Master of Global Development

Program Overview

---

Master of Global Development

Overview

Gain the expertise and specialist skills to help direct development initiatives like poverty alleviation, sustainable planning and global health.

Enhance your expertise

Build the skills to progress your career

Accelerated learning

Finish sooner with credit for previous study

Be a change-maker

Research integrated learning

Fast Facts

• Domestic: You’re a domestic student if you are a citizen of Australia or New Zealand, are an Australian permanent resident, or hold an Australian permanent humanitarian visa.
• International: You’re an international student if you intend to study on a student visa, are not a citizen of Australian or New Zealand, are not an Australian permanent resident, or don’t hold an Australian permanent humanitarian visa.

Location

• Online
• Cairns

Commencing

• Online: February, July
• Cairns: February, July

Fees

• Indicative, annual cost of your course. Some courses are supported by the Australian Government with the government paying some of your fees. This is the Commonwealth Supported fee. The tuition fee is the fee payable if Commonwealth Support does not apply. You can defer your fees if eligible with HECS-HELP or FEE-HELP. The Student Services & Amenities Fee is a required payment from most students.
  • $12,910.00+ (estimated annual Commonwealth Supported Fee for a full-time study load)
  • $32,167.00^ (estimated annual tuition fee for a full-time study load)
  • Plus Student Services and Amenities fee
  • Fee deferral and scholarships available if eligible

Duration

• The time it will take you to complete the course as a full-time student. Also specifies if the course is available part-time. This section will indicate if some online courses may have a longer duration due to their different delivery method.
  • 2 years full-time

Entry Requirements

• This is usually a score given to Year 12 students upon completion of their studies. Non-school leavers can have their qualifications and work experience assessed to obtain an equivalent score. The score displayed is the minimum adjusted ATAR/rank that was required for entry. Some subjects are required for entry into a course. Whereas assumed knowledge indicates a minimum level of knowledge
  • AQF level 7 bachelor degree; or equivalent

Course Code

• The course code is JCU's unique identifier for this course.

Course detail

What to expect

Consolidate and expand your expertise in Global Development and join a new generation of ethical global citizens and change-makers. You’ll be on the forefront of new ideas, as JCU’s central, tropical location gives Global Development graduates a unique platform for engaging with pressing global development issues.

Develop the knowledge and skills that will allow you to work in priority areas of poverty alleviation, sustainable planning, social justice, climate responsive systems, sustainable resource management and global health — areas identified by the UN as key global challenges for future sustainability.

As you study this Master of Global Development degree, you will gain key conceptual and practical skills to understand and respond to the shifting landscapes of human development. Learn how to critically analyse, evaluate and generate solutions to complex development problems — from infrastructure to systemic issues — for tropical, remote and inter-cultural settings through informed and evidence-based methodologies. Throughout this global development degree, you will learn to integrate and apply advanced theoretical and technical knowledge in global development policy and practice, ensuring your ability to make a difference at both a community and policy level.

In the Master of Global Development, you will study six core subjects and choose additional elective subjects from eight main areas of global development, including: Development and Conservation; Disaster Resilience and Natural Resource Management; Public Health; Sustainable Development Planning and Policy; Indigenous Futures; Governance and Social Change; Development Leadership and Management; and the Development Researcher. Tailor your studies to suit your interests and career goals by specialising or combining knowledge from these eight areas.

Put your knowledge and skills to the test by choosing to undertake either an individual research project or a domestic or international internship that will expand your professional network. If you choose to take on the small-scale research project, you will learn how to plan and conduct reliable, evidence-based field studies and execute substantial research through key methods, techniques and tools. In the industry-based internship, you’ll not only increase your professional development, but you’ll also develop leadership skills by partnering with leading global organisations.

Finish your Master of Global Development faster. With credit for previous study, you can finish your degree in less than two years. Finish 6 months sooner if you have a Bachelor or Graduate Certificate in a related discipline, or 1 year sooner if you have a Bachelor (Honours) or Graduate Diploma in a related discipline.

Create a brighter future for those around you. JCU Master of Global Development graduates have the strong intercultural competencies and self-reflexivity required to work effectively and ethically in developing countries.

View the Handbook for a detailed overview of available subjects.

Inherent requirements

Inherent requirements are the identified abilities, attributes, skills, and behaviours that must be demonstrated, during the learning experience, to successfully complete a course. These abilities, attributes, skills, and behaviours preserve the academic integrity of the University’s learning, assessment, and accreditation processes, and where applicable, meet the standards of a profession. For more information please review the inherent requirements for the Master of Global Development.

Career Opportunities

As a graduate of the Master of Global Development, you will have strong skills in project and resource management, leadership, planning, critical evaluation and advanced research as well as extensive practical experience.

