The Master of Development Studies provides specialist training in the fields of development and environment, development and gender, development and urbanisation, and health policy and development. Refine your transferable skills in critical analysis, communication, cross-cultural understanding, research methods, project design, project management and teamwork.

At professional practice seminars, research workshops, careers events, and alumni get-togethers, you can rub shoulders with top-notch policy makers and experts in the international development sector. While in your studies you can engage with debt and poverty, microfinance, culture and human rights, migration and transnationalism, food and environmental security, civil society organisations, and gender relations.

Who is it for?

Think about and implement creative solutions to the challenging and evolving field of development by understanding the needs of all walks of life - from an inner-city office to an isolated village. You can specialise in the optional Gender and Development stream, which guides you through gender and development theory while tackling the practical concerns of planning for gender in development projects within government and non-government organisations.

Undertake an exchange or study abroad with one of our esteemed global partners under the Melbourne Global Mobility program, or take an internship placement with a domestic or international development agency.

Career outcomes for the Master of Development Studies have a global reach. As an internationally recognised qualification, you’ll have a head start pursuing roles including:

• Disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation
• Business development and communications specialist
• General manager (NGO)
• Development consultant
• Design, monitoring and evaluation policy advisor

Graduates have also gone on to work in organisations across the world:

• UNESCO
• Australian Red Cross
• Oxfam Australia
• UNDP
• Save the Children
• Consular Corps