Masters Degree in Development Practice:
Managing Sustainable Development in Africa and Latin America
Although tropical and sub-tropical countries contain some of the most diverse and resource rich environments, they also face the most significant development challenges. Achieving sustainable development in these countries will require major advances against hunger, poverty and disease while ensuring the protection of natural resources. Increasingly, making these advances will depend on individuals who are able to address development challenges holistically.
Formulated with the support from the Mac Arthur Foundation, the MDP degree at the University of Florida is focused on training development practitioners who will be able to address development challenges facing poor, resource rich communities in innovative ways. Our program bridges the Natural sciences, Social sciences, Health sciences and Management. The program is collaboration between Center for Latin American Studies and the Center for African Studies at the University of Florida and builds on UF's internationally recognized Tropical Conservation and Development (TCD) program.
MDP Framework
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Mission
The aim of the program is to enable students to understand the multidimensional nature of development challenges. We are committed to not only helping students gain the analytical capacity and tools to apply to development challenges but also to become critical thinkers of the development process and its implications.
Courses are designed to bridge scholarship, practice and skills training. Students will work with and take courses from faculty in seven colleges across UF. Our students will also benefit from field based training in collaboration with key partners in Africa and Latin America. The field experience is designed to help students build strong networks with practitioners and to apply their skills to real development challenges.
