Overview

Graduates of the program offered at American University of Beirut will gain knowledge to improve prospects of rural development and build their capacities in community development to better design, manage, follow up, evaluate, and monitor projects either in the public or private sector locally, regionally, and internationally.

Mission

The MS in Rural Community Development is an interdisciplinary program, which explores the social, political, economic and ecological dynamics of rural development in the Global South with specific reference to the Middle East and North Africa region. By combining insights from political economy, sociology and ecology, it aims to provide students with adequate analytical and practical tools to:

understand the key challenges facing rural societies such as poverty, malnutrition, health, management of key natural resources (land and water), deterioration of eco-system, food insecurity, climate change;
design research in rural settings through both qualitative and quantitative methods; and
design adequate forms of policy interventions and development practices to address existing and emerging socio-ecological challenges in the rural milieu.

Programme Structure

To obtain additional information about the program, we kindly suggest that you visit the programme website, where you can find further details and relevant resources.

Key information

Duration

Full-time
- 24 months

Start dates & application deadlines

Starting 2027-01-12 00:00:00
- Apply before 2026-11-06 00:00:00
Starting 2027-08-25 00:00:00
- Apply before 2027-03-12 00:00:00

Language

English

Duolingo English Test

120

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IELTS

7

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Credits

30 SCH

Delivered

On Campus

Campus Location

Beirut, Lebanon

Disciplines

Community Development

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Academic requirements

We are not aware of any specific GRE, GMAT or GPA grading score requirements for this programme.

English requirements

Duolingo English Test

120

Take A Free Practice Test!

IELTS

7

Prepare for Your English Test

Cathoven AI IELTS Preparation

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AI-powered IELTS feedback. Clear, actionable, and tailored to boost your writing & speaking score. No credit card or upfront payment required.

Trusted by 300k learners
98 accuracy using real exam data
4.9/5 student rating

Other requirements

General requirements

This program is primarily designed for professionals and graduates who wish to work in rural development. It is specifically designed to impart subject matter specialists with a holistic perspective, and to help them place their specializations within the context of sustainable livelihoods.
Those interested in entering the program may be recruited from related disciplines including agriculture, nutrition and food sciences, and health and social sciences and other fields. Individuals with community service experience are especially encouraged to apply.
Admission requirements to the program are the same as outlined in the FAFS graduate students’ manual. Admissions to the program are decided by the FAFS graduate committee and the RCODE interdepartmental committee..
In brief, to be considered for admission to RCODE, applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree from AUB or its equivalent from a recognized institution of higher learning.

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Tuition Fees

Tuition fees are shown in and the most likely applicable fee is shown based on your nationality.

International Applies to you

Applies to you

Non-residents

16380 USD / year

≈ 16380 USD / year
Domestic Applies to you

Applies to you

Citizens or residents

16380 USD / year

≈ 16380 USD / year

Living costs

Beirut

Lebanon

750 - 1600 USD / month

The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.

Funding

Win a €10000 Scholarship! Deadline: 30 June 2020

Embark on your journey with the Studyportals Scholarship! We're giving away a total of 20,000 euros to help you achieve your dream of studying abroad.

Win a €10000 Scholarship! Deadline: 30 June 2020

Embark on your journey with the Studyportals Scholarship! We're giving away a total of 20,000 euros to help you achieve your dream of studying abroad.

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Scholarships Information

Below you will find Master's scholarship opportunities for Rural Community Development.

Available Scholarships

You are eligible to apply for these scholarships but a selection process will still be applied by the provider.

On this page

About

Overview

Mission​

Programme Structure

Key information

Duration

Start dates & application deadlines

Language

Prepare for Your English Test

Credits

Delivered

Campus Location

Disciplines

What students do after studying

Academic requirements

English requirements

Prepare for Your English Test

Other requirements

General requirements

Student Insurance via Studyportals Partner

Tuition Fees

International Applies to you

Domestic Applies to you

Living costs

Beirut

Funding

Need help with your student visa?

Scholarships Information

Available Scholarships

Our partners

Mission