phd in international development oxford

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DPhil in International Development

The DPhil in International Development programme provides an opportunity to study at Oxford for a doctorate in international development on topics requiring an interdisciplinary approach. There are close links with other Oxford departments that make it possible to study development in the framework of a single discipline.

Successful applicants are admitted initially as Probationer Research Students (PRS) and then transfer to full DPhil student status, usually near the end of their first year. This transfer is conditional on completing any required coursework (usually one course in research methods or from an Oxford master’s degree relevant to their research) and on departmental approval of a fully developed research plan.

This course is the only formal class teaching received by doctoral students. Once the transfer is complete, DPhil students continue their course by conducting their own research under the guidance of their supervisor(s) whom they meet regularly to discuss progress. Students are expected to be resident in Oxford for the whole PRS period.

Assessment of progress is made during supervision sessions and also, more formally, in the viva meetings which form the Transfer of Status and the Confirmation of Status processes which take place usually in the third term (for transfer) and ninth term (for confirmation). More information on these two meetings can be found in the Course Handbook which can be downloaded from this website.

Students are expected to complete their degrees in a period of three years plus up to one year of fieldwork (if needed), as are students who transfer to the DPhil after a one-year Oxford master’s course. For students who transfer to the DPhil after the MPhil in Development Studies or other two-year Oxford master’s courses, the expected period is two years plus time needed for fieldwork. Students are expected to be resident in Oxford for part of this time. Further information on the structure can be obtained from the Course Handbook available on the Department's website .

Academic Supervisors

• Dr Alexander Betts , Leopold Muller Professor of Forced Migration and International Affairs
• Dr Matthew J Gibney , Elizabeth Colson Professor of Politics and Forced Migration
• Dr Tom Scott-Smith , Associate Professor of Refugee Studies and Forced Migration
• Dr Catherine Briddick , Andrew W Mellon Associate Professor of International Human Rights and Refugee Law

Many DPhil students go on to develop academic careers in universities and research institutions across the world. Others have taken up positions in the major international institutions, including the World Bank and the United Nations, or in non-governmental organisations.

Please see the Department's website for full information on the DPhil.

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DPhil in International Development

University of oxford, different course options.

• Key information

Course Summary

Tuition fees, entry requirements, similar courses at different universities, key information data source : idp connect, qualification type.

PhD/DPhil - Doctor of Philosophy

Subject areas

Development Politics International Studies Development Economics

Course type

About the course

The DPhil in International Development provides an opportunity for outstanding students to pursue in-depth multi- and interdisciplinary research, guided by leading scholars in the field, into processes of social, political and economic development and change in the global South.

Academics at the Oxford Department of International Development (ODID) can offer supervision in a wide range of subjects, including migration, refugees and humanitarianism; urban, agrarian and environmental development; political and social change and conflict; state-making and disciplinary regimes; public health and social policies; global governance, diplomatic studies, and security; economic growth and structural transformation; macroeconomics and public finance; firms and households; poverty and inequality; and technology. The department also has close connections with other departments and research centres across the University.

As a DPhil student you will undertake your own original research project under the guidance of your supervisor, with whom you will typically meet two to three times a term. The supervisor will help develop and guide your project and, at later stages, provide feedback on chapter drafts. However, you will work to a significant extent on your own, and you will need a high level of motivation and self-discipline.

You will be admitted initially as a Probationer Research Student (PRS). At the end of your first year, you will be examined on one taught course (either in research methods or from an Oxford master’s degree relevant to your research). You must pass this course with a strong performance in order to transfer from PRS status to full DPhil status. You also need departmental approval of a fully developed research plan, which you will present in your transfer paper to two assessors approved by the department’s graduate studies committee. Full-time students present their transfer paper at the end of their first year and part-time students at the end of the second year.

Assessment of progress will be made during sessions with your supervisor and also in more formal viva voce assessments – for the Transfer of Status and for Confirmation of Status (usually at the end of the third year for full-time students and end of the sixth year for part-time students). More information on these two assessments can be found in the course handbook on the ODID website's course page.

Graduate destinations

Graduates of the DPhil in International Development have a strong track record in developing academic careers in universities and research institutions across the world. The department’s alumni now hold positions at the Universities of Oxford, Cambridge, Edinburgh, Leicester, London (LSE and SOAS) and Sussex in the UK, and at the Australian National University, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Dartmouth College, the Frankfurt School of Finance and Management, and the Universities of Hong Kong, Johannesburg, Leiden, Leuven, Melbourne, Peru, Port Harcourt, Rome, Roskilde, York (Canada), the Western Cape (South Africa) and the Witwatersrand (South Africa) overseas, among other institutions.

Other former students have taken up influential positions in governments and major international institutions, including the World Bank and UN organisations such as UNCTAD and UNHCR, and in NGOs.

UK fees Course fees for UK students

For this course (per year)

International fees Course fees for EU and international students

As a minimum, applicants should hold or be predicted to achieve the equivalent of the following UK qualifications or their equivalent: a master's degree with a distinction or a very high 2:1 in a relevant social science subject; and a first-class or strong upper second-class undergraduate degree with honours in a relevant social science subject. However, entrance is very competitive and most successful applicants have a first-class degree or the equivalent. The master's degree must be completed and a final transcript made available to the department by the end of August prior to the start of the DPhil. For applicants with a degree from the USA, the minimum GPA normally sought is 3.8 out of 4.0 for those marks most relevant to the proposed DPhil programme of study.

International Development MSc

Birkbeck, university of london, international development pg dip, international development pg cert, msc international development, northumbria university, newcastle, msc international development (16 months).

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The DPhil in International Development provides an opportunity for outstanding students to pursue in-depth multi- and interdisciplinary research, guided by leading scholars in the field, into processes of social, political and economic development and change in the global South.

Academics at the Oxford Department of International Development (ODID) can offer supervision in a wide range of subjects, including migration, refugees and humanitarianism; urban, agrarian and environmental development; political and social change and conflict; state-making and disciplinary regimes; public health and social policies; global governance, diplomatic studies, and security; economic growth and structural transformation; macroeconomics and public finance; firms and households; poverty and inequality; and technology. The department also has close connections with other departments and research centres across the University.

PhD Program Requirements

A master’s degree with a distinction or a very high 2:1/merit in a relevant social science subject; and

A first-class or strong upper second-class undergraduate degree with honours in a relevant social science subject.

However, entrance is very competitive and most successful applicants have a first-class degree or the equivalent. Most successful applicants have strong backgrounds in one or more core disciplines: history, politics, anthropology, sociology, or economics, or combinations of these disciplines (e.g., Philosophy, Politics, and Economics).

It is also expected that they should already have familiarity with key literature in the proposed field of study.

It is relatively rare for applicants to be successful whose primary academic training is in fields such as management or business, and it is also rare for us to accept students who are primarily trained in engineering or the sciences.

We welcome applicants with professional experience in development, but this is not generally seen as a substitute for previous social science study.

The master’s degree must be completed and a final transcript made available to the department by the end of August prior to the start of the DPhil.

For applicants with a degree from the USA, the minimum GPA normally sought is 3.8 out of 4.0 for those marks most relevant to the proposed DPhil programme of study.

PhD Funding Coverage

The University expects to be able to offer over 1,000 full or partial graduate scholarships across the collegiate University in 2024-25.

You will be automatically considered for the majority of Oxford scholarships, if you fulfil the eligibility criteria and submit your graduate application by the relevant December or January deadline.

Most scholarships are awarded on the basis of academic merit and/or potential.

Application Requirement

1. Online Application

2. Official transcript(s): Your transcripts should give detailed information of the individual grades received in your university-level qualifications to date. You should only upload official documents issued by your institution and any transcript not in English should be accompanied by a certified translation.

3. Research proposal: The research proposal should be written in English only and should set out your research topic succinctly.

4. Written work: Academic essays or other writing samples from your most recent qualification, written in English, are required. Extracts from longer pieces of work are acceptable, but should not come from the same piece of work and should be prefaced by a note which puts them in context. Please note that multi-authored works are not acceptable. Work that is not academic, for example journalism or popular writing, is not appropriate.

5. GRE General Test scores: No Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or GMAT scores are sought.

6. English language proficiency: This course requires proficiency in English at the University’s higher level. If your first language is not English, you may need to provide evidence that you meet this requirement.

Application Deadline

19 January 2025

Application Fee

An application fee of £75 is payable per course application.

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DPhil in Migration Studies

• Entry requirements
• Funding and costs

College preference

• How to apply

About the course

The DPhil in Migration Studies, offered by the School of Anthropology and Museum Ethnography (SAME) and the Oxford Department of International Development (ODID), presents the unrivalled opportunity to undertake an interdisciplinary, in- depth project focused on a specific and contemporary challenge facing the world by drawing on world-class research departments, centres and scholars.

As a DPhil student you will undertake your own original research project under the guidance of your supervisor. Academics from SAME and ODID can offer supervision in a wide range of subjects. Examples include migrant integration, identity formation, transnationalism, urban change, diasporas, humanitarianism, asylum and refugees, citizenship, health and wellbeing.

You will also benefit from long established research and teaching programmes on migration, each with particular focus on collaborating with non-academics and generating research ‘impact’. The DPhil programme offers the opportunity to link research training to research practice at the two research centres: The Centre on Migration Policy and Society (COMPAS) and the Refugee Studies Centre (RSC).

Course structure

Most applicants are admitted as Probationer Research Students (PRS) and are expected to complete the degree in three-four years (six-eight years part-time). In the first year (the first two years in the case of part-time) students attend weekly PRS seminars which provide training in research and writing as well as research presentation and critique; during this period you will develop and begin work on your thesis topic. In their first year (first two years if part-time) students also attend the weekly ‘work-in-progress’ seminar at COMPAS and present their research in each. First year students also take at least two ‘methods modules’ courses chosen to complement their research interests from the wide range offered across the departments and can avail themselves of the many research training opportunities on offer in the Social Sciences Division and elsewhere in the University (eg the Oxford University Language Centre, IT Learning Centre). These requirements are spread over the first two years in the case of part-time students. You will also have the opportunity to attend lectures, seminars and classes in your topic area.

