SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY
?
S.08-105
Senate Committee on University Priorities
?
Memorandum
Jon Driver
Chair, SCUP
Vice President, Academic
September 11, 2008
TO: Senate
?
FROM:
RE: Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences: ?
DATE: ?
Full Program Proposal for a Master of
Arts in International Studies
(SCUP 08-27) ?
n
d'^5
At its September 10, 2008 meeting SCUP revi'wed d approved the full program
proposal for a Master of Arts in International Studies om the Faculty of Arts and Social
Sciences.
Motion
That Senate approve and recommend to the Board of Governors, the Full Program
Proposal for a Master of Arts in International Studies in the Faculty of Arts and Social
Sciences.
encl.
C: J. Harriss and W. Parkhouse
S
SIMON FRASEH UNIVERSITY
114NUNG OF THE WORLD
S
SCUP 08-27
SCHOOL FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDIES
515 West Hastings Street, Room 2403
Vancouver BC Canada V6B 5K3
T 778.782.7148
I
F 778.782.7837
www.sfu.ca/internationalstudies
To: ?
SCUP members
From: ?
John Harriss
Date: ?
August 20, 2008
Subject: ?
MA in International Studies program
The proposed MA in International Studies is a foundation teaching program for the new School
for International Studies. As a new program in a new School it does not involve the reduction or
the replacement of any existing program(s). The human resources required to mount the program
are those specified in the proposal. The program has been designed to be taught by the initial
faculty of the School for International Studies. It has been taught, under Special Arrangements,
in 2007-08, with a cohort of 23 students; and when finally established it is expected to be run
with an intake of 30 students each year. The library resourcing for the program has already been
made and there are no other resource requirements.
Dictated by John Harriss
and signed in his absence,
421114
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Page 1 of 1
MEMO
TO
Senate Committee on University Priorities
I
TEL
FROM Georqe A
q
nes, Senate Graduate Studies Committee
LRE
New graduate program proposal (GS2008.29)
Master Of Arts in International Studies
DATE
Jul
y
22. 2008
TIME 2:58 PM
At its 9
t h
th
June 2008 meeting Senate Graduate Studies Committee
unanimously approved the enclosed new program proposal - Master of Arts in
International Studies in the Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences, subject to minor
changes. These changes have now been made.
I am forwarding this program proposal to SCUP, with the recommendation
that the program be approved to begin in September 2008. The full proposal
includes the new course proposal forms.
Dean of
Graduate Studies
STREET ADDRESS
4aggie Benston Student
Services Centre 1100
Burnaby BC VA iAo
Canada
MAILING ADDRESS
8888 University Drive
Burnaby BC VA iA6
Canada
.
S.
S
SIMON FRASEfl UNIvERSIT
y ?
THINKING OF THE WORLD
(iS2UUOaL
.
MEMO
Dean of
Graduate Studies
STR
E
ET ADDRESS
aggie BenstOn Student
Services Centre 1100
Burnaby BC V52
1
, 1A6
Canada
MAILING ADDRESS
8898 University Drive
Burnaby BC V5A 1A6
Canada
S
-V
.
7,
SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY ?
THINKING OF THE WORLD
TO
Senate Graduate Studies Committee
FROM
George Agnes, ACNGP
I
RE
Master of Arts Program in Internationa
l
Studies
DATE
May 26, 2008
ITIME 11:19 AM
At the ACNGP meeting of 13
"
May 2008 the committee unanimously
recommended that the new program proposal for a Master of Arts in
International Studies be forwarded to SGSC, with the recommendatio
n
that it
be approved.
The committee noted that this program was reviewed favorably by the external
reviewers, and there is potential for this program to be highly successful.
John Harriss was offered the opportunity to decline an invitation to attend the
next SGSC meeting. He however responded saying he would like to be
invited.
S
PROPOSAL FOR MASTER OF ARTS PROGRAM
?
IN INTERNATIONAL STUDIES
21 February ?
2007 "Notice of Intent" and supplementary information
approved "in principle" by Senate Committee on
University Priorities
29 March ?
2007 Received program proposal from School for
International Studies
05 November ?
2007 Reviewed by Assessment Committee for New
Graduate Programs
Sent proposal to external reviewers by Dean of
Graduate Studies
2008
Received three external reviewers' reports by Dean
of Graduate Studies
2008
Sent external reviewers' reports to School for
International Studies
7 April ?
2008
Received departmental response to external
reviewers' reports from School for International
Studies
13 May ?
2008 Approved by Assessment Committee for New
Graduate Programs
26 May
?
2008 Submitted to Senate Graduate Studies Committee
OFFICE OF THE DEAN OF GRADUATE STUDIES ?
05/16/08
S!MOt' ERASER IJNIVERS1TY
?
THINKING Or
THE WORLD
I
O ?
SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY
School for International Studies
FACULTY OF ARTS AND SOCIAL SCIENCES
MEMORANDUM
To:
?
Mary Ann Gilles, Chair
?
From:
John Harriss, Director
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences ?
School for International
Graduate Studies Committee ? Studies
Subject:
New program proposal ?
Date:
March 16, 2007
At its meeting of October 5, 2006, the School for International Studies approved the
attached new program proposal.
Would you please place this proposal on the agenda of the next meeting of the Faculty of
Arts and Social Sciences Graduate Studies Committee.
John Harriss, Director
School for International Studies
.
.
Co. ?
i
TABLE OF CONTENTS
•
MEMORANDUM.................................................................................................................
2
Proposal for the Establishment of the Master of Arts Degree in International Studies..................
4
LearningMethodologies .............................................................................................................
8
Faculty........................................................
................................................................................. 8
Admissions..................................................................................................................................
9
MEMORANDUM...............................................................................................................
11
New Graduate Course Proposal Form ..........................................................................................
13 **
IS
800-4 Problems in International Development Policy and Practice.....................................
13
IS 801-4 Institutions, Policies and Development......................................................................
19
IS ?
802-4 Directed Readings A..................................................................................................
30
IS 803-4 Economics of International Organizations and Development ...................................
