Course Breakdown
MGD 100: Models of Intervention in Global Development
(Taught in Rome)
MGD 130: Impact of International Organizations in Global
Development (Taught in Rome)
MGD 120: Information Resources for Global Development and Social
Justice Practices
MGD 110: Catholic Social Thought and Practices of Integral Human
Development and Solidarity
MGD 140: Economics of Development
MGD 150: Sustainable Food Systems, Water and the Environment
MGD 172: Project Management & NGOs
MGD 160: Migration and Refugees in Development: Humanitarianism,
Gender and Inequities
MGD 180: Media Strategy and the Politics of Peace Building
MGD 190: Health Care Issues in Global Development
MGD 200: Integrating Seminar & Capstone Project (Taught
in Rome)
Course Descriptions
MGD 100: Models of Intervention in Global
Development
Dr. Luca Rosi
What is global development? How can we effectively plan, monitor
and evaluate an intervention in the development field? How can we
build on the principle of subsidiarity in a continuously
globalizing world? MGD 100 introduces students to the key concepts
of Global Development in the context of social justice, combining
concerns for international development with awareness of the human
person, the common good, solidarity and subsidiarity. Contemporary
development issues such as migration, environment, health, and
conflict will be examined through common models and tools of
intervention. Case studies referring to non-governmental
organizations, inter-governmental organizations and national
governments will also be emphasized.
MGD 130: Impact of International Organizations in Global
Development
Dr. Irene Caratelli
This course examines the role of international organizations
(IGOs) and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) in global
development. Organizations such as the United Nations (UN) that are
universal in scope or regional such as the European Union (EU) are
institutions that are created by sovereign governments and
established by, and given legal recognition by treaty. On the other
hand, NGOs are organizations whose members are individuals who do
not represent any government. Some organizations are specialized
such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF)
that deal with economic development or the World Health
Organization (WHO) that deals with heath issues in developing
countries. Organizations play an important role in the development
of the economy, environment, health care issues, education and
other social issues that plague developing countries in the global
economy. At the conclusion of this course students will be able to
1) analyze the role of international and nongovernmental
organization to development; 2) examine organizations and their
policies toward developing countries; and 3) compare and contrast
IGOs, NGOs, and other organizations in the context of globalization
and development.
MGD 120: Information Resources for Global Development
and Social Justice Practices
Dr. Kevin Rioux
This course is an introduction to the scope, organization,
evaluation, and use of print and electronic information sources.
Emphasis will be placed on the use of these resources by
development professionals. Particular emphasis will also be placed
on developing skills in using and creating digital information
resources, and of the sharing these resources using electronic
courseware social networking technologies, scholarly networking
technologies, and information management techniques. The
information needs of constituent communities, including models of
information seeking behavior, barriers to information access, and
development of information literacy skills is also covered. All
topics in this course are discussed within the context of the kinds
of research and communication activities that are expected of
development workers, thus information literacy skills, social
science research methods, and professional and scholarly writing
are also key areas of emphasis.
MGD 110: Catholic Social Thought and Practices of
Integral Human Development and Solidarity
Dr. Christopher Vogt
What should be the goals of global development? What constitutes
sustainable prosperity for all? What models and practices of global
development lead to human flourishing? How can practices of
solidarity and peacebuilding be cultivated to promote development
and human wellbeing? Students will endeavor to answer these and
other important questions in a manner that draws deeply upon the
Catholic moral tradition in dialogue with other points of view.
MGD 140: Economics of Development
Dr. Charles Clark
An introduction to the field of economic growth and development
from the perspective of Catholic Social Thought. This course
covers: theories of economic growth; development and
underdevelopment; role of ethics in policy formation; causes and
consequences of poverty (national and international); international
wealth and income inequality; and trade and globalization. Various
theories and perspectives are presented, all contrasted with the
approach to development found in the Catholic social thought
tradition, especially in the Encyclicals related to development
issues.
