ICTs for Development

Entry requirements

Bachelor's degree (minimum 2:1 or international equivalent).

Months of entry

September

Course content

MSc ICTs for Development will train you to become an information-and-communications technology-for-development (ICT4D) champion who possesses the necessary technical and contextual skills to lead digital development programmes and projects to completion, such as ICT-enabled enterprise, e-government, m-health, MOOCs, etc.

In recent years there has been - and continues to be - a massive expansion in the number of ICT4D projects in developing and transitional economies. With a skills shortage resulting in a high project failure rate, this course satisfies the pressing need for ICT4D champions.

By taking this course, you will benefit from The University of Manchester's world-leading Centre for Development Informatics and gain:

• Conceptual frameworks to understand the process of socio-economic development and the role of information and of ICTs in the development process;

• New knowledge and skills to help in the effective planning, development, implementation and management of ICT4D initiatives.

A range of optional course units provides an opportunity to satisfy specialist ICT4D champion knowledge and skill requirements, while the overseas field visits that we offer will enable you to build up your real-world experience at no additional cost

The course is designed for those applying, or seeking to apply, information and communication technologies in pursuit of socio-economic development goals.

It will include those who have, or plan to have direct design and implementation responsibilities, project managerial responsibilities, or broader strategic or policy-related responsibilities. Typical participants include:

• Early-career professionals who have found themselves involved with ICT4D projects and want a period to reflect, learn and broaden their impact and career horizons;

• Technical staff involved with ICT4D projects who wish to add systems, managerial and development skills to their portfolio;

• Computing graduates who wish to make ethical use of their skills but lack the necessary understanding of systems and development.