Online, part-time
International Development MScIf you’re interested in world events and championing global equality, this MSc in International Development can lead to an exciting career with real-world impact.
Key information
Study mode: |
100% online |
Duration: |
2 years, part time |
Next start date: |
September 2025 |
Application deadline: |
Date TBC |
Intakes: |
September |
Tuition fees: |
£18,500 * These tuition fees may be subject to increases in subsequent years of study, in line with King's terms and conditions. (funding options and instalments are available) |
Course overview
In our ever-changing, increasingly interconnected world, more people are needed to understand and help tackle complex global issues like extreme poverty, inequality, or climate crisis.
This International Development MSc combines interdisciplinary training in subjects including development theory, political economy, and social policy, with applied country and region-based case studies.
Practical examples demonstrate different approaches and their contribution to national development in areas such as industrialisation, financial systems, regulation, technology, environment, and natural resource management. These case studies also help you appreciate the variations across advanced, emerging, and lower-income economies.
Apply nowWhy choose this online MSc?
Well-ranked programme and university
Ranked fifth in Europe for politics and international relations (2023 QS World University Rankings) and placed first in the UK for research (Times Higher Education 2021 Research Excellence Framework).
Distinctive approach to development studies
Our course combines inter-disciplinary training on subjects like development theory, political economy, and social policy, with applied country-based and regional case studies.
A department of experts from across the globe
The department brings together experts in social science and humanities disciplines who work in an interdisciplinary, applied and policy and practice-based learning environment.
What you'll study
Capitalising on our extensive in-depth regional expertise on Latin America, East Asia and the Middle East, this MSc offers a non-Eurocentric worldview of international development.
Focusing on emerging economies, the course provides a social scientific framework to better understand international development. You’ll learn about the challenges, tradeoffs, and uncertainties surrounding the processes of development.
Year one:
In this module, you'll explore two main areas. Firstly, you'll examine the main theories of development that have emerged since the 19th century. Secondly, you'll discuss development management, its historical place, and how to manage projects.
You'll gain a broad picture of long-term development and intertwine this with an examination of the policy implications following from each theory, such as industrialisation, market construction, or well-being improvements. You'll also review historical case studies of economic development. You’ll focus on successful middle-income countries, their relevant policies and institutions, and the challenges and dilemmas addressed during relevant periods.
You’ll then consider the main challenges to development today, the policy options available for developing countries, and discuss concrete examples and practices of development management.
You’ll also gain the ability to critically identify and use the most up-to-date methods for effective project management within a development context. You’ll be introduced to the main tools used in project design and the latest approaches. You’ll review leading participatory methods used to organise and manage projects and measure their contribution to development.
In this module, you’ll explore the key theories, models, policies and processes of development from a macroeconomic perspective. You’ll focus on middle-income and late developing countries (e.g., Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Turkey, India, China, Indonesia, as well as South Korea, Singapore, and similar countries).
These economies differ structurally from the advanced economies in important ways in their sectoral composition, relationship with international markets for goods, services and finance, and sources of dynamics.
Examination of these structural features can help to explain the constraints to development in those economies, and their macroeconomic instability and vulnerability to crisis. The theories, models and policies you’ll examine will help you to understand the long-term development of some of the largest, most dynamic, and most interesting economies in the world.
Year two:
This module offers an in-depth understanding of inequalities and development. You’ll examine concepts, theory and empirical trends in global poverty, global income inequality, inequalities related to gender and race, and methodologies for assessing inequalities.
You'll discuss social policy and the relationship between inequalities and economic development. Case studies provide context-specific insights into the issues.
By fostering nuanced understandings and encouraging critical analysis, this module will equip you with the tools to understand the range of conceptual, methodological, and theoretical questions arising from the study of inequalities and development.
This module introduces the uses, approaches and techniques to researching development. By drawing on the field's multidisciplinary nature, contested histories, and multifaceted research traditions, you can develop a critical approach to research and practice in development.
Starting from the foundations of research in the social sciences, the module provides an overview of qualitative and quantitative methods for data collection and analysis, helping you to outline your own research project for academic and non-academic purposes.
In doing so, the module will equip you with strong foundations to critically engage, assess and challenge development theory and practice.
The dissertation allows you to showcase your specialised research understanding and independent critical evaluation through a comprehensive research project.
Representing a significant portion of the degree, this module is designed to ensure academic rigor and the practical application of research skills.
You'll engage in a detailed research project, contributing original insights to your field of study. With the autonomy to define the direction and scope of your work, you'll demonstrate your ability to conduct independent research. You'll identify or collect primary or secondary source materials and critically analyse them.
The dissertation framework offers flexibility, enabling self-directed work that enables you to develop your project through a structured approach. Practical skills will be developed and assessed throughout the module.
A key focus will be on research design and execution, particularly through the identification and use of original primary and secondary source materials, including those published in the regions of study, which may include foreign language materials.
Throughout the module, you'll receive supervision support and be encouraged to develop peer networks. Additionally, King’s Foundations provides resources, workshops, and one-on-one appointments with academic skills tutors to enhance your research and writing capabilities.
