Master of Development Studies (097AB)

Masters (Coursework)Year: 2025 Delivered: On Campus (Parkville)

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Overview

Award titleMaster of Development Studies
Year & campus2025 — Parkville
CRICOS code031145D
Fees informationSubject EFTSL, level, discipline and census date
Study level & typeGraduate Coursework
AQF level 9
Credit points200 credit points
Duration24 months full-time or 48 months part-time

The coursework masters provides specialist training for professional qualification purposes, usually to graduates working in the fields of development and environment, development and gender, development and urbanisation, and health policy and development, but may also be taken for general interest. This course does not necessarily lead to higher degree study, however high achieving students who complete the thesis option may qualify for entry to a masters by research or PhD.

Links to further information

http://arts.unimelb.edu.au/ssps

 

This course is available in My Course Planner

My Course Planner is an interactive web application that allows you to explore your study options and decide which subjects and major(s), minors and/or specialisations are right for you.

 

Entry requirements

1. In order to be considered for entry, applicants must have completed:

  • an undergraduate degree with a weighted average mark of at least H2B (70%), or equivalent.

Meeting this requirement does not guarantee selection.

 

2. In ranking applications, the Selection Committee will consider:

  • prior academic performance; and
  • relevance of previous studies.

 

3. The Selection Committee may seek further information to clarify any aspect of an application in accordance with the Academic Board rules on the use of selection instruments.

 

4. Applicants are required to satisfy the university’s English language requirements for graduate courses. For those applicants seeking to meet these requirements by one of the standard tests approved by the Academic Board, performance band 6.5 is required.

 

Applicants with the following may be awarded up to 50 points of credit:

  • an undergraduate degree in a cognate discipline, with a weighted average mark of at least H2B (70%), or equivalent; or
  • an undergraduate degree in any discipline, with a weighted average mark of at least H2B (70%), or equivalent, and at least one year of documented, relevant work experience.

 

Applicants with the following may be awarded up to 100 points of credit:

  • an honours degree in a cognate discipline, with a weighted average mark of at least H2B (70%), or equivalent; or
  • an undergraduate degree in a cognate discipline, with a weighted average mark of at least H2B (70%), or equivalent, and at least two years of documented, relevant work experience.

Applicants seeking credit for relevant work experience must document their experience with a brief curriculum vitae detailing the experience, contact details of two referees who can confirm the authenticity and nature of the experience claimed, and a covering letter that explains how the experience is relevant to the program and prepares them for it.

Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)

The University of Melbourne is committed to providing students reasonable adjustments to assessment and participation under the Disability Standards for Education (2005) and the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF127). For the purposes of considering requests for reasonable adjustments, academic requirements for this course are articulated in the overview, attributes, outcomes and skills of this entry. Further details about how to seek academic adjustments can be found on the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home

 

Intended learning outcomes

Students who complete the Master of Development Studies should:

  • understand current practice, policy and thinking about development, and the interaction between them;
  • comprehend the relations between the political, economic, socio-cultural, environmental and gendered dimensions of poverty, inequality and development; and
  • be able to critically and constructively analyse problems and interventions on the basis of a rigorous interrogation of arguments and evidence.

Generic skills

On completion of this course, students should have a comprehensive understanding of key theories, concepts, debates, and practices in the field of development. Students who successfully complete the Masters should have acquired skills in:

  • leadership and communication;
  • critical analysis and creative thinking;
  • project management;
  • team work and professional networking; and
  • research, writing and communication

Graduate attributes

Graduates of the Master of Development Studies should be able to:

  • comprehend the relations between development, environmental conditions and health, globalisation and development, culture and development, and gender, globalisation and development.

Course structure

The Master of Development Studies has three entry point programs: 200-point (two years full-time/up to four years part-time), 150-point (one and a half years full-time/up to three years part-time) and 100-point (one year full-time/up to two years part-time) programs.

Please refer to each Development Studies entry point program and Gender and Development entry point program page for the specific rules, capstone stream options/requirements and subjects.

All students are required to complete one Capstone Subject Option (at least 25 points). Capstone subject options must be completed in the final hundred points of the program. This requirement cannot be waived or replaced in any circumstances.

All program requirements must be completed to be eligible to graduate from the program.

