A Master's of International Development degree is the multidisciplinary study of topics that include sociology, human rights, economics, and sustainable development. Since globalisation, countries have become dependent on collective growth, giving rise to the demand for graduates of development studies. Such professionals are in high demand thanks to their exposure to various global issues and experience working for global development.
Most international development courses are flexible and include modules on globalisation, gender perspectives, media, research techniques, and an optional dissertation or work placement.
Learn more about the best development studies universities in the UK below (QS World University Rankings by Subject 2024). If you have any further questions or wish to begin your application, arrange a free consultation with SI-UK today.
Top Five UK Universities for Master's of International Development
1. University of Sussex
A range of development studies programmes are offered by the University of Sussex, including International Education & Development MA and Globalisation, Business and Development MA. Both international development degrees at Sussex find similarities in their final aim of achieving global transformation, albeit through different means of education and economy, respectively.
Through detailed and intensive curricula, the University aims to let students get deeply acquainted with several key concepts, including gender and identities, poverty and violence amidst conflicts, and the global governance of education.
2. University of Oxford
The University of Oxford’s Department of International Studies offers an MSc in Economics for Development, which intends to cultivate students’ critical and analytical skills for leading policy changes in the global economic model.
The programme has a quantitative outlook on economic development, covering microeconomics, macroeconomics, and international trade. Graduates get acquainted with several key concepts relevant to a financially stable world, such as behavioural economics, political economy, microfinancing, etc.
3. SOAS University of London
SOAS University of London is a leading promoter of development studies. Its MSc Research for International Development is a cutting-edge programme focusing on intensive research methodology. Some of the subjects covered are gender and development, global agrarian change, and industrial policies.
The programme aims to equip students with a theoretical background and an analytical viewpoint on the relationship between society, politics, and the economy. SOAS also offers an online MSc International Development degree course, popular among international students for its historical and cultural research emphasis.
4. London School of Economics and Political Science
The MSc International Development and Humanitarian Emergencies programme at the London School of Economics & Political Science zooms in on the current scenarios of humanitarian and refugee complexities that are leading to a global development imbalance. Much of the programme is dedicated to letting students work with organisations like UNICEF, DFID, UNHCR, etc., giving them real-life exposure that plays a vital role in enhancing graduates’ employability quotients.
5. University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge focuses on the analytical approach to global transformation through its highly advanced MPhil in Development Studies course. Through interdisciplinary training, the programme is designed to make students aware of the changing realities of the modern development crisis. Students will benefit from an academic tour of several critical humanitarian subjects, from gender issues to racial discrimination and public health crises to terrorism.
Study Master's of International Development in the UK
Are you planning to study for a master's in international development in the UK? Arrange a free consultation with SI-UK London and begin your UK university journey today.