PhD in International Development Studies in Canada at SMU

Program Overview for PhD in International Development Studies in Canada:

The Doctor of Philosophy in International Development Studies is Canada's first specialized international development research interdisciplinary doctoral program, accepting students with a master's degree in IDS-related disciplines. The overall focus of all IDS doctoral thesis research should be in the field of political and economic development, with a sub-specialty in gender, environment, trade, labor, education, or other sub-fields.

The Benefits of Doing a Ph.D. in IDS at Saint Mary’s

• The interdisciplinary PhD-IDS at SMU is the first in Canada and sets the standard for a completely research-based interdisciplinary doctoral degree.
• The program boasts a small but very active core faculty engaged in real-world research on complex development problems, who publish widely and enjoy working with students. There is an extensive complement of adjunct faculty who work closely with the research collaboration and teaching program.
• The program’s modest size permits greater individual student attention and supervision.
• We have linkages with international partners who visit as participants in a renowned Speakers Series, many of whom are available as supervisors.
• Students will be studying in Halifax, Nova Scotia, on the Atlantic seaboard of Eastern Canada, one of the most beautiful ports in the world.

In addition to the above-mentioned teaching supplements, the faculty and staff of many departments and projects of St. Mary's University contribute to the IDS project through research cooperation, paper supervision, and participation in the IDS project committee responsible for overseeing the overall direction of the project.

The IDS project is affiliated to multiple international graduate research alliances, greatly expanding the scope of potential supervision of graduate thesis research projects, and has a series of nationally recognized speakers, in which graduate students have the opportunity to listen and talk with leading researchers.

IDS (IDST registration code) provides interdisciplinary postgraduate courses for masters and doctoral degrees. Both professions use a lot of technology and concepts from social science disciplines, such as economics, anthropology, sociology, political science (among others), to critically analyze the conceptual framework behind development policies to place them in their Society, culture, and social fields. 

IDS Ph.D. is an interdisciplinary doctoral program that emphasizes research leading to original contributions to the advancement of IDS knowledge. The core area of ​​IDS Ph.D. research is the political economy of globalization. Encourage students to focus on specific sub-fields, such as:

• development theory
• labor
• trade
• environment
• migration
• education
• gender studies

The IDS Ph.D. Program is currently admitting only full-time students.

The eligibility for PhD in International Development Studies in Canada for both domestic and international student is:

Applicants normally have a Master’s degree with first-class standing. The applicant’s transcript must demonstrate comprehensive graduate course work in International Development Studies or a very closely related area. The IDS Program may consider extensive professional experience to substitute for a portion of the required graduate coursework. In admitting students to the program, the Ph.D. Program Committee will take into account the availability of potential dissertation supervisors.

On entry to the Ph.D. program, students will be assigned a supervisor who will be appointed based on their expertise with the student’s dissertation at the time of entry. A successful applicant has already identified an appropriate supervisor; every effort will be made to be appointed as the student’s supervisor.

Additional Documents Required:

1. Supplemental Form
2. Research Proposal: A 2,500-word document that addresses, in detail, your proposed research plan at the Ph.D. level together with a definitive statement of your research question.
3. Statement of Interest: Please address your previous work experience and general background related to International Development, along with any other details of your professional and personal life that you feel would be relevant to the successful adjudication of your application.
4. Sample(s) of academic written work, preferably published. (10-25 pages in length)
5. Short description of graduate-level courses taken at the Master's level in International Development Studies and related courses specific to the proposed area of specialization.
6. Transcripts: We will accept uploaded unofficial transcripts for evaluation purposes. Applicants must upload a grading scale with their unofficial transcripts. Successful applicants will be required to submit official final transcripts. 
7. Three (3) recommendation forms.  All three must be of an academic nature.
8. A current CV/Resume.

Supervisor

By registering students to participate in the program, Ph.D. The planning committee will consider the availability of potential thesis supervisors. When completing a doctoral program, the student will be assigned a tutor who will be appointed based on their professional knowledge related to the student's thesis at the time of admission. If the selected applicant has identified a suitable guardian, we will do our best to ensure that the student's guardian is appointed.

Note: The Ph.D. Supervisor should normally be a tenured faculty member at Saint Mary’s University or other post-secondary institution in Atlantic Canada.  In the latter case, such faculty must be recommended by the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research as Adjunct Professors at Saint Mary’s University.

These are the normal minimum requirements, but each case will be evaluated on its own merits. However, the applicant will not be evaluated for admission if any of the required elements have not been presented when considering the application.

These are the test eligibilities for the PhD in International Development Studies to qualify.

The scholarships available for the PhD in International Development Studies are:

The international student tuition fees and costs for PhD in International Development Studies in Canada.

Full-time students admitted to the program may be eligible for funding administered by Saint Mary’s University. Funding recommendations are made by the program All successful applicants are automatically considered for graduate funding. Students are encouraged to apply for external scholarships.

Program Coordinator

Dr. Rohini Bannerjee
McNally North 429
rohini.bannerjee@smu.ca
902-420-5814

Contact Us

Faculty of Graduate Studies & Research
902-420-5089
fgsr@smu.ca