You are likely to have already completed appropriate research training at master’s degree level, either within Oxford or another university. There is a joint Quantitative Research Methods for Migration Studies course for master's-level students on the MSc in Migration Studies and MSc in Refugee and Forced Migration Studies, and separate courses in qualitative methods. Graduates who have followed this route will therefore have completed the necessary training. Students new to Oxford can attend these research method courses if necessary. Supervisors will conduct a Training Needs Analysis to discuss the required skills and identify any gaps.

Students spend their second year (part-time: third and fourth years) gathering data as part of their original research. The nature of this varies considerably depending upon the research area and topic focus, from living with another population, to data gathering and analysis, for example. Its location will be dictated by the research focus and could be in Oxford or, in principle, anywhere in the world (subject to the usual health and safety considerations).

In their third year (part-time: fifth and sixth years) students write up their research thesis, and are encouraged to regularly attend weekly ‘work-in-progress’ seminars in which they present their developing work to their peers and staff for feedback; . Throughout the course DPhil students are strongly encouraged to attend the many research seminars, presentations and lectures on offer within the department and elsewhere in the University.

The school’s research degrees are not available by distance learning. To ensure a comprehensive integration into the school and University's research culture and with their full-time peer groups, part-time students will be required to attend supervision, study, research seminars and skills training, together with other obligations (for example, supervision meetings). Although there will be no requirement to reside in Oxford, part-time research students must attend the University on a regular basis. You may be expected to be in Oxford on a number of days each week during term time in the first two years of the programme. There will be limited flexibility in the dates of attendance, which will be determined by class schedule and term dates. It is therefore likely that part-time students are either already resident in Oxford or will live within commuting distance of the city. Although the school appreciates that part-time research students will have non-standard attendance and work patterns, they are required to attend for a minimum of 30 days during term time in each academic year. During the later years of the programme, there will be flexibility in the dates of attendance, which will be determined by mutual agreement with your supervisor. You are expected to have at least three meetings per term with your supervisor.

Supervision

The allocation of graduate supervision for this course is the responsibility of the School of Anthropology and Museum Ethnography (SAME) or Oxford Department of International Development (ODID) and it is not always possible to accommodate the preferences of incoming graduate students to work with a particular member of staff. 

In some circumstances we could consider making a joint supervision arrangement and in that case one of the two supervisors may be found outside SAME or ODID.

In your first year (first two years if part-time) you will typically meet at least monthly with your supervisor. You will then maintain regular (at least monthly) contact throughout the rest of the course with your supervisor for guidance while conducting your research.

The supervisor will help develop and guide your project and, at later stages, provide feedback on chapter drafts. However, you will work to a significant extent on your own, and you will need a high level of motivation and self-discipline.

You will be admitted to the course as a Probationer Research Student (PRS). In some cases Oxford MPhil students may be offered the opportunity to apply directly to full DPhil student status.

If you are admitted with PRS status, within a maximum of four terms as a full-time PRS student or eight terms as a part-time PRS student, you will be expected to apply for, and achieve, transfer of status from Probationer Research Student to DPhil status. This application is normally made in the third term for full-time students and in the sixth term for part-time students.

Students who are successful at transfer will also be expected to apply for and gain confirmation of DPhil status, to show that your work continues to be on track. Both milestones will involve submission of written work and an interview with two assessors (other than your supervisor) and therefore provide important experience for the final oral examination.

This will need to be done within nine terms for full-time students and eighteen terms for part-time students who were admitted with PRS status, or within six terms for full-time students and twelve terms for part-time students who were admitted directly with full DPhil status.

The course is ultimately examined by the submission of a thesis and oral examination, after three to four years of full-time study, or six to eight years of part-time study.

Graduate destinations

The increasing importance of the issue of migration on the global stage means that there are multiple paths to future employment in academia – where migration is growing in importance, with the establishment of numerous migration-related programmes at universities around the world – but also with significant opportunities in national governments and multilateral organisations.

Oxford graduates in similar programmes have gone on to occupy key posts in leading institutions of international governance, including: UNHCR, Norwegian Refugee Council, European Council on Refugees and Exiles, IOM, ILO, and the European Commission.

Changes to this course and your supervision

The University will seek to deliver this course in accordance with the description set out in this course page. However, there may be situations in which it is desirable or necessary for the University to make changes in course provision, either before or after registration. The safety of students, staff and visitors is paramount and major changes to delivery or services may have to be made in circumstances of a pandemic, epidemic or local health emergency. In addition, in certain circumstances, for example due to visa difficulties or because the health needs of students cannot be met, it may be necessary to make adjustments to course requirements for international study.

Where possible your academic supervisor will not change for the duration of your course. However, it may be necessary to assign a new academic supervisor during the course of study or before registration for reasons which might include illness, sabbatical leave, parental leave or change in employment.

For further information please see our page on changes to courses and the provisions of the student contract regarding changes to courses.

Entry requirements for entry in 2024-25

Proven and potential academic excellence.

The requirements described below are specific to this course and apply only in the year of entry that is shown. You can use our interactive tool to help you  evaluate whether your application is likely to be competitive .

Please be aware that any studentships that are linked to this course may have different or additional requirements and you should read any studentship information carefully before applying. 

Degree-level qualifications

As a minimum, applicants should hold or be predicted to achieve the following UK qualifications or their equivalent:

• a master’s degree with distinction  or an overall grade of 67% or above and a distinction in the thesis element, in a relevant subject that includes appropriate research methods training;  and
• a first-class or strong upper second-class undergraduate degree with honours in any subject.

However, entrance is competitive and most successful applicants have a first-class degree and a master's degree with distinction or the equivalent.

Applicants for the DPhil in Migration Studies will normally be required to have, or obtain, a taught-course qualification in a relevant social science subject before embarking on doctoral research.

For applicants with a degree from the USA, the minimum GPA normally sought is 3.75 out of 4.0.

If your degree is not from the UK or another country specified above, visit our International Qualifications page for guidance on the qualifications and grades that would usually be considered to meet the University’s minimum entry requirements.

GRE General Test scores

No Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or GMAT scores are sought.

Other qualifications, evidence of excellence and relevant experience

• Publications are not expected.
• It would be expected that graduate applicants would be familiar with the recent and published work of their proposed supervisor and have an understanding of the background to their proposed area of study.

Further guidance

• Part-time applicants will also be expected to show evidence of the ability to commit time to study and, if applicable, an employer's commitment to make time available to study, to complete coursework, and attend course and University events and modules. Where appropriate, evidence should also be provided of permission to use employers’ data in the proposed research project.
• It is essential that you apply as early as possible and ensure that you submit all required materials by the advertised deadlines.

English language proficiency

This course requires proficiency in English at the University's  higher level . If your first language is not English, you may need to provide evidence that you meet this requirement. The minimum scores required to meet the University's higher level are detailed in the table below.

*Previously known as the Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English or Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE) † Previously known as the Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English or Cambridge English: Proficiency (CPE)

Your test must have been taken no more than two years before the start date of your course. Our Application Guide provides  further information about the English language test requirement .

Declaring extenuating circumstances

If your ability to meet the entry requirements has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic (eg you were awarded an unclassified/ungraded degree) or any other exceptional personal circumstance (eg other illness or bereavement), please refer to the guidance on extenuating circumstances in the Application Guide for information about how to declare this so that your application can be considered appropriately.

You will need to register three referees who can give an informed view of your academic ability and suitability for the course. The  How to apply  section of this page provides details of the types of reference that are required in support of your application for this course and how these will be assessed.

Supporting documents

You will be required to supply supporting documents with your application. The  How to apply  section of this page provides details of the supporting documents that are required as part of your application for this course and how these will be assessed.

Performance at interview

Interviews are not normally held as part of the admissions process.

How your application is assessed

Your application will be assessed purely on your proven and potential academic excellence and other entry requirements described under that heading.

References  and  supporting documents  submitted as part of your application, and your performance at interview (if interviews are held) will be considered as part of the assessment process. Whether or not you have secured funding will not be taken into consideration when your application is assessed.

An overview of the shortlisting and selection process is provided below. Our ' After you apply ' pages provide  more information about how applications are assessed . 

Shortlisting and selection

Students are considered for shortlisting and selected for admission without regard to age, disability, gender reassignment, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy and maternity, race (including colour, nationality and ethnic or national origins), religion or belief (including lack of belief), sex, sexual orientation, as well as other relevant circumstances including parental or caring responsibilities or social background. However, please note the following:

• socio-economic information may be taken into account in the selection of applicants and award of scholarships for courses that are part of  the University’s pilot selection procedure  and for  scholarships aimed at under-represented groups ;
• country of ordinary residence may be taken into account in the awarding of certain scholarships; and
• protected characteristics may be taken into account during shortlisting for interview or the award of scholarships where the University has approved a positive action case under the Equality Act 2010.

Processing your data for shortlisting and selection

Information about  processing special category data for the purposes of positive action  and  using your data to assess your eligibility for funding , can be found in our Postgraduate Applicant Privacy Policy.

Admissions panels and assessors

All recommendations to admit a student involve the judgement of at least two members of the academic staff with relevant experience and expertise, and must also be approved by the Director of Graduate Studies or Admissions Committee (or equivalent within the department).

Admissions panels or committees will always include at least one member of academic staff who has undertaken appropriate training.

