Bachelor of Arts and Master of International Development Practice

Arts at Monash is your comprehensive gateway to a wide range of fascinating and rewarding areas of study across the arts, humanities, and social sciences. Pair this with a Master of International Development Practice and fast track your way to a higher qualification.

In your Bachelor of Arts degree you will choose from a select range of majors related to the destination Masters degree.  You’ll also have the scope to choose from almost 40 different areas of study for your Minor and electives, including languages, social sciences, communications, politics, human rights, and international relations.  While developing an informed, critical awareness of the fields you're most passionate about, you’ll lay the groundwork for a wealth of exciting careers.

As a high achieving student (75% average), in the third year of your degree you will start to transition into the Masters degree. In the Master of International Development Practice you tackle the political, economic, cultural and ecological challenges leading to extreme poverty, poor health, fragile governance, inequality and environmental vulnerability. All of these issues require professionals with the practical skills and analytical capacity to build resilience at a national and community level.

Delivered by specialists from the humanities, social sciences, medicine, business and economics, education and law, the Masters course offers a multi-disciplinary approach to sustainable development with four streams: Democracy, justice and governance; Gender, conflict and society; Crisis, change and management; and Sustainable resource management.

As preparation for transitioning into the Masters degree during your third year, you will select from one of the following areas for your major:

• Anthropology
• Human Geography
• Human Rights
• International Relations
• International Studies

The Bachelor of Arts offers both diversity and focus, and builds informed, skilful and critically aware citizens of the world. In addition to your major, you can sample from a wide range of study areas, giving you a comprehensive base across areas in the arts, humanities and social sciences. You'll develop a rich understanding of human difference and communication, the complexities of social organisation, and humankind's trajectory through the past and into the future.

With many opportunities to undertake study overseas, or via a study tour or internship program, you’ll become an expert in your chosen area, and will be work ready, equipped with the core skills employers in all sectors are looking for including:

• written and verbal communication skills
• teamwork skills
• listening and decision-making skills
• leadership and negotiation skills
• methods to build rapport and confidence
• critical-thinking skills
• problem-solving skills
• research skills

The Masters course offers an applied approach to the theory and practice of international development. It offers project management, leadership skills development and rigorous research training within its interdisciplinary core curriculum. Foundation theory and practice units address questions ranging from the causes of wealth disparity, and the growth of development thought and practice, to the impact of politics, economics, culture, history and natural resources on inequality.

As part of your studies, you will be able to acquire practical experience through fieldwork and internship opportunities at sites of significant development practice in countries such as South Africa, Vietnam, Thailand, India, Indonesia and Fiji. For instance, the South Africa Student Placement Program provides Monash students with an amazing opportunity to gain first-hand experience of international and community development work, through placements with Oxfam and its partner organisations in South Africa. Options to include language extension in individual programs are also available.

This course leads to two separate degrees.

• the Bachelor of Arts

and

• the Master of International Development Practice

You will gain all the benefits of a Bachelor’s degree and a Masters course (see Bachelor of Arts/Master of International Development Practice).

As a graduate with a degree in Arts you’ll be prepared for global employment opportunities in a wide range of occupations and settings. The Masters course is designed for careers in human rights advocacy, aid agencies in government and non-government sectors, the Fair Trade business sector, community organisations, and international institutions such as the United Nations and the World Bank.