.
Home » Programs and Courses for Students » Undergraduate » Courses
This course is designed to give students a broad-based understanding of international issues and introduce them sustainable human development (SHD), an emerging discipline that utilizes a holistic approach to the challenges of development by emphasizing the interaction between economic, environmental, political, and social processes. Students will examine the theory, methods, and goals of development in an international context through case studies. Students will emerge from the course with a greater understanding of what fosters successful development, what foreign policy options and strategies are available to overcome obstacles faced in the field, and how success in development can be measured through the use of indicators and comparative analysis
International aid has expanded rapidly in the last decade and is now a $100 billion dollar business. While most funding for aid comes from the government sector, alternative sources of funding (civil society, foundations, etc.) are growing in importance. With this increasing volume in aid comes increased responsibility. In a string of recent publications, international aid has been criticized as too often ineffective and, in some cases, harmful. This course will ask and attempt to answer the following questions: Has development assistance been effective? How do we measure success and/or failure in international development? What are the characteristics of successful programs? What lessons did we learn from the development experiences of the past?
Although there are economic, environmental, political and social reasons that cause international aid programs to fail, data suggests the most common reason for failure is inadequate planning and implementation. This course will introduce you to the project design and implementation process. With the help of case studies, you will develop an analytical methodology to design effective interventions in international development and a framework to evaluate existing projects. By the end of the course, you should have acquired the following knowledge, skills and competencies:
This course explores aspects of the potential impacts of new information and communication technologies (ICT) on international development. The course introduces a macro perspective, focusing on various technologies and ways in which they can be applied in both the developed and developing worlds. Special attention is dedicated to the use of ICT on e-applications in the areas of education, government, health, communities, business, and knowledge management.
The bulk of the course will be centered around the creation and or analysis of cases where technology has been key to either furthering or hindering development. Students will participate in developing these cases based upon the analysis and creation of other cases. New technologies for learning will assist and increase interaction and communication among participants during the course.
This interdisciplinary course is designed to examine the complex challenges inherent in managing not-for-profit and governmental organizations in developing countries. Central to our examination is the role of leadership in managing social, political, and financial influences upon policy space. Within this context, the course focuses upon negotiating constraints in policy development and implementation and draws comparatively from experiences in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the United States.
Open to upper-level students with approval of instructor.
Courses offered by visiting professors or permanent faculty. For specific offering, see the Schedule of Classes. For description, consult the department.
† By special permission. * Non-LAS course. See the college SPC restrictions.