Other factors governing whether places can be offered

The following factors will also govern whether candidates can be offered places:

• the ability of the University to provide the appropriate supervision for your studies, as outlined under the 'Supervision' heading in the  About  section of this page;
• the ability of the University to provide appropriate support for your studies (eg through the provision of facilities, resources, teaching and/or research opportunities); and
• minimum and maximum limits to the numbers of students who may be admitted to the University's taught and research programmes.

Offer conditions for successful applications

If you receive an offer of a place at Oxford, your offer will outline any conditions that you need to satisfy and any actions you need to take, together with any associated deadlines. These may include academic conditions, such as achieving a specific final grade in your current degree course. These conditions will usually depend on your individual academic circumstances and may vary between applicants. Our ' After you apply ' pages provide more information about offers and conditions . 

In addition to any academic conditions which are set, you will also be required to meet the following requirements:

Financial Declaration

If you are offered a place, you will be required to complete a  Financial Declaration  in order to meet your financial condition of admission.

Disclosure of criminal convictions

In accordance with the University’s obligations towards students and staff, we will ask you to declare any  relevant, unspent criminal convictions  before you can take up a place at Oxford.

Doctoral Students will be accommodated principally at COMPAS, but there is also possible access to space in the School of Anthropology and Museum Ethnography (SAME) and the Oxford Department of International Development (ODID) subject to availability. Social meetings, seminars, and clear office hours for methods support, will bring you together with other students and staff working in different parts of the university.

Networks and links

As a doctoral student you will become part of a vibrant research community. Migration Oxford will provide a focus of activity, linking across research centres and departments. You will also be able join the Migration Studies Society, and there will be opportunities to take on leadership roles.

SAME and ODID have student representation on Graduate Joint Consultative Committee (GJCC) that meets every term and broader participation in other student representative structures.

Programmes of research seminars are available from both departments, some specifically for research students and others featuring talks by invited speakers, often from outside the university.

You will also have access to training opportunities provided by the Social Sciences Divisional Office, which offers advanced research and career development training.

You can make use of the Social Sciences Library , the largest freestanding social science library in the UK with considerable print and digital strengths. This is complemented by the world-class resources of the Bodleian Library and the satellite libraries, such as the Pitt Rivers Museum's Balfour Library. You will be able to access key online journals and as alumni of the University can sign up for lifetime access.

Departments offering this course

This course is offered jointly by the following departments:

School of Anthropology and Museum Ethnography

The School of Anthropology and Museum Ethnography is renowned for its contributions to anthropological theory, its commitment to long-term ethnographic fieldwork, and its association with the Pitt Rivers Museum. 

Home to over forty academic staff, over a hundred doctoral students, providing both master’s programmes and undergraduate degrees, the school is one of the world’s largest and most vibrant centres for teaching and research in the discipline.

The school is divided into a number of constituent parts:

• The  Institute of Social and Cultural Anthropology  is a leading centre for anthropological teaching and research in the UK and the world. This is complemented by its relationship with the Pitt Rivers Museum, which houses one of the world's many ethnographic collections.
• The  Institute of Cognitive and Evolutionary Anthropology  (ICEA) brings together evolutionary anthropology and cognitive science with the aim of developing understanding of the evolution of human behaviour.
• The  Institute for Science, Innovation and Society  (InSIS) researches and informs the key processes of social and technological innovation that are critical to business, governments and civil society in the 21st century and beyond.
• The  Centre on Migration, Policy and Society  (COMPAS) provides a strategic, integrated research approach to understanding contemporary and future migration dynamics in the UK and EU.
• The  Centre for the Study of Social Cohesion  (CSSC) conducts research on the causes and consequences of social cohesion – the bonds that hold groups together, from families and gangs to nations and world religions.

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Oxford Department of International Development

Studying international development at Oxford means engaging with some of the most pressing issues of our time: from global governance and security to migration and human rights; from poverty and inequality to technological innovation and enterprise; from children and youth to environmental change and sustainability.

At Oxford you will take a unique, multi- and interdisciplinary approach to examine these and other complex issues affecting the countries of the developing world and the emerging economies. The approach encompasses economics, politics, international relations, anthropology, history, sociology, and law, and teaching is provided by world-class scholars in these fields. Our courses also offer small class sizes, personal supervision, training in methods, and the opportunity to research and write an original thesis and make an active contribution.

The department is a lively community that is recognised internationally as one of the top centres for research and teaching in development studies. It hosts some 70 distinguished academics and a number of externally funded research groups that are at the forefront of their specialist subject areas.

Our students come from across the world. At Oxford, they are taught to develop as critical and independent thinkers and when they leave us they go on to forge varied and successful careers as scholars, practitioners and policy-makers in the field of international development and beyond.

The University expects to be able to offer over 1,000 full or partial graduate scholarships across the collegiate University in 2024-25. You will be automatically considered for the majority of Oxford scholarships , if you fulfil the eligibility criteria and submit your graduate application by the relevant December or January deadline. Most scholarships are awarded on the basis of academic merit and/or potential. 

For further details about searching for funding as a graduate student visit our dedicated Funding pages, which contain information about how to apply for Oxford scholarships requiring an additional application, details of external funding, loan schemes and other funding sources.

Please ensure that you visit individual college websites for details of any college-specific funding opportunities using the links provided on our college pages or below:

Please note that not all the colleges listed above may accept students on this course. For details of those which do, please refer to the College preference section of this page.

Further information about funding opportunities for this course can be found on the following department websites:

• Funding information  from Anthropology
• Funding information  from ODID

Annual fees for entry in 2024-25

Full-time study.

IMPORTANT : Please note that while most of the content of these pages relates to the course starting in 2024-25, this information about course fees and the additional information section on this page relate to entry in 2025-26 . The remaining content will be updated for 2025-26 entry later in September.

Part-time study

Information about course fees

Course fees are payable each year, for the duration of your fee liability (your fee liability is the length of time for which you are required to pay course fees). For courses lasting longer than one year, please be aware that fees will usually increase annually. For details, please see our guidance on changes to fees and charges .

Course fees cover your teaching as well as other academic services and facilities provided to support your studies. Unless specified in the additional information section below, course fees do not cover your accommodation, residential costs or other living costs. They also don’t cover any additional costs and charges that are outlined in the additional information below.

Continuation charges

Following the period of fee liability , you may also be required to pay a University continuation charge and a college continuation charge. The University and college continuation charges are shown on the Continuation charges page.

Where can I find further information about fees?

The Fees and Funding  section of this website provides further information about course fees , including information about fee status and eligibility  and your length of fee liability .

Additional information

There are no compulsory elements of this programme that entail additional costs beyond fees and living costs. However, please note that, depending on your choice of research topic and the research required to complete it, you may incur additional expenses, such as travel expenses, research expenses, and field trips. You will need to meet these additional costs, although you may be able to apply for small grants from your department and/or college to help you cover some of these expenses. Standard travel insurance can be provided by the University. However, students may be required to pay any additional insurance premiums associated with travel to areas with an increased level of risk and/or for travel of more than 12 months’ duration, and should factor this into their planning for fieldwork.

There are no compulsory elements of this programme that entail additional costs beyond fees and living costs. Please note that you are required to attend in Oxford for a minimum of 30 days each year, and you may incur additional travel and accommodation expenses for this. Also, depending on your choice of research topic and the research required to complete it, you may incur further additional expenses, such as travel expenses, research expenses, and field trips. You will need to meet these additional costs, although you may be able to apply for small grants from your department and/or college to help you cover some of these expenses.

Living costs

In addition to your course fees, you will need to ensure that you have adequate funds to support your living costs for the duration of your course.

For the 2024-25 academic year, the range of likely living costs for full-time study is between c. £1,345 and £1,955 for each month spent in Oxford. Full information, including a breakdown of likely living costs in Oxford for items such as food, accommodation and study costs, is available on our living costs page. The current economic climate and high national rate of inflation make it very hard to estimate potential changes to the cost of living over the next few years. When planning your finances for any future years of study in Oxford beyond 2024-25, it is suggested that you allow for potential increases in living expenses of around 5% each year – although this rate may vary depending on the national economic situation. UK inflationary increases will be kept under review and this page updated.

If you are studying part-time your living costs may vary depending on your personal circumstances but you must still ensure that you will have sufficient funding to meet these costs for the duration of your course.

Students enrolled on this course will belong to both a department/faculty and a college. Please note that ‘college’ and ‘colleges’ refers to all 43 of the University’s colleges, including those designated as societies and permanent private halls (PPHs). 

If you apply for a place on this course you will have the option to express a preference for one of the colleges listed below, or you can ask us to find a college for you. Before deciding, we suggest that you read our brief  introduction to the college system at Oxford  and our  advice about expressing a college preference . For some courses, the department may have provided some additional advice below to help you decide.

If you are a current Oxford student and you would like to remain at your current Oxford college, you should check whether it is listed below. If it is, you should indicate this preference when you apply. If not, you should contact your college office to ask whether they would be willing to make an exception. Further information about staying at your current college can be found in our Application Guide. 

The following colleges accept students for full-time study on this course:

• Blackfriars
• Campion Hall
• Green Templeton College
• Hertford College
• Keble College
• Kellogg College
• Lady Margaret Hall
• Linacre College
• Regent's Park College
• Reuben College
• St Antony's College
• St Catherine's College
• St Cross College
• St Hugh's College
• St John's College
• Wolfson College
• Wycliffe Hall

The following colleges accept students for part-time study on this course:

Before you apply

Our  guide to getting started  provides general advice on how to prepare for and start your application. You can use our interactive tool to help you  evaluate whether your application is likely to be competitive .

If it's important for you to have your application considered under a particular deadline – eg under a December or January deadline in order to be considered for Oxford scholarships – we recommend that you aim to complete and submit your application at least two weeks in advance . Check the deadlines on this page and the  information about deadlines and when to apply  in our Application Guide.

