Please note the course details apply to 2025 entry. Details for 2026 entry for our postgraduate courses will be published from mid-October 2025.
Development Studies MA
Key information
Delivery mode:
In person
Study mode:
Full time
Part time
Duration:
Full-time: one year, part-time: two years
Application status:
Open
Start date:
September 2025
Study the sources of global inequality and justice with this Development Studies MA, which boasts an interdisciplinary curriculum and an intersectional perspective. With this Development Studies MA you will be encouraged to reflect directly on how questions of social justice should be connected to the theory and practice of development, and in relation to race, class, gender and other identities. You’ll use this concept of social justice to investigate the legitimacy of power relations that shape social, political, and economic inequalities between different regions, states, groups and individuals. You will study the politics of development itself and be empowered to find and advance alternative ways of using development practice to create a better and more just world. The vision for this programme draws upon the original idea underpinning liberal arts degrees, that is, the goal of liberating students from the constraints of contemporary social structures and cultural practices by fostering their critical understanding of the present, their familiarity with social worlds located in other times and places, and their capacity to imagine and create new social institutions and practices for a more inclusive, equal and sustainable future.
Key benefits
- Learn how to help create a better, more just world. Our innovative and multi-disciplinary curriculum not found elsewhere in the UK enables students to focus on social sciences in relation to development, social justice, and sustainability.
- Study across a wide range of topics, exploring the key development issues and relationships that exist between gender, race, class, education, global politics, and the economy. Our programme enables you to shape your degree according to your areas of interest to help create new models of development to foster a socially just and sustainable future for all.
- Work with academics who are world-leading in their fields to learn how to apply critical development theories to build better and more effective practices for social justice.
- Study in a friendly and supportive Department, located by the Thames in the heart of London.
- You won’t just learn the theory – we will empower you with practical, technical skills that will be easily applied to real world situations and highly sought after by employers.
This degree can be taken as part of a joint arrangement with our partner institution, Sciences Po that offers a graduate programme in International Affairs. Please see the Teaching & Structure tab above for more information.
Please note that locations are determined by where each module is taught and may vary depending on the modules you study.
Regulating bodies
King's is regulated by the Office for Students
UK applicants
Standard requirements
A minimum 2:1 undergraduate Bachelor’s (honours) degree
If you have a lower degree classification, or a degree in an unrelated subject, your application may be considered if you can demonstrate significant relevant work experience, or offer a related graduate qualification (such as a Masters or PGDip).
Programme-Specific Requirements
A bachelor's degree with 2:1 honours in related subjects as international development, politics, economics or other social science or regional studies.
If you are still studying you should be achieving an average of at least 60% or above across all years of study, in the UK marking scheme.
International applicants
Equivalent International qualifications
English language requirements
English language band:
B
To study at King's, it is essential that you can communicate in English effectively in an academic environment. You are usually required to provide certification of your competence in English before starting your studies.
Nationals of majority English speaking countries (as defined by the UKVI) who have permanently resided in this country are not usually required to complete an additional English language test. This is also the case for applicants who have successfully completed an undergraduate degree (of at least three years duration), a postgraduate taught degree (of at least one year), or a PhD in a majority English speaking country (as defined by the UKVI) within five years of the course start date.
For information on our English language requirements and whether you need to complete an English language test, please see our English Language requirements page.
Selection process
Applications must be made online using King’s online application portal apply.kcl.ac.uk and a non-refundable application fee of £85 applies. All applications are assessed by a committee of academic tutors. We aim to process all complete applications within four weeks; during February and March and over holiday periods, applications may take longer to process.
Personal statement and supporting information
Please provide a personal statement explaining why you are interested in this particular programme, and outlining any relevant experience you have. If there are any anomalies in your academic record, please use the personal statement to explain related extenuating circumstances.
You will be asked to submit the following documents in order for your application to be considered:
| Personal Statement | Yes |
A personal statement is required. This can be entered directly into the online application form (maximum 4,000 characters) or uploaded as an attachment to the online application form (maximum 2 pages). |
|---|---|---|
| Previous Academic Study | Yes | A copy (or copies) of your official academic transcript(s), showing the subjects studied and marks obtained. If you have already completed your degree, copies of your official degree certificate will also be required. Applicants with academic documents issued in a language other than English, will need to submit both the original and official translation of their documents. |
| References | Yes | One academic reference is required. A professional reference will be accepted if you have completed your qualifications over five years ago. In some cases, we may request an additional reference from you. |
| Other | Optional | Applicants may wish to include a CV (Resume) or evidence of professional registration as part of their application |
Teaching methods - what to expect
Check out further information about our International Development courses including our teaching team, exclusive videos and more on our hub page.