By completing the dissertation module, you'll demonstrate your expertise, contribute to your field, and prepare for future academic and professional endeavours in International Development.
Watch the video overview
Hello. I'm Professor Andy Sumner. I'm the Programme Director for the International Development MSc at King's College London. So if you're interested in world events and tackling global inequality, this is the MSc in International Development that can lead to an exciting career in real world, real world impact. In our ever changing and increasingly interconnected world, we need a deeper understanding of some of these complex and big global issues like global poverty, global inequality, and the climate crisis. So this MSc combines interdisciplinary training, development theory, political economy, and social policy, and it also has country and region based case studies.
So let's explore some of the key modules so you can get a sense of what the programme is about and what makes it unique.
So first of all we have module Foundations of Development Theory and Management. In this module, you'll explore the main theories of development since or perhaps over the last fifty or so years, you'll discuss development management and gain a broader picture of some of the long term questions of development, their policy implications, and the historical cases of specific countries. Then we have a module called political economy of development. You'll delve into key theories, key models, policies of development, with perspectives.
This module will really help you understand the constraints, the instability, and the dynamics of development in some of the world's fastest growing economies. Then we have Inequalities in Development.
This module, as the name says, focuses on in-depth understanding of inequalities from, examining concepts, theories, and people trends, thinking about race, income, gender, and you'll discuss social policy and its relationship with inequalities and its relationship with economic development. Again, there are case studies for context specific insights.
Then there's the research methods for international development. Here you'll be introduced to the main tools, techniques for thinking about and conducting rigorous research and development.
This module provides an overview of qualitative and quantitative methods for data collection and analysis, helping you to outline your own thinking and operationalise that in a research project.
Then finally, this is a dissertation. So this is really significant. It allows you to conduct independent research, showcasing your own specialized understanding and critical evaluation, engaging with a detailed project on something that you're really interested in and focused on, and to give broad insights into the field of international development. So throughout these modules, you'll gain that whole set of practical skills that really enhance your employability.
The programme is designed for professionals and graduates who are aiming to deepen their understanding in this area and also build their career. Those careers could be in development policy, they could be in non governmental organisations, they could be in related fields, they could be in government. So join us at King's College to advance your career and make a significant impact on the world.
Meet your Programme Director
Andy Sumner
With twenty years of international research experience, he uses both qualitative and quantitative methods, contributing significantly to interdisciplinary Development Studies. He has gained global renown for challenging conventional assumptions in economic development and inequality dynamics.
This is evidenced by his publications and indicators now being widely used in international databases. He has authored 15 books and over 100 papers, journal articles, and book chapters, with ongoing work on cross-disciplinary enquiry in Development Studies.
How you're assessed
Assessments are designed to test your knowledge, understanding and critical awareness of the topics discussed during the course. They’ll also assess your ability to analyse and apply specialist knowledge to practice. These may vary between modules. However, they’re likely to include one or more of the following:
Essays
Essays
Written and oral assessments
Written and oral assessments
Online quizzes
Online quizzes
Presentations
Presentations
Entry requirements
A minimum 2:1 honours degree (or above) in a related subject such as international development, politics, economics or other social science or regional studies.
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 master's or PGDip).
Please note that if you have a lower degree classification, or a degree in an unrelated subject, your application may still be considered. You’ll need to demonstrate significant relevant work experience or offer a related graduate qualification (such as a master’s or PGDip). Non-standard applications must be supported by degree certificates or transcripts (where relevant), a CV, a personal statement, and a reference letter.
English language band: B
To study at King's, it is essential that you can communicate in English effectively in an academic environment. You’re 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 (at least three years duration) within five years of the course start date.
- A postgraduate taught degree (at least one year) within five years of the course start date.
- 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.
Depending on your previous qualifications, you may need to submit a personal statement and a reference letter as part of your application.
You’ll need to submit 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.
You’ll need to submit your CV as part of your application to highlight your experience.
Not sure if you meet the requirements, or if the course is right for you? Speak to our team to get tailored support:
Discuss my optionsCareer options in International Development
The field of international development is vast and diverse with opportunities in countries worldwide. It requires a multitalented workforce with specialists in a variety of disciplines, including finance, economics, health, education, public policy, engaging in non-governmental organisation work, and fundraising.
Our International Development MSc equips you with a firm understanding of the history, evolution, and impact of the theory, strategies and tactics used to promote development. You’ll see how these are applied in practical case studies from the Global South.
The general knowledge you gain can enhance any existing professional or subject-specific expertise, and you could use it to develop a more active role in international development than you currently have. You could pursue roles working within international organisations and standard-setting bodies like the UN, World Bank, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development.
As well as working for government or international inter-governmental organisations, many countries have national initiatives focused on development. The US Agency for International Development, Asian Development Bank, and African Development Bank are among the largest employers. There are also dozens of international nongovernmental organisations, including CARE, OXFAM, World Vision, Mercy Corps, Save the Children, and Red Cross.
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