Application fee waivers

An application fee of £75 is payable for each application to this course. Application fee waivers are available for the following applicants who meet the eligibility criteria:

• applicants from low-income countries;
• refugees and displaced persons; 
• UK applicants from low-income backgrounds; and 
• applicants who applied for our Graduate Access Programmes in the past two years and met the eligibility criteria.

You are encouraged to  check whether you're eligible for an application fee waiver  before you apply.

Readmission for current Oxford graduate taught students

If you're currently studying for an Oxford graduate taught course and apply to this course with no break in your studies, you may be eligible to apply to this course as a readmission applicant. The application fee will be waived for an eligible application of this type. Check whether you're eligible to apply for readmission .

Do I need to contact anyone before I apply?

It is advisable but not necessary for you to make contact with potential supervisors before you apply. However, as an offer of a place cannot be made if there is no suitable supervisor in the department, you are advised to check the Oxford Department of International Development (ODID), School of Anthropology and Museum Ethnography (SAME),  Centre on Migration, Policy and Society  (COMPAS) and Refugee Studies Centre (RSC) websites to see if your proposed research matches with research being done in the department.

General questions about the course should be directed to the course administrator via the contact details provided on this page.

Completing your application

You should refer to the information below when completing the application form, paying attention to the specific requirements for the supporting documents .

For this course, the application form will include questions that collect information that would usually be included in a CV/résumé. You should not upload a separate document. If a separate CV/résumé is uploaded, it will be removed from your application .

If any document does not meet the specification, including the stipulated word count, your application may be considered incomplete and not assessed by the academic department. Expand each section to show further details.

Proposed field and title of research project

Under the 'Field and title of research project' please enter your proposed field or area of research if this is known. If the department has advertised a specific research project that you would like to be considered for, please enter the project title here instead.

You should not use this field to type out a full research proposal. You will be able to upload your research supporting materials separately if they are required (as described below).

Proposed supervisor

If known, under 'Proposed supervisor name' enter the name of the academic(s) whom you would like to supervise your research. Otherwise, leave this field blank.

Referees: Three overall, academic preferred

Whilst you must register three referees, the department may start the assessment of your application if two of the three references are submitted by the course deadline and your application is otherwise complete. Please note that you may still be required to ensure your third referee supplies a reference for consideration.

Your references will be assessed for your intellectual ability, academic achievement, motivation and interest in the course and subject area, and ability to work in both a group and independently.

Official transcript(s)

Your transcripts should give detailed information of the individual grades received in your university-level qualifications to date. You should only upload official documents issued by your institution and any transcript not in English should be accompanied by a certified translation.

More information about the transcript requirement is available in the Application Guide.

Research proposal: A maximum of 2,000 words

Your research proposal must be written in English. The word count does not include any bibliography.

If possible, please ensure that the word count is clearly displayed on the document.

Your statement should explain your motivation for applying for the course at Oxford, your intended relevant experience and education, and the specific areas that interest you and/or you intend to specialise in.

You should include an indication of the area in which you wish to carry out your research and relevant supervisor(s) and/or group(s). Please indicate if you have a preference for specific projects and if you have previous experience in related areas.

This will be assessed for:

• the originality of your project
• evidence of understanding of the proposed area of study
• your ability to present a reasoned case in proficient English
• the feasibility of successfully completing your project in the time available for the course
• your preliminary knowledge of research techniques
• your capacity for sustained independent work.

It is normal for your ideas to change in some ways as you commence your research and develop your project. However, you should make the best effort you can to demonstrate the extent of your research question, sources and method at this moment. Your proposal should focus on the research project rather than personal achievements, interests and aspirations.

Written work: Two essays, a minimum of 2,000 words to a maximum of 3,000 words each

You can submit an extract or excepted sections from a longer essay as your written work as long as you include a brief note to give the context of the extract (for example, to explain that it is two chapters of a research dissertation that comprises twelve chapters in all, giving the full title of the dissertation).

Please note that multi-authored works are not acceptable. Work that is not academic, for example journalism or popular writing, is not appropriate. The word count does not need to include any bibliography or brief footnotes.

Start or continue your application

You can start or return to an application using the relevant link below. As you complete the form, please  refer to the requirements above  and  consult our Application Guide for advice .

Application Guide   Apply - Full time Apply - Part time

ADMISSION STATUS

Closed to applications for entry in 2024-25

Register to be notified via email when the next application cycle opens (for entry in 2025-26)

12:00 midday UK time on:

Thursday 9 January 2025

Latest deadline for most Oxford scholarships Final application deadline for entry in 2025-26

*Three-year average (applications for entry in 2021-22 to 2023-24)

Further information and enquiries

This course is offered jointly by the  School of Anthropology and Museum Ethnography and the  Oxford Department of International Development (ODID)

• Course page on the Anthropology website
• Course page  on the  ODID website
• Funding information from Anthropology
• Funding information  from ODID
• Anthropology Staff  and  ODID staff
• Centre on Migration, Policy and Society
• Refugee Studies Centre (RSC)
• Residence requirements for full-time courses
• Postgraduate applicant privacy policy

Course-related enquiries

Advice about contacting the department can be found in the How to apply section of this page

✉ [email protected] ☎ + 44 (0)1865 274670

Application-process enquiries

See the application guide

Visa eligibility for part-time study

We are unable to sponsor student visas for part-time study on this course. Part-time students may be able to attend on a visitor visa for short blocks of time only (and leave after each visit) and will need to remain based outside the UK.

International Development

University of Oxford

www.ox.ac.uk

The Times Higher Education World University Rankings is the only global university performance table to judge research-intensive universities across all of their core missions: teaching, research, knowledge transfer and international outlook.

Photos of university / #oxford_uni

The DPhil in International Development provides an opportunity for outstanding students to pursue in-depth multi- and interdisciplinary research, guided by leading scholars in the field, into processes of social, political and economic development and change in the global South.

Graduate destinations

Graduates of the DPhil in International Development have a strong track record in developing academic careers in universities and research institutions across the world. The department’s alumni now hold positions at the Universities of Oxford, Cambridge, Edinburgh, Leicester, London (LSE and SOAS) and Sussex in the UK, and at the Australian National University, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Dartmouth College, the Frankfurt School of Finance and Management, and the Universities of Hong Kong, Johannesburg, Leiden, Leuven, Melbourne, Peru, Port Harcourt, Rome, Roskilde, York (Canada) and the Witwatersrand overseas, among other institutions.

Other former students have taken up positions in major international institutions, including the World Bank and the UN organisation, such as UNCTAD and UNHCR, and in NGOs.

Academics at the Oxford Department of International Development (ODID) can offer supervision in a wide range of subjects, including economic growth and instability, trade and investment, poverty and inequality, insecurity and conflict, the history of social and political change, migration and refugees, global governance and the environment, children and human development, and technology and industrialisation. The department also has close connections with other departments and research centres across the University.

As a DPhil student you will undertake your own original research project under the guidance of your supervisor, with whom you will typically meet at least two to three times a term. The supervisor will help develop and guide your project and, at later stages, provide feedback on chapter drafts. You will work on your own extensively however, and will need a high level of motivation. 

You will be admitted initially as a Probationer Research Student (PRS), transferring to full DPhil status at the end of your first year. During the probationary period, you will develop and begin work on your thesis topic. You will be offered training in relevant research methods, language, computing and other skills, and have the opportunity to attend lectures, seminars and classes in your general topic area.

As a PRS you will take one taught course, either in research methods or from an Oxford master’s degree relevant to your research, on which you will be examined at the end of the first year. You must pass this course with a strong performance in order to transfer from PRS status to full DPhil status. You also need departmental approval of a fully developed research plan, which you will present in your transfer paper to two assessors approved by the department’s graduate studies committee.

You are expected to be resident in Oxford for the PRS period. Once the transfer is complete, you may leave Oxford for up to three terms in order to conduct your fieldwork and continue the course by carrying out your own research under the guidance of your supervisor, with whom you will continue to meet or correspond with regularly. You should return to Oxford after fieldwork for at least three terms.

Assessment of progress will be made during these sessions with your supervisor and also in more formal viva voce meetings – for the Transfer of Status (usually at the end of the first year) and for Confirmation of Status (usually at the end of the third year). More information on these two meetings can be found in the course handbook on the ODID website.

As a PRS you will normally be expected to complete your degree in a period of three years plus up to one year of fieldwork (if needed). Students who transfer to the DPhil after the MPhil in Development Studies are expected to complete in two years plus time needed for fieldwork: they are also expected to be resident in Oxford for part of this time.

Applicants are normally expected to be predicted or have achieved a first-class or strong upper second-class undergraduate degree with honours (or equivalent international qualifications), as a minimum, in a relevant social science subject.

However, entrance is very competitive and most successful applicants have a first-class degree or the equivalent.

For applicants with a degree from the USA, the minimum GPA sought is 3.8 out of 4.0.

Applicants for the DPhil must also be predicted to or have achieved a distinction or very high 2:1 (or equivalent) for their master's degree in a relevant social science subject. The master's degree must be completed and a final transcript made available to the department by the end of August prior to the start of the DPhil.

If you hold non-UK qualifications and wish to check how your qualifications match these requirements, you can contact the National Recognition Information Centre for the United Kingdom (UK NARIC).

No Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or GMAT scores are sought.

• Official transcript(s)
• CV/résumé
• Research proposal:Around 3,000 words
• Written work:Two essays of 4,000 words each
• References/letters of recommendation:Three overall, generally academic

ENGLISH LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS

Higher level

• Global Education
• Hill Foundation Scholarships
• A number of Research Council awards are available each year from the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), and Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC).

La Trobe University

Global development.

Griffith University

University of Western Australia, The (UWA)

International and community development.

Deakin University

Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology

University of Canberra

Law and international development.

Monash University

Deadline information.

