Development Practice

Overview

What you will learn at the Development Practice MDP programme from University of Peradeniya

Course delivery combines student-centred learning with traditional methods, to include lectures, assignments, projects, peer-group interaction, presentations and field visits. In addition to learning from MDP Peradeniya’s academic staff and from each other, students also get the opportunity to participate in a semester-long Global Classroom blended learning course. This has included student participation in a weekly live video conference that is delivered synchronously and “attended” virtually in classrooms spanning more than a dozen time zones around the world with course materials, syllabus, readings and assignments for this course being available on a common course website. 

After completing a full academic year students follow a three month “field training” internship at a public, private or non-governmental organization to gain hands-on real-world experience in development practice. For students already employed, this may be fulfilled at their own place of employment provided it fits the requirements of a development practice related institution or project.  

During the field training, students are expected to gain hands-on experience in a development practice context; apply the knowledge gained in the classroom in a real-world setting; be able to integrate/apply knowledge from different sectors; develop technical skills relating to development activities and make a useful contribution to the community/internship organization. 

Students are encouraged to gain competencies in at least three of the five, and be exposed to all five areas identified by the Global Network: Technical Skills, Integrative skills or cross-sectoral understanding, Communication Skills, Project Management and Social Cultural Skills. Internship activities will vary widely across placements. However, all internships are expected to provide students with opportunities to engage in experiential learning and professional skill-building, in line with the aforesaid objectives and intended learning outcomes.