Subject guides / International Development
International Development
Also appears in programme titles as: Development Studies · Global Development
What an international development degree actually is
Aid programmes, refugee response, governance reform, climate adaptation in poor countries — international development is the interdisciplinary field that studies how deliberate efforts to improve lives in the Global South actually work, and why they so often don't. Unlike development economics, it draws as much on politics, sociology and anthropology as on economics, and its graduates run programmes rather than regressions.
The field's top address is not where rankings suggest: the Institute of Development Studies at Sussex has held the world #1 spot for development studies for years while Sussex sits far down every general league table — the clearest case in our guides of a specialist institution beating the prestige hierarchy. Oxford's MPhil and LSE's MSc round out the classic trio.
What you study — and the quantitative bar
Cores typically cover development theory and history, political economy, and research methods, with electives spanning gender, conflict, migration, humanitarianism and environment. Dissertations are often field-based; the practice-oriented programmes (IDS especially) draw on live research projects with partner institutions in the Global South.
The quantitative bar is the gentlest of the fields we cover — statistics literacy helps but qualitative methods carry equal weight. That accessibility cuts both ways: cohorts are large and competition for the classic exits is real, which makes work experience the differentiator admissions and employers actually read.
Where it leads
Programme and policy roles across UN agencies, bilateral donors, INGOs (Oxfam, IRC, MSF's non-medical roles), development consultancies, and government development ministries. The monitoring-and-evaluation specialisation is the strongest single employment ticket — every funded programme needs one, and the skill set is chronically scarce. Expect careers built on rotations and field postings rather than a single ladder.
Who it suits — and who it does not
A good fit if you are…
- NGO, government or humanitarian professionals with 2+ years in the field formalising their practice
- Career switchers with transferable skills (communications, logistics, law) entering the development sector
- Scholarship applicants whose story is about strengthening institutions at home — the archetypal Chevening and Commonwealth profile
Probably not the right degree if…
- Applicants who want the economics toolkit — see Development Economics; this field will not teach you econometrics in depth
- Fresh graduates with no development-adjacent experience: the degree amplifies experience rather than substituting for it
- Anyone expecting a defined career ladder — the sector runs on short contracts and mobility
Where to study it: the programme map
The map includes the field's quiet anomaly: the world's top-ranked development studies institution (IDS Sussex) belongs to a university most league tables place far lower. Official links and verification dates on every row.
| University | Official programme title | Length | Tuition (intl) | Experience |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Geneva Graduate Institute (IHEID)Switzerland | Master in International and Development Studies (MINT) | 24 mo | CHF 8,000/yr | — |
| King's College LondonUnited Kingdom | Conflict, Security and Development MA | 12 mo | — | — |
| London School of Economics and Political ScienceUnited Kingdom | MSc Development Studies | 12 mo | — | — |
| London School of Economics and Political ScienceUnited Kingdom | MSc Gender, Development and Globalisation | 12 mo | — | — |
| London School of Economics and Political ScienceUnited Kingdom | MSc Economic Policy for International Development | 12 mo | — | — |
| London School of Economics and Political ScienceUnited Kingdom | MSc Environment and Development | 12 mo | — | — |
| London School of Economics and Political ScienceUnited Kingdom | MSc International Social and Public Policy (Development) | 12 mo | GBP 30,750 | — |
| London School of Economics and Political ScienceUnited Kingdom | MSc International Development and Humanitarian Emergencies | 12 mo | — | — |
| University College LondonUnited Kingdom | Education and International Development MA | 12 mo | GBP 32,000 | — |
| University of East LondonUnited Kingdom | MSc NGO and Development Management | — | — | — |
| University of OxfordUnited Kingdom | MPhil in Development Studies | 24 mo | — | — |
| University of ReadingUnited Kingdom | MSc Food Security and Development | 12 mo | GBP 26,450 | — |
| University of SussexUnited Kingdom | Migration and Global Development MA | 12 mo | — | — |
| University of SussexUnited Kingdom | Development Studies MA (Institute of Development Studies) | 12 mo | — | — |
| University of SussexUnited Kingdom | MA Governance, Development and Public Policy (IDS) | — | — | — |
| University of SussexUnited Kingdom | Gender and Development MA (Institute of Development Studies) | 12 mo | — | — |
Every row verified against the official programme page; oldest verification 15 Jul 2026. Nothing here is a paid placement.
