NGO Education Survey

FULL CIRCLE: CAPSTONE IN INDIGENOUS DEVELOPM ENT

This course provides a synthesis opportunity for students to consider the nature of the discipline of Indigenous development and its relationship to dominant development discourse and practice. Students reflect back upon their two field placement s and the relationship between theory and practice. Using key tools, resources and frameworks gained throughout the program, students are required to address a real development challenge faced by a local organization in a major applied project.

CANADIAN FIELD PLACE MENT IN DEVELOPMENT PRACTICE

The field placement allows students to ground their academic learning within the auspices of an organization or community. The field placement involves voluntary work and provides hands - on experience in the area of Indigen ous development. Students, in consultation with the MDP Director, select a Canadian field placement site and complete the equivalent of ten to twelve weeks of work, usually during the summer months. Students produce a field placement portfolio, including a report and public presentation. Required components include the Field Placement Student Preparation Sessions and the De - Brief sessions organized by the MDP..

GLOBAL CLASSROOM: INTEGRATED APPROACHES TO S USTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT PRACTICE

This course provides students wit h the basic core competencies and practical skills required of a “generalist” or “integrative” development practitioner and serves as the foundation course for the Master’s in Development Practice curriculum. The course is offered concurrently at several universities around the world, and each week students have the opportunity to learn from expert practitioners and engage in discussion with each other. Course topics are grounded in a practical, multi - disciplinary approach that focuses on the inter - relatio nship of each of the following core fields of study: Health Sciences, Natural Sciences, Social Sciences and Management.

Health and Sustainable Development

This cour se provides non - health experts with basic population health concepts within an Indigenous context. The course explores social, cultural, economic and political forces shaping health ideology for Indigenous populations. Health topics that are addressed spec ifically include maternal and child health including birthing practices, chronic disease such as Type II Diabetes, and infectious diseases such as Tuberculosis, and food security. Students explore strategies that Indigenous communities have employed to mov e towards self - determination in health care, in the collection of health data, policy changes, and the development of programs that meet the unique health needs of Indigenous communities in Canada and internationally. . PREREQUISITES: Admission to MDP or i nstructor’s permission

INDIGENOUS SELF - DETERMINATION AND SELF - GOVERNMENT

This course explores, from a variety of perspectives, the nature of Indigenous governance from pre - contact with Europeans to the present day. The major trends and shifts in governance and the impact of assimilatio n policy are discussed. A significant component of the course involves a recognition and examination of Aboriginal communities’ attempts in Canada to exercise self - determination by developing systems of governance outside the colonial imposed structures of the Indian Act or domestic municipal regimes.

INDIGENOUS PEOPLES, GLOBALIZATION AND DEVELOPMENT

I ndigenous peoples today are enmeshed in the expanding modern economy, subject to the pressures of both market and government. More and more Indigenous communities are rejecting the traditional capitalist vision of development as human and environmental exp loitation and focusing on new types of local development projects. This course analyzes some of the conflicts associated with traditional development projects in Indigenous communities. Taking Indigenous peoples as actors as its starting point, the class e xamines innovations in Indigenous economic development that are culturally respectful, environmentally responsible and that build a new sense of community.

INDIGENOUS APPROACHES TO EVALUATION: THEORY AND PRACTICE

In this experiential learning course, studen ts are introduced to the purpose and practice of Indigenous evaluation, as well as some of the analytical tools used by evaluators, both Indigenous and mainstream. An Indigenous approach to evaluation is a strengths - based exercise. It is committed to respe cting the community’s values and traditional ways of knowing. Students will be given practical experiences in preparing data collection instruments, gathering data from program participants and other stakeholders, and interpreting the data. The course wil l also explore how an Indigenous approach to evaluation can be merged with the objectives of mainstream funders and other external stakeholders.

Indigenous Economic Development

This course considers different pathways to economic development for indigenous peoples. In many countries around the world, indigenous groups are excluded from the benefits of modern market - based economies. This course considers how public policy might foster economic development among indigenous groups, either through more complete integration into market economies, as workers and entrepreneurs, or through alternative models that emp hasize economic self - determination and self - governance through community economic development. Students will be introduced to microeconomic theory as a means of understanding the strengths and limitations of market economies. A number of case studies will be used to illustrate best practices for development.

