MSc Global Development (Poverty and Inequality)

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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. If these 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.

In a world where over 1.4 billion people still live in poverty and inequality continues to rise, both within and between nations, the MSc Global Development with Poverty and Inequality equips you with the critical tools and real-world insight to address one of humanity’s most urgent moral and political challenges.

MSc Global Development with Poverty and Inequality focuses on the causes, consequences and lived realities of poverty and inequality across different global contexts.

You will explore how poverty and inequality are understood, measured and addressed, and examine the social, political and economic structures that shape people’s lives and opportunities.

The course is designed for students who want to move beyond headlines and statistics to understand the root causes of poverty and inequality.

You will consider how inequality is produced and contested across areas such as material deprivation, social exclusion, power, race, gender and rights, while developing the analytical skills needed to assess development policy and practice.

You will build critical and practical skills in analysing poverty, evaluating policy responses and understanding how more equitable alternatives can be developed. The course supports you to engage with different conceptual frameworks and real-world development challenges, helping you connect theory with the complex realities faced by communities, institutions and policymakers.

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 (QS Rankings, 2026).

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

• Provide critical insights into different theoretical and disciplinary perspectives on how poverty, inequality and development can be understood, measured and explained. 
• Provide you with a thorough conceptual framework and the skills necessary to critically analyse key theoretical and practical issues relating to poverty, inequality and development. 
• Provide critical insights into the key strategies, policies and practices currently employed to promote development, equality and poverty reduction. 
• Provide a wide range of options for advanced training in areas of specialist expertise relevant to poverty, inequality and development. 
• 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 poverty, inequality and development, and applying your 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, are 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 and research skills that are valued across international development, government, NGOs, civil society, research, advocacy and consultancy. You will also build transferable skills in evidence-gathering, critical analysis, communication, teamwork and independent research, with a focus on understanding and responding to poverty and inequality in different global contexts.

Potential career paths include:

• Poverty and inequality policy officer
• Research or policy analyst
• Government and public policy roles
• International organisations and multilateral agencies
• NGOs and civil society organisations
• Advocacy, campaigns and influencing roles
• Development consultancy
• Monitoring, evaluation and learning roles
• Social development and community development roles
• Doctoral study (PhD)

The programme is particularly relevant for students interested in how poverty and inequality are created, experienced, measured and addressed. It provides a strong foundation for careers focused on policy, advocacy, research and development practice, as well as for further academic research into poverty, inequality and social change.

This course supports students interested in careers across poverty and inequality policy, international development, research, advocacy, consultancy, civil society and development practice.

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 .