Application strategy and funding routes
The classic trio splits by format: IDS Sussex (12 months, practice-first, world #1 in the subject), LSE (12 months, theory-strong, London network), Oxford (24-month MPhil, research-oriented). Pick by what you want on the other side — practice, network, or a PhD path.
Funding follows the length rule again: the 12-month Sussex and LSE degrees fit Chevening; Oxford's two-year MPhil does not — a fact that surprises applicants every cycle. Commonwealth Master's covers the same UK options for eligible countries, and Australia Awards / Manaaki fund the equivalent degrees in their regions. IDS's subject-#1 status also makes it a strong answer to the "why this university" essay every scholarship asks.
Which scholarship funds which programme
Computed from each scheme's published rules (destination, level, course length) — not a guarantee; list-based schemes still require checking the official list.
- Geneva Graduate Institute (IHEID) — study destination outside the scheme
- King's College London — study destination outside the scheme
- London School of Economics and Political Science — study destination outside the scheme
- London School of Economics and Political Science — study destination outside the scheme
- London School of Economics and Political Science — study destination outside the scheme
- London School of Economics and Political Science — study destination outside the scheme
- London School of Economics and Political Science — study destination outside the scheme
- London School of Economics and Political Science — study destination outside the scheme
- University College London — study destination outside the scheme
- University of East London — study destination outside the scheme
- University of Oxford — study destination outside the scheme
- University of Reading — study destination outside the scheme
- University of Sussex — study destination outside the scheme
- University of Sussex — study destination outside the scheme
- University of Sussex — study destination outside the scheme
- University of Sussex — study destination outside the scheme
- Geneva Graduate Institute (IHEID) — study destination outside the scheme
- King's College London
- London School of Economics and Political Science
- London School of Economics and Political Science
- London School of Economics and Political Science
- London School of Economics and Political Science
- London School of Economics and Political Science
- London School of Economics and Political Science
- University College London
- University of East London — course length not on file
- University of Oxford — 24-month course exceeds the 12-month limit
- University of Reading
- University of Sussex
- University of Sussex
- University of Sussex — course length not on file
- University of Sussex
- Geneva Graduate Institute (IHEID) — study destination outside the scheme
- King's College London
- London School of Economics and Political Science
- London School of Economics and Political Science
- London School of Economics and Political Science
- London School of Economics and Political Science
- London School of Economics and Political Science
- London School of Economics and Political Science
- University College London
- University of East London
- University of Oxford
- University of Reading
- University of Sussex
- University of Sussex
- University of Sussex
- University of Sussex
Frequently asked questions
Is a development studies degree employable?
Yes, with a caveat: employers hire the combination of the degree plus field experience. Graduates with prior NGO or public-sector work move into programme roles quickly; those without often route through internships or M&E assistant roles first. The degree alone is not the ticket — it is the multiplier.
Why does everyone recommend IDS Sussex when Sussex ranks so low overall?
Because subject authority and university prestige are different things. IDS is a semi-autonomous institute that has topped the QS development-studies subject ranking for years; general league tables measure the whole university. For this field specifically, IDS is the strongest name on a CV inside the sector.
Does Chevening fund development studies?
It is one of Chevening's most common fields — but only for courses of 9–12 months. Sussex's and LSE's one-year degrees qualify; Oxford's two-year MPhil does not. Check length before anchoring your application on a school.
International development vs public policy — which fits me?
Public policy trains you to run any government's decision process; international development specialises in poverty, aid and Global South institutions. If your career is at home in a ministry, MPP; if it is in the aid and development ecosystem, this field. The overlap is real and many careers cross between them.
Related fields
Sources
Official programme pages (linked per row above) · official scholarship rules and participating-programme lists · university admission regulations. Every data row records its source URL and verification date; stale rows are re-checked or removed.
Global Study Prep is independent and not affiliated with any university or scholarship programme. Programme details change — always confirm on the official page before applying.