Program Overview

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Development Studies MA

Key information

Delivery mode: In person

Study mode: Full time, Part time

Duration: Full-time: one year, part-time: two years

Application status: Open

Start date: September 2025

Course essentials

This degree can be taken as part of a joint arrangement with our partner institution, Sciences Po that offers a graduate programme in International Affairs. Please see the Teaching & Structure tab above for more information.

Please note that locations are determined by where each module is taught and may vary depending on the modules you study.

Regulating bodies

King's is regulated by the Office for Students

Entry requirements

UK applicants

Standard requirements

A minimum 2:1 undergraduate Bachelor’s (honours) degree

If you have a lower degree classification, or a degree in an unrelated subject, your application may be considered if you can demonstrate significant relevant work experience, or offer a related graduate qualification (such as a Masters or PGDip).

Programme-Specific Requirements

A bachelor's degree with 2:1 honours in related subjects as international development, politics, economics or other social science or regional studies.

If you are still studying you should be achieving an average of at least 60% or above across all years of study, in the UK marking scheme.

International applicants

Equivalent International qualifications

Select a country to find out more about the qualifications we accept.

English language requirements

English language band: B

To study at King's, it is essential that you can communicate in English effectively in an academic environment. You are usually required to provide certification of your competence in English before starting your studies.

Nationals of majority English speaking countries (as defined by the UKVI) who have permanently resided in this country are not usually required to complete an additional English language test. This is also the case for applicants who have successfully completed an undergraduate degree (of at least three years duration), a postgraduate taught degree (of at least one year), or a PhD in a majority English speaking country (as defined by the UKVI) within five years of the course start date.

Selection process

Applications must be made online using King’s online application portal apply.kcl.ac.uk and a non-refundable application fee of £85 applies. All applications are assessed by a committee of academic tutors. We aim to process all complete applications within four weeks; during February and March and over holiday periods, applications may take longer to process.

Personal statement and supporting information

Please provide a personal statement explaining why you are interested in this particular programme, and outlining any relevant experience you have. If there are any anomalies in your academic record, please use the personal statement to explain related extenuating circumstances.

You will be asked to submit the following documents in order for your application to be considered:

• Personal Statement: Yes, a personal statement is required. This can be entered directly into the online application form (maximum 4,000 characters) or uploaded as an attachment to the online application form (maximum 2 pages).
• Previous Academic Study: Yes, a copy (or copies) of your official academic transcript(s), showing the subjects studied and marks obtained. If you have already completed your degree, copies of your official degree certificate will also be required. Applicants with academic documents issued in a language other than English, will need to submit both the original and official translation of their documents.
• References: Yes, one academic reference is required. A professional reference will be accepted if you have completed your qualifications over five years ago. In some cases, we may request an additional reference from you.
• Other: Optional, applicants may wish to include a CV (Resume) or evidence of professional registration as part of their application.

Teaching & structure

Teaching methods - what to expect

We will use a delivery method that will ensure students have a rich, exciting experience from the start. Face to face teaching will be complemented and supported with innovative technology so that students also experience elements of digital learning and assessment. Some modules will use the flipped classroom mode of teaching.

We use lectures, seminars, workshops and group tutorials to deliver most of the modules on the course. You will also be expected to undertake a significant amount of independent study.

Module	Lectures, seminars and feedback	Self-study
Per 15-credit taught module	The total contact time for each 15-credit taught module is 20 hours. These sessions will include lectures and/or teacher-led and student-led group discussions based on the main areas of study.	Each 15-credit taught module has 130 hours of self-guided learning time.
Dissertation	Usually 10 – 2 hour long dissertation workshops and 5 one-to-one or group consultation with supervisors.	590 hours of self-study and project work.

Typically, one credit equates to 10 hours of work.

Location

This course is primarily taught at the King’s College London Strand and Waterloo Campuses. Our location in the heart of London brings outstanding advantages. You can enjoy excellent academic, social and cultural opportunities and wide-ranging access to library and archival resources.

Assessment

Your performance will be assessed through a combination of coursework and written/practical examinations. Forms of assessment may typically include diverse module assessments such as writing essays, developing business plans, compiling policy reports and media analysis reports, and creating blogs and podcasts. To strengthen citizen awareness, one of the modules will have a participatory action project as part of its assessment. You will also be trained in research methods, writing long papers, reading critically and thinking critically. Each module will have a clear set of employability skills to clarify what kind of skills you will be learning.

