“Getting to grips with development these days requires the ability to understand grand theory as well as a slew of expert subfields, each with their conceptual languages and real-world power structures.

Pursuing research means justifying one or two of them, or reasoning your way into starting afresh. Whatever happens the battlefield must be surveyed and negotiated and SOAS is an excellent place for this adventure.”
Barbara Harriss-White, Emeritus Professor of Development Studies,
Oxford University

Overview and entry requirements

The MSc Research for International Development is a cutting-edge degree funded and supported by the UK’s ESRC (The Economic and Social Research Council) as part of the Bloomsbury Doctoral Training Centre.

The programme equips students with the theoretical background and analytical skills to inquire into the relationship between theory, research methods and politics in international development.

Our academic staff provide students with knowledge about the plurality of methodological approaches in key areas of international development research, and the policy choices and strategies associated with these. The module offers students the opportunity to engage with a selection of methods used in international development research.

See Department of Development Studies

"Developmental research is a combination of science and art, resting on sound theoretical knowledge, a capability of handling a variety of methodologies and something that is just as important, a "feel" for the subject. There is no one perfect methodology or set of tools; a good social scientist must appreciate the strengths and limitations of each on offer. Uniquely, this module will equip future developmental explorers with the sophisticated tools. They will have to bring the "feel" themselves."
Guy Standing, Professor of Economic Security University of Bath, UK

Why study MSc Research for International Development at SOAS

• we are ranked number 5 in the QS World University Rankings in the subject of Development Studies
• SOAS is ranked in the top 5 universities in the UK for producing a CEO or Managing Director, according to new research
• two of the three core modules focus on the research methods. The first, Fundamentals of Research Methods for Development Studies, reviews the main research designs and techniques used in development research. The module explores both the use of secondary sources (text, numbers, images, audio, etc.) and the process of collecting primary empirical materials for analysis. The course addresses the dichotomy quantitative-qualitative in social research methodology, the key differences between the two approaches and the potential for complementarity.
• the second core model, Statistical Research Techniques in International Development, covers the necessary statistical methods for social sciences including survey design and regression analysis. It aims to a) introduce students to statistical inference; b) encourage the clear and coherent expression of statistical results; and c) promote the critical reading of statistics within the development literature. Students without prior training in statistics and maths are advise to either audit or choose Introductory Statistics as one of their optional modules.
• the two core courses above give students advanced interdisciplinary training in research methods. The third core module, for which students can choose either Political Economy of Development or Theory, Policy and Practice of Development, grounds students in the key topics, and the analytical and policy debates surrounding them, in international development.

Students further engage with international development debates through their choice of four optional modules, from a large number of available options available from SOAS departments of Economics and Development Studies. Students will therefore benefit from studying with experts in a variety of fields of international development, and from the wide regional expertise in developing countries and development issues.

Who should apply

The degree has been developed to meet the needs of both development practitioners and researchers on international development, including those wishing to pursue an MPhil/PhD in International Development. The programme will suit students with a variety of backgrounds in social sciences, including politics, sociology, economics, and so on. It would also meet the needs of people working, or hoping to work in international agencies, humanitarian organisations, and NGOs. Students with a strong interest in research and research methods will thrive on the MSc distinctive focus on training in research methods.

Explore 

• Development Studies Research
• Life beyond studies: working for a non-government organisation

Venue: Russell Square: College Buildings

Start of programme: September intake only

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or Part-time

Structure

Students must take 180 credits per year comprised of 120 taught credits (including core, compulsory and optional modules) and a 60 credit dissertation.

Core modules: A core module is required for the degree programme, so must always be taken and passed before you move on to the next year of your programme.

Compulsory modules: A compulsory module is required for the degree programme, so must always be taken, and if necessary can be passed by re-taking it alongside the next year of your programme.

Optional modules: These are designed to help students design their own intellectual journey while maintaining a strong grasp of the fundamentals.

This programme allows you to select one of the Department's online optional modules as part of your degree. Further details on the available modules can be found Distance Learning (PG) Development Studies Modules.