33
IS 804-4 Historical Perspectives on Diplomacy & International Security...............................
41
IS
806-4 State Failure and Reconstruction: Comparative Perspectives....................................
46
IS 807-4 Complex Emergencies and Humanitarian Intervention.............................................
51
IS
808-4 Directed Readings
B
..................................................................................................
57
IS 809-4 Selected Topics - Economic and Social Development of Selected Regions.............
60
IS
888-6 M.A.
?
Project...............................................................................................................
66
IS
889-3 M.A. Project Completion...........................................................................................
69
Overlap concern approvals from departments ..............................................................................
71 **
Library report for International Studies courses...........................................................................
93
MEMO RANDUMforLibrary Costs ...................................................................................
94
CalendarEntry
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..............................................................................................................................
95
** This information has been culled. For reiiew of full information,
please contact Bobbie Grant, Senate Assistant, at 778.782.3168 or
email bgrant@sfu.ca
S
I.
•
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Simon Fraser University
School for International Studies
Proposal for the Establishment of the Master of Arts Degree in International Studies
?
Executive Summary
The Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences is proposing an M.A. program in International Studies
with specializations in International Development and Complex Emergencies. The programme
will provide those students specializing in the stream on International Development with the
tools to understand and analyse policy implementation and outcomes in various institutional,
political and geographical contexts pertaining particularly to developing countries. For those
specializing in the stream on Complex Emergencies the aim is to equip students to understand
and analyse the causes and processes of state failure, and to evaluate the strengths and
weaknesses of different policy approaches to the problems to which they give rise, domestically
and internationally. These include questions surrounding humanitarian intervention and the
principle of the Right To Protect. Both streams are concerned with problems of human security
The program will appeal to students interested in working professionally in international
development, or on problems of conflict, conflict resolution and state building,.with
bilateral/multilateral agencies or NGOs, with research organizations or private consultancy
companies. It will equip them with the analytical skills and the contextual knowledge expected in
S ?
such agencies. Study at the graduate level that is required for such a formation calls for students
with a strong foundation at the undergraduate level.
The approach of the program is multidisciplinary, with a focus on institutional analysis. This
implies a significant engagement with the politics of development (now recognized in
development agencies as being of central importance), elements of economic analysis, and a
clear understanding of social development. The expanding role of international and regional
organizations in dealing with the prevention, mediation, and consequences of conflicts among
and within sovereign states warrants a multidisciplinary institutional focus as part of a program
devoted to the difficulties of state fragility, state failure, and the international response to
complex emergencies.
.
c. ?
I
Curriculum
1.
Program
?
Outcomes:
•
Canada has a long history of involvement in global affairs through various international treaties,
its internationally recognized development policies and its general openness to the world.
Canadian society has been and continues to be built on immigration and its highly multi-cultural
nature ensures that privileged links with many nations in the world ar maintained and
developed. As a prosperous country with this unique experience Canada should play a growing
international role in the 2l century. The Simon Fraser University School for International
Studies wants to address the significant demand both within Canada, and internationally, from
students for advanced education and training in international development, and in analyzing the
causes and conditions of state failure and of 'complex emergencies', and of the possible courses
of public action to deal with them.
The MA in International Studies intends to provide participants with the necessary knowledge to
perform successfully in an increasingly globalised and diversified world. The aim of the
programme is to provide those students specialising in the stream on International Development
with the necessary tools to understand and analyse policy implementation and outcomes in
various institutional, political and geographical contexts pertaining particularly to developing
countries. For those specializing in the stream on Complex Emergencies the aim is to equip
students to understand and analyse the causes and processes of state failure, and to evaluate the
strengths and weaknesses of different policy approaches to the problems to which they give rise,
domestically and internationally, These include questions surrounding humanitarian intervention
and the principle of the Right To Protect. The program will draw on detailed comparative
analyses of different cases of state failure and of complex emergencies in a range of contexts.
Students interested in working professionally in international development, or on problems of
conflict, conflict resolution and state building, with bilateral/multilateral agencies or NGOs, with
research organizations or private consultancy companies, will find the program appealing as it
will equip them with the analytical skills and the contextual knowledge expected in such
agencies. The approach of the program is multidisciplinary, with a focus on institutional analysis,
implying also a significant engagement with the politics of development (now recognized in
development agencies as being of central importance). Study at the graduate level that is required
for such a formation calls for students with a strong foundation at the undergraduate level.
2.
Courses and Curriculum Requirements:
The program will require the completion of six seminar courses each accounting for a minimum
of four credit hours, and a project course accounting for 6 credit hours. Courses will be
dependent upon which Stream a student is completing:
Stream A: International Development
Stream B: Complex Emergencies
The courses that will constitute the program are:
?
is
q
I
(1) IS 800-4
Problems in International Development Policy and Practice,
in which students will
I
swork in small teams with different faculty members on specific current problems (for example,
as debt relief or the problem of HI V/Aids), examining policy approaches and practical issues of
implementation;
(2) IS 801-4
Institutions, Policies and Development,
examining institutional theories in relation
to economic and social development and development management, and development policies;
Stream A: International Development:
(3A) IS 802-4
Directed Readings A,
on the historical political economy of development or POL
844-5 International Political Economy.
(4A) IS 803-4
Economics of International Organizations and Development,
focussing on the role
and functioning of the international financial institutions, in particular;
(5A) IS 809-4
Selected Topics: Economic and Social Development
of Selected Regions,
examining the social and cultural context and the patterns of development in one or other of the
major regions of the developing world historically (the regions covered may include South Asia,
Southeast Asia, Latin America and Sub-Saharan Africa);
(6A) POL 830-5
Comparative Government and Politics,
with a strong focus on approaches and
. ?
methods of analysis, reflecting the recognition in leading development agencies of the centrality
of politics in economic and social development (no matter how intractable these problems may
be).
