The Master of Development Studies gives you specialist training in the fields of development and environment, development and gender, development and urbanisation, and health policy and development.

In your studies, you'll tackle some of the most urgent and important issues affecting modern development – including debt and poverty, microfinance, culture and human rights, migration and transnationalism, food and environmental security, civil society organisations, and gender relations. You'll engage firsthand with insights from experts – the University of Melbourne is ranked 17th in the world for Development studies (QS World University Rankings 2024).

You'll refine transferable skills that are crucial to delivering effective and inclusive development programs, including:

• Critical analysis
• Communication
• Cross-cultural understanding
• Research methods
• Project design
• Project management
• 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. You'll also have opportunities to 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.

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.

Who is it for?

Our Master of Development Studies is for anyone who wants to 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.