Ask admission

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DPhil in International Development

Want to know what it's like to study this course at uni? We've got all the key info, from entry requirements to the modules on offer. If that all sounds good, why not check out reviews from real students or even book onto an upcoming open days ?

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About the course

The DPhil in International Development provides an opportunity for outstanding students to pursue in-depth multi- and interdisciplinary research, guided by leading scholars in the field, into processes of social, political and economic development and change in the global South.

Academics at the Oxford Department of International Development (ODID) can offer supervision in a wide range of subjects, including migration, refugees and humanitarianism; urban, agrarian and environmental development; political and social change and conflict; state-making and disciplinary regimes; public health and social policies; global governance, diplomatic studies, and security; economic growth and structural transformation; macroeconomics and public finance; firms and households; poverty and inequality; and technology. The department also has close connections with other departments and research centres across the University.

As a DPhil student you will undertake your own original research project under the guidance of your supervisor, with whom you will typically meet two to three times a term. The supervisor will help develop and guide your project and, at later stages, provide feedback on chapter drafts. However, you will work to a significant extent on your own, and you will need a high level of motivation and self-discipline.

You will be admitted initially as a Probationer Research Student (PRS). At the end of your first year, you will be examined on one taught course (either in research methods or from an Oxford master’s degree relevant to your research). You must pass this course with a strong performance in order to transfer from PRS status to full DPhil status. You also need departmental approval of a fully developed research plan, which you will present in your transfer paper to two assessors approved by the department’s graduate studies committee. Full-time students present their transfer paper at the end of their first year and part-time students at the end of the second year.

Assessment of progress will be made during sessions with your supervisor and also in more formal viva voce assessments – for the Transfer of Status and for Confirmation of Status (usually at the end of the third year for full-time students and end of the sixth year for part-time students). More information on these two assessments can be found in the course handbook on the ODID website's course page.

Graduate destinations

Graduates of the DPhil in International Development have a strong track record in developing academic careers in universities and research institutions across the world. The department’s alumni now hold positions at the Universities of Oxford, Cambridge, Edinburgh, Leicester, London (LSE and SOAS) and Sussex in the UK, and at the Australian National University, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Dartmouth College, the Frankfurt School of Finance and Management, and the Universities of Hong Kong, Johannesburg, Leiden, Leuven, Melbourne, Peru, Port Harcourt, Rome, Roskilde, York (Canada), the Western Cape (South Africa) and the Witwatersrand (South Africa) overseas, among other institutions.

Other former students have taken up influential positions in governments and major international institutions, including the World Bank and UN organisations such as UNCTAD and UNHCR, and in NGOs.

What students say

Excellent and I would recommend to anyone! I am hopeful that I will get a good job after studying here at such a prestigious university. I find the facilities here on site.. Read more

As a minimum, applicants should hold or be predicted to achieve the equivalent of the following UK qualifications or their equivalent: a master's degree with a distinction or a very high 2:1 in a relevant social science subject; and a first-class or strong upper second-class undergraduate degree with honours in a relevant social science subject. However, entrance is very competitive and most successful applicants have a first-class degree or the equivalent. The master's degree must be completed and a final transcript made available to the department by the end of August prior to the start of the DPhil. For applicants with a degree from the USA, the minimum GPA normally sought is 3.8 out of 4.0 for those marks most relevant to the proposed DPhil programme of study.

Students living in

£15,300 per year

Students from Domestic

This is the fee you pay if the University is in the same country that you live in (England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland)

£27,510 per year

Students from EU

The amount you'll pay if you come to study here from somewhere in the EU.

Students from International

The amount you'll pay if you come to study here from a country outside the EU.

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International Development Management MSc

1 year full-time, starting in september 2025.

Explore and assess how international development programmes, projects and policies are managed and organised across the government, private, and NGO sectors.

Throughout this course, you’ll analyse the ways in which organisations navigate the rapidly changing landscape of international development, with a focus on how and why certain development interventions are made.

You’ll explore key debates in the theory and practice of development management to improve your understanding of the practical challenges faced by institutions and professionals when designing and implementing change. This will give you the foundation to critically analyse these challenges and design improved interventions.

You’ll also learn about the management of development projects and programmes.

This degree benefits from a mixture of teaching from Bath's Department of Social & Policy Sciences and School of Management . This will allow you to assess contemporary international development challenges holistically, taking into consideration the social and business factors that influence policy making.

Watch our webinar about MSc International Development and its pathways

Different course pathways to specialise your skills

You have the choice of taking this specialist MSc in International Development Management course or one of five other course pathways:

• MSc International Development
• MSc International Development with Conflict and Humanitarian Action
• MSc International Development with Economics
• MSc International Development with Education
• MSc International Development, Social justice and Sustainability

The selection of a specialist pathway allows you the flexibility to pursue areas that interest you and are relevant to your career aspirations.

Switching pathways

Full-time students: If you choose one of the specialist pathways, you can switch to the general MSc International Development pathway after Year 1 Semester 1. If you choose the general MSc International Development pathway, you can switch to a specialist pathway in Year 1 Semester 2 if you choose that pathway’s core Semester 1 unit. You can not switch between specialist pathways.

Part-time students: You can choose to switch between specialist pathways, or either way between a specialist pathway and the general MSc International Development pathway, at the end of Year 1.

Learn from experts in their field

You’ll learn from experts in international development, and business and management studies; as well as staff in the wider Department of Social & Policy Sciences and School of Management communities. Their passion, knowledge, experience, and research shape their teaching to enhance your learning experience.

Gain important career skills

Upon successful completion of this course, you'll leave with:

• a critical understanding of the concepts and approaches used in international development management
• the interdisciplinary research and interpersonal skills needed to navigate the changing landscape of development practice, where new actors are emerging and traditional approaches to management need adapting
• practical skills in research, analysis and communication; and an understanding of how these can be applied when working in both the ‘Global North and South’
• the ability to analyse the complex interaction of social, economic, political or environmental factors in shaping problems and proposed solutions
• a rich experience of working with people from a wide range of disciplines, cultures and professional backgrounds

Graduate prospects

This course provides an excellent background for those wishing to pursue careers in fields that aim to improve people’s lives. These include the international development, sustainability, humanitarian and peacebuilding sectors.

You will be qualified to work in a wide variety of roles, including social research, public policy, public information and campaigning.

Graduates from our suite of International Development master's courses have gone on to secure the following roles:

• Senior Program Officer, Hashoo Foundation
• Relief Support Worker, United Response
• Analyst, Start Fund Bangladesh
• Programme Assistant, The Advocacy Team
• Fundraising Assistant, Refugee Cafe
• Director of Programmes for North West Syria, Mercy Corps
• Programme Specialist, African World Heritage Fund
• Operations and Finance Officer, The Washing Machine Project
• Local Ambassador to the World Trade Organisation

Other graduates have chosen to work for themselves and set up their own charities, while others have gone on to complete doctoral studies.

'The knowledge and skills gained from the programme have profoundly impacted my approach to work. I now consider social and environmental justice aspects when designing projects, ensuring a holistic and collaborative approach.’ Mantsebeng Suzan Maepe graduated from MSc International Development, Social Justice and Sustainability In 2023. Read more about how the course has helped her progress in her career .

2024/25 Academic Year

Before you apply for a course, please check the website for the most recently published course detail. If you apply to the University of Bath, you will be advised of any significant changes to the advertised programme, in accordance with our Terms and Conditions.

We understand that you will want to know more about the shape of the academic year. We work hard and plan for different scenarios, to be able to welcome you to the University of Bath at the start of each semester.

• Course structure

Occasionally we make changes to our programmes in response to, for example, feedback from students, developments in research and the field of studies, and the requirements of accrediting bodies. You will be advised of any significant changes to the advertised programme, in accordance with our Terms and Conditions.

Compulsory units

Doing research for international development, history and theory of international development, management in international development.

You'll choose 10 credits of optional units.

Management of international development

Optional units, analysing grand challenges in business and society, digital marketing society, equality, diversity and inclusion at work, governance for sustainability, theories of corporate responsibility.

You’ll complete a dissertation or placement.

Dissertation

As an alternative to writing a dissertation, you can gain real-world experience and complement your studies with a placement.

If you choose to do a placement, you’ll undertake an eight-week work-based project with an organisation involved in international development. You'll use the experiences you'll gain to write an academic report reflecting on a particular area of professional practice as part of your assessment.

Some previous students have worked with:

• United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
• The Centre for Development Studies
• MicroSave Consulting
• The Washing Machine Project

Finding a placement is your own responsibility. We can’t guarantee specific placements, but you will receive tailored support from our specialist team to help you find suitable opportunities.

Some placements are paid, others cover expenses, and some are unpaid. Please see the budgeting section of this page for more details.

• Learning and assessment

You’ll be taught and assessed by a variety of methods and it will vary between units. These methods are designed to promote in-depth learning and understanding of the subject.

These lists are to give you an idea of some, but not all, of the learning and assessment methods used on this course. They are not exhaustive lists and methods are subject to change.

Learning and teaching

You are expected to spend approximately 35-40 hours per week studying, with around 10 hours of this being structured classes.

This will be made up of a combination of lectures, seminars, and workshops. You will work as an individual and as part of small groups.

Assessment breakdown

You’ll experience a balance of different forms of assessment designed to support your professional development. This will be made up of coursework, including essays, reports, presentations, and group-based assessments, and a dissertation/final project focused on international development management.

We can make reasonable adjustments to assessment procedures for students with disabilities. Read our Disability Service’s pages for information.

Recognition of professional qualifications

As well as being recognised as a higher academic qualification, a number of our degrees are also accredited by professional bodies in the United Kingdom. An accredited degree may entitle you to work in a specific profession within the UK, and abroad (where there are reciprocating arrangements with professional bodies in other countries).

The requirements to practise a profession vary from country to country. If you wish to practise your profession outside the United Kingdom, you are advised to confirm that the UK professional qualification you seek is valid in the country in which you are intending to work.