Stream B: Com
p
lex Emergencies
(3B) IS 806-4
State Failure and Reconstruction: Comparative Perspectives,
examining the
causes and consequences of state failure through comparative political analysis;
(4B) IS
807-4
Complex Emergencies and Humanitarian Intervention,
examining policy and
practice in regard to state failure, conflict, conflict resolution and problems such as the internal
displacement of people associated with them, by means of comparative analysis of a range of
different experiences;
(5B) IS
808-4
Directed Readings B,
focusing on international organization and on the principles
and practice of international law bearing specifically on conflict and on humanitarian concerns or
POL 842-5 International Law and Organizations.
(6B) Either:
POL
830-5 Comparative Government and Politics
(see 6A above), or
. IS 804-4
Historical Perspectives on Diplomacy and International Security,
in which
problems of state failure will be examined historically and in the context of wider issues of
international security.
10
?
/
(7)
MA Project
required for either stream, involving either two extended essays (each of not
more than 8000 words) based on core readings, or (with the approval of the program directOr) a
project.
Students may substitute courses selected from other graduate programs for up to two of the
courses, determined by the students' stream. Stream A: International Development substitutions
can be used for: IS 809-4 or POL 830-5. Stream B: Complex Emergencies substitutions can be
used for: IS 808-4 or POL 842-5, and POL 830-5 or IS 804-4. Substitution courses selected will
have to be approved by the program director who will look for coherence and consistency with
the overall objectives of the selected stream of the degree program. Examples of suitable courses
are those dealing with policy analysis taught within the Master of Public Policy Program, or
some of those concerned with Latin American development taught within the Latin American
Studies program.
All except for POL 830-5 are new courses, to be implemented in order to deliver the degree
program. For Stream A courses IS 801-4 and POL 830-5 are focussed on theory and
methodology and are expected to equip students with analytical tools; courses IS 800-4, IS 802-
4, Is 803-4 and IS
809-5
address questions dealing with the policy and practice of development
at different levels and in different contexts (international and national levels, and in relation to
national and multilateral agencies); course IS 800-4 will have an integrative function. For
Stream B Course IS 800-4 expects students to engage with core questions of policy and of its
implementation in the wider Context of international development in which state failure and
emergencies are most appropriately regarded; Courses 801-4 and POL 830-5 or IS 804-4 are
focussed on theory, history and methodology and are expected to equip students with analytical
tools; courses IS 806-4 and IS 807-4 deal substantively with the core problems treated in the
program as a whole, and they do this comparatively; and course IS 808-4 examines the context
of international public action. Course IS 800-4 will have the same integrative function as with
Stream A.
3.
Course Descriptions:
The following course descriptions are found in Appendix Two -
IS 800-4: Problems in International Development Policy and Practice
1S80 1-4: Institutions, Policies and Development
1S802-4: Directed Readings A
IS 803-4: Economics of International Organizations and Development
1S804-4: Historical Perspectives on Diplomacy and International Security
IS 806-4: State Failure and Reconstruction: Comparative Perspectives
1S807-4: Complex Emergencies and Humanitarian Intervention
1S808-4: Directed Readings B
IS 809-4: Selected Topics-Economic and Social Development of Selected Regions
1S888-6: M.A. Project
1S889-3: M.A. Project Completion
P0L830-5: Comparative Government and Politics is an existing course
.
/1 . ?
11
0
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4. Program/Course Structure and Class Sizes;
The Program Structure is that described at section 2. The course IS800-4; Problems in
International Development Policy and Practice will be taught with students organised in small
groups or teams of about
5
persons, each working with a member of the teaching faculty; the
courses IS 801 through to IS 808 will each be taught through seminars with 20-25 students; IS
809-4 will be taught through seminars or tutorial groups of about 8 students (depending on
students' choices about the particular region they wish to study); each student will be allocated to
a faculty supervisor for individual work on the MA Project (IS 888-6 or IS 889-3).
5.
Research:
While this is not a research degree it is intended that the courses it includes will also be
appropriate components of the research training to be offered for those wishing to undertake
doctoral research in the School for International Studies.
Learning Methodologies
1.
Learning Environment and Methodologies.
This is an academic program in which the accent will be on students' individual study of the
. ?
relevant literature, and their analysis in some cases of data from primary sources - all with the
guidance of their teachers - and their writing of essays, reviews and project papers. This
individual study will be supported and facilitated through seminar discussion of individual
student presentations, and through detailed feedback from teachers on written assignments There
is to be a departure from this robust though conventional methodology in the course IS 800-4
when students will work together in small teams (whilst also writing individual reports). The
purpose of this element in the program is to give students experience of working with others, in
small teams, in a way that is expected in many contexts of professional work in international
development. Students will be supervised individually by faculty members in their preparation of
the MA Project.
2. Experiential Learning:
While co-operative learning or the completion of a practicum are not required elements in this
program, it will be open to suitably qualified students, such as those from the McRae Institute at
Capilano College, who have undertaken such learning experiences, and these students will be
encouraged to base their MA Projects on analysis and reflection drawing on their experience.
This will also be the case for students who are already working, or who have work experience in
international development.
Faculty
The program will be taught by the following eleven members of the faculty of the School for
International Studies:
/'
?
/
Dr Lenard Cohen BA, MA (Illinois), PhD (Columbia) [Director, Stream B]
Political scientist specializing in state building and state failure with experience in foreign policy
analysis, and a specialist knowledge of the Balkans.
Dr Stephen Easton BA (Oberlin), MA & PhD (Chicago)
Economist and Economic Historian
Dr Andre Geromolytos BA (Concordia), MA, PhD (McGill)
Historian with particular interests in diplomacy, the organization and uses of intelligence, and
international security, in Greece and West Asia
Dr John Harriss MA (Cantab), PhD (East Anglia) [Director, Stream A]
Social anthropologist with interests in institutional theories and the politics of development, with
particular reference to South Asia
Dr Michael Howard
BA,
MA, PhD (Waust)
Social/cultural anthropologist who will provide specialist teaching on development in Southeast
Asia.
Dr Nicole Jackson BA (Toronto), MSc, PhD (LSE)
Political scientist with interests in international relations, with particular reference to Russia and
Dr
Central
Tamir
Asia
Moustafa
?
