Poverty Reduction - Policy and Practice (Online)

Course Overview

As with the Millennium Development Goals before them, the SDGs recognise that poverty has multiple dimensions and that progress is needed on a number of fronts (economic, social and political) if poverty is to be effectively tackled. The Poverty Reduction: Policy and Practice course is offered at SOAS University of London. With a focus on rural areas which, despite growing urbanisation, continue to be home to the majority of the world's poorest people, this programme examines the complex nature of poverty, its causes, and the processes of poverty reduction. Recent achievements in poverty reduction have varied widely across and within countries, regions, and social groups, permitting lessons to be learned regarding the policies and conditions conducive to success. Modules within the programme draw on a range of disciplines relevant to the challenges of poverty reduction, including economics, political economy, social development, management, natural resources management and law. You will complete core modules then choose from one of three specialisms. These examine, respectively, policies to promote inclusive growth, the management of natural resources so as to benefit the poor, and ideas and approaches relating to managing organisations tasked with poverty reduction, within their individual cultural, political and technological contexts Programme aims: The programme aims to equip students with a multi-disciplinary skill set to analyse and address the poverty reduction challenges of this millennium. A number of modules have significant economics content. Depending on the options chosen, other disciplines drawn upon may include management theory, environmental science, political economy or law. The programme will give students the opportunity to developa critical, inter-disciplinary, integrative and global perspective on poverty reduction issuesa theoretical approach to intellectual enquiry of poverty reduction issues, which nevertheless emphasises the integration of theory and practicea broad understanding of ideas and approaches for managing organisations within their cultural, political, technological, social, and institutional contexts, to solve problems related to poverty reductionpractical issue-oriented research skills, drawing on knowledge and understanding developed in their studiesCareer prospects for graduatesAs with all CeDEP programmes, the Poverty Reduction programme is designed to assist both existing development professionals and people moving into the field of international development. For the former, the programme offers a chance to upgrade and update their expertise, and to reflect systematically and in depth on their accumulated experience in the light of up-to-date theory and literature. It is anticipated that most graduates of this programme will find work in: government ministries and other public sector organisations concerned with policy analysis and implementation for poverty reductioninternational and non-governmental organisations concerned with issues of poverty reductionconsultancies and development projects involved in activities promoting poverty reductionParticular opportunities may be related to the choice of specialisms in natural resources management, agricultural and rural development, or development management