‘I made friends with people from different countries, which really broadened my perspective, in terms of looking at how different people see different issues.’

• Entry requirements

Origin of qualifications

British qualifications.

You should have a bachelor’s honours degree or international equivalent, typically a 2:1 or above.

To apply for this course you should have an undergraduate degree in an appropriate subject such as politics, economics, anthropology, international relations, sociology, government studies, African, Latin American or South East Asian Studies or environmental studies.

We will also consider graduates with an undergraduate degree in other subjects, especially where you have relevant professional experience in international development.

We may make an offer based on a lower grade if you can provide evidence of your suitability for the degree.

If your first language is not English but within the last 2 years you completed your degree in the UK you may be exempt from our English Language requirements.

Nepali qualifications

You should have a four-year Bachelor degree from a recognised university, or a Master's degree following a three-year or four-year Bachelor degree, with a final overall result of at least 65% or 3.25 out of 4.0.

Dutch qualifications

You should have a Bachelor degree or Doctoraal with a final overall result of at least 7 out of 10.

New Zealander qualifications

You should have a Bachelor Honours degree or Bachelor degree with a final overall result of at least B+/B or 6 on a 9-point scale.

Nigerian qualifications

You should have a Bachelor degree with a final overall result of at least Second Class Honours (Upper Division).

Macedonian qualifications

You should have a Baccalaureus/Baccalaurea (Bachelor degree) with a final overall result of at least 9 out of 10.

Norwegian qualifications

You should have a Bachelorgrad (Bachelor degree), Candidatus/a Magisterii, Sivilingeniør or Siviløkonom with a final overall result of at least B.

Filipino qualifications

You should have a Bachelor degree (awarded from 2022 onwards) or a Master’s degree from a prestigious institution with a final overall score of 1.75 on a 5-point scale (where 1 is the highest mark) or 3.0 out of 4.0.

Polish qualifications

You should have a Licencjat or Inżynier (Bachelor degree) with a final overall result of at least 4.5 on a 5-point scale.

Portuguese qualifications

You should have a Licenciado with a final overall result of at least 15 out of 20.

Romanian qualifications

You should have a Diplomă de Licență (Bachelor degree), Diplomă de Inginer or Diplomă de Urbanist Diplomat with a final overall result of at least 8 out of 10.

Russian qualifications

You should have a Diplom Bakalavra (Bachelor degree) or Specialist Diploma with an overall final result of at least 4 out of 5 (khorosho/good).

Saudi Arabian qualifications

You should have a Bachelor degree with a final overall result of at least 3.5 on a 5-point scale or 3.0 on a 4-point scale.

Singaporean qualifications

You should have a strong Bachelor (Honours) degree when studied at Nanyang Technological University (NTU), National University of Singapore (NUS), Singapore Institute of Technology or Singapore University of Social Sciences with a final overall result of at least Second Class (Upper) Honours, or a strong Bachelor degree when studied at Singapore Management University (SMU) or Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD). Typically, we require a final overall result of at least Second Class (Upper) Honours, 60% or B, however we ask that you upload a copy of the grading scale used by your institution, along with your transcript, when you submit your application due to the range of grading scales used by different institutions.

Slovene qualifications

You should have a Diploma o pridobljeni univerzitetni izobrazbi (University Degree), Diplomant or Univerzitetni diplomant with a final overall result of at least 8 out of 10 (prav dobro/very good).

South African qualifications

You should have a Bachelor Honours degree, Professional Bachelor degree or Baccalaureus Technologiae (Bachelor of Technology) with a final overall result of at least Second Class (Division One) or 70%.

South Korean qualifications

You should have a Bachelor degree (Haksa) with a final overall result of at least 3.0 out of 4.3 or 3.5 out of 4.5.

Spanish qualifications

You should have a Título Universitario Oficial de Licenciado en (subject area) (Licenciatura), Título Universitario Oficial de Graduado en (subject area) (Grado), Título de Ingeniero or Título de Arquitecto with a final overall result of at least 7 out of 10 (Notable/Very Good).

Sri Lankan qualifications

You should have a four-year Bachelor degree (Special or Honours) or a Bachelor degree (Professional) with a final overall result of at least 60%.

Swedish qualifications

You should have a Kandidatexamen (Bachelor Degree) or Yrkesexamen (Professional Bachelor degree) with a final overall result of at least Grade B. Please contact us if your institution uses a different grading scale.

Swiss qualifications

You should have a Bachelor Degree (Baccalauréat Universitaire) with a final overall result of at least 5 out of 6.

Syrian qualifications

You should have a Bachelor Degree (Licence/Al-ijâza) with a final overall result of at least 70-80% depending on the institution attended.

Taiwanese qualifications

You should have a Bachelor degree with a final overall result of at least 75%.

Tanzanian qualifications

You should have a Bachelor degree with a final overall result of at least Upper Second (Very Good, B+ or GPA 3.5 on a 5-point scale).

Thai qualifications

You should have a Bachelor degree with a final overall result of at least CGPA 3.0.

Tunisian qualifications

You should have a Licence, Maîtrise, Diplôme National d'Ingénieur, Diplôme National d'Architecture with a final overall result of at least 14 out of 20 (Bien).

Turkish qualifications

You should have a Lisans Diplomasi (Bachelor degree) or Mühendis Diplomasi with a final overall score of at least GPA 2.8-3.0 on a 4-point scale, depending on the institution you have attended.

Ugandan qualifications

You should have a Bachelor degree with a final overall result of at least Class II Upper or GPA 4.0 on a 5-point scale.

Ukrainian qualifications

You should have a Bachelor degree (awarded after 2007) or Specialist Diploma with a final result of at least 80% or 3.5 on a 4-point scale. Please contact us if your institution uses a different grading scale.

Emirati qualifications

You should have a Bachelor degree with a final overall result of at least 3 out of 4, 80% or B.

American qualifications

You should have an Honors Bachelor degree or Bachelor degree with a final overall result of at least CGPA 3.0 on a 4-point scale.

Vietnamese qualifications

You should have a Bachelor degree (Bằng Tốt Nghiệp Đại Học/Bằng Cử Nhân) of at least four years or a Masters (Thạc sĩ) from a recognised degree-awarding institution with a final overall result of at least 7.0 on a 10-point scale.

Zimbabwean qualifications

You should have a Bachelor Honours degree with a final overall result of at least Upper Second Division (65%).

Israeli qualifications

You should have a Bachelor degree with a final overall result of at least 80%.

Italian qualifications

You should have a Laurea, Laurea in Ingegneria / Architettura, Diploma Accademico di Primo Livello, Diploma di Mediatore Linguistico or Licenza di Academia di Belle Arti with a final result of at least 102 out of 110.

Jamaican qualifications

You should have a Bachelor degree with a final overall result of at least Second Class (Upper).

Japanese qualifications

You should have a Bachelor degree (Gakushi) with a final overall result of at least 3.0 out of 4.0 (B).

Jordanian qualifications

You should have a Bachelor degree with a final overall result of Very Good or GPA 3.0 on a 4-point scale.

Kazakhstani qualifications

You should have a Bakalavr (Bachelor degree) or Specialist Diploma with a final overall result of at least 4.3 on a 5-point scale or 3.2 on a 4-point scale.

Kenyan qualifications

Kuwaiti qualifications.

You should have a Bachelor degree (البكالوريوس) with a final overall result of 3.2 on a 4-point scale.

Lithuanian qualifications

You should have a Bakalauro Diplomas or Profesinis Bakalauras with an overall final result of at least 8 out of 10.

Malawian qualifications

You should have a Master's degree with a final overall result of at least 70%.

Malaysian qualifications

You should have a Bachelor degree with a final overall result of at least Second Class (Division 1).

Mexican qualifications

You should have a Título de Licenciado or Título (Profesional) de [subject area] with a final overall result of least 8 out of 10.

Other qualifications

We welcome applications from graduates from all countries so if you can't see your country in the list, please contact our admissions team for advice about your specific entry requirements.

Albanian qualifications

You should have a Diplomë Bachelor or a Master i Shkencave with a final overall result of at least 8 out of 10. Please contact us if your institution uses a different grading scale.

Australian qualifications

You should have a Bachelor Honours degree with a final result of at least Second Class (Upper Division) or a Bachelor degree with a final result of Distinction or higher.

Austrian qualifications

You should have a Bachelor degree or Fachhochschuldiplom/Diplom (FH) with a final result of at least Gut.

Bangladeshi qualifications

You should have a Master's degree (following a 3 or 4 year Bachelor degree) with a final overall grade of at least 3.2 out of 4.0 (65% or B+). We may also consider a Bachelor of Architecture when studied for at least five years, or a Bachelor of Engineering when recognised by the Institution of Engineers Bangladesh (IEB) or accredited by the Board of Accreditation for Engineering and Technical Education (BAETE).

Belgian qualifications

You should have a Bachelier, Licencié or Licentiaat and other two cycle diplomas with a final overall score of at least 16 out of 20.

Bolivian qualifications

You should have a Licenciado or Titulo de [subject area] with a final overall result of at least 75%.

Brazilian qualifications

You should have a Titulo de Bacharel, Titulo de [subject area] or Licenciado/a with a final overall result of at least 7.5 out of 10.

Bulgarian qualifications

You should have a Bachelor degree with a final overall result of at least 5 out of 6.

Algerian qualifications

You should have a Licence, Diplôme in any specialised professional field, Diplôme d'Ingênieur, Diplôme d'Architecte d'État or Diplôme d'Etudes Supérieures with a final overall score of at least 14 out of 20.

Cambodian qualifications

You should have a Master's degree from a recognised degree-awarding institution with a final overall result of at least 80%.