We will use a delivery method that will ensure students have a rich, exciting experience from the start. Face to face teaching will be complemented and supported with innovative technology so that students also experience elements of digital learning and assessment. Some modules will use the flipped classroom mode of teaching.
We use lectures, seminars, workshops and group tutorials to deliver most of the modules on the course. You will also be expected to undertake a significant amount of independent study.
| Module | Lectures, seminars and feedback | Self-study |
| Per 15-credit taught module | The total contact time for each 15-credit taught module is 20 hours. These sessions will include lectures and/or teacher-led and student-led group discussions based on the main areas of study. |
Each 15-credit taught module has 130 hours of self-guided learning time. |
| Dissertation |
Usually 10 – 2 hour long dissertation workshops and 5 one-to-one or group consultation with supervisors. |
590 hours of self-study and project work. |
Typically, one credit equates to 10 hours of work.
Location
This course is primarily taught at the King’s College London Strand and Waterloo Campuses. Our location in the heart of London brings outstanding advantages. You can enjoy excellent academic, social and cultural opportunities and wide-ranging access to library and archival resources.
Assessment
Your performance will be assessed through a combination of coursework and written/practical examinations. Forms of assessment may typically include diverse module assessments such as writing essays, developing business plans, compiling policy reports and media analysis reports, and creating blogs and podcasts. To strengthen citizen awareness, one of the modules will have a participatory action project as part of its assessment. You will also be trained in research methods, writing long papers, reading critically and thinking critically. Each module will have a clear set of employability skills to clarify what kind of skills you will be learning.
The study time and assessment methods detailed above are typical and give you a good indication of what to expect. However, they are subject to change.
Structure
Required modules
You are required to take the following modules:
History and Approaches to Development Studies (30 credits)
Dissertation (60 Credits)
You must also take at least one of the following research methods modules:
Quantitative Methods for Social Science (15 credits)
Advanced Quantitative Methods for Causal Inference (15 credits)
Introduction to Qualitative Methods (15 credits)
Advanced Qualitative Methods (15 credits)
Optional modules
In addition, you are required to take 75 credits from a range of optional modules, which may typically include:
Gender, Society & Development (15 credits)
Poverty, Inequality & Social Policy in Emerging Economies (15 credits)
Displacement and Development in the Contemporary Era (15 credits)
Global Labour and Development (15 credits)
Project Management in International Development (15 credits)
Political Economy of Latin America: Development Trajectories and Contemporary Challenges (15 credits)
Climate, Environment, and Uneven Development (15 credits)
Race and Development (15 credits)
Environment and Development: Crises, Power, and Transformations (15 credits)
Practical and Theoretical Evaluation of Sustainable Development (15 credits)
Anthropology of Violence and Social Suffering (15 credits)
Rise of China in Global Capitalism (15 Credits)
Comparative Public Policy Analysis In Emerging Economies (15 credits)
Out of these 75 credits, students may take a maximum of 30 optional credits from level 7 modules outside of their programme’s approved module list.
They can also take a 15 credits worth modern language option subject to approvals in addition to their 180 required credits.
Part-time students should plan to take the required module in their first year worth 30 credits, at least one research methods related module worth 15 credits from the list above plus 30 credits of optional modules. During their second year, students will take the required Dissertation module worth 60 credits and 45 credits worth of optional modules to make up 180 credits in total. Part-time students may also take a maximum of 30 credits of optional modules from other departments within their required number of credits, one module per year, as well as an additional modern language option in addition to their 180 credits. Students are also welcome to attend optional pre-sessional courses during induction week in September. Pre-sessional courses include introductory modules on economics, political theory, political science and public policy.
King’s College London reviews the modules offered on a regular basis to provide up-to-date, innovative and relevant programmes of study. Therefore, modules offered may change. We suggest you keep an eye on the course finder on our website for updates.
