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Start date
Duration
1 year
Attendance mode
Full-time or part-time
Location
On Campus
Fees

Home: £12,220
International: £25,320

Course code
L1S1
Entry requirements

We will consider all applications with a 2:2 (or international equivalent) in Economics and other Social Sciences (such as Politics, Sociology, Finance, Business, International Relations, Law), as well as Mathematics, Physics, Statistics, or Engineering. Applicants with professional qualifications or relevant professional experience will also be considered. Applicants will need to demonstrate they have studied Economic theory (including Macroeconomics and Microeconomics) and ONE of the following: Mathematics, Applied Mathematics, Quantitative Methods (Statistics or Econometrics).

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 MSc Development Economics is the flagship Master's programme offered by the SOAS Economics Department.

It integrates two fundamental intellectual traditions that our unique Department has cultivated for decades: a rigorous pluralist theoretical approach to economics and a focus on real-world development issues using modern economic analytical tools.

If you are interested in understanding the complexities of the global economy, the economic challenges and opportunities confronting countries in the Global South and addressing issues such as poverty, inequalities, climate change and environmental breakdown, and other significant development challenges, the MSc Development Economics is the ideal choice for you.

Participants will delve into various schools of thought concerning economic growth and development, inflation, unemployment, inequality, money creation, climate change, and macroeconomic policy. The curriculum encompasses different perspectives on topics like market failures, the role of institutions and agents in the economy and government interventions. Students will explore theories and policies through institutional, historical, and pluralist lenses.

Optional regional modules provide an avenue for students to explore regional perspectives, aligning with the longstanding tradition of SOAS Economics. Furthermore, participants have the opportunity to specialise in one of three areas: 

  1. Development Economics and International Finance
  2. Development Economics and the Environment
  3. Development Economics and Institutions

Why study MSc Development Economics at SOAS?

  • We are ranked 27th in the UK for economics (QS World University Rankings 2024)
  • We are top 20 in the UK for student satisfaction with teaching (Complete University Guide 2023)
  • We are top 40 in the UK for economics (Complete University Guide 2023)
  • SOAS is ranked 6th in the UK for employment outcomes (QS World University Rankings 2023)

Global Partnerships

Programme participants are eligible to apply for a co-supervised dissertation, collaborating with members of the Economics department and leading experts from international organisations. Such organisations include the World Bank, the International Trade Centre (ITC), the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and the International Labour Organisation (ILO).

In addition, this programme is offered as part of a dual master's degree with Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). Through the dual Master's, students can spend the first year studying at SAIS and the second year at SOAS or vice versa and gain a Master's award from each institution. 

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The MSc Development Economics is a taught Master’s degree. It consists of eight taught modules, four compulsory modules and four optional (Guided Options) modules, each worth 15 credits. In addition, a 10,000-word dissertation focusing on development economics theory, policy and or a specific line of specialisation accounts for 60 credits. The modules are delivered through lectures, classes, seminars and tutorials.

The degree is awarded based on examinations written in May and a dissertation which is submitted in September. All students must complete the compulsory Preliminary course in Mathematics and Statistics which is taught over three weeks in August/ September before the start of the core modules.

Important notice

The information on the programme page reflects the intended programme structure against the given academic session. If you are a current student you can find structure information on the previous year link at the top of the page or through your Department. 

Please read the important notice regarding changes to programmes and modules.

Core

Compulsory

Guided options - Development Economics and International Finance

60 credits from across Guided Options lists. To follow a line of specialisation of 30 credits, the remaining 30 credits should be selected from General and Regional Guided Options.

Guided options - Development Economics and Institutions

60 credits from across Guided Options lists. To follow a line of specialisation of 30 credits, the remaining 30 credits should be selected from General and Regional Guided Options.

Guided options - Regional

60 credits from across Guided Options lists. To follow a line of specialisation of 30 credits, the remaining 30 credits should be selected from General and Regional Guided Options.

Guided options - General

60 credits from across Guided Options lists. To follow a line of specialisation of 30 credits, the remaining 30 credits should be selected from General and Regional Guided Options.

Guided options - Development Economics and the Environment

60 credits from across Guided Options lists. To follow a line of specialisation of 30 credits, the remaining 30 credits should be selected from General and Regional Guided Options.

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The MSc degrees are taught over a period of twelve months of full-time study within a structured programme. In the case of part-time study, the degrees will be taught over two or three years. Four modules are studied each year, with the dissertation normally being completed in the second year.

Contact hours

All Masters programmes consist of 180 credits, made up of taught modules of 30 or 15 credits, taught over 10 or 20 weeks, and a dissertation of 60 credits. The programme structure shows which modules are compulsory and which optional.

As a rough guide, 1 credit equals approximately 10 hours of work. Most of this will be independent study, including reading and research, preparing coursework, revising for examinations and so on. It will also include class time, which may include lectures, seminars and other classes. Some subjects, such as learning a language, have more class time than others.

More information is on the page for each module.

SOAS Library

SOAS Library is one of the world's most important academic libraries for the study of Africa, Asia and the Middle East, attracting scholars from all over the world. The Library houses over 1.2 million volumes, together with significant archival holdings, special collections and a growing network of electronic resources.

Pre-entry reading

Preliminary Mathematics and Statistics

Our MSc programmes attract students with a wide range of backgrounds including many who have worked for a few years before coming to SOAS. Our popular quantitative courses are designed to be accessible to all of our students including those with a relatively small quantitative component in their first degree. They focus on applying basic methods used in empirical research and equip students to carry out their own high quality empirical work and critically evaluate research, with relatively little emphasis on advanced econometric theory and mathematical proofs.

The compulsory Preliminary Maths and Statistics course will be offered on the SOAS Moodle/BLE online platform. The objective of the course is to review the basic quantitative skills assumed once formal teaching commences. Students will be enrolled on the Module from July onwards. Students will be required to take the course and complete the exam prior to their arrival at SOAS. Limited support via office hours will be offered by the lecturer during September.

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The MSc in Development Economics - and the critical approach to economic and development issues it provides - is a gateway to various job opportunities in international organisations, governments, NGOs and private companies. The advanced nature of the programme also serves as an excellent foundation for PhD studies.

Recent graduates have been hired by:

  • Bain & Co
  • Bank of America
  • Cabinet Office
  • Deloitte
  • Ernst & Young
  • HM Treasury
  • KPMG
  • NHS England
  • Foreign and Commonwealth Office
  • Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
  • HSBC
  • National Institute of Public Finance and Policy, New Delhi
  • UK Civil Service
  • United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
  • University of Bayreuth
  • HM Treasury
  • Department for International Development
  • PwC
  • UNDP
  • King’s Investment Fund
  • Foreign and Commonwealth Office
  • The World Bank
  • EY
  • British Chamber of Commerce
  • Oxfam
  • RBS

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