The Master of Global Development prepares you for a career with unlimited potential. Your knowledge and skills are highly applicable in many areas of education, welfare and development, allowing you to enter a wide variety of positions. Highly regarded by employers, development graduates are sought after within a range of national and international NGOs, government departments, local councils and private sector operators working in international development.

Your future career will have a national and international scope through JCU’s strong ties across the Asia Pacific and Tropics, which you will first experience in your professional placement. The connections you make with the organisation facilitating your placement could lead to employment opportunities post-graduation. These organisations can include local and state government, such as the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs (DFAT) and the Australian Council for International Development (ACFID), international NGOs such as ActionAid and Oxfam, and UN bodies such as the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

The Master of Global Development program equips graduates with the expertise and specialized skills to lead development initiatives that address pressing global issues such as poverty alleviation, sustainable planning, and global health. The program provides a solid foundation in global development principles, methodologies, and best practices, enabling graduates to work effectively in diverse cultural and socioeconomic contexts.

---

Outline:

---

Core Subjects:

• Development in Practice
• Critical Issues in Global Development
• Community Development or Environmental and Regional Planning or Economic Growth and Sustainable Development
• Equitable Development and Social Change
• Asia Pacific Development: Culture and Globalization
• Politics and Foreign Relations

---

Elective Subjects (choose 12 credit points):

• Disaster Resilience, Conservation, and Natural Resource Management:
• Conservation Biology
• Population and Community Ecology
• Technological Applications in Ecology
• Restoration Ecology
• Wildlife Ecology and Management
• Marine Conservation Biology
• Economics and Sustainable Resource Management
• Human Dimensions of Nature, Environment and Conservation
• International Environmental Policy and Governance
• Principles and Practices of Protected Area Management
• Disasters, Communities, and Planning
• Leadership in Disaster Management
• Natural Resource Management
• Public Health:
• Tropical Public Health
• Environmental Health
• Public Health in Humanitarian Emergencies
• Global Health and Development
• Reproductive Health in Developing Countries
• Public Health Management, Leadership, Planning and Policy
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health
• Disaster Health Management
• Public Health Economics
• Sustainable Development Planning and Policy:
• Environmental and Regional Planning
• Environmental Economics
• Sustainability in Practice
• Environmental and Social Impact Assessment
• Urban Geography and Design
• Economics for a Sustainable World
• Policy Analysis and Management
• Sustainable Tourism Management
• Social Policy Analysis
• Indigenous Futures:
• Indigenous Australians
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People as Colonial Subjects
• Comparative Indigenous Studies
• Navigating the Cultural Interface
• Economics, Governance, and Social Change:
• Cost Benefit Analysis
• Econometrics and Big Data Analysis
• Economic Growth and Sustainable Development
• Macroeconomic Policy
• Economics of Social Policy
• Economics and Sustainable Resource Management
• Regional Environmental History
• Corporate Responsibility and Governance
• International Political Economy
• Political Communication; Ecology and Environmentalism
• Development Leadership and Management:
• Design Thinking Principles
• Career Planning
• Leadership Futures
• State Society and Governance
• Cross-Cultural Conflict Resolution
• Conflict Analysis
• Conflict Resolution Processes
• Ethical Decision Making and Reflective Practice
• People in Organisations
• Cross-Cultural Leadership
• Negotiation
• Facilitative Mediation Practice
• Sustainable Conflict Management
• Leadership and Management Skills
• Professional Placement

---

Assessment:

The program utilizes a range of assessment methods to evaluate student learning, including:

• Assignments: Students demonstrate their understanding of course content and their ability to apply concepts through written assignments, case studies, and research projects.
• Examinations: Closed and open-book examinations assess students' knowledge and analytical skills.
• Presentations: Students present their research findings, project proposals, or policy recommendations to demonstrate their communication and critical thinking abilities.

---

Teaching:

The program is delivered through a combination of lectures, tutorials, workshops, and online learning modules. Lectures provide foundational knowledge and theoretical concepts, while tutorials offer opportunities for discussion and deeper engagement with the material. Workshops focus on practical skills development, such as research methods, data analysis, and project management. Online learning modules complement the on-campus experience, providing flexibility and access to additional resources.

---

Careers:

Graduates of the Master of Global Development program are highly sought after by employers in the following sectors:

• International Development: NGOs, government agencies, multilateral organizations
• Public Health: Healthcare organizations, government health departments
• Environmental Management: Conservation agencies, environmental consultancies
• Education: Universities, colleges, research institutions
• Business and Industry: Corporate social responsibility departments, sustainability consultancies
• Government: Policy development and implementation agencies
Graduates are equipped with the skills and knowledge to assume roles such as:
• Development Manager
• Project Coordinator
• Policy Analyst
• Researcher
• Health Specialist
• Environmental Consultant
• Educator
• Corporate Sustainability Manager