Canadian qualifications

You should have a Bachelor degree (Honours) or Bachelor degree with a final overall result of at least CGPA 3.0 on a 4-point scale (B or 70%). Please contact us if your institution uses a different grading scale.

Chilean qualifications

You should have a Grado de Licenciado with a final overall result of at least 5.5 on a 7-point scale.

Chinese qualifications

You should have a four-year Bachelor degree with a final overall score of at least 75-80% depending on the institution attended.

Colombian qualifications

You should have a Licenciado en, Titulo de, Profesional en, Maestro en or Diploma de [subject area] with a final overall result of at least 3.8.

Croatian qualifications

You should have a Baccalaureus or Baccalaurea with a final overall result of at least 4 out of 5.

Cypriot qualifications

You should have a Bachelor degree (Ptychio) with a final overall result of at least 6.5 out of 10.

Czech qualifications

You should have a Bakalár (Bachelor degree) with a final overall score of 1.5 on a 1-4 scale or Grade B. Please contact us if your institution uses a different grading scale.

Danish qualifications

You should have a Bachelor degree, Candidatus Philosophiae, Diplomingeniør (Engineer), Professionsbachelor (Professional Bachelor degree) or Korrespondenteksamen with a final overall result of at least 7 out of 10.

Egyptian qualifications

You should have a Bachelor degree from a university with a final overall result of at least 75% (Very Good) or 3.0 on a 4-point scale.

Estonian qualifications

You should have a Bakalaurusekraad (Bachelor degree), Diplomeeritud spetsialisti ülikoolidiplom/Kraadita Diploma (University Specialist's Diploma) or Rakenduskõrgharidusõppe Diplom (Professional Higher Education Diploma) with a final overall result of at least 4 on a 5-point scale (B).

Finnish qualifications

You should have a Kandidaatti / Kandidat (University Bachelor Degree), (Professional Title) (AMK/YH) (Bachelor degree from a University of Applied Sciences), Arkkitehti / Arktitekt / Diplomi-insööri / Diplomingenör / Proviisori / Provisor with a final overall result of at least 3.5 on a 5-point scale.

French qualifications

You should have a Grade de licence / Grade de licence professionnelle with a final overall result of at least 13 out of 20.

German qualifications

You should have a Bachelor degree, Erste Staatsprüfung (Primarstufe / Sekundarstufe I), Fachhochschuldiplom / Diplom (FH) or Magister Artium with a final overall result of at least 2.5 (Gut).

Ghanaian qualifications

You should have a Bachelor degree with a final overall result of Upper Second Class (60% or 3.25 on a 4-point scale).

Greek qualifications

You should have a University Bachelor degree (Ptychio) or Diploma with a final overall score of at least 6.5 out of 10.

Hong Kongese qualifications

You should have a Bachelor degree (Honours) with a final overall result of Second Class (Division 1) Honours or 3.0 out of 4.0.

Hungarian qualifications

You should have an Alapfokozt (Bachelor degree) or Egyetemi Oklevél (University Diploma) with an overall final result of 4 out of 5.

Icelandic qualifications

You should have a Baccalaureus or Candidatus/a with an overall final result of at least 7.25 on a 10-point scale.

Indian qualifications

Typically, you should have a Bachelor degree with a final overall result of at least First Class. However, due to the number of different grading scales in use, we ask that you upload a copy of the grading scale used by your institution, along with your transcript, when you submit your application.

If you have graduated within the last 5 years from an Indian university where the medium of instruction is English and have achieved the required level of English in your Indian 12th Standard examinations, we may be able to assess your English. More information can be found here .

Indonesian qualifications

You should have a Bachelor degree (Sarjana I) with a final overall result of at least 3.0 out of 4.0.

Iranian qualifications

You should have a Bachelor's degree or Professional Doctorate with a final overall result of at least 14 out of 20 when studied at a state university and 15 out of 20 when studied at a private university.

Irish qualifications

You should have a Honours Bachelor degree with a final overall result of at least Second Class Honours (Grade I).

• Fees and funding

Fees and funding information for International Development Management MSc full-time

Your tuition fees and how you pay them will depend on whether you are a Home or Overseas student.

Tuition fees

See the most recent fees for postgraduate courses .

Extra costs

If you receive an offer, you will need to pay a non-refundable deposit of £1,000 when you accept to secure your place. This will be deducted from your tuition fee when you register.

When doing a placement, you (or your placement provider) are responsible for your travel, accommodation and living costs. You should consider the financial implications if you choose to do an unpaid or overseas placement.

The University of Bath’s Centre for Development Studies offers a set of stipends to support students via its Bath Research into International Development (BRID) fund . You’ll be able to apply for this support once you join the course.

Scholarships and bursaries

You could be considered for a bursary or scholarship to help you study at Bath. You do not have to pay it back.

If you're a student from a Commonwealth country, then you may be eligible for a Commonwealth Shared Scholarships Scheme (CSSS) Award . This does not apply to the part-time version of this course.

Other payment options

You can pay your tuition fees by Direct Debit, debit card, credit card or bank transfer. You may also be eligible for a student loan to help you pay your fees.

You will need to budget at least £100 for the cost of photocopying, printing and binding. You will also need to budget for the cost of textbooks.

Some courses involve visits away from campus and you may be required to pay some or all of the costs of travel, accommodation and food and drink.

If you’re on a placement, you’re responsible for your own travel, accommodation and living costs. You should also consider the financial implications if you go on an unpaid or overseas placement.

• Application information
• Course title International Development Management
• Final award MSc
• Mode of study Full-time
• Course code THSP-AFM59
• Department Department of Social & Policy Sciences
• Location University of Bath Claverton Down, Bath BA2 7AY

We recommend you apply early as we may close applications before the deadline if a course is full.

We recommend you apply early as we may close applications before the deadline if a course is full. We may consider late applications but if you need a Student Visa to study in the UK, you will need time to apply for and receive your visa to be in the UK by the start of the course.

• Application eligibility Home and Overseas students are eligible to apply
• Regulator The Office for Students (OfS)
• Course enquiries
• Related courses
• International Development Management MSc – 2 years part-time
• International Development with Conflict and Humanitarian Action MSc – 1 years full-time
• International Development with Economics MSc – 1 years full-time
• International Development with Education MSc – 1 years full-time
• International Development, Social Justice and Sustainability MSc – 1 years full-time
• International Development MSc – 1 years full-time

On this page

• Course changes for 2025/26
• Recognition of Professional Qualifications

This unit is intentionally different. It cuts across disciplinary boundaries with a focus on complex problems with no single right answer. Explore a broad range of issues in contemporary management and organisations and get the skills to provide compelling recommendations in debates, presentations and reports.

Compulsory on Management with Marketing.

Develop your understanding of the societal effects of digital marketing. Through social theory and critical reflection, you'll explore topics related to digital technologies and societal structure like:

• social media
• influencers
• identity in digital life
• algorithms and big data
• surveillance and privacy

You'll explore and discuss these topics and how they affect society in various ways like technological dependency and alienation.

The dissertation is your chance to identify a feasible research question and relate it to relevant literature and empirical evidence.

Within a fixed timeframe, you'll develop a coherent argument that addresses the research question and demonstrates your understanding of relevant theories and practices in the field of international development.

Develop key transferrable skills to successfully perform in your professional life and as a graduate student.

By searching and reviewing information and arguing based on evidence, you'll undertake a piece of independent research and be able to critically reflect on the ways in which research feeds into development policy.

Exploring a range of research methods, you'll be able to successfully undertake the dissertation or practicum stage of your chosen pathway.

• Year 1 - Semester 1
• Year 1 - Semester 2

Learn to develop people-focused strategies to attract, nurture and retain a diverse and inclusive workforce. You'll explore equality, diversity and inclusion practices within specific cultural and legislative contexts. You’ll develop key insights into different ethical perspectives, stakeholder relations and approaches to change. You will also learn to challenge, communicate and influence HR policies whilst being fair, compassionate and consultative.

Learn about the structures, practices and frameworks that underpin corporate accountability and sustainability. Explore the tools and decision-making processes that firms rely on to promote social, environmental, and governance sustainability. Develop your ability to apply theoretical concepts to real corporate problems. The unit goes behind the headlines of corporate scandals so you can begin to understand how governance practices failed, and what can be done to improve practise.

Examine the main issues, approaches and theories which constitute the field of international development.

You'll learn how these have been conceived, and changes in the ways they have been understood over time.

You will explore how management theory relating to complexity, adaptability, leadership, change, and social entrepreneurship has been applied to and influenced the field international development. In this unit you will critically assess the strengths and weaknesses of the effects of this influence on conceptualisation of development progress and performance. You will also consider what type of manager or development practitioner you would want to be.

Learn how to identify actors, organisations, and financial flows involved in the implementation of development and humanitarian policies and programmes in different institutional contexts. 

In this unit, you'll examine dominant and critical approaches to understanding how these are conceptualised and managed. This includes their evolution, and arguments for and against.

During the placement route, you'll apply your skills and knowledge to a specific field of professional practice.

You'll produce a critical, academic report on a specific area of professional practice in international development or humanitarianism in the light of first-hand experience of it, drawing upon ideas and skills developed throughout the taught phase of your chosen pathway and your 300 hours of work-based experience.

Explore the differences between corporate responsibility and sustainability and develop an understanding of key relevant theories. You will advance your knowledge of the latest developments in the field and practically apply this knowledge to complex, social, and environmental issues that arise within today’s business environment.

A Madrasa Early Childhood Program classroom in Zanzibar, Tanzania

MPhil in Development Studies

This two-year course will provide you with a rigorous and critical introduction to development as a process of managed and unmanaged change in societies in the Global South.

The course will introduce you to development studies as an interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary subject. It covers the intellectual history of development, the paradigm shifts and internal conflicts within the discipline and the contemporary relevance of research to development policy and practice.

