MSc Violence, Conflict and Development

We will consider all applications with 2:ii (or international equivalent) or higher. In addition to degree classification we take into account other elements of the application including supporting statement and references.

For fees and funding options please visit website to find out more 

A degree from the Department of Development Studies at SOAS will further develop your understanding of the world and how society is organised, with specific focus on violence and conflict, the role of aid, refugees and forced migration. Graduates leave with a range of transferable skills, including critical thinking, analytical skills and cultural awareness.

Recent graduates have been hired by:

• Amnesty International
• BBC World Service
• British Embassy Brussels
• Department for International Development
• Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU)
• Embassy of Japan
• Government of Pakistan
• Hong Kong Economic & Trade Office
• International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)
• International Labour Organization (ILO)
• KPMG LLP
• Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF)
• National Health and Medical Research Council
• Overseas Development Institute
• Oxfam
• Royal Norwegian Embassy
• Save the Children UK
• The World Bank
• Thinking Beyond Borders
• US Department of State
• UN World Food Programme
• UN High Commissioner for Refugees
• WaterAid

Core

Dissertation in Development Studies - 60 credits
Open
Compulsory

Political Economy of Violence, Conflict and Development: Foundations, Concepts, Debates - 15 credits
Open

Political Economy of Violence, Conflict and Development 2: Applied Topics and Interventions - 15 credits
Open
Guided options List A
30 credits to be selected from List A

Political Economy of Development: Foundational concepts - 15 credits
Open

Political Economy of Development: applied topics and policy debates - 15 credits
Open

Theories of Development - 15 credits
Open

Policy and Practice of Development - 15 credits
Open
Guided options
30-60 credits from Guided Options

Civil society, social movements and the development process - 15 credits
Open

Gender and Development - 15 credits
Open

Development Practice - 15 credits
Open

Issues in Forced Migration - 15 credits
Open

Fundamentals of research methods for Development Studies - 15 credits
Open

War to Peace Transitions - 15 credits
Open

Security - 15 credits
Open

Borders and Development - 15 credits
Open

Global Commodity Chains, Production Networks and Informal Work - 15 credits
Open

Agrarian Development, Food Policy and Rural Poverty - 15 credits
Open

Aid and Development - 15 credits
Open

Migration and Policy - 15 credits
Open

Labour, Activism and Global Development - 15 credits
Open

Energy Transitions, Nature and Climate - 15 credits
Open

Environment, Governance and Development - 15 credits
Open

Global Health and Development - 15 credits
Open

Cities and Development - 15 credits
Open

Feminist Political Economy and Global Development - 15 credits
Open

Global Approaches to Peace - 15 credits
Open

International Development Virtual Placement - 15 credits
Open

Structural Change and Economic Development in Africa - 15 credits
Open
Open options
Students can take a maximum of 30 credits from the School-wide open options list, including languages.