MA Global Development Politics
Create and evaluate novel solutions to the fundamental challenges facing the world.
Year of entry: 2025 (September)
Explore the transformations that shape our world, challenge orthodoxy, and help innovate solutions to global problems.
The MA in Global Development Politics offers an interdisciplinary people-focused approach to understanding the politics of global development. It will equip you to create and evaluate innovative solutions to the fundamental challenges facing the world. Such solutions require redressing imbalances of power at local, regional, national, and global levels.
As a student of the MA in Global Development Politics you will appreciate that development is a complex of practices, policies and possibilities that encompass worldwide socio-economic and environmental transformation. The intellectual and practical training provided by the course will help you contribute to creating a world that promotes dignity, equality and fairness.
Course content
This course will give you a firm grounding in the fundamental principles of global development politics. You'll learn to analyse and address specific global challenges through innovative research, critical thinking and transformative practice.
You'll study 180 credits in total. The course consists of:
- core modules
- option modules
- independent research dissertation
Our option modules, Global Classroom with four institutions in the Global South, summer school in Greece, and fieldwork placements will allow you to tailor the course to your interests, from global governance to local government, and including the sustainable development goals, politics of infrastructure, social welfare, and other themes and topics.
Modules
Core modules
Option modules
You will study five option modules. Examples can be found below. Some option module combinations may not be possible. The options available to you will be confirmed after you begin your course.
- Comparative Institutions and Public Policy
- Contemporary Issues in International Political Economy
- Africa and International Politics
- Causes & Conduct of Conflict
- Politics of Peacebuilding
- Themes & Theories in International Relations
- Challenges to Policy-making in Democratising Countries
- Global Governance
- Governing for the Environment
- Politics of Migration
- International Business Management & Emerging Markets
- Ethics & Sustainability Reporting
- Social Policy in a Global Context
- The Political Economy of Global China
- Ecosystem Services, Conservation and Protection
- Intercultural Communication in Education
- Conflict & Development
- Transitional Justice and Human Rights
- Project Placement
- The Practice of Fieldwork
Some option module combinations may not be possible. The options available to you will be confirmed after you begin your course.
Our modules may change to reflect the latest academic thinking and expertise of our staff, and in line with Department/School academic planning.
Dissertation
During the second semester and vacation you will consolidate your interests in a dissertation on a topic of your choice. You'll have a dissertation supervisor who will provide regular guidance and will be able to comment on your dissertation.
Dissertations could cover topics such as:
- Closing the gap: Discourses of Aboriginal Integration in Australia
- Native Human Security: The Importance of Indigenous Rights in the context of Latin American Development
- Why is Nigeria still a developing country regardless of its abundant natural resources?
Learning outcomes
Every course at York is built on a distinctive set of learning outcomes. These will give you a clear understanding of what you will be able to accomplish at the end of the course and help you explain what you can offer employers. Our academics identify the knowledge, skills, and experiences you'll need upon graduation and then design the course to get you there.
Learning outcomes for this course
- Articulate understanding of the origins and evolution of the discipline (from development studies to global development via international development) by demonstrating an in-depth knowledge of historical and contemporary political issues in global development. [Substantively knowledgeable agent]
- Apply different theoretical perspectives, methods to specific aspects of the politics of global development, such as the changing global order, climate change, persistent poverty and rising inequality, and growing challenges to human well-being, using advanced critical graduate-level reasoning and empirical testing (where appropriate) to assess their strengths and weaknesses and advance innovative arguments and solutions that challenge the frontiers of existing knowledge. [Advanced critical thinker]
- Undertake independent work relating to the field of global development politics by selecting and justifying the use of appropriate theories and concepts, gathering and interpreting data, and arriving at appropriate and justified conclusions based on a critical awareness of interdisciplinary and decolonisation-informed perspectives in dealing with problems in global development, taking into account ethical, social, political, geographical, environmental, historical, and financial factors, human rights, ethnicity, gender, and other intersectional considerations. [Interdisciplinary problem-solver]
- Communicate effectively to achieve collective aims in global development contexts, integrating and adapting practical, conceptual and interpersonal skills to engage with a wide range of stakeholders and provide evidenced, structured and well-supported advice, vital to graduate employment. [Engaged communicator]
- Engage with shared learning across different disciplines and develop an understanding of the values of tolerance, sustainability and inclusivity. [Professional skills]
Fees and funding
Annual tuition fees for 2025/26
| Study mode | UK (home) | International and EU |
|---|---|---|
| Full-time (1 year) | £11,200 | £25,900 |
| Part-time (2 years) This is the year 1 fee. Fees for future years are subject to confirmation. |
£5,600 | £12,950 |
Students on a Student Visa are not currently permitted to study part-time at York.
For courses which are longer than one year, the tuition fees quoted are for the first year of study.
- UK (home) fees may increase in subsequent years (up to a maximum of 2%).
