Executive Master in Development Policy

How to qualify

In order to qualify for the Executive Master in Governance & Development Policy, participants are required to attend all ten modules of the programme (30 ECTS), write two Seminar essays (10 ECTS), produce an original Master thesis and pass an oral examination (20 ECTS).

1

Seminar Essay

This is a dissertation of maximum 3.000 words. Participants are expected to react from their own perspective and to discuss one of the issues presented during the seminar. During the academic year, participants must write two seminar essays.

2

Master Thesis

This  is a piece of work that all course participants have to produce in order to qualify for the degree. The topic must be one of development policy and must be initially submitted to the academic supervisor for approval. More details will be given during the classes.

3

Oral examination

This is an assessment of the candidate’s understanding of Development Policy. Candidates sit the “major oral” in English or in French, in front of a panel of professors. More details will be given during the classes.

4

Exam

They are organised during the last week of June and October. If this opportunity is not used, it is still possible to sit the exam in late January or late June of the following academic year. A fee of 1.800 € will be charged for re-registration. However, if re registration occurs after an interruption of more than one year (non consecutive re registration) the fee will be of 2.500 €. No one may sit the same examination more than twice.

5

Final grade

40% mark for the thesis; 40% mark for the oral examination; 20% mark for the seminar essays and other coursework. A combined average mark of more than 55% is required for the degree to be awarded. The grading system is as follows: Pass (55-64)Cum Laude (65-74)Magna Cum Laude (75-84)Summa Cum Laude (85 or more).

CERIS or “CERIS-Diplomatic School of Brussels” is an English-language international school based in the Brussels-Capital Region. This specificity means that our school does not depend on the French community of Belgium (dedicated in the Brussels region to the institution whose teaching language is French), nor on the Flemish community of Belgium (dedicated in the Brussels region to the institution whose language of instruction is Flemish). As a result, our certificate is not recognized by either the French community or the Flemish community. Our education is a non-subsidized private education, which gives it a great independence and autonomy. By virtue of the freedom of education in Belgium, our education has the same rights as the subsidized education and cannot therefore be discriminated (for example to obtain VISA for our participants). Our teaching is geared towards globalization. Indeed, it is dispensed on 5 continents in more than 50 countries around the world. Moreover, the rate of integration in the fields of international relations conferred by our certificate is very high. Our school and our diplomas enjoy a high reputation. Most of our teachers come from the top 10 of the best universities in the world. Major international institutions finance the training of their staff in our institution and promotions within some of them are obtained on the basis of our certificates. CERIS has developed partnerships with universities, International Institutions and Research Centers. Our “Executive Master” (English style Master 60 ECTS) is a Postgraduate Certificate and is not equivalent to a Graduate Certificate, Bologna-type Master (120 ECTS) or specialized master’s (60 ECTS). Our Executive Masters are aimed primarily at professionals and the great majority of our participants have already a Master or a Phd.