Structure

Required modules

You are required to take the following modules:

• History and Approaches to Development Studies (30 credits)
• Dissertation (60 Credits)

You must also take at least one of the following research methods modules:

• Quantitative Methods for Social Science (15 credits)
• Advanced Quantitative Methods for Causal Inference (15 credits)
• Introduction to Qualitative Methods (15 credits)
• Advanced Qualitative Methods (15 credits)

Optional modules

In addition, you are required to take 75 credits from a range of optional modules, which may typically include:

• Gender, Society & Development (15 credits)
• Poverty, Inequality & Social Policy in Emerging Economies (15 credits)
• Displacement and Development in the Contemporary Era (15 credits)
• Global Labour and Development (15 credits)
• Project Management in International Development (15 credits)
• Political Economy of Latin America: Development Trajectories and Contemporary Challenges (15 credits)
• Climate, Environment, and Uneven Development (15 credits)
• Race and Development (15 credits)
• Environment and Development: Crises, Power, and Transformations (15 credits)
• Practical and Theoretical Evaluation of Sustainable Development (15 credits)
• Anthropology of Violence and Social Suffering (15 credits)
• Rise of China in Global Capitalism (15 Credits)
• Comparative Public Policy Analysis In Emerging Economies (15 credits)

Out of these 75 credits, students may take a maximum of 30 optional credits from level 7 modules outside of their programme’s approved module list.

They can also take a 15 credits worth modern language option subject to approvals in addition to their 180 required credits.

Employability

When you graduate from this Development Studies MA, you’ll be equipped with the skills and knowledge needed to pursue a career in the private, public and third sectors.

Previous graduates from the department have worked in a range of institutions, including:

• NGOs such as OXFAM, Citizens UK, and Save the Children UK.
• Think tanks such as Chattom House, Brookings, and Issam Fares Institute in Beirut.
• Governments such as the Royal Jordanian Court, the Innovation and Technology Ministry in Croatia, and State Department in the USA.
• International Organizations such as the ILO and UN.

Some have continued their studies to work on PhDs at King’s, as well as at LSE, Po, Oxford, Exeter and more.

Tuition Fees

UK:

Full time: £14,500 (2025/26)

Part time: £7,250 per year (2025/26)

International:

Full time: £31,600 (2025/26)

Part time: £15,800 per year (2025/26)

Please note that the tuition fees for subsequent years of study may be subject to increases in line with King’s terms and conditions.

Deposit

If you receive an offer for this programme, you will be required to pay a non-refundable deposit to secure your place. Deposit payments are credited towards the total tuition fee payment.

The Home deposit is £500. The International deposit is £2000.

• If you receive an offer before March, payment is due by 20 March.
• If you receive an offer between 1 March and 20 May, payment is due within one month of receiving the offer.
• If you receive an offer between 21 May and 15 July, payment is due within two weeks of receiving the offer.
• If you receive an offer between 16 July and 10 August, payment is due within one week of receiving the offer.
• If you receive an offer from 11 August onwards, payment is due within three days of receiving the offer.

If you are a current undergraduate King’s student in receipt of the King's Living Bursary this academic year, you are not required to pay a deposit to secure your place on the programme. Please note, this will not change the total fees payable for your chosen programme.

Additional Costs

In addition to your tuition costs, you can also expect to pay for:

• Books if you choose to buy your own copies.
• Clothing for optional course related events and competitions.
• Library fees and fines.
• Personal photocopies.
• Printing course handouts.
• Society membership fees.
• Stationery.
• Travel costs for travel around London and between campuses.
• Graduation costs.

Funding

To find out more about bursaries, scholarships, grants, tuition fees, living expenses, student loans, and other financial help available at King's please visit the Fees and Funding section.

Application closing date guidance

We encourage you to apply as early as possible so that there is sufficient time for your application to be assessed and we may need to request further information from you during the application process.

The final application deadlines for this programme are:

• Overseas (international) fee status: 25 July 2025 (23:59 UK time)
• Home fee status: 25 August 2025 (23:59 UK time)

If the programme becomes full before the final application deadlines stated above, we will close the programme to further applications. Please note, you will not be eligible for an application fee refund if we are unable to process further offers because places are filled and we close the course before the final application deadline.