The course is an excellent preparation for a career in development policy or practice or for further study in the field.

Applicants to this degree who are interested in progressing onto doctoral study are eligible to apply for an ESRC 2+2 Studentship which could provide them with four years of full funding. These studentships, previously only available for UK and EU students, are now also available to non-EU students. See the Fees and Funding page for more information.

Introduction to the MPhil in Development Studies

You will develop a knowledge and understanding of key social science disciplines that have a bearing on development studies; the social and development theory that underpins development discourse and policy intervention; the past and present social, political and economic conditions of developing countries; and qualitative and quantitative research methodologies in the social sciences.

You will be able to choose from a list of options on a range of topics relevant to development, allowing you to tailor your learning to match your own particular interests. Over the summer between your first and second years you will have the opportunity to carry out fieldwork towards your dissertation.

Teaching is delivered through lectures, classes and workshops, each course entailing up to four hours of teaching per week . Class sizes are small – between 5 and 30 students – encouraging active participation and enabling students to learn from each other.

The Course Director for 2024/25 is Dr Simukai Chigudu .

The application deadline for 2025-26 entry is 3 December 2024. Please note that this is earlier than in previous years . See the course webpage  on the University Graduate Admissions pages for more information.

Teaching awards

The following staff, who teach on the MPhil in Development Studies, have all won Oxford University Teaching Awards:

• Dr Albert Park (2024)
• Dr Dan Hodgkinson (2019)
• Professor Nikita Sud (2013)
• Professor Laura Rival (2010)
• Professor Nandini Gooptu (2008)
• Professor Jocelyn Alexander (2007)

The awards recognise excellence in teaching and learning.

The course comprises five elements: foundation courses, research methods, the core course, the thesis and two option courses.

In the first year, you will study two out of three foundation courses:

• History and Politics

Social Anthropology

If you have no previous training in economics you must take this as one of your foundation courses; otherwise you must take the other two.

You will also learn about research methods for the social sciences, comprising sessions on research design and qualitative and quantitative methods. Additional sessions will be held on aspects of fieldwork ethics and preparation, library resources and software and computerised databases.

The core course, also taken in the first year, is an interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary course with two component modules:

• Ideas about Development
• Key Themes in Development

You will spend the summer following your first year preparing to write your 30,000-word thesis. You will choose the topic, with the guidance of your supervisor, and, in most cases, spend some of the summer doing fieldwork and gathering data.

In the second year, you will take your chosen option courses and continue work on your thesis, which is submitted at the start of the final term. More information can be found in the course handbook .

Foundation Courses

The course focuses on the way economists think about development. Topics may include key concepts in economics (eg comparative advantage, the role of incentives) and applications to key contemporary issues (eg climate change, innovation and technological development, inequality). The goal is to provide students with an understanding of economics as a discipline that speaks to other social sciences and that can help explain some of the development dynamics that we see in developing countries.

History & Politics

Themes may include approaches in the disciplines of history and politics to processes of state formation; colonial and post-colonial forms of power, knowledge and identity; the constitution and reproduction of classes, movements, and political and social elites; nations and the politics of belonging; international orders; conflict and violence; and democracy. The course draws on cases from Africa, Asia, and Latin America, from the 1880s to the present.

Topics may include the perspectives of anthropology upon social change, modernity, progress and commonwealth; personhood and well-being; social and personal agency; authority and responsibility in the field of productive activity; marriage, kinship, family and gender in theory and practice; technological innovations; development planning and identity struggles.

Core Course

The Core Course introduces students to the multi and inter-disciplinary nature of development studies, alongside concepts and tools that enable critical engagement with a wide range of theories and themes. This is not a ‘how to’ course; it is primarily concerned with the intellectual challenges of understanding processes of social, economic and political change.

There are two components to the course, running over the first two terms:

• Ideas about development: social, political and development theory
• Key themes in development

As a relatively new field, Development Studies has engaged with ideas from sociology, geography, anthropology, economics, and politics, among others. This fertile yet contested ground is represented in our topics for Term 1. This term is intended to introduce you to some of the key ideas about development. Throughout this term, we emphasise that ‘development’ is not a single, coherent idea; it is a shorthand for an array of historically constructed and much disputed ideas. We need to understand the origins of these ideas, when and why have they have held appeal, their political uses, and their effects. We will explore them from different disciplinary perspectives. Lectures are arranged to reflect the chronology of when particular theories, which evolve over time, have been especially pertinent.

In Term 2, we turn to key narratives and debates in development. The coverage is by no means exhaustive, exposes students to innovative research in the field, and draws in policy implications where possible. Important issues that are typically covered include the state and good governance, global health politics, law and social order in development, gender and development, agriculture, urbanisation and its discontents, social policy in the Global South, and development.  Development encompasses many narratives, which may not always come together in a synthesis. At the end of the course, we shall endeavour to have a cross-cutting conversation to assess some of these parallel, complementary and conflicting discourses.

Option Courses

Please note that available options change from year to year. Below is a list of some of the options that were available to second-year students in 2023-24 ; there is no guarantee that the same options will be offered in future years.

Climate Questions from the Global South

Dr Séverine Deneulin 

This course will trace critical questions emerging within development studies and cognate disciplines on a rethinking of development in the face of climate catastrophe. We focus on the Global South for several reasons. As a degree, the MPhil in Development Studies draws its ideas and rationale from research and practice in the South. While development theory and practice have been Euro-centric, questions related to the environment and climate cannot be left to Northern agency. Apart from this pedagogical and political project, we know that the South is seeing some of the worst effects of climate breakdown in an inter-connected world. There are questions of equity and justice here. Global carbon emissions are skewed towards ‘developed’ countries. Further the South has grave inequalities, with climate catastrophe affecting people very differently. This course will engage with disciplinary debates, questions of power, politics and justice, as also longer-term learning on climate and nature in the South. We believe the South can be a space for understanding critical climate questions, as also a space for tackling them.

Gender and Development

Professor Masooda Bano

This option examines key concepts in gender and development relating to: population; land-use and the environment; employment, assets, markets and credit; social issues; civil society; violence and conflict; political organization and theories of power.

Poverty and Human Development

Professor Sabina Alkire

This option examines human development, seen as the expansion of capabilities or intrinsically valued freedoms, and scrutinizes the instrumental interrelationships between dimensions of poverty. It covers key topics and debates such as ethical foundations of human development; the interconnections between dimensions of poverty; multidimensional measures of poverty and inequality; and agency, empowerment and democratic practice. It explores particular cases in depth and addresses selected policy issues.

The Nexus of Violence, Crime and Politics in the Global South

Dr David Jackman

The focus of this course is then to examine the nexus of crime, violence and criminality through an interdisciplinary approach and across the Global South. We will explore questions such as: how is violence used to create and maintain order? How does this influence politics and governance? How do such arrangements differ across regions? And how does this shape the character of development?

Technology and Industrialisation in Developing Countries

Professor Xiaolan Fu

This course will examine technology and industrial development and policy in developing countries and their role in the development process, drawing upon the experience of a wide range of countries, particularly from East Asia and BRICS, to illustrate the analysis. It looks at the interrelations between transnational corporations, domestic firms and the state, the debate on industry policy, the functions of the national innovation system, the interactions between foreign and indigenous innovation efforts, the debate on appropriate technology, and the role of technology in inclusive and sustainable development. The course will be accessible to students without a prior background in economics.

The Political Economy of the Middle East and North Africa

Professor Adeel Malik

This course aims to introduce key themes in political economy of the Middle East and North Africa region (MENA). The option emphasizes an analytical approach that is both theoretically rigorous and empirically rich. Engaging with the dominant social science paradigms in institutional analysis, the course seeks to develop a new research lens for studying Middle Eastern political economy. Apart from building a general regional profile the course will also highlight key nuances and differences across the region, supported by readings on individual country experiences. With its multi-disciplinary orientation, the course will be accessible to students from a diverse range of academic backgrounds. Prior knowledge of economics or political science is not a pre-requisite for this course.

The Politics of Film in Africa

Dr Dan Hodgkinson

This course examines the key theoretical approaches to studying screen-cultures. These include, considering film-as-texts that create, challenge and reproduce social discourses through a set of sensory regimes (visual image, sound, speech, graphics, etc.) and that possess a remarkable authority to make truth claims. As such, students will develop an understanding of literary and artistic ways of viewing film narratives, in order to analyse films’ ideological underpinnings, aesthetic style and affective power. In addition to this, the course will also introduce ways of understanding the social, economic, political and technical dimensions in the production, dissemination and effect of screen cultures in Africa. Through anthropological and historical approaches, the course will consider questions about who films are for, how they are watched, and what role they play in broader processes of social and political change. Lastly, the course will introduce students to the technical, intellectual and ethical aspects and methods of conducting film-based research in regards to both the use of film archives and ethnographic film methods.

Pathologies of Power: Politics, Epidemics and Global Health in Africa

Dr Simukai Chigudu

This course examines the politics of state-society relations, the workings of international development and humanitarian operations, and dynamics globalisation and modernity in Africa using epidemics as an organising framework for a series of historical and contemporary case studies.

You will spend the summer following your first year preparing to write your 30,000-word thesis. You will choose the topic, with the guidance of your supervisor, and, in most cases, spend some of the summer doing fieldwork and gathering data. 

In the second year, you will take your chosen option courses and write your thesis, which is submitted at the start of the final term.

A number of MPhil students choose to continue to doctoral study after completing the course, taking their MPhil thesis and expanding it further into a DPhil thesis. Others have gone on to jobs in the United Nations, government, NGOs, the media, business, finance and development consultancies.

Please refer to the course webpage on the University's Graduate Admissions pages for full information on selection criteria, application deadlines and English language requirements.

Enquiries about the MPhil in Development Studies should be addressed to the Graduate Student Administrator, [email protected] .

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