Master of Humanitarianism and Development

2024 Deakin University Handbook

Year	2024 course information
Award granted	Master of Humanitarianism and Development
Deakin course code	A756
Faculty	Faculty of Arts and Education
Campus	Offered at Burwood (Melbourne)
Online	Yes
Duration	Depending on your professional experience and previous qualifications, the Master of Humanitarianism and Development is typically 1 or 1.5 years duration. 1 year full-time (2 years part-time) - 8 credit points 1.5 years full-time (3 years part-time) - 12 credit points
Course Map - enrolment planning tool	These course maps are for new students commencing from Trimester 1 2024: PhD Pathway Professional Experience Research Paper These course maps are for new students commencing from Trimester 2 2024: PhD Pathway Professional Experience Research Paper These course maps are for new students commencing from Trimester 3 2024: PhD Pathway Professional Experience Research Paper Course maps for commencement in previous years are available on the Course Maps webpage or please contact a Student Adviser in Student Central.
CRICOS course code	114005C Burwood (Melbourne)
Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) recognition	The award conferred upon completion is recognised in the Australian Qualifications Framework at Level 9

Course sub-headings

Course overview

Study the Master of Humanitarianism and Development to develop a deeper understanding of the challenges facing the planet. Extend your theoretical knowledge and enhance your specialist and practical skills in international development, crisis and disaster response, humanitarian responses, and community development.

You’ll gain insights into the histories, causes, interconnections, and multiple impacts of the many crises facing the world. You’ll also learn about community-led approaches to these issues that are occurring locally and across the globe. By identifying the challenges and successes of these strategies you’ll understand how communities create new and far-reaching methods and processes for addressing social, political and environmental problems.

Deakin has an exceptional reputation with over 40 years of teaching and research in international and community development, and more than a decade in humanitarian assistance. We were the first graduate program in humanitarian assistance in Australia.

The Master of Humanitarianism and Development is designed with industry consultation and taught by pioneering academics.

An opportunity to specialise in one of the following streams is available:
Disasters and Community Resilience, Community Development, International Development, Humanitarianism, Professional Practice.

Do you want to contribute to a better future for the many, not the few?

This course builds on the practical connections between immediate disaster and humanitarian relief and the longer-term issues associated with international and community development. You’ll examine critical issues from climate change to poverty, hunger, homelessness, racism, culture, and forced migration and learn how to build practical and just solutions.

You'll explore transformational change, examine the power relations between the global north and global south, and consider the overarching climate crisis, alongside geopolitical tensions. Above all, you’ll look at historic and contemporary community-led approaches to social justice, development, and humanitarianism, studying their successes, limitations, and new possibilities.

The Master of Humanitarianism and Development attracts students committed to social justice and equity, and those who wish to create enabling environments for addressing multiple modern-day crises.

You’ll choose from a variety of elective units. This allows you to focus on your career goals and development. Some of your elective unit options include:

Food and Water Security
Refugees and Forced Migration
Culture Arts and Community
Humanitarian Knowledge and Principles
Monitoring and Evaluation

Graduates of the Master of Humanitarianism and Development will acquire a diverse skill set, including:

project management
data analysis and research methodologies for evidence-based decision making
critical thinking and problem solving
advocacy and policy analysis for influencing positive change
cross- cultural communication skills.

You’ll have the opportunity to study and network online, on campus, or mixed mode, full-time or part-time. Take advantage of industry experiences and international experiences available. Our in-person intensives provide wonderful further opportunities to meet your peers, industry experts and academic staff.

Career opportunities

Some of the areas you might obtain work as a graduate of this course include:

Government
Not-for-profit
Policy and advocacy roles
Program and partnership roles
National and Local non-government organisations
Community development agencies
Emergency management
Private sector
Social enterprise
Consultant
UN and associated agencies, including UNICEF, UNDP, UNOCHA, World Food program, and many other agencies
Military and civil/military partnerships
Universities

Participation requirements

Reasonable adjustments to participation and other course requirements will be made for students with a disability. More information available at Disability support services.

Mandatory student checks

Any unit which contains work integrated learning, a community placement or interaction with the community may require a police check, Working with Children Check or other check.

Research information

Students will complete a research pathway in 1 of the 3 following options:

Minor Thesis - PhD Pathway ; or
Research Paper – non PhD Pathway^ ; or
Professional Experience – non PhD Pathway^.

Fees and charges

Fees and charges vary depending on the type of fee place you hold, your course, your commencement year, the units you choose to study and their study discipline, and your study load.

Tuition fees increase at the beginning of each calendar year and all fees quoted are in Australian dollars ($AUD). Tuition fees do not include textbooks, computer equipment or software, other equipment or costs such as mandatory checks, travel and stationery.

Use the Fee estimator to see course and unit fees applicable to your course and type of place. For further information regarding tuition fees, other fees and charges, invoice due dates, withdrawal dates, payment methods visit our Current students website.