BA (UC San Diego), MA, PhD (U of Washington)
0
Holder of the Jarislowsky Chair in Religion and Cultural Change. Specialist in the politics and
society of the Middle East
Dr Alvaro Pereira BA (Coimbra), Msc (Exeter), PhD (SFU)
Economist and economic historian with particular interests in growth and economic development
Dr Paul Warwick BA (McMaster), MA and PhD (Chicago)
Specialist in comparative politics.
The eleventh faculty member will be a new appointment, to the Simons Chair in International
Law and Human Security, to be recruited in 2007-08. The person appointed will be an
international lawyer or a political scientist working on human rights law and/or on international
organization..
A further two junior faculty members will be recruited in 2008-09.
The persons appointed will include an economist or political economist with interests in
international development, and a political scientist or social/cultural anthropologist with the same
interests..
Admissions
To be considered for admission, applicants must have a bachelor's degree with a cumulative
grade point average of at least 3.0 from a recognized university, normally in an arts or social
/3
?
1
• sciences discipline. Those admitted with other credentials, or those with arts degrees who, in the
judgment of the pro
g
ram director are without adequate foundation in the social sciences, may be
required to make up any deficiency without receivin g graduate credit for those courses.
Students are normally admitted in September.
Application Requirements
The following application information is required.
• A Simon Fraser University graduate application form completed by hand or on line
• The applicant's official undergraduate transcript(s) showing all grades (mailed
directly from the granting institution)
• Three confidential letters of reference (mailed directly from referees), at least two
of which are from university faculty members. This requirement may be waived for
mid-career applicants with professional experience
• A one page letter of intent that explains why the applicant wishes to pursue the MA
in International Studies, and which stream they wish to pursue
• A student whose first language is not English and whose undergraduate degrees
were from institutions where English is not the language of instruction is required to
submit English language test scores:
IELTS (International English Language Testing System) with a minimum score of 7
on the Academic Modules; or
.
?
TOEFL MT (Test of English as a Foreign Language internet based test) with an
overall score of 88 or better with a minimum score of 20 in each of the four
components (listening, speaking, writing, reading); or
TOEFL PBT (Test of English as a Foreign language paper based test) with a
minimum score of
570
including a minimum essay score of 5; or
TOEFL CBT (Test of English as a Foreign language computer based test) with a
minimum score of 230 including a minimum essay score of
5.
Residency Requirements
Students must successfully complete a minimum of 20 credit hours of graduate course work and
submit at least two extended essays, or a project.
One half of the minimum course work of the MA in International Studies must be taken at Simon
Fraser University. A graduate student may apply to take one or more courses at another
university for credit towards the MA in International Studies under the following conditions:
• Such applications shall be made at least one month before the course/courses start and
shall be approved by the student's supervisory committee and graduate program
committee and be sent to the Dean of Graduate Studies for final approval.
• While taking a course/courses at another university under these provisions, the student
shall maintain normal registration at Simon Fraser University, not registration on leave.
L
N
SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY ?
School for International Studies?
FACULTY OF ARTS
AND
SOCIAL SCIENCES
MEMORANDUM
To:
?
Mary Ann Gilles, Chair
? From: John Harriss, Director
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
?
School
for
International
Graduate Studies Committee ?
Studies
Subject: New course proposal ?
Date: March 16, 2007
At its meeting of October
5,
2006, the School for International Studies, approved the attached
new course proposals:
New course proposal:
IS 800-4 Problems in International Development Policy and Practice
IS 801-4 Institutions, Policies and Development
IS 802-4 Directed Readings A
IS 803-4 Economics of International Organizations and Development
IS 804-4 Historical Perspectives on Diplomacy and International Security
IS 806-4 State Failure and Reconstruction: Comparative Perspectives
IS 807-4 Complex Emergencies and Humanitarian intervention
IS 808-4 Directed Readings B
IS 809-4 Selected Topics - Economic and Social Development of Selected Regions
IS 888-6 M.A. Project
IS 889-3 M.A. Project Completion
Would you please place this proposal on the agenda of the next meeting of the Faculty of
Arts and Social Sciences Graduate Studies Committee.
John Harriss, Director
School for International Studies
.
1]
/^.
Library report for International Studies courses
06
?
From "Me
g
an L Crouch" <mcrouch@sfu ca>
?
ADD to AD DR
EM
S
To: ?
Jan Berube <jberubea@sfu.ca
>, Ellen Yap <syap@sfu.ca
>
Cc: ?
Gwen Bird <gbird@sfu.ca
>
Date: ?
Fri, 02 Mar 2007 14:59:43 -0800
Subject: Library Report for an International Studies 1\'IA at Harbour Centre
Dear Ellen and Jan,
I have completed the Library report for the International Studies MA at Harbour Centre.
The report includes the following courses:
IS 800-4 Problems in International Development Policy and Practice
IS 801-4 Institutions, Policies and Development
IS 802-4 Directed Readings A
IS 803-4 Economics of International Organizations and Development
IS 804-4 Historical Perspectives on Diplomacy & International Security
IS 8064 State Failure and Reconstruction: Comparative Perspectives
IS 807-4 Complex Emergencies and Humanitarian Intervention
IS 808-4 Directed Readings B
IS 809-4 Selected Topics - Economic and Social Development of Selected Regions
IS 888-6 M.A. Project
IS 889-3 M.A. Project Continued [note: revised title is "Project Completion"]
The report is located here:
http://www .lib.sfu.calabouticollections/courseassessments/intl
studiesMA revised.htm
and is also linked to from the main course assessment page:
://www.lib.sfu.caJaboutJcol
lections/courseassessrnents/Index .htm
There are costs associated with this program:
One-time costs: $6,961
Ongoing: $3,750
Please confirm that the program is willing to cover these costs. The library will initiate
the budget transfer paperwork once the program is approved. The ongoing funds will be
a base budget transfer.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Regards,
Megan
Megan L. Crouch
Collections Librarian
Health Sciences Librarian
Liaison Librarian for Statistics and Actuarial Science
Simon Fraser University
I
W.A.C. Bennett Library
. ?
8888 University Drive, Burnaby,
B.C.
V5A 1S6
mcrouch@sfu.ca
/
Tel: 604.291.4962 /Fax: 604.268.6926
16 ?
