagination for chapter headings,
subheadings where relevant, tables, illustrations, appendices and bibliography. The abstract should be on the
fourth page.
21
Honours Thesis Check List
Before the submission date for your Honours thesis is upon you (end of June or end of October depending on
semester of enrolment), please ask yourself the following questions:
Do I have:
1.
Title page
2.
Statement of authorship and Ethics Committee approval page
3.
Acknowledgments
4.
Contents
5.
Abstract
6.
List of illustrations
7.
Glossary/abbreviations
8.
Maps
9.
Introduction
10. Chapters 1-3/4
11. Conclusion
12. Appendices
13. Bibliography
Have I:

I run the spell check before printing out?

Proof-read my thesis carefully and have I corrected all typing, spelling, grammatical and
punctuation errors?

Checked the formatting to ensure that, for example, the thesis is double spaced, that headings have
not been left at the bottom of the previous page, that quotations over
35-40 words in length have been indented?

Left sufficient time for photocopying?

Booked time with a binder?

Produced three copies of my thesis?
Your thesis is to be submitted at Politics General Office at 4 PM on the agreed due date.
Due dates depend on enrolment semester and subject choice.
22
Grading System
Each piece of work will be given a mark that falls within a grade band. Below is a general statement of the
meanings of the different grades.
A (80% and higher)
• has an imaginative or provocative approach to the question or problem, which is constantly supported by the
evidence deployed;
• present facts and argument in the context of the scholarly or theoretical literature about the question;
• engages the question or problem throughout the essay;
• has a clearly presented argument which is developed throughout the essay;
• shows a mastery of the terms or expressions used in the question or problem;
• demonstrates wide, enterprising, relevant reading;
• is clearly—perhaps even elegantly—written;
• shows confidence with the scholarly conventions (includes spelling and punctuation).
B (70-79%)
• recognises that there is a question or problem and attempts to engage it;
• offers an argument, though perhaps only in isolation; the essay may be heavy on information but light on
interpretation;
• masters most of the terms or expression used in the question or problem;
• shows an ability to collect, sift and organise information about the problem;
• shows diligent and wide research;
• is competently written;
• shows competence with the scholarly conventions;
C (60-69%)
• shows the ability to organise what is known about the question or problem but finds difficulty in mounting
an independent argument;
• occasionally engages with the question or problem;
• recognises that there are terms or expressions in need of precise definition and attempts to do so;
• shows diligent research;
• is adequately written;
• shows competence with scholarly conventions;
D (50-59%; a passing grade)
shows awareness of the question or problem but has difficulty framing a consistently relevant response;
• struggles to demonstrate an awareness of the subtleties of the terms or expressions used in the question
or problem;
• collects and passes on information but has difficulty organising it;
• shows acceptable levels of research;
• displays written expression which is intelligible but which may need improvement;
• is aware of scholarly conventions (including spelling) but may not show complete mastery.
N (49% and less; a failing grade)
• confusion over the topic or the nature of the assignment;
• inadequate reading or research;
• insufficient grasp of the relevance and relationships of the raw material being studied;
• paraphrasing or copying other people's writing;
• expression that is difficult for the reader to understand;
• carelessness about conventions, spelling and other aspects of presentation that help a reader to discover a
writer's meaning.
23
RESOURCES
THE LIBRARY
Library services for MID students
Master’s students are recognised as post-graduate students. Listed below are your increased library privileges
as well as other support services that may assist you with your research. You are also able to request books
and journal articles from other Australian libraries as part of the inter-lending and document delivery service.
More information may be found at: http://www.lib.latrobe.edu.au/services/higher-degree.php
Loans
Borrow a total of 20 items with 3 renewals if no reservation has been made. Loan periods vary according to
the items but general collection books are 4 week loans.
Journals – Bound volumes of journals can be borrowed for 7 days
Interlending & Document Delivery Service
Don’t despair if we do not have the journal or book that you need. You can register with ILL to request articles
from anywhere in Australia or overseas, or, borrow books from all Australian Libraries free of charge.
However, books or theses from overseas libraries do incur charges. There is a limit of 25 requests per Masters
student.
To start using the service, simply log in with your University username and password.
https://www.lib.latrobe.edu.au/document-delivery/
CAVAL
A CAVAL card enables you to borrow books from all other Victorian academic libraries. You can borrow up to 6
items at a time.
Register for the card online http://www.lib.latrobe.edu.au/forms/caval.php or in person at the Inquiries desk.
24
Libraries Australia
The National Bibliographic Database is a catalogue of material held in all Australian libraries. Access the
catalogue from the Victorian Libraries link on our catalogue home page.
User name
vlutv
Password
amicus2
EndNote
EndNote is a program for managing your references, creating and formatting your bibliography and it works
alongside word to insert formatted citations while you write. Get your free copy from the Study Hall (Glenn
College). A class for politics honours students will be arranged early in 2012.
Subject Librarian
Your subject librarian can assist in all areas of your research