Please note that modules with a practical component will be capped due to educational requirements, which may mean that we cannot guarantee a place to all students who elect to study this module.
Employability
When you graduate from this Development Studies MA, you’ll be equipped with the skills and knowledge needed to pursue a career in the private, public and third sectors.
Previous graduates from the department have worked in a range of institutions, including:
- NGOs such as OXFAM, Citizens UK, and Save the Children UK.
- Think tanks such as Chattom House, Brookings, and Issam Fares Institute in Beirut.
- Governments such as the Royal Jordanian Court, the Innovation and Technology Ministry in Croatia, and State Department in the USA.
- International Organizations such as the ILO and UN.
Some have continued their studies to work on PhDs at King’s, as well as at LSE, Po, Oxford, Exeter and more.
Curious to find out more? Access on-demand content including taster lectures and talks, and meet our current staff and students on our subject hub page.
Tuition Fees
UK:
Full time: £14,500 (2025/26)
Part time: £7,250 per year (2025/26)
International:
Full time: £31,600 (2025/26)
Part time: £15,800 per year (2025/26)
Please note that the tuition fees for subsequent years of study may be subject to increases in line with King’s terms and conditions. Deposit When you receive an offer for this course you will be required to pay a non-refundable deposit to secure your place. The deposit will be credited towards your total fee payment. For further information, please visit the fees and funding section of our website: https://www.kcl.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/apply/policies-and-guidance
Deposit
If you receive an offer for this programme, you will be required to pay a non-refundable deposit to secure your place. Deposit payments are credited towards the total tuition fee payment.
The Home deposit is £500. The International deposit is £2000.
- If you receive an offer before March, payment is due by 20 March.
- If you receive an offer between 1 March and 20 May, payment is due within one month of receiving the offer.
- If you receive an offer between 21 May and 15 July, payment is due within two weeks of receiving the offer.
- If you receive an offer between 16 July and 10 August, payment is due within one week of receiving the offer.
- If you receive an offer from 11 August onwards, payment is due within three days of receiving the offer.
If you are a current undergraduate King’s student in receipt of the King's Living Bursary this academic year, you are not required to pay a deposit to secure your place on the programme. Please note, this will not change the total fees payable for your chosen programme.
Please visit our web pages on fees and funding for more information.
Additional Costs
In addition to your tuition costs, you can also expect to pay for:
- Books if you choose to buy your own copies.
- Clothing for optional course related events and competitions.
- Library fees and fines.
- Personal photocopies.
- Printing course handouts.
- Society membership fees.
- Stationery.
- Travel costs for travel around London and between campuses.
- Graduation costs.
Funding
To find out more about bursaries, scholarships, grants, tuition fees, living expenses, student loans, and other financial help available at King's please visit the Fees and Funding section.
This degree can be taken as part of a joint arrangement with our partner institution, Sciences Po that offers a graduate programme in International Affairs. Please see the Teaching & Structure tab above for more information.
Please note that locations are determined by where each module is taught and may vary depending on the modules you study.
Regulating bodies
King's is regulated by the Office for Students
UK applicants
Standard requirements
A minimum 2:1 undergraduate Bachelor’s (honours) degree
If you have a lower degree classification, or a degree in an unrelated subject, your application may be considered if you can demonstrate significant relevant work experience, or offer a related graduate qualification (such as a Masters or PGDip).
Programme-Specific Requirements
A bachelor's degree with 2:1 honours in related subjects as international development, politics, economics or other social science or regional studies.
If you are still studying you should be achieving an average of at least 60% or above across all years of study, in the UK marking scheme.
International applicants
Equivalent International qualifications
English language requirements
English language band:
B
To study at King's, it is essential that you can communicate in English effectively in an academic environment. You are usually required to provide certification of your competence in English before starting your studies.
Nationals of majority English speaking countries (as defined by the UKVI) who have permanently resided in this country are not usually required to complete an additional English language test. This is also the case for applicants who have successfully completed an undergraduate degree (of at least three years duration), a postgraduate taught degree (of at least one year), or a PhD in a majority English speaking country (as defined by the UKVI) within five years of the course start date.
For information on our English language requirements and whether you need to complete an English language test, please see our English Language requirements page.
Selection process
Applications must be made online using King’s online application portal apply.kcl.ac.uk and a non-refundable application fee of £85 applies. All applications are assessed by a committee of academic tutors. We aim to process all complete applications within four weeks; during February and March and over holiday periods, applications may take longer to process.
