MSc Organisational Change and Development

The University holds regular open days, where you will have the opportunity to tour the campus and find out more about our facilities and courses.

On this day, you will find out more about the School of Environment, Education and Development (SEED), and meet academic and admissions staff who will be able to answer any questions you have.

For more information, see Open days .

• copies of official degree certificates and transcripts of your previous study, showing the subjects taken and grades obtained. If these documents are in languages other than English please provide official translations;
• your CV;
• copies of English Language Certification, eg IELTS, TOEFL or Pearson test score report.

Ensure that you enclose all the necessary documents to avoid any delays.

Deposit information

We ask for the deposit as competition for places is high and there is limited availability.

When you have been made an offer, you will be required to pay a £1,000 deposit by the deadline date stated in your offer letter before you can be accepted on this course. The deposit amount will be deducted from your tuition fees when you register on the course.

The deposit is non-refundable, except in the following situations:•You fail to meet the conditions of your offer.•You are refused a visa or entry clearance to enter the UK.•Your application for government funding has been unsuccessful.

Evidence must be provided before a refund will be processed under any of the circumstances above.

If your offer specifies an English Language condition which you do not meet, the Admissions Team will require the official certificate of an English Language test taken after the date of the offer as evidence that you have attempted to meet your offer conditions. The English language test certificate provided with your application documents is not accepted as proof that you have attempted to meet your offer conditions as it will predate the offer.

If your offer specifies an academic condition, the Admissions Team will require official university documentation showing that you have not met the condition from the institution at which you studied as evidence.

The Admissions Team reserves the right to refuse a refund of your deposit that does not meet with the requirements outlined above. 

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.

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.

• 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.

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.

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.

The MSc in Organisational Change and Development is likely to be of interest to applicants who have strong career interests in the area of people management.

Past participants have included managers, administrators, consultants and professional practitioners as well as those who have gained work experience through internships and voluntary positions.

Graduates have obtained employment in the private, public, and NGO sectors.

NGOs and third sector organisations

Our teaching and research aims are suited to work in non-government and civil society organisations where you take on a range of roles from policy advisors, project managers, HR and communications staff.

Our alumni can be found at large international NGOs like Oxfam as well as in many smaller organisations.

Government and policy

Graduates can be found in national governments, multilateral organisations and policy influencing positions around the world, in organisations including DFID, the World Bank, African Union, United Nations and as civil servants around the world.

Private sector

Our focus on how businesses and the private sector can play a role in development enables you to gain employment in multinational organisations, private sector firms or to start your own organisations addressing some of the biggest global challenges.

Research and teaching

Our master's courses provide you with a strong theoretical foundation for further study.

Alumni find employment in research and teaching positions at universities and research institutes around the world. Top employers include:

• African Union;
• Oxfam;
• Inter-American Development Bank;
• Care;
• Mercy Corps;
• The British Council;
• the World Bank;
• the Department for International Development;
• United Nations;
• USAID.

Find out more about our alumni and some of our notable former students .

Careers support

The University has its own dedicated Careers Service that you would have full access to as a student and for two years after you graduate.

At Manchester you will have access to a number of opportunities to help boost your employability .

Careers support for international students

The Careers Service provides specialist resources, advice and events to help with career planning and making the most of your time while studying in Manchester.

• Working in the UK after study
• Working during study
• Professional and alumni networks for international students

Global networks

The University of Manchester is proud to have the largest global alumni community of any campus-based university in the UK.

After your course, you'll join our 10,000 strong alumni network .

We'll keep you up to date with all the new insights and implications from our research.

International alumni groups are a great way to keep in touch with fellow Manchester graduates in your country.

It is an opportunity to build professional and social networks.

You can view the alumni networks already operating across the globe, here .