Advice on finding relevant electronic and print resources

Assistance to use the databases effectively

Work out a search strategy for your topic
Book an appointment for individual research assistance
Contact details
Social Sciences Subject Librarian
Lisa Donnelly
9479 3826
l.donnelly@latrobe.edu.au
25
FURTHER READING ON ACADEMIC WRITING AND STUDYING
Students often ask what book they should buy, to improve their academic skills. There are many such books,
from the woefully misleading to the outstandingly helpful! Some favourites are below (and Peters’ book leads
the pack):
F OR B.A. STUDENTS :





Peters, P. (1985) Strategies for Student Writers: A Guide To Writing Essays, Tutorial Papers,
Exam Papers And Reports. Brisbane: John Wiley & Sons.
Clanchy, J. & Ballard, B. (1986) Essay Writing for Students: A Practical Guide.
Melbourne: Longman Cheshire
Betts, K. & Seitz, A. (1986) Writing Essays in the Social Sciences. Melbourne: Nelson.
Booth, W., G. Colomb, & J. Williams (1995) The Craft of Research. Chicago: Uni. of Chicago Press.
Hay, I., Bochner, D., & Dungey, C. (1997) Making the Grade: A Guide to Successful
Communication and Study. Melbourne: Oxford University Press.
F OR P OSTGRADUATES :

Elphinstone, L. & R. Schweitzer (1998) How to Get a Research Degree: A Survival Guide. St
Leonards, N.S.W. : Allen & Unwin
26
LA TROBE RESEARCH CENTRES
INSTITUTE FOR HUMAN SECURITY
The La Trobe University Institute for Human Security is a collaborative, interdisciplinary and University-wide
research facility, centred in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, which builds on existing research
strength in the university. Its activities will promote the broad aims inherent in the UN definition.
The existing Centres for Dialogue and the South Asia Research Facility are core affiliates of the Institute, but
membership is open to all academic staff whose research fits under the rubric of human security, embracing a
variety of non-traditional areas of security. The Institute builds on strengths in international health; food
security; new threats to global security; good governance; population movements etc. and works closely with
other areas in the University around sustainability and climate change.
Director: Associate Professor Chris Roche
Website: http://www.latrobe.edu.au/humansecurity/
CENTRE FOR DIALOGUE
The Centre for Dialogue is a major initiative of La Trobe University. The Centre was inaugurated on 15 August
2006, at the National Gallery of Victoria, with the strong support of the Victorian Government. At the opening,
attended by more than 700 people, Judge Christopher Weeramantry, former Vice-President of the
International Court of Justice, delivered the inaugural Annual Lecture. Messages of support were received
from the Australian Prime Minister John Howard, the UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, distinguished scholars,
international research centres, religious leaders and twenty five governments. Several promising research and
educational projects have emerged since the Centre's opening, and a number of important partnerships and
networks are being developed nationally and internationally.
Director: Professor Alberto Gomes
Website: http://www.latrobe.edu.au/dialogue/
27
STAFF MEMBERS WHO WORK ON INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT AT LA
TROBE AND THEIR INTERESTS
Staff Research Interests:

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR CHRIS ROCHE
Room 310 Social Sciences Building, phone +61 (0)3 9479 2061 email: c.roche@latrobe.edu.au
BA(Hons) Geography, MPhil Geography (Liverpool, UK)
‘Having worked in the International NGO sector for many years I am particularly interested in the
question of how international actors most effectively support local processes of progressive social
change. Is it by engaging in their own domestic politics? Is it by leaving local organisations and
movements alone? Or is it by finding common cause on the issues that we all face such as inequality,
climate change and learning together how best they might be addressed? I am also interested in
understanding how we know whether these strategies are effective and who decides: questions
related to the power and politics that lie behind all forms of monitoring, evaluation and research.
DR CELIA MCMICHAEL

