Master of Development Studies

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. 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, 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. 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.