MSc Global Development (Politics, Governance and Development Policy)

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 .

Please submit the following documents with your completed application form:

• 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.

MSc Global Development with Politics, Governance and Development Policy examines the obstacles to, and pathways towards, more legitimate, democratic and pro-poor forms of governance at global, national and local levels - a topic that is currently centre-stage on the international development agenda.

The course interrogates the discursive paradigms and material interventions in the area of politics and governance, which has moved to the centre of the international development agenda since the late 1980s.

It is therefore ideal if you're interested in the many ways that politics is critical to the success of development and would like to examine the 'lived' or 'real' politics in the global South and the dynamics underpinning change.

• Provide critical insights into different theoretical and disciplinary perspectives on the politics and governance of development. 
• Develop your analytical skills in critically evaluating and employing different theories of politics, governance and policy analysis. 
• Provide you with an opportunity to deepen your understanding of the how politics, governance and the formulation and implementation development policy interact in the global South. 
• Provide critical insights into the key strategies, policies and practices currently employed to promote `good governance' and improved policy processes in the global South. 
• Develop professionally oriented skills related to formulating, investigating and implementing different approaches to promoting good governance. 
• Provide a wide range of options for advanced training in areas of specialist expertise relevant to politics, governance and development policy. 
• Develop advanced competencies in transferable areas, including developing reasoned arguments, gathering, organising and using evidence and information from a wide variety of sources, undertaking both team-based and independent work to deadlines, and both written and verbal forms of communication. 
• Assist you in developing your specialist area of expertise within the field of politics, governance and development policy, and applying their understanding and skills through supervised individual research culminating in a dissertation.

• 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 are 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. 

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 (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.

Teaching and research at the Global Development Institute covers a wide variety of topics and as a result our students can be found in a range of jobs and careers.

Our teaching aims to support students from all backgrounds to acquire valuable knowledge, skills and attributes to achieve their educational and professional goals.

It includes regular contributions from researchers and practitioners with a view to equip our students to make a positive difference in their chosen sphere.

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 globally.

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.