The Master of International Development at USC offers an exciting, practice-focused qualification for working in the international aid sector. After studying your compulsory courses, you have the chance to individually tailor your second year to an area of application and practice that interests you. Graduates from this program are equipped to obtain employment in development with international organisations including the United Nations, UNESCO, the FAO, the World Bank, non-government organisations (NGO's), development and consultancy corporations, and donor agencies.

The Master of International Development aims to prepare students in key issues and practices regarding poverty alleviation and development within their disciplines, making them experts and globally ready for the international development sector.

The program will introduce development theories and ideologies, including colonisation and de-colonisation, industrialisation, globalisation, dependency, rural development, food security, poverty alleviation, urbanisation, (transnational) migration, gender and culture, cultural diversity, health, education for development, culture and social change, economic development and sustainable livelihoods, children and poverty, community development, global justice and human rights, planning issues in developing countries, the post-2015 Millennium Development Goals (MDG) development agenda process, peace and conflict studies, indigenous peoples, society and sustainability, and, environment and the impact of climate change in developing countries.

The program will introduce students to key skills and approaches in development practice, including traditional and emerging donors, the role of non-government organisations and managing contractors, research design, project development, participatory methods, project analysis, contract management and monitoring and evaluation.

A key component of the program will be the opportunity for work-integrated learning (WIL) with in-country experience in the Pacific, Africa and Indonesia through existing industry-project and food security courses and IPG programs.

Admission requirements

Completion of a Bachelor degree (AQF Level 7) or equivalent. Applicants who do not possess an undergraduate degree but have relevant full-time equivalent work or other relevant experience equivalent to a bachelor degree may be admitted in exceptional circumstances only, and will be assessed on a case by case basis.