This course is open for three semester hour units to Master of Arts in Humanitarian Assistance (MAHA) students for whom it is a required Core course.
This course is also open to non-MAHA students via Cross-Registration in SIS for 1.5 semester hour units. The course is segmented into three parts.
Non-MAHA students are not required to complete the Capstone Project.
Part 1 and Part 2 is for non-MAHA students, as well as MAHA students and Part 3 is for MAHA students only.
PART 1: This segment of the course will ensure that students have the necessary skill sets to adapt rapidly to the U.S. higher education system. Non-U.S. students that are not accustom to the U.S. University systems, as well as mid-career students that have not been in school recently would be exposed to the following requisite skills:
a) Library skills and source citations skills;
b) Literature review skills;
c) Time management and self-care in academia;
d) Formulating research questions;
e) Reading and writing skills and resources for help;
f) Public presentation skills (oral and visual)
PART 2: This segment of the course is for non-MAHA students, as well as MAHA students and will expose students to contemporary humanitarian research through research seminars with the Feinstein International Center's (http://fic.tufts.edu/) faculty and staff.
PART 3: For MAHA students (only). The seminar emphasizes academic and research skills that are important for a professional in the humanitarian field. It also offers MAHA students the chance to explore in greater depth key issues in humanitarian assistance. The seminar is also an opportunity to discuss in depth much of the theory and academic literature of other prerequisite courses. The main output is the MAHA capstone project, which is a requirement for graduation. Activities are concentrated in the fall semester, but the seminar also meets occasionally in the spring. Capstone projects are due in the spring semester.