MSc Digital Development

If you’re considering a master’s at Manchester, there are a range of ways you can connect with us to find out more.

• Taught master's information sessions
• Taught master's guided campus visits
• Study fairs in the UK
• Education fairs overseas

For more information, see our page on meeting us .

Please submit the following documents with your completed application form:

• copies of English Language Certification, eg IELTS, TOEFL or Pearson test score report. Applications without an English language qualification are placed on a waiting list and are assessed only when an acceptable English language qualification is provided;
• copies of official degree certificatesand transcripts of your previous study, showing the subjects taken and grades obtained. Ifthese documents are in languages other than English, please provide official translations;
• your CV.

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

MSc Digital Development is a cutting-edge programme designed to equip you with the skills, knowledge, and confidence to become a digital development champion. In an era of rapid digital expansion across the Global South, there is a growing demand for professionals who understand not only the technology itself, but also its role in delivering meaningful socio-economic change.

This course addresses that urgent need: training you to lead and deliver successful ICT4D (Information and Communications Technology for Development) projects that transform lives and communities.

Delivered by The University of Manchester’s world-leading Centre for Digital Development, the course blends theory and practice in a way that few others do. You’ll explore key conceptual frameworks that unpack how digital tools such as mobile health (m-health), e-government platforms, ICT-enabled enterprises, MOOCs and more can be harnessed in pursuit of development goals. At the same time, you’ll gain the technical, managerial, and strategic skills needed to turn ideas into sustainable, impactful digital initiatives.

What makes this course stand out is its clear alignment with real-world needs. Despite the boom in digital development programmes globally, project failure rates remain high, often due to a shortage of people with the right blend of technical understanding and contextual insight. This MSc is specifically designed to bridge that gap. You’ll graduate with a solid grasp of both development theory and systems thinking, ready to implement, manage, and evaluate digital development interventions in diverse and often complex environments.

You’ll have the flexibility to tailor the course to your professional goals through a wide range of optional units, enabling you to deepen your expertise in areas that matter most to your career. Additionally, field visits (normally offered at no extra cost) give you a unique opportunity to gain hands-on experience, connect with practitioners in the field, and apply your learning in real-world contexts.

The programme attracts a vibrant and diverse cohort, including early-career professionals already working on ICT4D projects who want to expand their impact; technical staff seeking to build up their strategic and managerial capabilities; and computing graduates who want to put their skills to use in ethically and socially meaningful ways. Whether you’re planning to take on design, implementation, managerial, or policy-related roles, this course offers a rare opportunity to develop into a leader who can shape the future of digital development with confidence, compassion, and insight.

By the end of the course, you’ll not only understand the global digital development landscape - you’ll be ready to transform it.

• 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 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 Effective States and Inclusive Development and FutureDAMS research centres.
• Students are part of our vibrant research community this includes our public lecture series which brings world experts, former heads of state, and leading development thinkers, to discuss current issues in development.
• We have numerous scholarship opportunities for outstanding applicants.

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.

The taught elements of the course, carrying 120 credits overall, are 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 course is relevant to those with career trajectories in the NGO and public sectors, and in the private sector given the private sector's increasing involvement with digital development/ICT4D projects.

It is particularly intended for those who will be working in or with transitional and developing economies.

MSc Digital Development can help you select and target jobs in any part of the tribrid triangle which marks the overall set of typical jobs into which our graduates move. 

These are some mix of international development roles, management roles (including strategic and analytical management), and digital technology roles.

Each year, one or two of our students decide to continue their studies by undertaking a PhD. Those who take a PhD typically see themselves with a career trajectory into academia or into a research-intensive job role such as consultancy or policy advisory positions.

Those from the MSc Digital Development programme may study with the University's Centre for Digital Development . 

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 FCDO, 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 Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office; 
• 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 .