Dissertation

Core Modules

Students also take ONE of the following: 

Optional Modules

Choose modules to the value of 60 credits from the list below:

List of modules (subject to availability)

Development Studies

Economics

Students need to get approval from the Module Convenor in order to take modules from the list below

Gender Studies

Programme Specification

• MSc Research for International Development Programme Specification 2020-21 _ SOAS University of London (pdf; 471kb)

Important notice

Teaching & Learning

Our teaching and learning approach is designed to support and encourage students in their own process of self-learning, and to develop their own ideas, responses and critique of international development practice and policy.

We do this through a mixture of lectures, and more student-centred learning approaches (including tutorials and seminars). Teaching combines innovative use of audio-visual materials, practical exercises, group discussions, and weekly guided reading and discussions, as well as conventional lecturing.

Dissertation

In addition to the taught part of the masters programme, all students will write a 10,000 word dissertation. Students develop their research topic under the guidance and supervision of an academic member of the Department. Students are encouraged to explore a particular body of theory or an academic debate relevant to their programme through a focus on a particular region.

Contact hours

All Masters programmes consist of 180 credits, made up of taught modules of 30 or 15 credits, taught over 10 or 20 weeks, and a dissertation of 60 credits. The programme structure shows which modules are compulsory and which optional.

As a rough guide, 1 credit equals approximately 10 hours of work. Most of this will be independent study, including reading and research, preparing coursework, revising for examinations and so on. It will also include class time, which may include lectures, seminars and other classes. Some subjects, such as learning a language, have more class time than others. At SOAS, most postgraduate modules have a one hour lecture and a one hour seminar every week, but this does vary.

More information is on the page for each module.

SOAS Library

SOAS Library is one of the world's most important academic libraries for the study of Africa, Asia and the Middle East, attracting scholars from all over the world. The Library houses over 1.2 million volumes, together with significant archival holdings, special collections and a growing network of electronic resources.

Pre Entry Reading

• Kuhn, T. S. (1962) The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, Chicago: University of Chicago Press    
• Fine, B., D. Johnston, A. Santos and E. Van Waeyenberge (2015). “Nudging or Fudging: The World Development Report 2015”, Development and Change, 47(4): 640–663.
• Oya, C. (2013), ‘Methodological reflections on land 'grab' databases and the land 'grab' literature “rush”’. Journal of Peasant Studies, 40(3): 503-520.
• Rizzo, M., Kilama, B., and Wuyts, M. 2015. ‘The Invisibility of Wage Employment in Statistics on the Informal Economy in Africa: Causes and Consequences’. The Journal of Development Studies 51: pp. 149-161.
• Sayer, A. 1984. Method in social science: A realist approach. London: Hutchinson.
• Schmidt, Anna 2007 ‘I Know What You’re Doing’, Reflexivity and Methods In Refugee Studies’  in Refugee Survey Quarterly, Vol. 26, Issue 3
• Sumner, A. and M.Tribe. 2008. International Development Studies. Theories and Methods in Research Practice. London: Sage.   
• Vlassenroot, K (2006) ‘War and Social Research. The limits of empirical methodologies in war-torn environments’, Civilisations 54, pp 191-198. 

Tuition fees

Fees for 2022/23 entrants, per academic year (Band 2 tuition fee)

Fees go up each year, therefore your tuition fee in your second and subsequent years of study will be higher.

Our continuing students, on the same degree programme, are protected from annual increases higher than 5%.

Full details of postgraduate tuition fees can be found on the postgraduate tuition fees page.

Scholarships

For further details and information on external scholarships visit the Scholarships section

Employment

A degree from the Department of Development Studies at SOAS will further develop your understanding of the world and how society is organised, with specific focus on violence and conflict, the role of aid, refugees and forced migration. Graduates leave with a range of transferable skills, including critical thinking, analytical skills and cultural awareness.

Recent Department of Development Studies graduates have been hired by:

• Amnesty International
• BBC World Service
• British Embassy Brussels
• Department for International Development
• Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU)
• Embassy of Japan
• Government of Pakistan
• Hong Kong Economic & Trade Office
• International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)
• International Labour Organization (ILO)
• KPMG LLP
• National Health and Medical Research Council
• Overseas Development Institute
• Oxfam
• Royal Norwegian Embassy
• Save the Children UK
• The World Bank
• Thinking Beyond Borders
• U.S. Department of State
• UN World Food Programme
• UN High Commissioner for Refugees
• WaterAid

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