Personal statement and supporting information
Please provide a personal statement explaining why you are interested in this particular programme, and outlining any relevant experience you have. If there are any anomalies in your academic record, please use the personal statement to explain related extenuating circumstances.
You will be asked to submit the following documents in order for your application to be considered:
| Personal Statement | Yes |
A personal statement is required. This can be entered directly into the online application form (maximum 4,000 characters) or uploaded as an attachment to the online application form (maximum 2 pages). |
|---|---|---|
| Previous Academic Study | Yes | A copy (or copies) of your official academic transcript(s), showing the subjects studied and marks obtained. If you have already completed your degree, copies of your official degree certificate will also be required. Applicants with academic documents issued in a language other than English, will need to submit both the original and official translation of their documents. |
| References | Yes | One academic reference is required. A professional reference will be accepted if you have completed your qualifications over five years ago. In some cases, we may request an additional reference from you. |
| Other | Optional | Applicants may wish to include a CV (Resume) or evidence of professional registration as part of their application |
Teaching methods - what to expect
Check out further information about our International Development courses including our teaching team, exclusive videos and more on our hub page.
We will use a delivery method that will ensure students have a rich, exciting experience from the start. Face to face teaching will be complemented and supported with innovative technology so that students also experience elements of digital learning and assessment. Some modules will use the flipped classroom mode of teaching.
We use lectures, seminars, workshops and group tutorials to deliver most of the modules on the course. You will also be expected to undertake a significant amount of independent study.
| Module | Lectures, seminars and feedback | Self-study |
| Per 15-credit taught module | The total contact time for each 15-credit taught module is 20 hours. These sessions will include lectures and/or teacher-led and student-led group discussions based on the main areas of study. |
Each 15-credit taught module has 130 hours of self-guided learning time. |
| Dissertation |
Usually 10 – 2 hour long dissertation workshops and 5 one-to-one or group consultation with supervisors. |
590 hours of self-study and project work. |
Typically, one credit equates to 10 hours of work.
Location
This course is primarily taught at the King’s College London Strand and Waterloo Campuses. Our location in the heart of London brings outstanding advantages. You can enjoy excellent academic, social and cultural opportunities and wide-ranging access to library and archival resources.
Assessment
Your performance will be assessed through a combination of coursework and written/practical examinations. Forms of assessment may typically include diverse module assessments such as writing essays, developing business plans, compiling policy reports and media analysis reports, and creating blogs and podcasts. To strengthen citizen awareness, one of the modules will have a participatory action project as part of its assessment. You will also be trained in research methods, writing long papers, reading critically and thinking critically. Each module will have a clear set of employability skills to clarify what kind of skills you will be learning.
The study time and assessment methods detailed above are typical and give you a good indication of what to expect. However, they are subject to change.
Structure
Required modules
You are required to take the following modules:
History and Approaches to Development Studies (30 credits)
Dissertation (60 Credits)
You must also take at least one of the following research methods modules:
Quantitative Methods for Social Science (15 credits)
Advanced Quantitative Methods for Causal Inference (15 credits)
Introduction to Qualitative Methods (15 credits)
Advanced Qualitative Methods (15 credits)
Optional modules
In addition, you are required to take 75 credits from a range of optional modules, which may typically include:
Gender, Society & Development (15 credits)
Poverty, Inequality & Social Policy in Emerging Economies (15 credits)
Displacement and Development in the Contemporary Era (15 credits)
Global Labour and Development (15 credits)
Project Management in International Development (15 credits)
Political Economy of Latin America: Development Trajectories and Contemporary Challenges (15 credits)
Climate, Environment, and Uneven Development (15 credits)
Race and Development (15 credits)
Environment and Development: Crises, Power, and Transformations (15 credits)
Practical and Theoretical Evaluation of Sustainable Development (15 credits)
Anthropology of Violence and Social Suffering (15 credits)
Rise of China in Global Capitalism (15 Credits)
Comparative Public Policy Analysis In Emerging Economies (15 credits)
Out of these 75 credits, students may take a maximum of 30 optional credits from level 7 modules outside of their programme’s approved module list.
They can also take a 15 credits worth modern language option subject to approvals in addition to their 180 required credits.
