A new master’s degree program at the University of Northern British Columbia will focus on the economic development challenges being faced by 80% of the world’s population that lives in poor or middle-income countries. The new Master of Arts degree in Development Economics will be unique in western Canada and begin in September 2007.

The program will examine both the causes and consequences of economic development. In doing so, students will be exposed to information and ideas related to several themes:

• The global, regional, and national contexts for economic development
• The policy lessons that can be learned from comparing the experiences of different countries and regions
• The tools that development economists need to influence the development process

“Development is both a concept and a process,” says Paul Bowles, Acting Chair of the Economics program. “The components of “good” development remain hotly contested but there is no disagreement around the fact that development is happening and that it often has huge political, environmental, social, and economic implications. Graduates of this program will have the tools to participate in massive changes and evaluate their success. With the emergence of economies such as China and India, it is important for us to understand the transformations that are taking place there as well as globally.”

Students in the program will complete five courses and a major research project. Courses will cover such topics as the global economy, poverty and inequality, and macroeconomics.

The program will normally accept 6-9 students per year and it’s expected that it will attract students from around the world. The deadline for applications is March 31.

Contact:
Paul Bowles, Acting Chair of the Economics program, UNBC – 250.960.6648
Rob van Adrichem, Director of Media and Public Relations, UNBC – 250.960.5622