MSc Organisational Change and Development / Course details

Year of entry: 2024

Course description

MSc Organisational Change and Development aims to develop graduates who can contribute to organisational change, and development initiatives/activities, in low- and middle-income countries.

It will equip you with the skills to contribute positively to organisationally based initiatives through effective diagnosis, planning, management and implementation of organisational change and development interventions.

Drivers including economic crisis, structural adjustment, competition, and technical innovation require organisations in developing and transitional economies to change and develop on an ongoing basis.

This course satisfies the growing need for staff that can make a difference in this area.

Aims

The aim of this course is to develop you into a more effective agent of organisational change and development, by providing you with new analytical capacities, skills and knowledge. By the end of the course, you should be able to:

  • understand the academic and theoretical basis of organisational change and development;
  • develop realistic HR strategies that contribute to effective organisational change and development interventions;
  • contribute positively to organisationally based initiatives through the effective diagnosis, planning, management and implementation of organisational change and development interventions;
  • engage in specific specialist processes of organisational change and development;
  • synthesise new and existing knowledge by undertaking academic or specialist organisational change and development research.

Special features

  • We're Europe's largest dedicated development research and teaching institute and have been at the forefront of development studies for over 60 years .
  • We're ranked 7th in the UK and 11th in the world for development studies (QS World University Rankings by Subject 2021).
  • Our research was ranked first in the UK for impact and second in the UK for quality in the most recent Research Excellence Framework (REF 2014).
  • We have numerous scholarship opportunities for outstanding applicants.
  • The combined field experience of our staff covers 60 countries, and we've trained almost 10,000 individuals from more than 170 countries.
  • This course has normally included fieldwork, giving you the opportunity to observe development interventions in situ and to reflect on how theoretical explorations of development are operationalised in the real world.

Teaching and learning

This course has normally included a field trip.

Please note that field trips may be scheduled at any point during the course, including during University vacations.

You are expected to be available to attend.

Part-time students

Part-time students complete the course over 24 months.

There are no evening or weekend course units available; you should, therefore, discuss course requirements with the Programme Director and seek approval from your employer.

Timetabling information is usually available from late August.

You can discuss course unit choices during induction week with the Programme Director.

Important notice

The School of Environment, Education and Development (SEED) recognises the value of fieldwork. However, the safety and wellbeing of our students and staff remains our priority. The School will assess on a regular basis the viability of any travel and fieldwork and communicate any significant changes to our students at the earliest possible opportunity.

The ability of fieldwork and travel to proceed, and whether any changes to proposed fieldwork and travel might be necessary, will remain subject to factors such as the: 

  • rules and guidance on travel and activities implemented and published by the UK and overseas governments;
  • outcome of any risk assessments conducted by the University;
  • educational value and student experience of the fieldwork, if significant changes to the proposed fieldwork would be necessary;
  • availability of appropriate insurance cover;
  • availability of appropriate travel and accommodation and any significant changes to their financial costs.

All fieldwork and travel will be subject to a rigorous risk assessment process and the implementation of any protective measures identified by the risk assessment to ensure the health and safety of all our students and staff.

In some circumstances, it may become necessary to make changes to fieldwork or programme related travel. The University will notify you of those changes at the earliest opportunity. If any fieldwork does not go ahead as planned, then the School's focus will be on seeking to offer a suitable alternative and ensure that the Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) of the programme are met.

Please note that Countries may change their immigration and visa regulations at short notice. The School cannot guarantee that where visas are required for fieldwork, they will be granted but we will take steps so that if a visa is refused, affected students are not academically disadvantaged.

Coursework and assessment

The taught elements of the course, carrying 120 credits overall, is continuously assessed by a variety of methods (e.g., project-based reports, essays), involving largely individual submissions, but also elements of group work.

You must also complete a 12,000-15,000-word dissertation on a topic of your choice approved by the Programme Directors.

You are encouraged to base your dissertation on topics of direct professional concern.

Course unit list

The course unit details given below are subject to change, and are the latest example of the curriculum available on this course of study.

TitleCodeCredit ratingMandatory/optional
Organizational Psychology, Management and Change MGDI70081 15 Mandatory
Organisation Development MGDI70461 15 Mandatory
Organisational Change Strategies MGDI70882 15 Mandatory
Research Methods and Skills in Organisational Contexts MGDI77770 15 Mandatory
Introducing Information Systems in Organisations MGDI60012 15 Optional
Public Sector Reform and Management MGDI60081 15 Optional
International Management MGDI60101 15 Optional
Human Resource Development: Key Concepts MGDI60151 15 Optional
Human Resource Development & Leadership MGDI60162 15 Optional
Managing Quality in Development MGDI70472 15 Optional
Human Resource Practice 1 MGDI70661 15 Optional
Gender & Development MGDI70802 15 Optional
Planning and Managing Development MGDI70992 15 Optional
Learning, Training and Development MGDI71441 15 Optional
Development Practice: International Contexts and Worlds of Action MGDI71981 15 Optional
Characteristics and Skills of Development Practice MGDI71992 15 Optional
Displaying 10 of 16 course units

Disability support

Practical support and advice for current students and applicants is available from the Disability Advisory and Support Service.

For more information, email  dass@manchester.ac.uk