Department of Development Studies

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Start date
Duration
2 years
Start of programme
April / October
Attendance mode
Part Time
Location
Distance Learning
Fees

MA/MSc: £12,000
PGDip/PGCert: available as exit awards.

Course code
OLTF0020
Entry requirements

We will consider all applications with 2:2 (or international equivalent) or higher.

 

In addition to degree classification we take into account other elements of the application such as supporting statement. References are optional, but can help build a stronger application if you fall below the 2:2 requirement or have non-traditional qualifications.

See international entry requirements and English language requirements.

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The online MSc International Development builds on the established global reputation of the Development Studies department as one of the top places in the world to study international development.

We welcome applications from those who have worked in development, however broadly defined, but also from students without relevant work experience who can demonstrate a strong interest in, and understanding of, issues pertaining to international development.

International Development is a dynamic field concerned not only with processes of change in the Global South, but also of social, economic, political and cultural change in middle income countries and the Global North. The perspective of International Development analyses these processes as interdependent and engages major policy challenges as well as efforts to overcome poverty and insecurity while also presenting a structural analysis.

Programme

This programme provides a solid interdisciplinary social science formation in the political economy and sociology of development and develops students’ capacities for independent and critical analysis.

Some topics will include:

  • conceptualising and questioning development
  • marxism, dependency and structuralism
  • gender and development
  • measuring development
  • neoclassical economics, neoliberalism and development
  • global institutions, agendas and development targets
  • industrial policy
  • agriculture and agrarian change
  • labour and labour markets
  • decolonial approaches to development

Why study MSc International Development (Online) with SOAS?

  • SOAS is ranked 3rd in the world for Development Studies (QS World University Rankings 2024)
  • We are ranked 2nd in the world for Academic Reputation (QS World University Rankings 2024)
  • We're ranked 6th in UK for graduate employability (QS World University Rankings 2023)
  • Our degrees are inter-disciplinary, combining political-economy, politics, anthropology, and history approaches to analyse processes of development in different contexts around the world
  • All modules engage with questions of climate crisis, recognising its impact and interaction with processes of inequality and change
  • Our staff specialise in a range of thematic areas including sustainability and climate change, migration and displacement, conflict, humanitarian action, labour, political ecology, and aid and institutions
  • Combined with exceptional resources and our interdisciplinary approach, we offer a unique learning and research opportunity for our diverse and vibrant student community.

Testimonials 

Kuach Yak Tutkuay Pech, South Sudan Resilience Coordinator, World Food Programme Somalia

"Enrolling in the International Development program at SOAS transformed my passion for international development into a powerful career path. With support from some of the best faculty members in the world, the in-depth knowledge and practical skills I gained not only enriched my student experience but opened doors to prestigious roles with refutable organizations like the FCDO, UNDP, and WFP. This program is a gateway to making a real impact in the world."

Who should apply?

The MSc programme’s emphasis on transferable analytical skills has been of great benefit to the many graduates who have returned to, or taken up, professional careers in development in international organisations, government agencies and non-government organisations

Explore

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Students must take 180 credits comprised of one core and three elective modules totalling 120 credits, four supporting mini modules and a 60-credit dissertation.

  • Core modules: A core module is required for the degree programme, so must always be taken and passed before you move on to the next module. The core modules are offered in every session.
  • Guided modules: These are designed to help students design their own intellectual journey while maintaining a strong grasp of the fundamentals.

Important notice

The information on the website reflects the intended programme structure against the given academic session. The modules are indicative options of the content students can expect and are/have been previously delivered as part of these programmes.

However, this information is published a long time in advance of enrolment and module content and availability is subject to change. 

Core

Dissertation

Guided Options - List B - other ODL departments

0 or 30 credits to be selected from List B

Guided Options - List A - home department

60 or 90 credits to be selected from List A

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This programme is delivered 100% online through Moodle.

Virtual Learning Environment (VLE)

In Moodle, you will have access to learning materials and course resources anytime so that you can fit your studies around your existing commitments. There are also a number of seminars and tutorials which are scheduled to fit students’ schedules and time-zones.

For each module, students will be provided with electronic access through the SOAS Library, to all necessary materials from a range of appropriate sources.

There are two key components of the student experience which distinguish online learning from our other programmes:

  • Discussion forums: peer-to-peer learning and engagement guided by the tutor.
  • E-tivities: assessments which are formulated around a pedagogy of academic skills development which culminate in the submission of assessments, known as e-tivities.

Study timetable

In addition to a dedicated Associate Tutor, a study timetable is provided for each module and for the overall programme to help you to plan and organise your time.

The programme is broken down into two study sessions per year (October to February and April to August). Each subject module lasts 16 weeks, followed by a dissertation mini module lasting 8 weeks.

ActivityDuration
Substantive module16 weeks
Reading weeks2 weeks
Research mini module6 weeks
Reading weeks2 weeks

Assessment

Modules are assessed by a combination of formative and summative assessment. The variety of assessments on our modules aims to develop a range of critical, analytical and writing skills. All assessments are submitted online. 

Research training and dissertation

The dissertation module is presented in four development parts, which will follow each of your module sessions. Research modules one and three are formative modules only and are not assessed.

The dissertation is assessed by the submission of a research proposal in research module two and the final dissertation of no more than 10,000 words at the end of research module four.

Pre-entry reading

  • Marois, Thomas (2012) States, Banks and Crisis: Emerging Finance Capitalism in Mexico and Turkey. Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, UK: Edward Elgar Publishing.
  • Mezzadri, Alessandra (2017) The Sweatshop Regime: Labouring Bodies, Exploitation and Garments Made in India. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
  • Shah, Alpa and Lerche, Jens and Axelby, Richard and Denbabaali, D. and Donegan, B. and Raj, J. and Thakur, Vineet (2017) Ground Down by Growth: Inequality in 21st century India. London: Pluto.
  • Vergara-Camus, Leandro (2014) Land and Freedom. The Peasant Development Alternatives to Neoliberalism of the Landless People in Brazil and the Zapatista Movement in Chiapas. London: Zed Books.

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Title Deadline date
DS-CeDEP Online Learning bursary

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MA/MScPGDip*PGCert*
£12,000See belowSee below

* PGDip and PGCert are available as exit awards. 

Pay as you learn

Our online programmes can be paid in full at the time of enrolment or on a pay as you learn basis. Pay as you learn means you pay for modules prior to enrolment.

Postgraduate loans

If you have been a resident in England for three years you may be eligible. For more information, please see postgraduate funding and finance.

Application

To make an application, please visit how to apply (ODL).

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A degree from the Department of Development Studies at SOAS will further develop your understanding of the world and how society is organised, with specific focus on violence and conflict, the role of aid, refugees and forced migration. Graduates leave with a range of transferable skills, including critical thinking, analytical skills and cultural awareness.

Recent Department of Development Studies graduates have been hired by:

  • Amnesty International
  • BBC World Service
  • British Embassy Brussels
  • Department for International Development
  • Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU)
  • Embassy of Japan
  • Government of Pakistan
  • Hong Kong Economic & Trade Office
  • International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)
  • International Labour Organization (ILO)
  • KPMG LLP
  • Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF)
  • National Health and Medical Research Council
  • Overseas Development Institute
  • Oxfam
  • Royal Norwegian Embassy
  • Save the Children UK
  • Thinking Beyond Borders
  • US Department of State
  • UN World Food Programme
  • UN High Commissioner for Refugees
  • WaterAid

Find out about our Careers Service.

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