The MA programme in Gender and Development Studies was launched in the ODL mode in July 2010. After successful completion of the first year courses, a learner has an exit option and would earn a Postgraduate Diploma in Gender and Development Studies.
The programme is likely to be of interest to academics and researchers; trainers, facilitators, supervisors; staff of organizations working in the area of gender and development; government personnel; personnel working in banks/ financial institutions/ Corporate sectors.
Development policies and practices have a differential impact on women and men. This necessitates an understanding of the “gender gap” in access to resources, privileges, entitlements and choices. Consensus has evolved around the need to explore the “gender gap” in key development sectors and how this gap can be bridged. There is now greater emphasis on mainstreaming gender perspectives into the development process. This will contribute to building a gender-sensitive rubric of development, recasting development theory and action in the “direction of improved living standards, socially responsible management and use of resources, elimination of gender subordination and socioeconomic inequality as well as to promote the organizational restructuring required to bring about desirable change.”
Exploration of gender issues has become an important activity for most non-governmental organizations. Increasing emphasis is being laid in Governmental agencies on establishing gender-differential impacts and taking positive, affirmative action towards gender equality and equity. It is now widely acknowledged that gender considerations need to be reflected in all development plans, programmes and policies. There is growing concern over the isolation of women in so-called “soft” sectors in education, employment and development rather than mainstreaming gender concerns across all organizations, institutions and activities. While the concerns are clearly articulated, national goals and the UN Millennium Development Goals cannot be achieved without concrete effort towards gender equality.
Achieving gender equality and gender equity requires multi-pronged approaches and strategies. One of the key approaches and strategies revolves around design and development of suitable educational programmes that equip practitioners and policy makers with the requisite knowledge and skills to make a valuable contribution in this sphere. The Master’s programme would make an excellent foundation for analyzing, critically assessing existing development interventions and promoting gender-sensitive/gender-based research and action. The strong focus envisaged on positive affirmative action would be of considerable significance.
Programme Objectives
The programmes seek to enable learners to:
- analyze extent of gender-sensitivity of development interventions;
- conduct gender analysis;
- critically analyze gender differentials in selected development sectors;
- identify appropriate research designs and methodologies for a range of research problems;
- suggest positive affirmative action in development planning and practice to promote gender equity and equality
Programme Structure
The broad structure for the Master of Arts Degree uses a modular approach.
The Year I courses if successfully completed would earn the learner a Postgraduate Diploma in Gender and Development Studies if the learner chooses the exit option. If the learner continues with the Year II courses and successfully completes them, the learner would earn an MA degree in Gender and Development Studies. Specializations according to the learner’s interest could be chosen from a range of optionals using a choice-based credit system.
Year I: Compulsory Courses
Learners would be required to complete five compulsory courses over a year in the ODL mode or two semesters in the on-campus mode. They would complete 36 credits in the first year (ODL mode).
