Program Overview

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MPhil in Development Studies

The MPhil in Development Studies is a two-year taught course offering an interdisciplinary introduction to development. It covers development theory, research methods, and key themes like politics, institutions, history, social policy, economic and sustainable development.

About the Course

The course will provide students with a rigorous and critical introduction to development as a process of managed and unmanaged change in societies in the Global South. Students will be introduced to development studies as an interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary subject, covering the intellectual history of development, paradigm shifts, and internal conflicts within the discipline, as well as the contemporary relevance of research to development policy and practice.

Course Structure

The course comprises five elements: foundation courses, research methods, the core course, the thesis, and two option courses. Students will spend the summer following their first year working on a thesis, choosing the topic with the guidance of their supervisor. In the second year, students will take their chosen option courses and continue work on their thesis.

Attendance

The course is full-time and requires attendance in Oxford. Full-time students are subject to the University's Residence requirements.

Resources to Support Study

As a graduate student, students will have access to the University's wide range of resources, including libraries, museums, galleries, digital resources, and IT services. The Bodleian Libraries is the largest library system in the UK, holding over 13 million printed items and providing access to e-journals.

Supervision

Students will have the opportunity to meet with a supervisor to assess progress and discuss academic issues. Supervisors are allocated based on research interests, fit with the supervisor's expertise, and staff availability.

Assessment

Formal assessment will normally comprise a written examination at the beginning of the third term for each foundation course; a written examination at the end of the third term and a research design essay for research methods; and two essays for the core course. Students must pass all summative assessments to continue into Year 2.

Graduate Destinations

A number of MPhil students choose to continue to doctoral study after completing the course, expanding their MPhil thesis into a DPhil thesis in ODID or elsewhere. Others have gone on to jobs in the United Nations, government, diplomacy, politics, NGOs, the media, art, business, finance, management, technology, and development consultancies.

Course Components

Compulsory Study

In the first year, students will study two out of three foundation courses:

• Economics
• History and Politics
• Social Anthropology Students will also learn about research methods for the social sciences and take the core course, an interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary course with two component modules:
• Theories of Development
• Key Themes in Development

Options

In the second year, students will take two option courses of their choice. Indicative MPhil options include:

• Climate Questions from the Global South
• Gender and Development
• The nexus of violence, crime and politics in the Global South
• Pathologies of Power: Politics, Epidemics, and Global Health in Africa
• Politics of Film in Africa
• The Political Economy of the Middle East and North Africa
• Poverty and human development
• Technology and industrialisation in developing countries
• Valuing Nature: Ethical Frameworks and Policies

Entry Requirements

Proven and Potential Academic Excellence

The requirements described below are specific to this course and apply only in the year of entry that is shown.

• A first-class or strong upper second-class undergraduate degree with honours in a social science subject.
• For applicants with a bachelor's degree from the USA, the minimum overall GPA that is normally required to meet the undergraduate-level requirement is 3.6 out of 4.0.

English Language Proficiency

This course requires proficiency in English at the University's higher level. If the first language is not English, students may need to provide evidence that they meet this requirement.

References

Students will need to register three referees who can give an informed view of their academic ability and suitability for the course.

Supporting Documents

Students will be required to supply supporting documents with their application, including:

• Official transcript(s)
• Statement of purpose: a minimum of 500 words to a maximum of 750 words
• Written work: two essays, a new piece of work 1,000-1,500 words, and an academic essay/writing sample a maximum of 2,000 words

Funding

For entry in the academic year, the collegiate University expects to offer over 1,100 full or partial graduate scholarships across a wide range of graduate courses. Most scholarships are awarded on the basis of academic merit and/or potential.

Costs

Annual Course Fees

The fees for this course are charged on an annual basis.

• Home: Ł29,170
• Overseas: Ł37,100

Additional Costs

There are no compulsory elements of this course that entail additional costs beyond fees and living costs. However, students should note that they will have to meet all costs of fieldwork themselves, which may range from Ł3,000 to Ł20,000 or more.

Living Costs

In addition to course fees and any additional course-specific costs, students will need to ensure that they have adequate funds to support their living costs for the duration of their course. The range of likely living costs for a single, full-time student is between Ł1,405 and Ł2,105 for each month spent in Oxford.

College Preference

Students enrolled on this course will belong to both a department/faculty and a college. The following colleges accept students on the MPhil in Development Studies:

• Balliol College
• Blackfriars
• Brasenose College
• Campion Hall
• Exeter College
• Green Templeton College
• Harris Manchester College
• Jesus College
• Kellogg College
• Lady Margaret Hall
• Linacre College
• Lincoln College
• Magdalen College
• Pembroke College
• Regent's Park College
• Reuben College
• St Anne's College
• St Antony's College
• St Catherine's College
• St Cross College
• St Edmund Hall
• St Hilda's College
• Somerville College
• Wolfson College
• Wycliffe Hall