0
SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY ?
School for International Studies ?
FACULTY OF ARTS AND SOCIAL SCIENCES
MEMORANDUM
To:
?
Megan Crouch ?
'From:
John Harnss, Director
Collections Librarian
?
School for International
Studies
Subject:
Library costs
?
Date:
March 2, 2007
We have received a library report for the below mentioned courses, with a one time cost
of $6961 and an ongoing cost of $3750, which the School for International Studies agrees
to pay.
New course proposal:
IS 800-4 Problems in International Development Policy and Practice
IS 801-4 Institutions, Policies and Development
IS 802-4 Directed Readings A
IS 803-4 Economics of Organizations and International Development
IS 804-4 Historical Perspectives on Diplomacy and International Security
IS 806-4 State Failure and Reconstruction: Comparative Perspectives
IS 807-4 Complex Emergencies and Humanitarian Intervention
IS 808-4 Directed Readings B
IS 809-4 Selected Topics - Economic and Social Development of Selected Regions
IS 888-6 M.A. Project
IS 889-3 M.A. Project Completion
John Harriss, Director
School for International Studies
/ ?
1'
.
U
Master of Arts in International Studies Curriculum
•
Calendar Entry
School for International Studies
2400 Simon Fraser University Vancouver, 604.268.7148 Tel, 604.268.7837 Fax,
www.sfu.caJjntei-natjonalstudjes
Director
J. Harriss BA, MA (Cantab), PhD (East Anglia)
Graduate
Program
Chair
J. Harriss BA, MA (Cantab), PhD (East Anglia)
Faculty and Areas of Research
See "School for international Studies" on page
164 for
a complete list offaculty.
L.
Cohen - Political Scientist specializing in state building and state failure, experience in
foreign policy analysis, specialist knowledge of the Balkans
S. Easton - Economist and Economic Historian
A. Gerolymatos - Historian with particular interests in diplomacy, the organization and
uses of intelligence, and international security, in Greece and West Asia
D. Gross - Economist specialising in international finance and labour issues
• ?
J. Harriss - Specialist in institutional theories and the politics of development, with
particular reference to South Asia
M.
Howard - Social/cultural anthropologist, specialist on development in Southeast Asia
P. Warwick - Specialist in comparative politics
Master's Program
This full-time twelve month program, leading to a Master of Arts in International Studies
consists of seven courses, to be completed over three consecutive semesters. Courses
will be dependent upon which Stream a student is completing:
• Stream A: International Development
• Stream B: Complex Emergencies
Admission Requirements
To be considered for admission, applicants must have a bachelor's degree with a
cumulative grade point average
of
at least 3.0 from a recognized university, normally in
an arts or social sciences discipline. Those admitted with other credentials or those with
arts degrees who, in the judgment of the Program Director are without adequate
foundation in the social sciences, may be required to make up any deficiency without
receiving graduate credit for those courses. Students are normally admitted in
September.
Application Requirements
The following application documentation is required:
• A Simon Fraser University graduate application form.
• Official transcript(s) from all institutions attended, showing all grades (mailed
directly from the granting institution).
• Three official confidential letters of reference (mailed directly from referees), at
least two of which are from university faculty members. This requirement may be
waived for mid-career applicants with significant professional experience, in
which case employment referees may be used. Please consult us if this will be
your course of action.
• A one page letter of intent that explains why you wish to pursue the MA in
International Studies, and which stream you wish to pursue.
• A student whose first language is not English and whose undergraduate degrees
were from institutions where English is not the language of instruction are
required to submit English language test scores:
IELTS (International English Language Testing System) with a minimum score of
7 on the Academic Modules; or
TOEFL IBT (Test of English as a Foreign Language internet based test) with an
overall score of
88
or better with a minimum score of 20 in each of the four
components (listening, speaking, writing, reading); or
TOEFL PBT (Test of English as a Foreign language paper based test) with a
minimum score of
570
including a minimum essay score of
5;
or
TOEFL CBT (Test of English as a Foreign language computer based test) with a
minimum score of 230 including a minimum essay score of
5.
MA
Program
candidates
Requirements
complete a
?
minimum of 30 units, including at least 24 units of course
0
work (6 graduate seminars) and a project (6 units). Courses will be dependent upon
which Stream a student is completing.
Stream A: International Development
IS 800-4 Problems in International Development Policy and Practice
IS 801-4 Institutions, Policies and Development
IS 802-4 Directed Readings A or POL
844-5
International Political Economy
IS 803-4 Economics of International Organizations and Development
IS 809-4 Selected Topics: Economic and Social Development of Selected Regions*
POL 83
0-5
Comparative Government and Politics*
IS 888-6 MA Project
Stream B: Complex Emergencies
IS 800-4 Problems in International Development Policy and Practice
IS 801-4 Institutions, Policies and Development
IS 806-4 State Failure and Reconstruction: Comparative Perspectives
IS 807-4 Complex Emergencies and Humanitarian Intervention
IS 808-4 Directed Readings
B*
or POL 842-5 International Law and Organizations*
POL 830-5 Comparative Government and
Politics*
or IS 804-4 Historical Perspectives
on Diplomacy and International Security*
IS 888-6 MA Project
f 4?
• ?
1S888-6MAProject
*Students may substitute courses selected from other graduate programs for up to two of
the courses, determined by the student's stream. Substitution courses selected will have to
be approved by the program director who will look for coherence and consistency with
the overall objectives of the selected stream of the degree program.
MA
Project
A major project is required for either stream, involving either two extended essays (each
of not more than 8000 words) based on core readings, or (with the approval of the
program director) a project.
It is expected that the project will have some international dimension. The project may
take different forms. It might, for example, involve the preparation of a CD with sound
and video, or the preparation of a web-site. In the event that a student chooses to adopt
this route s/he will also be expected to write a short text (1500-2000 words, or 6 or 7
pages of normal type) explaining briefly what the question or topic is that s/he is
addressing and the methods that have been employed. If the project is aimed rather at the
production of a text alone then we expect a paper of between 12 000 and (certainly not
more than) 15 000 words (= 40 to 50 pages of normal typing). The text should explain
what the question or theme is that is being addressed, why it is significant and interesting,
and then proceed to explore it or answer it through some structured, logical procedure
('methodology').