Room 471 Martin Building, phone +61 3 9479 3268, email: c.mcmichael@latrobe.edu.au
MA(Hons) Social Anthropology and Development (Edinburgh); PhD School of Population Health
(Melbourne). I have a background in medical anthropology, international development and public
health. I currently conduct research into forced migration and experiences of resettlement among
people with refugee backgrounds. I have also conducted research and done applied work in the
areas of: childhood infectious disease and medical pluralism within poor urban areas of Peru; breast
cancer education, screening and treatment amongst indigenous women in Queensland; gender
dimensions of disaster situations in Sri Lanka; and childhood immunization among displaced
populations in Angola. I have a particular interest in the ways in which structural inequalities shape
experiences of health and forced migration.
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR
 HELEN LEE
Room 479, Martin Building, phone +61 (0)3 9479 1476 , email: h.lee@latrobe.edu.au.
PHD (ANU). My research has focused on the people of Tonga in the South Pacific and Tongans who
have migrated and settled in countries such as Australia. The main focus of my research has been the
question of cultural identity, especially the ways in which identity is formed by children and young
people. I have also studied family relationships both in Tonga and in the Tongan populations
overseas, and the networks of ties between those overseas Tongans and the ‘homeland’ in the
Pacific. I teach an introductory anthropology subject to first year students, and subjects on Kinship,
Gender and Marriage, and Childhood, Youth and Culture, to later year students. I am actively
involved in several professional associations, particularly the Tonga Research Association, of which I
was Vice-President 2007-9 and the Australian Anthropological Society, of which I am currently
President-Elect.
 GOMES
PROFESSOR ALBERTO
Room 409 Social Sciences Building, phone +61 (0)3 9479 1224, email: a.gomes@latrobe.edu.au
MA (Malaya), PhD (ANU)
‘I am deeply concerned with, and troubled by, poverty, inequality, collective violence and ecological
degradation. From my extensive research, spanning more than three decades, among Malaysia’s
indigenous peoples, I have learned how western-inspired and sponsored development can cause so
much damage to the lives of marginalised peoples but also the possibilities of an alternative
development which promotes and fosters equality, sustainability and peace (ESP). I shall present in my
Master of International Development lectures the lessons I’ve gained from my indigenous friends to
illustrate and support my theoretical contentions.’
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DR. WENDY MEE

Room 473 Martin Building, phone +61 (0)3 9479 1703, email: w.mee@latrobe.edu.au
PhD (La Trobe) ‘I’ve conducted research in a number of countries (Australia, Malaysia, Indonesia,
Pakistan, Bangladesh, Uzbekistan and the Marshall Islands) and across a number of disciplines
(Sociology, Anthropology, Science and Technology Studies and International Development). My
current research interests relate to my fieldwork in Indonesia on trans-local Malay identity processes.
Here I consider multiple and competing forms of citizenship and sovereignty in the context of border
zones and transnational crossings. I have also become increasingly interested in the comparative study
of secularism and exploring how secular institutions impact on religious and non-religious social
movements in Indonesia. My teaching reflects various aspects of my research experience. I teach two
Sociology subjects, ‘Social Movements’ and ‘The Sociology of Religion and Spirituality’, as well as a
second year subject, ‘Gender and Development’, in the Bachelor of International Development. In my
teaching, I favour a comparative approach drawing on examples from both the West and the Global
South. I find this approach provides a robust perspective from which to evaluate social scientific
concepts and theories, such as modernity, agency, post-secularity, globalisation and social change.’
DR. MICHAEL O’KEEFE
Room 316 Social Sciences Building, phone +61 (0)3 9479-2676, email: M.OKeefe@latrobe.edu.au
BA (Hons), PhD (La Trobe) ‘My interest in development is the product of dramatic strategic change
born from the end of the Cold War. Bipolarity ended but the chronic insecurity of many continued
unabated. So why did international relations continue to concentrate on state centric threats? My
work on epidemics and human security seeks to review threats to people within and across state
borders. A practical outcome of this work has been the development of www.hivpolicy.org, a
resource for policymakers and NGOs in the Asia Pacific. Major interstate threats may yet arise on the
distant strategic horizon but in the meantime aren’t we obliged to deal with human security closer to
home?’
DR RAMON SPAAIJ
Room 305 Social Sciences Building, phone +61 (0)3 9479 1985 email: r.spaaij@latrobe.edu.au
MA (Leiden University), PhD (University of Amsterdam. Ramón’s research interests include social and
cultural aspects of sport, sport for development and peace (SDP), refugee settlement, social mobility,
social exclusion, and terrorism and political violence. Ramón has taught in sociology, anthropology,
management and political science at undergraduate and graduate levels. He was a researcher in the
European Commission project ‘Transnational Terrorism, Security and the Rule of Law’, and has acted
as an advisor on counter-terrorism to the Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre of the
Australian Government.

