MSc Development Economics and Policy / Course details

Year of entry: 2025

Course description

¿I chose to study at The University of Manchester because of its rich heritage and history of academic excellence, it has no less than 25 Nobel prizes at its portfolio with direct and indirect contributions to major ground-breaking research and theories.

"The University of Manchester gives you freedom and environment to grow while sharpening your flying propensities and bolstering your wings.¿

Adeela Khalid Zubair / MSc Development Economics¿and Policy

MSc Development Economics and Policy provides training in contemporary economic theory, applied economics and quantitative methods relevant to developing and transitional economies.

Run jointly by the Global Development Institute (School of Environment Education and Development) and the Department of Economics (School of Social Sciences), it is especially appropriate if you're seeking to practice as a development economist in government, the private sector, a multilateral organisation or an NGO.

In addition to studying four compulsory course units, you'll have the opportunity to specialise in particular areas of the subject via four optional course units and a dissertation.

The theory course units provide a thorough training in both contemporary macro- and micro-development theory.

Applied and optional course units offer you an opportunity to understand problems and policy prescriptions within both global and national economic contexts.

The quantitative course units, which include an applied development project, enable you to test theories using data sets and provide training in standard econometrics techniques and up-to-date econometrics software packages.

You'll also undertake independent research between June and September in the form of an approved dissertation.

Aims

You will: 

  • understand the leading applied economics and development economics journals; 
  • understand the main economic models and key indicators from which development policies are derived and offer a critique of underlying theories; 
  • through the preparation of a dissertation and/or the applied development economics project, explore the relationship between theory and practice, test theories through the use of actual data sets, and demonstrate familiarity with standard econometric techniques and appropriate econometric software packages; 
  • demonstrate the skills demanded of an academic researcher in development economics or a staff advisor in a government department, non-government organisation or commercial organisation; 
  • undertake independent research, as evidenced by the completion of a dissertation.

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 second in the UK and 7th in the world for development studies (QS World University Rankings by Subject 2022).  

We bring cutting-edge insights from our research into all our postgraduate teaching. Our courses bring different development perspectives and voices to Manchester, from  activists from the Global South  to the leaders of multinational companies.  

We are home to the internationally recognised  African Cities Research Consortium ,  Effective States and Inclusive Development  and  FutureDAMS  research centres. 

Students are part of our vibrant research community, including our public lecture series , which brings world experts, former heads of state, and leading development thinkers, to discuss current issues in development.

Teaching and learning

Important notice: factors affecting fieldwork and placements

The School of Environment, Education and Development (SEED) recognises the value of fieldwork and placements. 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 role of SEED

  • changes to the rules and guidance on travel and activities implemented and published by the UK and overseas governments;
  • a risk assessment conducted by or on behalf of the University identifying unmanageable risk;
  • changes that enhance the educational value and student experience of the activity;
  • changes to the situation of a placement provider (for example, which cause them to be unable to accept students);
  • the unavailability of appropriate insurance cover;
  • the unavailability of appropriate travel and accommodation and any significant changes to their financial costs;
  • where fieldwork and placements are a compulsory element of the Programme, they will be replaced with something academically similar;
  • where a trip or placement is not a compulsory element of the Programme, it may not be replaced.

We will consult with affected students at the earliest possible opportunity and explore the options available to them.

The duty of students

Preparation, attendance and conduct

Attendance at preparatory classes is a compulsory pre-requisite of the fieldwork and placements to ensure safety and learning outcomes are met.

Students who do not attend the compulsory preparatory classes may be prevented from participating in the fieldwork or placement. It is the duty of students to discuss any attendance issues with the field course or placement convenor.

Students are representatives of the university during their fieldwork or placement. Behaviour deemed by the convenor to be unacceptable may result in students being sent home.

Where a student is unable to attend or complete the fieldwork or placement (e.g. due to mitigating circumstances), is prevented from attending due to absence from compulsory preparatory classes, or returned home due to poor conduct:

  • a suitable alternative assessment will be offered (as appropriate) to ensure that the programme ILOs are met, and that the student is not academically disadvantaged;
  • the University accepts no responsibility for any costs incurred by the student in relation to the fieldwork or placement.

Immigration, passport and visa requirements

It is the responsibility of the individual student to ensure they have:

  • a valid passport to enter the destination country (including sufficient months prior to expiry);
  • a valid visa (where required) and comply with its requirements.

The School cannot guarantee that visas required for fieldwork or a placement will be granted by the relevant authority. Please note that countries may change their immigration and visa regulations at short notice.

Where a student is unable to attend fieldwork or a placement because they do not have the required visa or passport:

  • a suitable alternative assessment will be offered to ensure that the programme ILOs are met and that the student is not academically disadvantaged;
  • the University accepts no responsibility for any costs incurred by the student in relation to the fieldwork or placement.

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
Applied Development Economics Project (ADEP) ECON60552 15 Mandatory
Econometric Methods for Development MGDI60031 15 Mandatory
Development Macroeconomics MGDI60581 15 Mandatory
Development Microeconomics ECON60022 15 Optional
Poverty, Inequality and Government Policy in Less Developed Countries ECON60212 15 Optional
Further Econometrics ECON60622 15 Optional
Economics of Environmental Policy ECON60782 15 Optional
Industrial Competitiveness and Global Transformation MGDI60002 15 Optional
Global Political Economy MGDI60072 15 Optional
Public Sector Reform and Management MGDI60081 15 Optional
Behavioural Experiments, Quantitative Field Research and Development Policy MGDI60191 15 Optional
Gender Inequality: Theory and Evidence MGDI60202 15 Optional
Globalisation, Trade and Development MGDI60271 15 Optional
Trade Theory and Development MGDI60291 15 Optional
Financing Social Protection MGDI60372 15 Optional
Harnessing Natural Resources for Development MGDI60441 15 Optional
Economic Analysis of Social Norms and Development MGDI60462 15 Optional
Global Health Inequalities MGDI60541 15 Optional
Economic Development MGDI60711 15 Optional
Economic Analysis of the Public Sector MGDI61091 15 Optional
Anti-Poverty Transfers MGDI61512 15 Optional
International Finance for Development MGDI72121 15 Optional
Economics of Governance and Development MGDI72152 15 Optional
Contemporary Issues in Development Finance MGDI72162 15 Optional
Causal Inference for Policies, Interventions and Experiments SOST70172 15 Optional
Displaying 10 of 25 course units

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

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