- International fees may increase in subsequent years in line with the prevailing Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation rate (up to a maximum of 10%).
Fees information
UK (home) or international fees? The level of fee that you will be asked to pay depends on whether you're classed as a UK (home) or international student. Check your fee status.
Find out more information about tuition fees and how to pay them.
Additional costs
If you choose to undertake the two-week summer school in Greece, you will need to budget for around £2000, over and above MA tuition fees and living expenses. Placements in York do not incur additional costs, apart from some potential limited local travel.
If you choose to undertake a placement in the UK through the Project Placement module, you'll need to account for additional costs related to this placement over and above MA tuition fees and living expenses, such as transport and accommodation. Please note that only UK-based placements are offered on this programme.
Although you may decide to purchase some textbooks or other resources, we have an extensive physical and electronic library, so that there is no requirement to do so.
Funding information
Discover your funding options to help with tuition fees and living costs.
We'll confirm more funding opportunities for students joining us in 2025/26 throughout the year.
If you've successfully completed an undergraduate degree at York you could be eligible for a 10% Masters fee discount.
Funding opportunities
Chevening Scholarships
We are pleased to work with Chevening Scholars to offer funding for our Masters programmes. Chevening Scholarships provide one year of fully-funded postgraduate study in the UK for international (including EU) students. The scholarships are open to early and mid-career professionals who have the potential to become future leaders.
Departmental funding
The course has allowed me to follow my interest in development across the world, and given me the theoretical and analytical tools to adapt myself to different situations.
Teaching and assessment
You’ll work with world‐leading academics who’ll challenge you to think independently and excel in all that you do. Our approach to teaching will provide you with the knowledge, opportunities, and support you need to grow and succeed in a global workplace.
Teaching format
This course comprises a variety of teaching environments - lectures, seminars, group work and opportunities for one-to-one tutorials - which have been designed to enable students to experience the tasks and demands that will be required of them in their future careers. This involves collaborative learning from four partner institutions in the Global South, and placements and fieldwork.
Research-led teaching
You'll be taught by academics at the forefront of research across a number of political areas such as conflict, security and development, political economy, international politics, political theory and public policy. As international experts in their field, our staff advise governments and organisations and regularly contribute to news and current affairs programmes. Our expertise and experience feed directly into our teaching.
Teaching location
You will be based in the Department of Politics and International Relations on Campus West. Most teaching will take place nearby.
About our campus
Our beautiful green campus offers a student-friendly setting in which to live and study, within easy reach of the action in the city centre. It's easy to get around campus - everything is within walking or pedalling distance, or you can always use the fast and frequent bus service.
Assessment and feedback
The diverse assessments for this program include essays, podcasts, policy reports and an independent project that will be advantageous to graduates in their future careers.
Careers and skills
Graduates of previous Interdisciplinary Global Development Centre programmes have found work in a range of sectors - from central and local government to law firms and media companies.
Career opportunities
- Multilateral institutions
- Bilateral development offices
- Donor agencies
- International NGOs
- Local government
- Non-governmental organisations
- Community and voluntary organisations
- Social enterprise
- Higher education
- Accountancy and banking organisations
- Law firms
- Media companies
- International organisations
- Thinktanks
Transferable skills
- Logical thinking
- Analysis of complex ideas, arguments and theories
- Problem-solving
- The ability to present succinct reports
- Intellectual independence
- Communication skills
Entry requirements
| Qualification | Typical offer |
|---|---|
| Undergraduate degree | 2:2 or equivalent. |
| Other international qualifications | Equivalent qualifications from your country |
English language
If English isn't your first language you may need to provide evidence of your English language ability. We accept the following qualifications:
| Qualification | Minimum requirement |
|---|---|
| IELTS (Academic and Indicator) | 6.5, minimum 6.0 in each component |
| Cambridge CEFR | B2 First: 176, with 169 in each component |
| Oxford ELLT | 7, minimum of 6 in each component |
| Oxford Test of English Advanced | 136, minimum 126 in each component |
| Duolingo | 120, minimum 105 in all other components |
| LanguageCert SELT | B2 with 33/50 in each component |
| LanguageCert Academic | 70 with a minimum of 65 in each component |
| Kaplan Test of English Language | 478-509, with 444-477 in all other components |
| Skills for English | B2: Merit overall, with Pass with Merit in each component |
| PTE Academic | 61, minimum 55 in each component |
| TOEFL | 87, minimum 21 in each component |
| Trinity ISE III | Merit in all requirements |
For more information see our postgraduate English language requirements.
If you haven't met our English language requirements
You may be eligible for one of our pre-sessional English language courses. These courses will provide you with the level of English needed to meet the conditions of your offer.
The length of course you need to take depends on your current English language test scores and how much you need to improve to reach our English language requirements.
After you've accepted your offer to study at York, we'll confirm which pre-sessional course you should apply to via You@York.
Next steps
Contact us
Get in touch if you have any questions
Professor Indrajit Roy
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