How long does the MSc in Global Development Studies take to complete?

The MSc in Global Development Studies runs one year full-time or two years part-time across on-campus, online and distance routes. The final six months of the MSc in Global Development Studies are dedicated to the dissertation.

Can I study the MSc in Global Development Studies online?

Yes. The MSc in Global Development Studies is delivered on-campus, online and by distance learning, and every mode shares the same seminar structure and named supervision.

Is the MSc in Global Development Studies UK recognised?

The MSc in Global Development Studies is a UK Level 7 Master's award aligned with ODI, IDS and IfG analytical frameworks, and it prepares graduates for doctoral research.

What are the entry requirements for the MSc in Global Development Studies?

Applicants need a UK 2:2 Bachelor's or equivalent, IELTS 6.5 where required, and a 500-word research proposal. Senior professional applicants can enter the MSc in Global Development Studies on a portfolio route.

How much does the MSc in Global Development Studies cost and is funding available?

Tuition varies by mode and intake. LSLPE admissions publishes current fees at offer stage and discusses instalment plans, employer sponsorship and scholarships for the MSc in Global Development Studies on request.

MSc in Global Development Studies | LSLPE | Harold International College of London

Course Overview

The MSc in Global Development Studies at LSLPE is a research-informed UK Level 7 Master's degree running one year full-time or two years part-time across on-campus, online and distance routes. The programme reads development as an inherently interdisciplinary practice: growth, poverty and structural transformation cannot be understood without political economy, public administration and legal frameworks. It is aligned with the guidance of the Overseas Development Institute, the Institute of Development Studies and the Institute for Government.

By graduation you will have produced ODI-style working papers, delivered impact-evaluation analyses on publicly available datasets, contributed to sponsor-consulting-style briefings for hypothetical donor clients, and defended a 12,000 to 15,000 word dissertation to a supervisor drawn from ODI, IDS or FCDO alumni networks.

Key Features

Interdisciplinary teaching across economics, politics, law and public policy.
Curriculum aligned with Overseas Development Institute (ODI) and Institute of Development Studies (IDS) analytical frameworks.
Supervised dissertation with academic and, where relevant, practitioner co-supervision.
Impact-evaluation practice using publicly available datasets from LMICs.
Guest sessions with FCDO, ODI and multilateral-body alumni.
Careers pipeline into donors, multilateral bodies, NGOs and development consultancy.

What You Will Learn

Growth, poverty and structural transformation at senior level.
Political economy of development, state capacity and institutions.
Aid architecture, debt sustainability and the multilateral finance system.
Impact evaluation with randomised and quasi-experimental designs.
Human development and the Sustainable Development Goals framework.
Development law: international economic law, human rights and business and human rights.
Mixed-methods research at senior postgraduate level.
Dissertation design, ethics approval and defence.

Who This Course Is For

Practising development professionals moving into senior technical roles.
NGO and donor staff building an academic credential for progression.
Civil servants inside FCDO and development directorates.
International applicants working across LMIC contexts.
Graduates preparing for doctoral research in development studies.

Career Pathways

Development Analyst at the World Bank, IMF or regional development bank.
Policy Adviser inside FCDO development directorates.
Think Tank Researcher at ODI, IDS or IFPRI-style institutes.
Public Sector Consultant advising donor and government clients.
International Development Officer at a bilateral donor.
NGO Programme Officer at senior technical level.
Development Diplomat pipeline at the FCDO.

The LSLPE careers service maintains standing conversations with donor recruitment leads, multilateral body hiring managers and specialist development-consulting firms.

Entry Requirements

A UK Bachelor's degree (2:2 or above) or equivalent international qualification in a relevant discipline.
IELTS 6.5 overall (no band below 6.0) for non-native English speakers.
Applicants without a Bachelor's degree but with 5+ years of senior professional experience in development are considered on portfolio.
One academic and one professional reference.
A 500-word research proposal or professional practice statement for the MSc in Global Development Studies.

Why Study at LSLPE

LSLPE is a specialist division of Harold International College of London that reads development as inseparable from politics, law and economics. The MSc in Global Development Studies is delivered in small, tutor-visible cohorts using the case-room and select-committee tradition, so impact and design choices are argued in public against evidence.

Central London places the FCDO, ODI, Chatham House and the LSE-adjacent development ecosystem within a short tube ride of every classroom. Online and distance students join the same weekly seminar structure with named programme-tutor support, so field practitioners complete the MSc in Global Development Studies without leaving posting.