MSc Global Development (Globalisation, Trade & Industry) / Course details

Year of entry: 2025

Course description

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From International to Global Development - Global Development Institute

MSc Global Development with Globalisation, Trade and Industry is a coherent, interdisciplinary and applied course that analyses industrial development strategies and international trade policies and their implications for developmental processes.

The changing dynamics of cross-border trade, finance and labour are fundamentally affecting how countries relate to each other. 

This course will convey to you a variety of analytic perspectives on contemporary issues relating to globalisation, international trade policy, industrial development, and their development consequences.

You will benefit from exposure to world-renowned and innovate research at The University of Manchester, plus extensive interactions with policy actors and practitioners, factory visits and an international field trip.

 

Aims

You will:

  • gain critical insights into different theoretical and inter-disciplinary perspectives on the political economy of globalisation, trade policy dynamics, and industrial development within the wider context of global development strategies;
  • develop your analytical skills in critically evaluating and engaging with distinct and cutting-edge theoretical frameworks that help shape understanding of global value chains and global production networks and their implications for trade dynamics, industrial and trade policies, firm strategies and labour, social and environmental outcomes;
  • gain an understanding of the relationship of globalisation to economic, political and social asymmetries of development at global, regional, national and local scales;
  • gain an appreciation of the policy issues associated with globalisation, trade and industry and their impacts including insights into the key strategies, policies and practices currently employed by leading public and private policy actors in the global South, prominent international agencies as well as private sector and civil society actors.

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 seventh 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 (eg 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
Industrial Competitiveness and Global Transformation MGDI60002 15 Mandatory
Globalisation, Trade and Development MGDI60271 15 Mandatory
Development Fundamentals MGDI60411 15 Mandatory
Development Fieldwork MGDI60502 15 Mandatory
Global Development Challenges MGDI60601 15 Mandatory
Dissertation MSc in Global Development MGDI64000 60 Mandatory
Development Research MGDI70982 15 Mandatory
Global Political Economy MGDI60072 15 Optional
Work and Employment in the Global Economy MGDI60131 15 Optional
Poverty and Development MGDI60141 15 Optional
Gender Inequality: Theory and Evidence MGDI60202 15 Optional
Trade Theory and Development MGDI60291 15 Optional
The Politics and Governance of Development MGDI60391 15 Optional
Political Analysis of Development Policy MGDI60522 15 Optional
Global Health Inequalities MGDI60541 15 Optional
Climate Change and Development MGDI60552 15 Optional
ICTs & Socio-Economic Development MGDI60701 15 Optional
Economic Development MGDI60711 15 Optional
Migration, Mobility and Displacement in the Contemporary World MGDI60731 15 Optional
Migration and Development MGDI60742 15 Optional
Key Issues in Environment and Development MGDI60801 15 Optional
Global Inequalities and Social Development MGDI61462 15 Optional
Planning and Managing Development MGDI70992 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
Displaying 10 of 26 course units

Scholarships and bursaries

We offer a number of postgraduate taught scholarships and merit awards to outstanding applicants and international students.

In addition, the Manchester Alumni Scholarship Scheme offers a £3,000 reduction in tuition fees to University of Manchester alumni who achieved a first-class Bachelors degree and are progressing to a postgraduate taught masters course.

For more information, see  Fees and funding  or  search the University's postgraduate funding database

What our students say

Find out how our students feel about studying at The University of Manchester by visiting  Student Spotlights .

Disability support

Practical support and advice for current students and applicants is available from the Disability Advisory and Support Service. Email: dass@manchester.ac.uk