Teaching & modules
Modules
Course Structure
Required Modules
You are required to take the following modules:
- History and Approaches to Development Studies (30 credits)
- Dissertation Project (60 credits)
You must also take at least one of the following research methods related 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 [Department of International Development] (15 credits)
Optional Modules
In addition, you are required to take 75 credits from a range of optional modules, which may typically include:
- Gender, Power and Global Development (15 credits)
- Poverty, Inequality & Social Policy in Emerging Economies (15 credits)
- Displacement and Development in the Contemporary Era [Department of International Development] (15 credits)
- Global Labour and Development (15 credits)
- Project Management and Evaluation of Sustainable Development (15 credits)
- Climate, Environment & Uneven Development (15 credits)
- Race and Class in Contemporary Capitalism (15 credits)
- Environment and Development: Crises, Power, and Transformations (15 credits)
- Anthropology of Violence and Social Suffering (15 credits)
- Rise of China in Global Capitalism (15 credits)
- Making Public Policy in the Global South (15 credits)
- The Political Economy of Uneven Development, Dependency and Imperialism (15 credits)
- Industrial Economics & International Development (15 credits)
- Advanced Quantitative Methods for Causal Inference (15 credits)
- Advanced Qualitative Methods [Department of International Development] (15 credits)
- Quantitative Methods for Social Science (15 credits)
- Introduction to Qualitative Methods (15 credits)
- Feminist Economics (15 credits)
- Race and Class in Contemporary Capitalism (15 credits)
- Finance for Development (15 credits)
- Computational Methods for Social Science: Machine Learning and Natural Language Processing (15 credits)
- Development Planning in War and Peace (15 credits)
- Machine Learning for Development (15 credits)
- Financial Crises 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 in addition to their 180 required credits.
Part-time Students
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.
Teaching methods - what to expect
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.
The below table gives you an idea of the typical workload.
|
Module |
Lectures, seminars and feedback |
Self-study |
|
Per 15-credit taught module |
The typical 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 x 2-hour 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.
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.
Assessment
- Essays
- Developing Business Plans
- Policy Reports
- Media Analysis Reports
- Blog posts
- Podcasting
Application closing date guidance
Key Information
Course type:
Master's
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 2026