Course Learning Outcomes

Deakin Graduate Learning Outcomes	Course Learning Outcomes
Discipline specific knowledge and capabilities	Engage in disciplinary research to critically analyse the major theoretical, conceptual and policy issues in development, humanitarian action, and disaster response / management, both locally and internationally, with a focus on engagement with communities and community-led responses to the world’s crises, including climate change, food insecurity, conflict and disasters, inequality and injustice, racism and exclusion.
Communication	Use oral, written, and interpersonal communication skills to disseminate the findings of research into complex multi-disciplinary and multi-sectoral issues for improving social, environmental, and economic outcomes including global justice, peace, sovereignty, community resilience, and transformations of power to a wide range of specialist and non-specialist audiences.
Digital literacy	Research, analyse, report, and communicate complex data and information on contemporary issues in international and community development, global justice, disaster risk reduction and humanitarian action, utilising a range of digital sources for effective research and professional development, across interpersonal, organisational, and professional contexts.
Critical thinking	Conduct in-depth scholarly and practice-based research to investigate, synthesise, critically analyse, report, and propose actions on local and global issues such as global justice, disaster risk reduction and humanitarian action and opportunities, in the context of historical and contemporary development and humanitarian discourse.
Problem solving	Apply advanced skills in research, comprehension, interpretation and evaluation of theory, critique and proposed innovative responses to complex situations or “wicked” problems encountered in a range of community, development, humanitarian, and disaster contexts, with creativity, innovation, and respect.
Self-management	Plan, organise and manage competing demands on time, to work mindfully in a personal and professional capacity, whilst committing to ongoing learning, and performing as an independent and reflective practitioner capable of operating effectively in the context of developing community-led solutions to the world’s crises.
Teamwork	Work collaboratively as an active, engaged, and reflective team member seeking solutions to the world’s problems by contributing to mutual goals, research, tasks and leadership across practice, cultures, and disciplines, demonstrating active and constructive participation and contributions to resolving impasses and conflict.
Global citizenship	Question, engage, provoke, and innovate on a broad and interrelated range of social justice, environmental, development and humanitarian issues taking into consideration cross-cultural, indigenous, local and global knowledges, contexts, and perspectives that can inform the development of creative solutions for the world’s crises.
Approved by Faculty Board 2023

Course rules

To be awarded a Master of Humanitarianism and Development, a student must successfully complete 8 or 12 credit points as follows:

DAI001 Academic Integrity Module (0-credit-point compulsory module)
1 credit point core unit
7 or 11 credit points of study from one of the Minor Thesis, Research Paper, or Professional Experience Pathways. Course Elective units must be used to form a stream.

Course structure

Core

ADH713

Community, Development and Humanitarianism in An Era of Climate Crisis

Pathways

Minor Thesis - PhD Pathway

AIX706

Research Design

Plus 2 credit points of research units:

AIX704

Minor Thesis A

AIX705

Minor Thesis B

Plus either 4 or 8 credit points of course electives used to form at least one stream

Research Paper – non PhD Pathway ^

AIX701

Research Paper

Plus either 6 or 10 credit points of course electives used to form at least one stream

Professional Experience – non PhD Pathway ^

APE701

Internship Capstone

Plus either 5 or 9 credit points of course electives used to form at least one stream

^ The Research Paper and Professional Experience options are not PhD Pathways.

Streams

Students may select units within or across the streams as detailed below. To complete a stream students must complete 3 out of 4 elective units within a stream. Students may complete more than one stream.

Stream 1: Disasters and Community Resilience *

AHA724

Disaster Risk Reduction and Community Led Recovery

ADS704

Community From Participation to Activism

ADH717

Climate Change and Sustainability *

ADS723

Monitoring and Evaluation

Stream 2: Community Development*

ADS704

Community From Participation to Activism

ADS705

Participatory and Community Development Practice

ADS723

Monitoring and Evaluation

ADS720

Arts and Sports-based Approaches to Community Development

Stream 3: International Development*

ADS734

Geopolitics and Political Economy of Development

ADS733

Theories and Critiques of Development

ADH717

Climate Change and Sustainability *

ADH714

Gender, Race and Culture

Stream 4: Humanitarianism

AHA721

Humanitarian Knowledge and Principles

AHA716

Refugees and Forced Migration

AIR717

International Conflict Analysis

ADH712

Food and Water Security

AHA724

Disaster Risk Reduction and Community Led Recovery

Stream 5: Professional Practice*

APE700

Internship A

AHA722

Program Design

ADS723

Monitoring and Evaluation

ADS715

Cross Cultural Communication and Practice *

ADH712

Food and Water Security

* Trimester 3 unit. If selected this stream will require Trimester 3 study

Course Electives

ADS734

Geopolitics and Political Economy of Development

ADS733

Theories and Critiques of Development

ADH717

Climate Change and Sustainability

AHA722

Program Design

ADS723

Monitoring and Evaluation

ADH714

Gender, Race and Culture

ADH712

Food and Water Security

ADS704

Community From Participation to Activism

AHA724

Disaster Risk Reduction and Community Led Recovery

AHA716

Refugees and Forced Migration

AHA721

Humanitarian Knowledge and Principles

ADS720

Arts and Sports-based Approaches to Community Development

ADS715

Cross Cultural Communication and Practice

ADS705

Participatory and Community Development Practice

AIP783

Rethinking Democracy: Past, Present and Future

AIP773

Governance and Accountability in Turbulent Times

AIR717

International Conflict Analysis

AIR726

Human Rights in World Politics

Work experience

Elective units may provide the opportunity for Work Integrated Learning experiences.

Other course information

Course duration

Course duration may be affected by delays in completing course requirements, such as accessing or completing work placements.

Further information

Student Central can help you with course planning, choosing the right units and explaining course rules and requirements.

Contact Student Central

Other learning experiences

There are options for WIL and study tours across many of the SHSS courses.

Research and research-related study

Independent research components are embedded across a number of units.