DR. BROOKE WILMSEN
Room 444 Martin Building, phone +61 (0)3 9389 5919, email: b.wilmsen@latrobe.edu.au
BSc/BA (Hons) (Melbourne); PhD Geography (Melbourne)
Brooke has a background in Geography with a PhD in Development Studies. She has worked as a
resettlement consultant for several international institutions, government affiliates and private
consultancies. She has several years of qualitative and quantitative research experience working on
issues of development induced displacement and resettlement and refugee resettlement. Brooke has
a particular interest in the areas of involuntary and forced displacement, refugee resettlement,
Australian social policy, sustainable livelihoods, Chinese politics and development studies.
29
DR. DANIEL BRAY 
Room 323 Social Sciences Building, phone +61 (0)3 3 9389 5919, email: d.bray@latrobe.edu.au
BEng (Hons-Monash), PhD (Melbourne).
Daniel Bray's research and teaching expertise is in international relations, globalisation, democratic
theory, and environmental politics. He has previously held teaching positions at The University of
Melbourne and Deakin University. His current research involves investigating the role of leadership in
the international climate change negotiations.
DEVELOPMENT PROFESSIONALS WHO TEACH SUBJECTS IN THE MASTER OF
INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Including bloc mode subjects at La Trobe’s Franklin St, City Campus.
Learn about making social change happen with Chris Roche (POL4MSH)
Chris was until last September Oxfam Australia’s Director of Development Effectiveness. Before that he was
their Director of International Programs. Chris has worked for International NGOs for over 25 years in the
Sahelian countries of Africa and in HQ management, policy and research positions. He has a particular interest
in participatory monitoring and evaluation and has conducted research for ACFID the peak body for Australian
International NGOs on innovations by NGOs on how they become more accountable to those they seek to
benefit. He is the author of the book ‘Impact Assessment for Development Agencies’ and a number of papers
for the Developmental Leadership Program, and has been involved on a number of independent review teams
of AusAID programs.
POL4MSH is taught at Bundoora in the second Semester.
Learn the “ins and outs” of running a development project with Justin Coburn (DST5PRM)
Justin Coburn has worked in community development, specialising in work with Indigenous Peoples, for over
fifteen years. He has a Master in International Development and has studied and facilitated several courses at
Schumacher College, England. Professionally Justin has worked with human rights organisations in Latin
America and Africa, managed Oxfam Australia’s Indigenous People’s program in Mexico and Central America
from 1998 to 2003 and was a founding member and CEO of the Maya Healing Centre, Victoria’s first Aboriginal
Healing Centre from 2004 to 2005. In 2005 he established the organisation Peace and Diversity Australia
(PDA), an initiative that sought to develop an alternative way of doing community development by working
directly in partnership with one indigenous organisation, Las Abejas, in Chiapas, Southern Mexico, where he
continues to work. Currently Justin is the CEO of Songlines Aboriginal Music Corporation based in Melbourne.
DST5PRM is taught at the Franklin St, City Campus on Wednesday evenings in the first Semester.
30
Learn how to research and write about the practice of humanitarian action with Tom Bamworth (DST5RWD)
Tom Bamforth has worked for the International Organization and Migration and the Norwegian Council for
Refugees and currently works in the area of disaster management in the Pacific. He has worked as a protection
officer and program manager on the ground during humanitarian emergencies in Sudan and Pakistan. He has
expertise in conflict, natural disasters, and development in Pakistan, Sudan and the Pacific. He studied at
Melbourne and London universities and has published in the Journal of Humanitarian Assistance and Granta,
among others.
DST5RWD is taught in bloc mode during the winter recess at the Franklin St, City Campus on (23-24 June
30/July 1)
Learn about the protection of civilians in conflicts with Dr Phoebe Wynn-Pope, Beth Eggleston, Louise Searle
and Kate Sutton (POL5HSD)
Dr Phoebe Wynn-Pope specialises in international law and humanitarian affairs with a particular focus on
responsibilities of the international community working in conflict zones and fragile states. Louise Searle has a
Master of Human Rights Law and 17 years’ experience working in the health and humanitarian sectors. Beth
Eggleston has a Master of Development Studies and has worked for more than ten years in the humanitarian
sector, almost six of those years being based in the field. She is currently works part time with Oxfam Australia
providing humanitarian advocacy and policy support to field offices. Kate Sutton has a Master of Human Rights
Law and a Master of International Development. Kate has specialist expertise in humanitarian emergency
response programming, refugee and IDP programming and humanitarian protection.
POL5HSD is taught in bloc mode at the Franklin St, City Campus on 11-14 April 2013
31