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International Development (Poverty, Inequality and Development) by distance learning MSc/PGDip

by Distance Learning

Start date
September
Duration
MSc: 2 - 4 years; Postgraduate Diploma: 18 months - 4 years
Course Type
Postgraduate, Continuing professional development, Distance learning, Taught
Fees

For 2024-2024
£7,515 (Masters) per year or flexible. See details below
More Fees and funding details.

The core module aims to familiarise you with the key concepts and theories and with the changing roles of international development organisations and states in promoting international development.

The purpose of this course is to give those working in the area of poverty reduction and development in developing and transitional countries, or those wishing to work in such areas, a firmer grounding in understanding poverty and inequality, promoting poverty reduction and analysing the performance of major poverty reducing programmes and policies.

The emphasis throughout will be on encouraging you to reflect critically on what has worked well or not and why. You will select four optional modules (each worth 20 credits) based on your individual interests and career aspirations.

You will be able to study from anywhere in the world with practitioners in government, civil society and the private sector, as well as with people new to development.

More information on: International Development MSc by distance learning

Modules

This pathway is comprised of two core 20-credit modules and four optional 20-credit modules, along with a dissertation project. Unless indicated otherwise the modules listed for this programme are for students starting in 2024.

Core

Choice of optional modules (80 credits) – choose three modules from the following 20 credit modules:

The programme begins with a two week online induction module (non-accredited); and the dissertation work is preceded by a two week online research methods module (again, non-accredited).


Please note: The modules listed on the website for this programme are regularly reviewed to ensure they are up-to-date and informed by the latest research and teaching methods. On rare occasions, we may need to make unexpected changes to compulsory modules; in this event we will contact offer holders as soon as possible to inform or consult them as appropriate.

Fees

Distance Learning 2024 - 2025

The fee is fixed at £7,515 per year, and the fee will be £15,030 in total for the two years

For the flexible option, the fee is £83.50 per credit for 2024. Please note that this fee may rise in subsequent years.

For our distance learning programmes, we do not distinguish between UK and international students. There is no differential fee.

Scholarships, Studentships and loans

Postgraduate Loans for Masters students

The Postgraduate Student Loan has increased its maximum loan amount to £12,167 (for 2023/2024 entry). For more detailed information visit our Postgraduate funding page.

How To Apply

How to apply

To apply for a postgraduate taught programme, you will need to submit your application and supporting documents online. We have put together some helpful information on the taught programme application process and supporting documents on our how to apply page. Please read this information carefully before completing your application.

Apply now

Our Standard Requirements

  • An upper second class Honours degree or equivalent from an approved university or an equivalent professional qualification in a relevant field (the equivalent US GPA is 3.2) or
  • A lower second-class Honours degree from an approved university with relevant work experience.
  • Degrees from all disciplines are considered and a candidate’s work experience can be taken into consideration.

Learn more about entry requirements.

International Requirements



International Students

You can satisfy our English language requirements in two ways:


  • IELTS 6.5 with no less than 6.0 in any band
  • TOEFL: 88 overall with no less than 21 in Reading, 20 in Listening, 22 in Speaking and 21 in Writing
  • Pearson Test of English (PTE) including online: PTE Academic 67 with no less than 64 in all four skills
  • Cambridge English (exams taken from 2015): Advanced – minimum overall score of 176, with no less than 169 in any component

In delivering our distance learning programmes, we have drawn on lessons learned at Birmingham and by other academic institutions about how to provide effective distance learning and use a blended learning approach:

  • An intensive online induction programme is included to familiarise you with the web-based discussion boards, the online library facilities and the requirements of the programme
  • Required reading materials are provided electronically or in hard copy
  • Discussions and group activities take place within an online learning environment
  • You will benefit from interacting closely with other students and tutors even whilst separated by continents and time zones (we currently have students in Africa, the Caribbean, North America, South East Asia and Europe, including the UK)
  • Specific support for developing a dissertation proposal is provided prior to starting the dissertation project
  • We pride ourselves on strong administrative, academic and pastoral support for students

Our distance learning courses use a variety of teaching and assessment methods:

  • Electronic access to the University’s extensive e-library, containing e-journals, e-books and databases, delivered through the ResourceLists@Bham system
  • Where key readings and textbooks are not available electronically, hard copies are sent out to you by mail
  • Group online discussion activities (using Canvas, which is part of our ‘virtual learning environment’)
  • Individual reading and reflection
  • A dissertation supervised by an allocated academic supervisor

Each module takes 11 weeks to complete (with guided online discussions). The MSc does not include any face-to-face element.

The course is assumed to be part time, and you will study one module at a time.

Course requirements

IDD has designed its distance learning courses to be accessible for a working professional person and we have kept the technical requirements to a minimum. However, before you commit to distance learning, we recommend that you consider the following:

IT equipment: To complete a distance learning course successfully, you will need:

  • Extended access to a computer with Microsoft Word and Excel (students are eligible for free use of Office 365 during their studies) and an internet browser compatible with Canvas, such as Edge, Firefox, Chrome or Safari.
  • Regular access to the internet for visiting the web-based discussion boards, e-mail and some online library research (whilst this is obviously easier with broadband, many students have participated successfully through a dial-up connection).

IT skills: You will find this course less challenging if you are already a confident internet user, although we are available extensively to coach you through becoming familiar with the web-based discussion format and to address other IT questions.

Time: This course requires that you read a good deal and regularly check into the web-based discussions during the 11 ‘live’ weeks of discussion for each module. If you are forced to miss some of the discussions for work or personal reasons, this can often be accommodated, but if you are regularly out of touch you will find it hard to complete the assignments to the required standard. Writing the assignments is also time-consuming.

Career opportunities 

This programme is most relevant for people who have worked in governments, non-governmental organisations (either international, regional, national or local) or on donor-funded projects, as well as for recent graduates wishing to work for such organizations, who have some experience of developing countries.

Alumni

Currently more than 3,800 IDD alumni have taken their knowledge and experience to over 148 countries around the globe and are working in a variety of jobs in the public, private and voluntary sector.

See what some of our alumni are doing now and what they thought about studying with us at IDD.