INDIGENOUS RESEARCH METHODS

This course provides a review of the movement towards the decolonization of the Western model of research and the revitalization of indigenous research frameworks and methodologies. The course also offers analysis of Western research methods and both their histories in colonial practices as well as their potential usefulness in indigenous com munity - based development research and applications. The unique issues and principles involving ethical research in Indigenous communities are explored. The course also includes an overview of indigenous control of their own research and ethical review proc esses related to development issues, programs, and implementation

INDIGENOUS THOUGHT AND WORLDVIEWS: SUSTAINABLE UNDERSTANDINGS

This course brings the st udent into ceremonies, discussions, research, and conceptualizations exercises which enable them to begin understanding indigenous thought and worldviews, particularly of the Anishinaabe and the Dakota. The course provides tools and opportunities for stude nts to free themselves from ethnocentric thinking while being educated in the nodal thinking of the Anishinaabe people. The course is experiential and follows the teachings of the annual round of seasonal activities. The course helps the student gain insig hts into the core concepts of sustainable development, global sustainability, earth stewardship, and self - determination through indigenous perspectives.

iNTERNATIONAL FIELD PLACEMENT IN DEVELOPMENT PRACTICE

The field placement allows students to ground their academic learning within the auspices of an organization or community. The field placement involves volunta ry work and provides hands - on experience in the area of Indigenous development. Students, in consultation with the MDP Director, select an International field placement site and complete the equivalent of ten to twelve weeks of work, usually during the sum mer months. Students produce a field placement portfolio, including a report and public presentation. Required components include the Field Placement Student Preparation Sessions and the De - Brief sessions organized by the MDP

MAJOR RESEARCH PAPER

The Major Research Paper [MRP] is a piece of original writing based on indep endent research, submitted in fulfillment of the MDP MRP stream. It is of roughly 35 - 40 pages in length on a topic decided upon by the student in consultation with their supervisor. The final paper is read by a two readers, including the supervisor

MANAGING FOR ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY

This course considers geographic and environmental approaches for sustainable resource management, focusing on resource - based and Indigenous communities. Discussion begins by outlining how resource decisions are made within a context o f change, complexity, uncertainty and conflict. Key elements of effective governance, including Indigenous knowledge and public participation are considered. Finally, current planning and policy tools, including corporate social responsibility policies, community - based resource management, and a daptive management are reviewed

ORIENTATION TO MASTER’S IN DEVELOPMENT PRACTICE

The mandatory course provides an immersion orientati on in an indigenous community for first year MDP students prior to first year course work. Students interact with community members who provide mini - lectures and demonstrations of problems, concerns, and issues of relevance to the indigenous community. Gue st lectures provide additional material introducing issues in indigenous development practice locally and globally. The course will be graded on a Pass/Fail basis. PREREQUISITES: Admission to MDP.

QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH METHODS

This course focuses on particular aspects of indigenous development. This course is an ad vanced study of the techniques and methodology of quantitative research. This course will explore important methodological questions and provide an opportunity for students to gain firsthand experience of quantitative analysis using a variety of sophistica ted techniques such as correlation and regression analysis, hypothesis testing, and ANOVA. The course is divided into three sections: descriptive statistics, hypothesis testing/inferential statistics, and data modelling. Students will be expected to demon strate their understanding of the concepts learned theoretically and apply the statistical techniques to practical problems in the literature

SEMINAR IN DEVELOPMENT PRACTICE

This course enables students to interact with key leaders (schol ars and practitioners) in the field of development practice. The emphasis is on enabling the entire MDP cohort of students to meet, as the opportunity presents itself, with leaders in development, and in particular, indigenous development. The goal is to e xpose students, in an integrated learning environment, to conceptual and practical issues and innovative development practices as presented by a variety of speakers who present to and lead discussions with MDP students.

