The Masters Degree programme lasts 12 months, beginning in November of each year and accounting for a total of 1500 hours and 60 ECTS. The programme consists of a theoretic part lasting 9 months and comprising approximately 400 hours of classes, usually from November to July, and held in Rome. After the coursework in Rome, all students must undertake an internship or a dissertation over a period of 3 months. 

The course will consist of the following activities:

 1. Background courses. Students without a background in statistics, economics and maths will attend a series of free courses prior to the start of the Masters lectures. The background classes will be held each October.

 2. Lectures. The lecturing staff is selected from the University of Roma Tre, other Italian and foreign Universities, from FAO, IFAD, WFP, ILC and other international organizations, NGOs, research institutes and national organizations (please visit the section "Teaching Staff"). The material leans heavily on the use of case studies and other practical modules, including the use of computer software for data analysis. The lectures are organized in five Modules taught in sequential order and including:

Module of Development Economics

Module of Quantitative Techniques

Module of Human Development

Module of Food Security

Module of Rural Development

3. Workshops, seminars and conferences. Several conferences and seminars will take place during the course of the Masters on themes complementary to the lecture cycle, where leading experts from international organisations, universities and NGO’s will be involved (please visit the section "Events"). 

4. Internship and Dissertation.  Students can choose to go to the field or to undertake an internship at the headquarters of NGOs, International organizations and Governmental Institutions,  thus having the great opportunity of earning first hand experience by working side by side with professionals of the development field. Alternatively, students may choose to research and write a dissertation specifically related to the content of the master programme. 

Location

Lectures will be held within the Roma Tre University, Faculty of Economics, Via Silvio D’Amico 77 – 00145 Rome.

Admission

The Master is open to a maximum of forty Italian and foreign graduates holding at least a Bachelors degree of three years.

Examination structure

An examination is held at the end of each of the five modules. The exam format is either a written test, a coursework essay, an oral presentation or a set of practical exercises.

Language

An excellent English knowledge is required since all the Master activities are held in that language.

Course Schedule

Generally the lectures are held each Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 16.00 to 20.00 and each Saturday from 09.00 to 13.00. The Masters steering committee retains the right to modify the lecture timetable for organisational and academic purposes. Conferences and seminars will take place in days other than those set out for lectures.

Compulsory attendance

Attendance to the 400 hours of lectures is compulsory. A maximum of 20% of absences will be tolerated. If at the end of the course the absences are more than 20% of the total, the Masters degree will not be awarded.

Master Degree

Upon presentation and discussion of the dissertation and the internship reports, students who have successfully completed all the requirements are awarded the Master Degree in "Human Development and Food Security".