Masters in Development Studies 2018-2019 Brochure nieuw ontwerp 2018 web | Page 14

MSc in
Development Evaluation and Management
Programme Content
The Master in Development Evaluation and
Management focuses on the efforts made,
particularly by external (public and private)
actors, to promote development. It provides
a solid understanding of the past and present
aid policies of multilateral and bilateral donors,
also addressing the major aid modalities
and instruments deployed. The institutional
characteristics of the actors involved – be they
governments, community-based organisations,
international NGOs, bilateral or multilateral
donors – are analysed in order to attain a better
understanding of development processes and
outcomes. The main theoretical perspective is
that development is best understood as a set
of interlocking collective action problems. The
Master programme offers methodological and
practical insights into development evaluation, its
relevance and challenges.
Applicants to this Master should show a keen
interest in studying and analyzing the institutional
context in which development interventions
take place, in Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E)
and the design, implementation and evaluation
14 · master programmes
of local and (inter) national development
interventions as well as the role of external actors
in development.
Most of our students are engaged (or aspire to
become engaged) in development (cooperation),
as professionals and/or researchers. The Master
programme will improve the capacity of these
students to assess the strengths and weaknesses
of the prevailing development paradigms and
the envisaged role of aid and external actors in
promoting change. Students learn to appreciate
the importance of different institutional arenas,
as well as how they work and interact. They will
become familiar with multidisciplinary analytical
tools that will improve their capacity to analyse
interactions and enhance the conceptualisation,
implementation, monitoring and evaluation of
development policies and programmes.
The Master programme offers two tracks, each
with specific objectives and course packages that
are intended for a specific audience. The first track
is focused primarily on the macro (international
and national) level, while the second focuses
mainly on the micro (local) level.