Teaching & modules
Modules
Course Structure
Courses are divided into modules. You will normally take modules totaling 180 credits.
Required Modules
You are required to take the following modules:
- Topics in the Analysis of Emerging Economies (15 credits)
- Development Theory & Emerging Economies (15 credits)
- Dissertation Project (60 credits)
You must also take at least one 15-credit research methods related module, out of the following four:
- 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 the remaining credits from a wide range of options that may typically include:
- Gender, Power and Global Development (15 credits)
- Poverty, Inequality & Social Policy in Emerging Economies (15 credits)
- The Political Economy of Uneven Development, Dependency and Imperialism (15 credits)
- Making Public Policy in the Global South (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)
- Project Management and Evaluation of Sustainable Development (15 credits)
- Climate, Environment & Uneven Development (15 credits)
- Global Labour and Development (15 credits)
- Displacement and Development in the Contemporary Era [Department of International Development] (15 credits)
- Environment and Development: Crises, Power, and Transformations (15 credits)
- Feminist Economics (15 credits)
- Race and Class in Contemporary Capitalism (15 credits)
- Financial Crises in Emerging Economies (15 credits)
- Rise of China in Global 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)
Part-time Students
Part-time students should plan to take two required modules 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, one module per year, including a modern language option, subject to approvals. The external modules would normally be included in the required number of credits for the programme, 180 credits.
Teaching methods - what to expect
For every 15-credit module we will typically provide 20 hours of lectures and/or seminars, and we will expect you to undertake 130 hours of independent study. For your dissertation, you will usually receive ten two-hour long dissertation workshops and five one-to-one or group consultation with supervisors. To complement this,. You should undertake approximately 590 hours of independent study and project work.
|
Module |
Lectures, seminars and feedback |
Self-study |
|
Per 15-credit taught module |
Typically 20 hours. |
130 hours (some modules may involve lab work or e-learning which would require less self-guided learning). |
|
Dissertation module |
Usually 5 x 1-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 on taught modules in the Department of International Development will be assessed through a combination of coursework and written/practical examinations. Forms of assessment may typically include individual essays, oral group presentations or group reports. The dissertation module is assessed by a proposal and a dissertation.
Application closing date guidance
Key Information
Course type:
Master's
Delivery mode:
In person
Study mode:
Full time / Part time
Duration:
One year full-time September to September, two years part-time,
Application status:
Open
Start date:
September 2026