International Development

Entry requirements

You should have a bachelor’s honours degree or international equivalent, typically a 2:1 or above.

To apply for this course you should have an undergraduate degree in an appropriate subject such as politics, economics, anthropology, international relations, sociology, government studies, African, Latin American or South East Asian Studies or environmental studies.

We will also consider graduates with an undergraduate degree in other subjects, especially where you have relevant professional experience in international development.

Months of entry

September

Course content

Gain the skills and understanding to tackle the global challenges of poverty, inequality, conflict, sustainability and social justice.

Learn what it means to be a global citizen and gain the skills and tools to make a difference in the world.

Whether you’re aiming to further your career as an international development professional or looking to start working in this field, our International Development master’s courses could be for you.

This degree will equip you with interdisciplinary research and interpersonal skills to constructively engage with the different social, political and cultural environments shaping countries’ development processes. It will also prepare you to explore these topics at a deeper, doctoral level by pursuing a relevant PhD.

Different course pathways to specialise your skills

You have the choice of taking this interdisciplinary MSc International Development course, or one of five specialist pathways:

• MSc International Development with Conflict and Humanitarian Action
• MSc International Development with Economics
• MSc International Development with Education
• MSc International Development Management
• MSc International Development, Social justice and Sustainability

The selection of a specialist pathway allows you the flexibility to pursue areas that interest you and are relevant to your career aspirations. Each pathway is available as full-time or part-time study.

Placement

As an alternative to writing a dissertation, you can gain real-world experience and complement your studies with a placement.

If you choose to do a placement, you’ll undertake an eight-week work-based project with an organisation involved in international development. You'll use the experiences you'll gain to write an academic report reflecting on a particular area of professional practice as part of your assessment.

Some previous students have worked with:

• United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
• The Centre for Development Studies
• MicroSave Consulting
• EdUKaid
• The Washing Machine Project

Finding a placement is your own responsibility. We can’t guarantee specific placements, but you will receive tailored support from our specialist team to help you find suitable opportunities.

Some placements are paid, others cover expenses, and some are unpaid. Please see the budgeting section of this page for more details.

Switching pathways

Full-time students: If you choose one of the specialist pathways, you can switch to the general MSc International Development pathway after Year 1 Semester 1. If you choose the general MSc International Development pathway, you can switch to a specialist pathway in Year 1 Semester 2 if you choose that pathway’s core Semester 1 unit. You can not switch between specialist pathways.

Part-time students: You can choose to switch between specialist pathways, or either way between a specialist pathway and the general MSc International Development pathway, at the end of Year 1.

Learn from experts in their field

You’ll learn from experts in international development and economics, as well as staff in the wider Department of Social & Policy Sciences community. Their passion, knowledge, experience and research shape their teaching to enhance your learning experience.

Gain important career skills

Upon successful completion of this course, you'll leave with:

• a critical understanding of the concepts and approaches used in international development and humanitarian action, as well as their strengths and limitations
• practical skills in research, analysis and communication and an understanding of how these can be applied when working in social, economic and environmental justice in both global North and global South
• the ability to analyse the complex interaction of social, economic, political and environmental factors in shaping problems and proposed solutions
• a rich experience of working with people from a wide range of disciplinary, professional and national backgrounds

Graduate prospects

This course provides an excellent background for those wishing to pursue careers in fields that aim to improve people’s lives. These include the international development, sustainability, humanitarian and peacebuilding sectors.

You will be qualified to work in a wide variety of roles, including social research, public policy, public information and campaigning.

Graduates from our suite of International Development master's courses have gone on to secure the following roles:

• Senior Program Officer, Hashoo Foundation
• Relief Support Worker, United Response
• Analyst, Start Fund Bangladesh
• Programme Assistant, The Advocacy Team
• Fundraising Assistant, Refugee Cafe
• Director of Programmes for North West Syria, Mercy Corps
• Programme Specialist, African World Heritage Fund
• Operations and Finance Officer, The Washing Machine Project
• Local Ambassador to the World Trade Organisation

Other graduates have chosen to work for themselves and set up their own charities, while others have gone on to complete doctoral studies.

Fees and funding

View available funding opportunities