I
a?O
To: ?
John Harriss, Director
?
From ?
School for International Studies
George Agnes
Associate Dean of Graduate Studies
Regarding:
Program Proposal for Masters in Arts, International Studies
Dear Dr. Harriss,
Two reviews of the program proposal for MA International Studies have been received. I have
edited these reviews to preserve the anonymity of the reviewers. I ask that your unit read the
reviewer's comments and provide a rebuttal that should be addressed to the Chairperson, Assessment
Committee for New Graduate Programs. Your letter should outline any modifications made to the
proposal in response to the reviews.
Sincerely
•
George Agnes
Associate Dean of Graduate Studies
8888 University Drive
Simon Fraser University
Burnaby, B.C., V5A 1S6
Canada
C
Reviewer A
I have spent some time perusing the documents relating to the proposed MA program
S
in International Studies with specializations in International Development and Complex
Emergencies. In general, I think this is a very well conceived and carefully structured program
that should find a large cohort of interested students, who should in turn find a significant
cohort of interested employers. The strengths and weaknesses of the proposal, as I see
them, are described below.
Academic quality
The courses that will constitute this degree program are rigorous, well designed, and
effectively organized. They will challenge all students, and will give the best students ample
opportunity to show their quality. They are, however, rather less broad than the preamble
suggests, and I felt that the chance to create a really special program, at the outset, has been
missed.
Specifically, while the preamble notes that the program will be multi-disciplinary (page
5), it struck me that all of the courses listed (with the possible exception of the course in
Complex Emergencies) could easily be accommodated within a traditional Political Science
department of the kind that exists in any large university. This is, in short, a fairly conventional
degree program, albeit with slightly more current course titles.
Two elements, if adopted, would set this program apart:
1)
That students be asked to acquire a basic knowledge of another language, and preferably
a language other than French. I realize that this is a rather tall order, but much can be
accomplished in six to eight weeks of intensive study. Furthermore, producing graduates who
are not unilingual anglophones would give this program a distinct advantage over other,
similar programs (such as the Norman Patterson School of International Affairs, which offers
specializations that share some commonalities with your proposed program). Not to put too
fine a point on it, but there is no shortage of highly trained people who can examine these
problems from an office in Ottawa; there is a pressing need, however, for people who have
even rudimentary language skills that are appropriate to the countries in which they will be
working.
2)
That the course content be expanded to include some consideration of social, cultural, and
religious issues. A course in comparative religions and/or comparative cultures would be
ideal, as would a course on the social and demographic challenges facing the developing
world. Ideally, these would be given within the context of other disciplines such as Sociology,
Anthropology, Religious Studies, Cultural Studies, or Geography (the course entitled
"Theories and Practices of Development" would seem to be a natural fit). The substitution of
courses is discussed (page 7), but this possibility might be pursued more vigorously to give
students a broader experience. The goal, it seems to me, should be to provide more course
content outside of the realms of Political Science and Economics, which provide a rather
narrow focus for the program as it is presently constituted.
Concerns in this regard come from experiences as a member of various federal
government committees involved in funding research and post-secondary education in the
areas of security studies, international development, and inter-state relations. It was clear to
us that Canadian universities were producing a good many excellent graduates with
experience in traditional International Relations Master's and Doctoral programs, and a
growing number of graduates with interests and training in development studies. The vast
majority of these people, however, had pursued their work from a western-centric, policy
formulation and implementation angle (what might be called a top-down approach). Few
-I
people had the skills, either linguistic or research, to study these problems from the other
•
angle, from the perspective of the recipients of policy; there was, in general, a dearth of
people who could examine these policies from the perspective of the people they are
intended to help. Broadening your program to provide this training and expertise would make
its graduates much more desirable.
In passing, I was curious about the statement that "this is not a research degree" (page
8). Perhaps the notion of a "research degree" has some specific connotation at SFU, but I
was unsure how this program could offer anything
but
a research degree.
Resources
I was impressed by the obvious energy, ability, and productivity of the faculty members
who will be involved in this program. Their CVs give me every confidence that they are fully
able to deliver such a program in such a way that the students get as much out of it as
possible.
In terms of space and library resources, I foresee no problems. This is not an
especially space-intensive proposal, and it could easily be accommodated by any institution
that has a reasonable level of space available. The cost of acquiring new library resources is
often problematic for new programs, but it is much less so in this case. I note from the library
report
(hft
://www.lib.sfu.ca/about/collections/courseassessments/inti
studiesMA. htm) that no new
periodicals will be required, and the list of monographs to be acquired, now and in
subsequent years, strikes me as entirely reasonable. It must be recognized also that research
resources in this field are increasingly available on the internet, at little or no cost. At the
•
same time, it should be noted that the library report deals primarily with resources that should
be acquired strictly for course purposes; there is no indication of further resources that will be
required as students move into research projects that will undoubtedly be varied in focus.
Demand
As I stated above, I am certain that the demand for graduates of such a program as
this is strong. Departments of the federal government, to cite just one example, are constantly
looking for committed and qualified people who can work in this area, and the potential for
advancement is significant. It strikes me as entirely likely that, as multinational corporations
become more interested in investing in the developing world, they will seek the advice of
"area experts," who might well be graduates of your program.
Prospects for employment
Again, there is no reason to imagine that the demand for people with skills in these
areas will do anything but grow. Governments will continue to require experts on state
development, but NGOs are increasingly turning to the universities for experts, as are media
outlets and private consulting agencies. There is, furthermore, enormous potential to bring in
guest speakers from these organizations for workshops and roundtables. These would prove
of great benefit to students as part of their education, but would also assist in building
linkages between the program and the places where students can reasonably expect to gain
employment. As a result, I would suggest that the program not stint on that portion of the
budget devoted to bringing in visitors.