SEMINAR IN DEVELOPMENT PRACTICE

GDP - 7724 INDIGENOUS APPROACHES TO EVALUATION: THEORY AND PRACTICE (3) In this experiential learning course, studen ts are introduced to the purpose and practice of Indigenous evaluation, as well as some of the analytical tools used by evaluators, both Indigenous and mainstream. An Indigenous approach to evaluation is a strengths - based exercise. It is committed to respe cting the community’s values and traditional ways of knowing. Students will be given practical experiences in preparing data collection instruments, gathering data from program participants and other stakeholders, and interpreting the data. The course wil l also explore how an Indigenous approach to evaluation can be merged with the objectives of mainstream funders and other external stakeholders. PREREQUISITES: Admittance into MDP program OR instructor’s permission. GEOG/GDP - 7750 MANAGING FOR ENVIRONMENTA L SUSTAINABILITY (3) This course considers geographic and environmental approaches for sustainable resource management, focusing on resource - based and Indigenous communities. Discussion begins by outlining how resource decisions are made within a context o f change, complexity, uncertainty and conflict. Key elements of effective governance, including Indigenous knowledge and public participation are considered. Finally, current planning and policy tools, including corporate social responsibility policies, community - based resource management, and a daptive management are reviewed . PREREQUISITES: Admittance into MDP program OR instructor’s permission. GDP - 7790 SEMINAR IN DEVELOPMENT PRACTICE ( 3 ) This course enables students to interact with key leaders (schol ars and practitioners) in the field of development practice. The emphasis is on enabling the entire MDP cohort of students to meet, as the opportunity presents itself, with leaders in development, and in particular, indigenous development. The goal is to e xpose students, in an integrated learning environment, to conceptual and practical issues and innovative development practices as presented by a variety of speakers who present to and lead discussions with MDP students. PREREQUISITES: Admission to MDP. REQUIRED YEAR TWO COURSES GDP - 7715 INTERNATIONAL FIELD PLACEMENT IN DEVELOPMENT PRACTICE ( 3 ) The field placement allows students to ground their academic learning within the auspices of an organization or community. The field placement involves volunta ry work and provides hands - on experience in the area of Indigenous development. Students, in consultation with the MDP Director, select an International field placement site and complete the equivalent of ten to twelve weeks of work, usually during the sum mer months. Students produce a field placement portfolio, including a report and public presentation. Required components include the Field Placement Student Preparation Sessions and the De - Brief sessions organized by the MDP . PREREQUISITES: Admission to M DP. GDP - 7721 STRATEGIC PLANNING AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT (3) This course examines theories and methods of strategic planning and project management in community development, with a particular focus on Indigenous peoples and Indigenous planning methods. The course highlights methods that are participatory, community - based and relevant for and applicable to domestic and international Indigenous communities. The course examines the stages of the project cycle: problem identification, analysis, program design an d implementation. Students acquire skills necessary for conceptualizing and implementing international or domestic projects undertaken by nongovernmental organizations: needs assessment, goal and purpose identification, formulation of logframe, workplan an d budget, and preparation of a funding proposal. PREREQUISITES: Admittance into MDP program OR instructor’s permission. GDP - 7723 QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH METHODS (3) This course focuses on particular aspects of indigenous development. This course is an ad vanced study of the techniques and methodology of quantitative research. This course will explore important methodological questions and provide an opportunity for students to gain firsthand experience of quantitative analysis using a variety of sophistica ted techniques such as correlation and regression analysis, hypothesis testing, and ANOVA. The course is divided into three sections: descriptive statistics, hypothesis testing/inferential statistics, and data modelling. Students will be expected to demon strate their understanding of the concepts learned theoretically and apply the statistical techniques to practical problems in the literature. PREREQUISITES: Admission to MDP or instructor’s permission GDP - 7725 FULL CIRCLE: CAPSTONE IN INDIGENOUS DEVELOPM ENT (1.5) This course provides a synthesis opportunity for students to consider the nature of the discipline of Indigenous development and its relationship to dominant development discourse and practice. Students reflect back upon their two field placement s and the relationship between theory and practice. Using key tools, resources and frameworks gained throughout the program, students are required to address a real development challenge faced by a local organization in a major applied project. PREREQUISI TES: Admission to MDP. GDP - 7790 SEMINAR IN DEVELOPMENT PRACTICE

STRATEGIC PLANNING AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT

This course examines theories and methods of strategic planning and project management in community development, with a particular focus on Indigenous peoples and Indigenous planning methods. The course highlights methods that are participatory, community - based and relevant for and applicable to domestic and international Indigenous communities. The course examines the stages of the project cycle: problem identification, analysis, program design an d implementation. Students acquire skills necessary for conceptualizing and implementing international or domestic projects undertaken by nongovernmental organizations: needs assessment, goal and purpose identification, formulation of logframe, workplan an d budget, and preparation of a funding proposal