Development Finance

Entry requirements

Normally a good undergraduate honours degree (high 2:2 or above), or equivalent from a university outside the UK. Applicants who have relevant career experience are also welcome to apply.

Your undergraduate degree must include a significant element of economics/accounting or finance. Students are advised to take some preliminary economics course before commencing their study.

Students may join immediately after their undergraduate degree, or after some years of employment to enhance career prospects by acquiring further skills.

Months of entry

September

Course content

Explore key issues and challenges in finance for economic development in developing countries with our MSc Development Finance master’s degree.

Study at one of the UK’s leading universities for environmental and ethical performance (the University of Reading is ranked 4th in the People and Planet University League, 2024/25).

You will examine the key issues in development finance, and conduct analysis of financial markets in emerging economies, financial sector reform, and policies and institutions, to promote financial inclusion.

Choose MSc Development Finance at the University of Reading

You will:

• join the highest placed UK university for Agriculture and Forestry at 20th in the world (QS World Rankings by Subject, Agriculture and Forestry, 2025), with its own farms and specialist facilities
• explore key issues within the field of development finance and microenterprise finance, against the background of major perspectives on development and macroeconomic policy
• investigate specialist areas within the financial services sector as well as other topics relating to development.

Joining this programme means you’ll also be joining the Graduate Institute of International Development, Agriculture and Economics in our School of Agriculture, Policy and Development, where we are committed to empowering change through our teaching and research. Our academics tackle some of the world’s most pressing issues across their respective fields of expertise, and our mission is to make a difference in the context of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.

Information for international students

For a list of requirements by country, please visit our Country-Specific Information page.