In conclusion, I was impressed by this program and consider it an excellent basis for
the future. Some minor adjustments in terms of the breadth of course offerings would
enhance it substantially, but from an administrative perspective it may prove easier to move in
Reviewer B
0 ?
I have read through all the documentation sent.
The first thing I would say is that I am in no doubt there will be many
applicants and that you will find enough of quality to make the program viable.
Second, and equally important, there will be employment as well as opportunity
to pursue a PhD for the graduates.
The proposal is a little dismissive of other universities' offerings in this
area. Nonetheless it does not change my judgment that the SFU program is well
conceived and that there is a market for it.
I think the design of the program with its two streams is first class. Based
on the faculty CVs provided, I have no worries there either. It is really very
difficult for me, however, to comment on the adequacy of space and library on
the basis of my knowledge and the information provided.
I would suggest the phrase "politics of development" might give rise to
some confusion as it is susceptible to a number of different meanings. I take it
the intent is to focus on governance, not the politics which exist amongst
donors.
I also would have made more explicit mention of the concept of human
security and the doctrine of Responsibility to Protect - together with the practice
of both.
This is a good proposal, and I hope it is approved and thereafter
flourishes.
0
0A to
Review C
Simon Frasier University's proposed MA program addresses two key areas of intellectual and
policy concerns, international development and "complex emergencies." The latter is a rather
awkward term, as evidenced by the quotation marks around it in the proposal, which may lead
to uncertainty on the part of students about what this stream is all about or how this fits into
usual career patterns in the field (more on this point below).
The curriculum is separated into two streams, one for each of the thematic emphases,
international development and complex emergencies. Students begin with two seminars for
students
in both streams: IS 800-4
Problems in International Development Policy and Practice
and
IS
801-4
Institutions, Policies and Development.
The first, by title and description, seems more
suitable to the international development students than to the ones specializing in complex
emergencies. IS 801-4 seems to span the concerns of both streams better, but the
description seems, once again, more suited to the international development students. Again,
part of the problem may be the vagueness of what the complex emergencies stream actually
entails—or, at least, my understanding of it.
My own view is that it is very important to require a couple of classes that will bring the
students in the two streams together, which should give them a firm foundation for more
specialized seminars in their specific areas. These courses will be important in branding the
approach of the program generally, creating opportunities for professional networks to
develop across the streams, providing forums for the two cohorts to learn from each other,
fostering solidarity among the graduate students, and allowing students uncertain about their
direction to choose their stream once they have been in the classes. The course titles and
descriptions, not to speak of their substance, must speak to the interests of students in both
streams.
Students then turn to the seminars in their specific streams. Those in international
development look strong. I like the mix of theory/methodology with policy emphasis. The
proposal notes that IS 800-4 will have an integrative function, although as it stands it seems
to be totally policy-oriented. In particular, I wonder what sorts of methodological and
theoretical approaches will be employed? What is it that masters students should come away
with if they will most likely be practitioners and not researchers?
In the complex emergencies area, the first listed course is IS 806-4
State Failure and
Reconstruction: Comparative Perspectives,
is "state failure" the best term, or is a better way of
understanding the role of states is through a comparative analysis of the dynamics of states
and their interactions with their societies, rather than through the lens of "failure." Particularly,
the relationship of states to unexpected natural and human-produced disasters may be quite
complex, not captured adequately in a success-failure dichotomy. The word failure itself
might also cause access problems for students seeking to do field work in particular
countries. I had similar questions regarding POL 830-5 or IS 804-4 as I did about IS 800-4,
above.
The idea of organizing the students into small groups or teams of about 5 persons, each
working with a member of the teaching faculty, is excellent. These groups can function as
study groups beyond the specific courses and serve, as well, as excellent foundations for
creating future professional networks. I found the projected numbers of students in the
.
graduate seminars, 20-25, to be high and would prefer, if resources allowed, closer to 15 per
seminar. The number projected for IS 809-4, which promises to be a very valuable hands-on
course, is excellent.
It will be important not to gear the courses towards those students who will go onto the Ph.D.,
which is always a temptation. It might also pose problems if the M.A. is catering to two very
different constituencies, those interested in a Ph.D. and research and those interested in a
terminal M.A. and practical/policy careers. To my mind, the courses should be geared to the
terminal M.A. students, If students decide along the way that they want to pursue a Ph.D.,
they can attain the necessary research training at the next level.
In conclusion, I find this program to be very well conceived, with consistently high academic
quality. The resources devoted to the program are a bit hard to judge from the proposal, but
the key resource of faculty seems to be adequate for the program. The faculty is of high
caliber and should do an excellent job in training the students. Given Canadian involvement
in international development and disaster relief, I would expect there to be a fairly high
demand for the program, especially if it is branded and marketed properly. I would expect,
too, that graduates would be able to be placed, not only in Ottawa, but with the increasing
number of NGOs dealing with development and disaster relief.
.
0
af
From: George Agnes <gagnes@stu.ca
>
Sub
j
ect: identity of the 3 reviewers of the New Graduate Program Proposal in International Studies
Date:
June 16, 2008
12:42:13 PM
PDT (CA)
To: Vivian Blaker <blaker@ sfu.ca
>
Vivian,
Please circulate this message to the members of the Assessment Committee for New Graduate Programs;
The reviewers were;
• Mr Gordon Smith (formerly Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs), University of Victoria, this reviewer was suggested by John Harriss
• Joel S. Migdal, Henry M. Jackson School of International Studies, U. Washington
• Jonathan F. W. Vance, History, U. Western Ontario
.
0
SMEMORANDUM
To: Chairperson
Assessment Committee for New Graduate Programmes
Office of the Dean of Graduate Studies
From: Dr John Harriss
Director, School for International Studies
Date: 1 April 2008
Subject:
REFEREES' COMMENTS ON THE PROGRAMME PROPOSAL FOR
THE MA IN INTERNATIONAL STUDIES
I am writing in response to the request (by email on 26 March) from the Associate Dean
of Graduate Studies for the School's response to the two referees' reports on the
programme proposal for the MA in International Studies.
