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Overview

Our Development, Environment, and International Politics MSc gives you the knowledge and skills to understand and shape global debates in Development Studies, Global Environmental Politics, and contemporary International Relations.

Equip yourself with analytical and methodological skills, as well as the conceptual and empirical knowledge needed to understand, explain and interrogate the international politics of development and the environment.

Study the political-economic processes, actors and discourses that shape international development policy and practices.

Understand the relationship between development, the environment and international politics.

Engage with a rich interdisciplinary literature that explores the histories and practices of international development with a focus on environmental issues and perspectives from the global South.

Key questions addressed include:

• How can economic development be reconciled with ecological limits of the planet?
• How do various actors - such as states, non-governmental organisations, social movements, and multilateral institutions - shape environmental policies?
• How do countries in the Global South design initiatives and policies to tackle development and environmental challenges?
• How do global environmental agreements influence local development practices?

You will benefit from rigorous training in:

• The politics of International Development
• Global Environmental Politics and the politics of sustainable development
• International Relations theory and practice
• Policy analysis and evaluation
• Research methods
• Data analysis

Quality and ranking

All professional accreditations are reviewed regularly by their professional body

Recognition of professional qualifications outside of the UK

If you’re studying an accredited degree and thinking about working in Europe after you graduate, the best place to find current information is the . This official resource explains whether your profession is regulated in another country, what steps you need to take, and which organisation you should contact. 

What you'll learn

As a student on the Development, Environment and International Politics MSc you'll:

• Gain advanced knowledge and understanding of the relationship between international development and the politics of the environment.
• Use analytical and methodological methods to study and interrogate key ideas, actors and policies in international development.
• Develop an understanding of the complex socio-economic and ecological challenges facing the Global South in the era of climate breakdown.
• Gain a deep understanding of essential research techniques and approaches in International Development and Politics research, including qualitative analysis and data visualisation.
• Conduct independent research on key issues in international development, global environmental politics, and international politics.

Modules

You will study modules on this course. A module is a unit of a course with its own approved aims and outcomes and assessment methods.

Course content changes

The module information below is intended to provide an example of what you will study.

Our teaching is informed by research. Course content changes periodically to reflect developments in the discipline, the requirements of external bodies and partners, and student feedback.

Full details of the modules on offer will be published through the Programme Regulations and Specifications ahead of each academic year. This usually happens in May.

To find out more please see our terms and conditions.

Optional modules availability

Some courses have optional modules. Student demand for optional modules may affect availability.

 

Development, Environment and International Politics MSc modules

Compulsory Modules	Credits
Thinking About Politics	20
Development, Environment and International Politics	20
Dissertation	60

Optional Modules	Credits
Global Sustainable Futures: Solutions, Concepts, and Skills	20
Creative Methods in Social Science	20
Political Geographies of the Middle East	20
Geographical Inequalities and Policy	20
Cybersecurity Law and Policy	20
Public International Law	20
Law and Emerging Technologies	20
Social Media Regulation: Law, Policy and Society	20
Heritage Processes: global perspectives, practices and politics	20
European Union: Policy and Politics	20
Theories and Theorists of International Political Economy	20
Theories of International Relations	20
American Foreign Policy	20
Global Justice and Human Rights	20
Critical Geopolitics	20
World Politics and Popular Culture	20
The United Nations: Policy, Politics and Power	20
Principles of Data Science for Political Research	20
The Moral Limits of the Market: Theoretical Foundations	10
The Moral Limits of the Market: Public Policy Projects	10
Problem Solving for Defence (H4MoD)	20
Public Policy in Practice: from the Local to the Global	20
Power and Policy: Understanding Impact	20
Global Security: Politics, Space and Society (P)	20
Critical Approaches to Environment and Society	20
Global Sex Global Race	20
Inequalities: Issues and Intersections	20
Perpetual Wars? Crime, Policing and (in)Security	20

How you'll learn

Delivery and teaching methods

The course is delivered through lectures, seminars and workshops. Expert academic staff will also help you deepen your understanding of key concepts. This is through active participation, independent research, discussion and collaboration with peers.

Preparation, critical thinking, and your own unique insights will be the driving force behind your learning experience. You'll play an active role in shaping discussions and exploring ideas to ensure your journey is both personal and impactful.

This programme is for anyone who wants to gain an advanced understanding of the international politics of development and the environment. This is whether you have experience or are exploring them for the first time.

Assessment methods

Depending on your modules, you'll be assessed through a combination of:

• Dissertation
• Essay
• Oral examination
• Practical lab report
• Portfolio
• Report
• Research paper
• Written exercise

Student support

Throughout your studies, you’ll have access to support from:

• academic staff
• personal tutors and research supervisors
• our University Student Services Team
• student representatives
• peers

You'll also be assigned an academic member of staff, who will be your personal tutor throughout your time with us. They can help with academic and personal issues.

Your teaching and learning is also supported by Canvas. Canvas is a Virtual Learning Environment. You'll use Canvas to submit your assignments and access your:

• module handbooks
• course materials
• groups
• course announcements and notifications
• written feedback

 

Key staff for this course include:

Dr Laura Routley

Dr Cemal Burak Tansel

Professor Anthony Zito

Pre-Master’s and English Language courses

Need an alternative route to study this course? Our International Study Centre offers Pre-Master’s degrees and English language courses to prepare you for study. 

 

Your future

You'll develop specialist knowledge and research skills for a career with a significant international dimension. You'll also be able to pursue a postgraduate research degree in:

• globalisation
• development
• poverty studies

Our Careers Service

Our expert Careers Service is here to help you take the next steps in your professional life. We will support you while you’re studying with us and for up to three years after you graduate.

You will have access to expert one-to-one advice and guidance through our campus careers centre and online, along with digital resources, workshops, networking opportunities, and careers and recruitment events.

We’ve been awarded 5 QS Stars for Student Employability (2025). Many of our degrees are shaped by strong links with national and international businesses. We are committed to helping you access real-world experience opportunities and develop key skills through paid work placements and internships.

Visit our Careers Service website

Facilities

As a Politics student you'll be based in the Henry Daysh Building.

Fees, Funding and Scholarships

Tuition fees for 2026 entry (per year)

Tuition fee increases

As a general principle, you should expect the tuition fee to increase in each subsequent academic year of your course, subject to government regulations on fee increases and in line with inflation.

EU, other EEA and Swiss nationals - tuition fee status

Depending on your residency history, if you’re a student from the EU, other EEA or a Swiss national, with settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, you’ll normally pay the ‘Home’ tuition fee rate and may be eligible for Student Finance England support.

EU students without settled or pre-settled status will normally be charged fees at the ‘International’ rate and will not be eligible for Student Finance England support. You may be eligible for a scholarship worth 25% off the international fee. Search our funding database. 

If you are unsure of your fee status, check out the latest guidance .

Scholarships

We support our EU and international students by providing a generous range of Vice-Chancellor's automatic and merit-based scholarships. See our searchable postgraduate funding page for more information. 

Search for funding and scholarships

Find funding available for your course

Select your country

What you're paying for

Tuition fees include the costs of:

• matriculation
• registration
• tuition (or supervision)
• library access
• examination
• re-examination
• graduation

Find out more about:

• living costs
• tuition fees

Deposit

If you are an international student or a student from the EU, EEA or Switzerland and you need a visa to study in the UK, you may have to pay a deposit.

You can check this in the How to apply section.

Funding deadlines

If you're applying for funding, always check the funding application deadline. This deadline may be earlier than the application deadline for your course.

For some funding schemes, you need to have received an offer of a place on a course before you can apply for the funding.

How to apply

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