Global Development with International Study

Global development is the study of poverty, inequality, and the processes by which economies and societies change over time in the context of international relations, political economy, and environmental constraints. It draws on economics, politics, sociology, anthropology, and geography to ask why some parts of the world remain deeply poor while others have grown wealthy, what role international institutions and aid play, and how communities resist or adapt to the forces that shape their lives. The discipline takes seriously both structural analysis and the lived experience of people in diverse settings.

At the University of Manchester, this four-year programme includes an international study component, giving you a period of study in a country or institution outside the UK that deepens your understanding of development processes in a concrete context. Manchester is one of the leading centres for development studies in the UK, with strong links to policy institutions and research networks across Africa, Asia, and Latin America. You will develop skills in qualitative and quantitative research methods, political economic analysis, and the critical reading of development policy and practice.

You will engage with contemporary debates about climate change, gender, migration, conflict, and the role of technology in development.

Graduates of global development programmes pursue careers in international development organisations, NGOs, the civil service, international trade, journalism, research institutes, and multilateral institutions such as the UN, World Bank, and IMF. Many go on to postgraduate study in development economics, international relations, anthropology, or public policy. The analytical breadth and international experience the degree provides is valuable across any context where understanding complex social and economic problems matters.