The MSc International Development requires 180 credits made up of 3 core modules 5 optional modules and a 60-credit dissertation. The choice of optional modules gives you the opportunity to tailor your degree to your individual interests and professional needs.
The programme can be studied as either a one-year full-time or two-year part-time course with a September and January start date.

Compulsory taught modules
PIR-40095: Research in Action (15 credits)

You will gain an advanced introduction to research design and evidence gathering in Politics and International Relations (including International Diplomacy). You will also have the opportunity to design and conduct your own small-scale practical research project based on a topic of your own choosing. This module is key to the development of your research skills.

PIR-40144: Advanced Approaches to Politics and International Relations (15 credits)

Taught in an intensive workshop like approach this module will provide you with a foundation in the mainstream philosophies and approaches to studying social science disciplines including international development as part of the discipline of international relations. You will examine how scholars have approached the issues of what to study and how to study and consider how these issues are related to historical and current power relations in world politics. The module will also allow you to develop your own research design skills and independent study ideas.

PIR-40152: International Development: Environment and Conflict (15 credits)

Examine the core theories and approaches to international development and gain the tools to analyse and debate the question of international development. This module focuses particularly on the relationships between international development environmental change and conflict.

Optional modules
RECOMMENDED OPTIONAL MODULES
PIR-40088: The Theory of Global Security (15 credits)

This module explores the main theoretical traditions through which security has been understood and examines contemporary problems of security and development

GEG-40006: Economic Development and Environmental Transformation (Geography 15 credits)

This module investigates connections between economic development and the environment; examining global development and conservation through the developing world.

PIR-40131: Environmental Public Policy (15 credits)

This module examines the international politics of making environmental policies in a range of different national international and transnational actors.

PIR-40146: Post-conflict development: cases and approaches (15 credits)

This module offers an in-depth exploration of how states can rebuild after conflict focusing on real-world examples of development.

LAW-40043: International Environmental Law (Law 15 credits)

Take a critical perspective on the development of international environmental law. This module provides grounding in the legal norms institutions and processes of the filed exploring current environmental global issues such as biodiversity loss trade and environment food security and climate change through specific treaty regimes.

LAW-40058: International Refugee Law (Law 15 credits)

Examine key issues in international migration – a key challenge faced in development.

OPTIONAL MODULES
PIR-40156: The international politics of war and memory (15 credits)

Examine why war happens and how the politics of war memory influence and shape contemporary politics.

PIR-40093: The Changing International Agenda (15 credits)

Take an in-depth critical assessment of the development change and nature of the international system.

PIR-40136: International Diplomacy (15 credits)

Take an innovative look at the theories and practices underpinning international diplomacy and consider the varied settings in which diplomacy takes place.

PIR-41058: The Global Politics of Islam (15 credits)

Explore the international challenges of the politics of Islam.

LAW-40048: Foundations of Human Rights (Law 15 credits)

Examine the development of concepts of human rights and the contemporary political sociology of human rights.

LAW-40047: Equality Discrimination and Minorities (Law 15 credits)

Take an in-depth examination of the inequalities of international human rights policy and practices. This module provides an advanced level study of conceptual and normative aspects of ethics equality and the non-discrimination paradigm.

PIR-40106: Dimensions of Environmental Politics (15 credits)

Gain an overview of key concepts debates processes and discourses in relation to the political dynamics of the environment.

GEG-40020: Key Themes in Human Geography and Sustainability (Geography 15 credits)

This module explores key debates in human geography and sustainability including focus on the relevance of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals in contemporary world politics.

GRT-40020 Quantitative Research and Data Analysis (15 credits)

Gain a comprehensive introduction to the principles and practices of quantitative social science research.

GRT-40021 Qualitative Research Methods (15 credits)

Acquire an overview of the wide range of qualitative methods used in social science research.

PIR-40138: Crisis conflict and diplomacy (15 credits)

This module explores the management of crisis in world politics looking at real-world examples of how states use diplomacy to avoid conflict and why and how they succeed or fail.

PIR-40142: The geopolitics of nationalism and populism (15 credits)

Take a critical exploration of the relationships between nationalism/populism and security from a geopolitical perspective. The module will focus on theoretical approaches and case studies relating to various historical and contemporary issues such as war and peace self-determination national-populism and foreign policy and more.

PIR-40119: Race and Justice in the US (15 credits)

Despite the successes of the 1960s civil rights movement discrimination is still a top issue in the US. In this module you will examine how discrimination inequality and civil rights have been navigated and negotiated in the US from the second half of the twentieth century.

PIR-40096: Comparative European Politics (15 credits)

Informed by classic and contemporary theoretical and empirical approaches to comparative politics this module considers the nature and role of fundamental political structures in Europe (including electoral systems political parties executives and legislatures). It also explores the ways in which these structures and the actors within them interact.

LAW-40046: Human Rights and Global Politics (Law 15 credits)

Explore the evolving political and legal strategies to advance human rights in a global political framework. You will examine the global civil society and the expansion and role of transnational human rights.

Dissertation
PIR-40105: Master's Dissertation (60 credits)

You will write a dissertation of 15000 words on a topic of your choice within the field of International Development.

You will need to book the accommodation after you have been accepted.

You can choose to live on campus or off campus in private accommodation.

• Make a booking online after you have been accepted (in this case please let us know your choice when you apply).
• Register when you arrive - its not possible to reserve a room before arriving. You can arrive a few days before and book it