International Development: Poverty, Conflict and Reconstruction MA - Student Opinions

Jessica Hawkins

"I chose this Masters because I have always been interested in foreign cultures.

I had previously studied a BA in European Studies with German and Italian at Lancaster University, and after my Bachelors I worked in Switzerland as a secondary school English teacher and then as a key account manager in export sales.

Through volunteer work with Oxfam, I realised that I wanted to gain a greater understanding of developing countries. I had also studied European conflicts and reconstruction during my Bachelors, so this programme suited my interests.

The Masters provided me with a comprehensive programme of study, with modules which were not only interesting but also made me challenge how I had previously thought about development. I could tailor the course so that I studied topics which were relevant to my field of interest.

IDPM has leading lecturers and researchers from various backgrounds of international development, which means you not only receive in-depth teaching on development theories but you can also learn how the theories fare in practice.

I am now studying for a PhD at IDPM, researching Ugandan state formation and social power."