Study humanitarianism and international development at Bath

Follow your interests at master’s level with our full-time and part-time courses. Get an overview of what you can study at Bath in this fast-moving sector.

Scholarships worth between £3,000 and £10,000 for high-achieving students — find out more

A variety of international development courses

Gain the skills and understanding to tackle the global challenges of poverty, inequality, conflict, sustainability and social justice.

Our MSc International Development courses offer a choice of pathways to suit your career aspirations in this ever-changing sector. Each one can be studied full-time (one year) or part-time (two years).

MSc International Development

Gain the skills and understanding to tackle the global challenges of poverty, inequality, conflict, sustainability and social justice.

MSc International Development with Conflict and Humanitarian Action

Develop an in-depth understanding and specialist skills in contemporary development issues, peacebuilding, conflict analysis, and humanitarian response.

MSc International Development with Education

Deepen your understanding of global development issues to address key education, poverty, inequality, and social justice problems in the Global South.

MSc International Development with Economics

Explore global development by focusing on economic concepts, such as social identity, collective action, power relations, and psychological biases.

MSc International Development Management

Critically assess how international development programmes, projects and policies are managed and organised across the government, private, and NGO sectors.

Further your understanding of the political, economic and social forces that promote or prevent social and environmental justice around the world.

We also offer a Master of Research (MRes) in International Development.

Careers in International Development: Where can a master's at Bath take you?

Current international development student Ayushi, and alumni Olivera, Nasheeth, Keren, and Matthew talk about their careers in a range of interdisciplinary fields. These range from local aid management to UN ambassadorship.

What our students say

Some of our recent graduates talk about studying international development master's degrees at Bath.

A portrait of a woman (Arielle Salvary)

‘One of the aspects of my job is to help governments choose projects to boost business and to boost economic engagement within a country. There were modules within the course that really helped me think about which projects would be most useful.'

Arielle Salvary, MSc International Development with Economics graduate

Scholarships for postgraduate taught students

You might be eligible for one of our brand new scholarships for 2026/27.

A group of people walking outside while talking.

We are offering a number of scholarships ranging from £3,000 to £10,000 to high-achieving students joining a full-time taught master’s course in September 2026.

If you are a new fee-paying student, and have an offer to study a postgraduate taught degree at the University of Bath, you might be eligible.

Highly ranked

We are known for excellence in teaching and research, and for providing outstanding career preparation.

Bath ranked in the top 150 universities in the world in the QS World University Rankings 2026

Bath placed in the top 10 in all of the UK's major university league tables in 2025/26*

Top 100 in the world for Development Studies in the QS World University Rankings 2025

Talk to us

If you're interested in one of our master's courses, we'd love to talk to you at a Virtual Open Day.

We hold several events throughout the year, giving you the chance to ask your questions.

Both academics and our student ambassadors will be available to answer your questions on anything from living in Bath, to course structure. Why not join us for our next event?

Join our MSc International Development courses webinar

Register for a virtual open day

Get in touch

If you have any questions about our courses, you can contact our admissions team.

Postgraduate Admissions

* The University of Bath ranked 7th in The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2026, 8th in The Guardian University Guide 2026, 8th in the Complete University Guide 2026, and 9th in the Daily Mail University Guide 2026.