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International Development BA

UCAS code: L900, L901 (with a year abroad)

Key information

Course type:
Single honours
Delivery mode:
Campus
Study mode:
Full time
Required A-level:
AAA
Full entry requirements, including contextual requirements
Duration:
Three years full-time, or four years with a year abroad
Application status:
Open
Start date:
September 2024
Application deadline:
31 January 2024
Apply via UCAS

During this International Development degree, you will study the development process in middle-income countries and the changing global economy. You will graduate with a deep understanding of how such middle-income countries, or “emerging economies”, are grappling with challenges related to economic, social, and political development. You will begin your first year of this International Development BA by learning all about development studies, the history of the global economy, and the economic, social and political analysis of emerging economies.  The second year is when you will deepen your knowledge of development theory and learn the quantitative and qualitative methods used to research development. For the rest of the International Development course, you’ll get to choose from a wide range of modules and craft your own syllabus.  This interdisciplinary degree boasts modules from the worlds of economics, politics, sociology, social anthropology, and management. This gives you the opportunity to study a broad range of topics, from the political economy of development in Latin America or issues of development in South Asia to microeconomics, climate change, or social justice. You could blend comparative public policy with sustainability in emerging economies, or focus on project management for international development.  You could also apply a laser focus to your modules and spend your second and third years specialising in the topics or regions that interest you most, with an emphasis across regions of Asia, Latin America, Africa and the Middle East. And if you want to stretch the subject further, you can even choose from a list of approved modules taught by other departments.  You can also opt to spend a year abroad and return to King’s to finish your International Development degree. Typical destinations include Korea, Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan, or the U.S., amongst other options. 

Key benefits

  • Combine the study of local development with an understanding of the global economy.
  • Challenge Eurocentric views of development and learn from a decolonised syllabus.
  • Study a range of fields to help you decide what you’d like to pursue as a graduate.
  • Show off your skills with a broad range of assessments that help you succeed no matter your study style.
  • We rank 7th in the UK for Social Sciences (Times Higher Education University World Rankings 2023 per subject).
Mwezi Pinne headshot picture

Studying International Development at King’s allows me to learn about a diverse range of topics within a single course. The ability to complete a year abroad was also a key element for me, with a wide range of choices due to King’s’ many partner universities around the world.

Mwezi, International Development BA student

Employability

The emerging markets are the most dynamic economies and societies in the world today. Their economic growth rates may wax and wane and they face real challenges to continuing success. Nevertheless, their emergence is fundamentally changing the global political economy and they will continue to be dynamic and vital countries for the foreseeable future.

Knowledge

This course provides high quality training for students seeking employment related to the emerging economies, including the development sector in the UK and globally, as well as in policy and other sectors in middle income countries.

Graduates of this International Development degree have the skills and knowledge to pursue careers related to the emerging economies, including in the UK’s development sector, in other OECD countries – and within the emerging economies.

 

Destinations

Recent International Development BA graduates have gained roles such as:

  • Consultant in International Development - Economic and Regional Development Latin America and Sub-Saharan Africa
  • UK Government, telecoms policy development
  • Programme Officer to the Executive President of Policy Centre for the New South, an African think tank based in Morocco
  • Graduate Development Programme at Westminster City Council

Other graduates work in areas such as investment banking, public relations and blockchain, as well as going on to postgraduate study. 

Attributes

This course will support you with your development of many key attributes, including:

  • Adaptability
  • Comfort with complexity
  • Think independently and critically

Skills

This course will provide you with skills including:

  • Acquiring information via digital means
  • Analysis & synthesis of information
  • Articulating key messages
  • Building methodologies
  • Career planning
  • Collaboration
  • Cultural awareness
  • Effective questioning
  • Essay and report writing
  • Monitoring & evaluation
  • Presentation verbally
  • Problem solving
  • Project management & evaluation
  • Qualitative analysis
  • Quantitative analysis
  • Relay research findings
  • Research design
  • Statistics

Destinations

Recent graduates have found employment within the following job roles and companies:

  • Consultant in International Development - Economic and Regional Development Latin America and Sub-Saharan Africa
  • UK Government, telecoms policy development
  • Program Officer to the Executive President of Policy Center for the New South, an African think tank based in Morocco
  • Graduate Development Programme at Westminster City Council

Employability

The emerging markets are the most dynamic economies and societies in the world today. Their economic growth rates may wax and wane and they face real challenges to continuing success. Nevertheless, their emergence is fundamentally changing the global political economy and they will continue to be dynamic and vital countries for the foreseeable future.

Knowledge

This course provides high quality training for students seeking employment related to the emerging economies, including the development sector in the UK and globally, as well as in policy and other sectors in middle income countries.

Graduates of this International Development degree have the skills and knowledge to pursue careers related to the emerging economies, including in the UK’s development sector, in other OECD countries – and within the emerging economies.

 

Destinations

Recent International Development BA graduates have gained roles such as:

  • Consultant in International Development - Economic and Regional Development Latin America and Sub-Saharan Africa
  • UK Government, telecoms policy development
  • Programme Officer to the Executive President of Policy Centre for the New South, an African think tank based in Morocco
  • Graduate Development Programme at Westminster City Council

Other graduates work in areas such as investment banking, public relations and blockchain, as well as going on to postgraduate study. 

Attributes

This course will support you with your development of many key attributes, including:

  • Adaptability
  • Comfort with complexity
  • Think independently and critically

Skills

This course will provide you with skills including:

  • Acquiring information via digital means
  • Analysis & synthesis of information
  • Articulating key messages
  • Building methodologies
  • Career planning
  • Collaboration
  • Cultural awareness
  • Effective questioning
  • Essay and report writing
  • Monitoring & evaluation
  • Presentation verbally
  • Problem solving
  • Project management & evaluation
  • Qualitative analysis
  • Quantitative analysis
  • Relay research findings
  • Research design
  • Statistics

Destinations

Recent graduates have found employment within the following job roles and companies:

  • Consultant in International Development - Economic and Regional Development Latin America and Sub-Saharan Africa
  • UK Government, telecoms policy development
  • Program Officer to the Executive President of Policy Center for the New South, an African think tank based in Morocco
  • Graduate Development Programme at Westminster City Council

Key information

Course type:
Single honours
Delivery mode:
Campus
Study mode:
Full time
Required A-level:
AAA
Full entry requirements, including contextual requirements
Duration:
Three years full-time, or four years with a year abroad
Application status:
Open
Start date:
September 2024
Application deadline:
31 January 2024
Apply via UCAS

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