MGD 150: Sustainable Food Systems, Water and the
Environment
Dr. Barrett Brenton
This course will critically evaluate the synergistic
relationship between food systems (production
–consumption-disposal), water and the environment. It will evaluate
the political-economy of development policies to reduce global
hunger, and assess the impact of fluctuating climate, biodiversity,
and natural resources on agricultural production, food security,
public health and poverty reduction strategies. The promotion of
social justice through sustained development will be a primary
theme of the course utilizing the frameworks of food, water and
environmental justice. Participants will appraise the impact of the
close association between food security, nutrition and public
health on achieving sustained global development. Past and present
case studies that represent both “best practice” and “unsuccessful”
sustainable development projects will be investigated. Emphasis
will be placed on examining participatory, community-based, and
locally originated projects as a key to promoting long-term
integrated and sustainable development. A key component of the
course will be to provide a working knowledge and set of research
tools for investigating the barriers and challenges that the
synergistic relationship between food, water and the environment
pose to sustainable development. A review of methods for assessing
the impact of climate change, biodiversity, and natural resources
on agricultural production, food security and public health will
include a focus on GIS (Geographic Information Systems) mapping and
analysis. Participants will also formulate an applied sustainable
project for implementation in their own country. In addition, the
political, economic, and sociocultural dimensions of global
disparities and poverty and their impact on food and agricultural
policy will be assessed.
MGD 172: Project Management & NGOs
Dr. Larry Boone
This course covers the fundamentals of project management. It
provides the theory and core methodology students will need to
manage projects or participate effectively on project teams. The
course uses the project life cycle as its organizing framework and
topics cover the entire project management process, including
project definition, planning, executing, and closing. Participants
will study the characteristics of projects and project management,
learn how to define and describe a project as well as how to
organize, plan, implement, control, terminate, and post-evaluate a
project. Topics will include: basic project concepts and project
selection, definition, organization structure, team building,
communication and conflict management, planning methods and
techniques, resource allocation, risk management, monitoring and
control, and termination. Participants will complete a group
project which involves preparing a project proposal for a
“real-world” project of their choosing.
MGD 160: Migration and Refugees in Development:
Humanitarianism, Gender and Inequities
Dr. Fred Cocozzelli and Dr. Roberta Villalon
This course will addresses the political and social issue
associated with the movement of people as they relate to the
developing world. The course will familiarize students with the
normative and legal issues of migrations and refugee movements,
including the relevant international institutions and conventions.
Students will examine such issues as the role of diaspora
communities, remittances and development, forced migration and
trafficking, as well as refugee crises and humanitarian responses.
Theoretical frameworks will include issues of gender, inequality,
and social justice
MGD 180: Media Strategy and the Politics of Peace
Building
Dr. Basilio Monteiro and Dr. Fred Cocozzelli
The first part of this course will focus on how communication
and media are vehicles for human development, and communication as
agent of social change; it will present various models of
communication, and a particular emphasis will be on participatory
model of communication. The second section of the course will seek
apply the students' understanding of these models through a focus
on the study of interactive methods for negotiation and mediation
to resolve conflict. Students will be introduced to practical
models of conflict resolution, such as workshops and multi-track
mediation. The course will conclude by linking communications and
development with broad approaches to social peace and community
building.
MGD 190: Health Care Issues in Global
Development
Dr. Marisa Tsuchida
This course closely links health care with issues of culture,
global development and social justice. Participants will gain a
comprehensive understanding of global health problems and the state
of health within their own countries. At the same time, they will
get a comparative and global view of current applied solutions.
MGD 200: Integrating Seminar: The Art and Complexities
of Development: Toward a new Model of Sustainability
Dr. Riccardo Colasanti and Dr. Yasushi Kikuchi
This Integrating Seminar intends to focus on what students have
learned during their studies, integrating what has been learned in
each of the courses in the light of each student’s own experiences,
and the shared experiences of the entire class (in person and by
the networking that has taken place through Online Learning).
During the Integrating Seminar, students will have the opportunity
to present and discuss their capstone projects with each other, and
with the professor who will be the Seminar leader. The goal is to
arrive at an in-depth understanding of specific development issues
researched and to identify strategic/structural solutions and
alternative approaches.
Capstone Project
The goal of the required capstone project is to arrive an in-depth
understanding of development issues or priorities a student has
identified. That comprehensive understanding takes into account the
data available on a specific issue or priority and the results of
other studies that have been undertaken. Students are also expected
to identify strategic / structural solutions or approaches to
addressing the development issue or priority identified. Students
may also choose to research in-depth and analyze one (or more)
strategies that a nation, an international organization, or NGO has
developed to address a development issue and priority, to assess
that strategy, and to propose an alternate approach(es).