The Associate Dean actually asked for a 'rebuttal' of the referees' comments, and had I
received this request today I would have suspected an April Fool joke, because in fact the
referees' reports are very largely extremely positive and include little that calls for
'rebuttal'. I note that referee A says 'I think this is a very well conceived and carefully
S ?
structured programme that should find a large cohort of interested students, who should
in turn find a significant cohort of interested employers', and that s/he concludes 'I was
impressed with this programme and consider it an excellent basis for the future'. The
report of referee B is in every way more sparing but concludes 'This is a good proposal,
and I hope it is approved and thereafter flourishes'.
Still, referee A does argue that, in spite of 'more current course titles' the programme is
fairly conventional and might well be found ('with the possible exception of the course in
Complex Emergencies') in a 'traditional Political Science department'. This referee's
report proceeds to make two major suggestions, both of them helpful: (i) that the
programme should include basic language training in a language other than French; and
(ii) that the course content should be expanded to include more consideration of social,
cultural and religious issues. It is argued, on the basis of the reviewer's 'experiences as a
member of various federal government committees (etc)' that these measures will
enhance the distinctiveness and the employability of the graduates of our programme.
The points are well taken, even though we do not agree that all of the courses included in
the proposed programme are at all likely to be found in traditional Political Science
departments.
Our experience of teaching the MA in International Studies under Special Arrangements
in the current academic year has shown us that we have not drawn as much as we might
have done on the expertise that we have amongst our faculty members for teaching on
S
?
social, cultural and religious issues - although rather more than half of our first cohort of
23 students have taken regional courses that do include substantial teaching on these
KINI
LWLIA
matters. But, recognizing the second point that reviewer A has made, we are already in
the process of revising the content for the required course 1801 on Policies, Iristitutions
and Development, within the boundaries of the approved syllabus, so as to enhance its
anthropological content. And when our faculty strength is increased, as we expect it to be
with new appointments for the Fall of 2008 and 2009, we will consider the possibilities of
revising our programme content so as further to increase teaching from an
anthropological perspective.
The reviewer's point about language training is also well taken, though we are less
confident than s/he is about how much can be accomplished in six to eight weeks even of
intensive study - certainly of most non-European languages. On balance we think that
our programme, intended to be and so far successfully run as a one year cohort
programme, is already intensive, and that we should respectfully decline to take up this
particular suggestion at this time.
Reviewer B, has made presentational suggestions to which I have sought to respond in a
slightly revised version of the Programme Proposal which is attached to this
Memorandum. This revision also takes account of new members of faculty in the School,
who have joined us since the original proposal was prepared. The changes are marked in
'track change' for your convenience.
John Harriss
Director, School for International Studies
is
.
3!
.
MEMORANDUM
• ?
To: Dr George Agnes
Acting Dean of Graduate Students
From: John Harriss
Director, School for International Studies
Date: 7 April 2008
Subject:
THIRD REVIEW OF THE PROPOSED MA PROGRAMME IN
INTERNATIONAL STUDIES
Thank you for forwarding this third review to me. Once again it is gratifyin
g to find
that the reviewer's conclusions are extremely positive. S/he argues that 'the program
[is] very well conceived, with consistently high academic quality', commenting
favourably also on the calibre of our faculty and on the case that we have made
concerning the demand for a programme of the kind we are offering amongst
students.
This reviewer's suggestions regarding the programme are also well taken. It is a moot
point, however, as to whether the term 'complex emergencies' is quite so awkward as
S ?
the reviewer suggests. If we can judge from the 120 applications that we have
received this year for admission into our similarly designed Special Arrangements
MA, the idea of complex emergencies is one that communicates itself clearly to
prospective students. The term is also used as the title of a recently published book,
by David Keen, of the London School of Economics, who is an internationally
reputed scholar working on these problems (see David Keen 2008.
Complex
Emergencies.
Cambridge: Polity Press).
The reviewer proceeds to make a number of observations to the effect that the
curriculum appears to be weighted towards students of International Development
rather than of Complex Emergencies. While understandable, these remarks seem not
to recognise the very close connections between the concerns of both fields (see, for
example, the attention that is given to conflict and the emergencies associated with
contemporary conflicts in the book
The Bottom Billion,
by Paul Collier, which is
currently regarded as the most influential statement there is of the needs of
international development). The connections are recognised in the wider concept of
'human security' as this has been developed especially here in Canada.
The reviewer, helpfully, speaks of the need for students in the two streams to come
together in some classes. As a matter of fact this is happening in the MA programme
that we are conducting under Special Arrangements, in both 1S800 and IS801, while it
also the case that some students from both streams study together in the specialist
S ?
regional courses offered under 1S809.
The reviewer compliments us on the idea of organising students into small teams of
about 5 persons, as we have done in the Special Arrangements version of 1S800, but
3.
also comments on the desirability of restricting numbers in seminars to about 15 at
most. As a matter of fact this is the way in which we are teaching at present. In the
Special Arrangements version of 1S801 in the present academic year students have
been taught in two separate seminar classes, one with twelve and the other with
eleven students. We anticipate taking in 28-30 students into the programme in the Fall
of 2008, equally divided between the two streams, so that once again numbers in any
one seminar will not go beyond the 15 that the reviewer argues is desirable.
The reviewer's remarks about the title of the course 1S806 -
State Failure and
Reconstruction: Comparative Perspectives -
in which s/he questions the use of the
term 'state failure', are very sound. The fact remains, however, that the notion of
'state failure' is one that has wide currency in the discourse of international
development (see again Collier's
Bottom Billion),
and it is for this reason that we have
made it into the title of this course. It certainly has to be treated critically, in the way
that the reviewer advises.
Finally, in response to the remarks about not 'gear(ing) the courses towards those
students who will go onto the PhD', it may be noted that our first cohort of students in
the Special Arrangements MA - all 23 of whom we expect to graduate, on time, at the
end of the coming Summer Semester - include predominantly those interested in
practical/policy careers. It seems to us, on the basis of this initial experience (and of
the applications for Fall 2008), that the principle of a one year, cohort based, terminal
MA programme with these objectives, is one that is strongly welcomed by significant
numbers of capable students.
John Harriss
.
S
33