Part-time students should plan to take the required module in their first year worth 30 credits, at least one research methods related module worth 15 credits from the list above plus 30 credits of optional modules. During their second year, students will take the required Dissertation module worth 60 credits and 45 credits worth of optional modules to make up 180 credits in total. Part-time students may also take a maximum of 30 credits of optional modules from other departments within their required number of credits, one module per year, as well as an additional modern language option in addition to their 180 credits. Students are also welcome to attend optional pre-sessional courses during induction week in September. Pre-sessional courses include introductory modules on economics, political theory, political science and public policy.
King’s College London reviews the modules offered on a regular basis to provide up-to-date, innovative and relevant programmes of study. Therefore, modules offered may change. We suggest you keep an eye on the course finder on our website for updates.
Please note that modules with a practical component will be capped due to educational requirements, which may mean that we cannot guarantee a place to all students who elect to study this module.
Employability
When you graduate from this Development Studies MA, you’ll be equipped with the skills and knowledge needed to pursue a career in the private, public and third sectors.
Previous graduates from the department have worked in a range of institutions, including:
- NGOs such as OXFAM, Citizens UK, and Save the Children UK.
- Think tanks such as Chattom House, Brookings, and Issam Fares Institute in Beirut.
- Governments such as the Royal Jordanian Court, the Innovation and Technology Ministry in Croatia, and State Department in the USA.
- International Organizations such as the ILO and UN.
Some have continued their studies to work on PhDs at King’s, as well as at LSE, Po, Oxford, Exeter and more.
Curious to find out more? Access on-demand content including taster lectures and talks, and meet our current staff and students on our subject hub page.
Tuition Fees
UK:
Full time: £14,500 (2025/26)
Part time: £7,250 per year (2025/26)
International:
Full time: £31,600 (2025/26)
Part time: £15,800 per year (2025/26)
Please note that the tuition fees for subsequent years of study may be subject to increases in line with King’s terms and conditions. Deposit When you receive an offer for this course you will be required to pay a non-refundable deposit to secure your place. The deposit will be credited towards your total fee payment. For further information, please visit the fees and funding section of our website: https://www.kcl.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/apply/policies-and-guidance
Deposit
If you receive an offer for this programme, you will be required to pay a non-refundable deposit to secure your place. Deposit payments are credited towards the total tuition fee payment.
The Home deposit is £500. The International deposit is £2000.
- If you receive an offer before March, payment is due by 20 March.
- If you receive an offer between 1 March and 20 May, payment is due within one month of receiving the offer.
- If you receive an offer between 21 May and 15 July, payment is due within two weeks of receiving the offer.
- If you receive an offer between 16 July and 10 August, payment is due within one week of receiving the offer.
- If you receive an offer from 11 August onwards, payment is due within three days of receiving the offer.
If you are a current undergraduate King’s student in receipt of the King's Living Bursary this academic year, you are not required to pay a deposit to secure your place on the programme. Please note, this will not change the total fees payable for your chosen programme.
Please visit our web pages on fees and funding for more information.
Additional Costs
In addition to your tuition costs, you can also expect to pay for:
- Books if you choose to buy your own copies.
- Clothing for optional course related events and competitions.
- Library fees and fines.
- Personal photocopies.
- Printing course handouts.
- Society membership fees.
- Stationery.
- Travel costs for travel around London and between campuses.
- Graduation costs.
Funding
To find out more about bursaries, scholarships, grants, tuition fees, living expenses, student loans, and other financial help available at King's please visit the Fees and Funding section.
Application closing date guidance
We encourage you to apply as early as possible so that there is sufficient time for your application to be assessed and we may need to request further information from you during the application process.
The final application deadlines for this programme are:
· Overseas (international) fee status: 25 July 2025 (23:59 UK time)
· Home fee status: 25 August 2025 (23:59 UK time)
If the programme becomes full before the final application deadlines stated above, we will close the programme to further applications. Please note, you will not be eligible for an application fee refund if we are unable to process further offers because places are filled and we close the course before the final application deadline.
Related courses including study abroad
Double Masters in Asian & International Affairs MAKey information
Delivery mode:
In person
Study mode:
Full time
Part time
Duration:
Full-time: one year, part-time: two years
Application status:
Open
Start date:
September 2025
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