MSc Global Development (Politics, Governance and Development Policy)

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Please submit the following documents with your completed application form:

• 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;
• copies of English Language Certification, eg IELTS, TOEFL iBT or Pearson test score report, if available at the time of application;
• your CV.

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

Understand how politics, governance and policy shape development outcomes in the Global South.

MSc Global Development (Politics, Governance and Development Policy) examines the political dimensions of development, with a focus on the institutions, processes and power dynamics that influence change.

You will explore how governance and development policy are shaped across global, national and local contexts, and consider how political challenges affect development outcomes in the Global South.

The course is designed for students who want to understand the barriers and pathways towards more legitimate, democratic and pro-poor forms of governance.

You will examine how political institutions and actors influence development processes, and engage critically with debates around democracy, accountability, participation, inequality and social justice.

You will develop analytical and policy-focused skills to assess how development interventions are designed, implemented and experienced in real-world settings. The course supports you to connect theoretical debates with practical development challenges, including through opportunities to take part in fieldwork observing development interventions in action.

Studying at Manchester places you within the Global Development Institute, one of the largest development-focused research and teaching institutes in Europe. You will be part of a university ranked in the world’s top five for Development Studies, with opportunities to engage with a diverse community of students and researchers focused on global development challenges.

The programme is suitable for students seeking careers in government, international organisations, NGOs, civil society organisations, policy, research, advocacy, consultancy and development practice.

• 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 first for research environment and second overall in the UK in the most recent Research Excellence Framework (REF 2021).
• We are proud to tackle global inequalities and rank first in the UK for our impact on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) (THE Impact Rankings 2025).
• 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: 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 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.

Graduates develop analytical, policy, research and critical thinking skills that are valued across international development, government, NGOs, civil society, research and consultancy. You will also build transferable skills in evidence-gathering, communication, teamwork, independent research and assessing how politics, governance and power dynamics shape development outcomes.

Potential career paths include:

• Government and public policy roles
• International organisations and multilateral agencies
• NGOs and civil society organisations
• Policy officer or policy adviser roles
• Development consultancy
• Governance and democracy-focused roles
• Advocacy, campaigning and policy-influencing roles
• Research and policy analysis
• Programme or project officer/manager roles
• Monitoring, evaluation and learning roles
• Doctoral study (PhD)

The programme is particularly relevant for students interested in how political institutions, governance systems, policy processes and power relations influence development in the Global South. It provides a strong foundation for careers focused on governance, policy, advocacy, democratic development and social justice, as well as for further academic research.

Careers support

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

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 .