Undergraduate Diploma in International Development: Environment, Sustainability and Globalisation

What will I be studying?

The Diploma is divided into three termly units taught via a regular monthly day school at the Institute of Continuing Education. Students are expected to attend all of the day schools throughout the year, the dates of which are given below. The content of the face-to-face teaching sessions will be consolidated through on-support via the Institute’s Virtual Learning Environment.

Unit 1: Sustainability and development

Industrialisation and land use dynamics coupled with climate change translate into sustainability challenges for many countries. This first unit will discuss these challenges and look at the targets and initiatives that have been set to improve living standards and sustainability in tandem. Legal, corporate and international rights frameworks such as corporate social responsibility will also be examined.

Day schools are on Fridays at the Institute of Continuing Education on the following 3 dates: 7 October, 4 November and 2 December 2016.

Unit 2: Environmental resources and poverty

The second unit will follow on from the first unit by taking a closer look at food and agriculture, both large scale and smallholder farming and its role in both economic sustainability and people’s livelihoods. Concerns and approaches to food security, water security as well as biodiversity and conservation will be discussed through a critical examination of case studies.

Day schools are on Fridays at the Institute of Continuing Education on the following 3 dates: 6 January, 3 February and 3 March 2017.

Unit 3: Globalisation, integration and exclusion

This unit delves into the different facets of globalisation and how it shapes and is shaped by economic, cultural and social changes worldwide. We will explore what globalisation means for the urban poor but also how movement of labour across borders and associated livelihood opportunities and risks shape people’s lives.

Day schools are on Fridays at the Institute of Continuing Education on the following 4 dates: 21 April, 19 May, 16 June and 14 July 2017.

What can I go on to do?

The Institute is planning to offer the second of the two new 60 credit Diploma courses in International Development in 2017-18.

Diploma in International Development: Economy, Society and Welfare

This award is planned to be offered for the academic year 2017-18 will allow those with previous experience in International Development to develop further their understanding of some of the key topics in this dynamic field. The three units of this Diploma course are designed to account for both the diversity and evolution of both economic and human development and to provide students with real life examples illustrating the range of research, policy and practice in this field.

Credit awarded by the Institute can also be transferred into the degree programmes of other higher education providers. However the amount of credit which can be transferred into degree programmes varies from institution to institution and is always at the discretion of the receiving institution.

The Diploma level course is designed for students who either have completed the Certificate in International Development satisfactorily or who have an equivalent qualification.

Applicants with the following will be considered:

• Satisfactory completion of the Institute’s Certificate in International Development
• Relevant academic study of International Development at FHEQ 4 or equivalent
• A relevant undergraduate or postgraduate qualification i.e. Human Geography, Political science, Sociology, Environmental studies or similar cross disciplinary topics.

If you have none of the above, we would recommend your consider applying for our Certificate in International Development. However, if you feel strongly that the Diploma level is the right course for you, you may still apply and the Course Director will consider your application, however acceptance onto the course will be entirely at the discretion of the Institute.

Please be aware that the course is taught at university level (FHEQ 5) and you should be able to read, write and speak English fluently.

If English is not your first language, you will need to send us evidence of your competence in the English language when you apply for a place.

ICE English language requirements

The fee for the course is £1,900 for the year and covers tuition, and tea, coffee and lunch at each of the day schools. You can pay in two ways:

• in full on enrolment (by cheque payable to the University of Cambridge or by credit or debit card)
• in three instalments (credit/debit card only): the first on enrolment, the second by 1 November 2016 and the third by 1 February 2017.

ICE fees and refund policy

Online application is recommended and you will find a link to the online application form at the top of this page.

The course specification, giving full course details, is available in the downloads section below.

Applications for this course can be received until midday (12 noon) on the 5 September 2016. If you are offered a place on the course, we will ask you to complete your booking within a limited time and to pay the fees (£1,900) or if paying fees by instalments, the first instalment of fees to secure your place.

If you are not a UK resident please visit our international students' pages to read about visas for part-time students. Please make sure you have investigated your visa requirements in advance of booking as we cannot offer a refund if you find you are unable to take up the place due to visa constraints after you have booked your place on the course.