200 Point Program

  • 25 credit points of compulsory subjects

Capstone Stream 1

  • 25 credit points of Capstone Stream 1 subject
  • 50 credit points of core subjects
  • 100 credit points of elective subjects

or

Capstone Stream 2

  • 50 credit points of core subjects
  • 12.5 credit points of DEVT90041 Development Research Design & Assessment
  • 50 credit points of Minor Thesis Part 1 and 2
  • 62.5 credit points of elective subjects

or

Capstone Stream 3

  • 25 credit points of Capstone Stream 3 subjects
  • 37.5 credit points of core subjects
  • 112.5 credit points of elective subjects

150 Point Program

  • 25 credit points of compulsory subjects

Capstone Stream 1

  • 25 credit points of Capstone Stream 1 subject
  • 25 credit points of core subjects
  • 75 credit points of elective subjects

or

Capstone Stream 2

  • 25 credit points of core subjects
  • 12.5 credit points of DEVT90041 Development Research Design & Assessment
  • 50 credit points of Minor Thesis Part 1 and 2
  • 37.5 credit points of elective subjects

or

Capstone Stream 3

  • 25 credit points of Capstone Stream 3 subjects
  • 12.5 credit points of core subjects
  • 87.5 credit points of elective subjects

100 Point Program

  • 25 credit points of compulsory subjects

Capstone Stream 1

  • 25 credit points of Capstone Stream 1 subject
  • 50 credit points of elective subjects

or

Capstone Stream 2

  • 12.5 credit points of DEVT90041 Development Research Design & Assessment
  • 50 credit points of Minor Thesis Part 1 and 2
  • 12.5 credit points of elective subjects

or

Capstone Stream 3

  • 25 credit points of Capstone Stream 3 subjects
  • 50 credit points of elective subjects

Capstone Requirement (200, 150 and 100 Point Programs):

Capstone subject options must be completed in the final hundred points of the program. All students are required to complete one Capstone Subject Option (at least 25 points). This requirement cannot be waived or replaced in any circumstances:

Capstone Stream 1: DEVT90060 Internship in Development (25 credit points)

Purpose: An opportunity to acquire practical skills in development practice and apply this knowledge to solve problems that arise in a professional context and develop an integrated understanding of knowledge and practice.

Capstone Stream 2: DEVT90054 Development Studies Thesis Part 1 and DEVT90055 Development Studies Thesis Part 2 (total 50 credit points)

Purpose: An opportunity to integrate knowledge and research skills to address a specific development research question.

Capstone Stream 3: DEVT90001 Project Management & Design (12.5 credit points) and DEVT90035 Monitoring and Evaluation in Development (12.5 credit points)

Purpose: An opportunity to acquire practical skills in project management and monitoring and evaluation and apply this knowledge to solve problems that arise in a professional context and develop an integrated understanding of knowledge and practice.

Master of Development Studies - Gender and Development specialisation

200 Point Program

Duration: 2 years full-time / up to 4 years part-time.

  • 37.5 credit points of compulsory subjects
  • 25 credit points of core subjects

and

Capstone stream 1 or 3

  • 25 credit points of capstone subjects
  • 112.5 credit points of elective subjects

or

Capstone stream 2

  • 12.5 credit points of DEVT90041 Development Research Design & Assessment
  • 50 credit points of Minor thesis parts 1 and 2
  • 75 credit points elective subjects

150 Point Program

Duration: 1.5 years full-time / up to 3 years part-time.

  • 37.5 credit points of compulsory subjects
  • 25 credit points of core subjects

and

Capstone stream 1 or 3

  • 25 credit points of capstone subjects
  • 62.5 credit points of elective subjects

or

Capstone stream 2

  • 12.5 credit points of DEVT90041 Development Research Design & Assessment
  • 50 credit points of Minor thesis parts 1 and 2
  • 25 credit points of elective subjects

100 Point Program

Duration: 1 year full-time / up to 2 years part-time.

  • 37.5 credit points of compulsory subjects

and

Capstone stream 1 or 3

  • 25 credit points of capstone subjects
  • 37.5 credit points of elective subjects

or

Capstone stream 2

  • 12.5 credit points of DEVT90041 Development Research Design & Assessment
  • 50 credit points of Minor thesis parts 1 and 2

Capstone Requirement (Gender and Development specialisation):

Capstone Subject Options must be completed in the final hundred points of the program. All students are required to complete one Capstone Subject Option (at least 25 points). This requirement cannot be waived or replaced in any circumstances:

Capstone Stream 1: DEVT90060 Internship in Development (25 credit points)

Purpose: An opportunity to acquire practical skills in development practice and apply this knowledge to solve problems that arise in a professional context and develop an integrated understanding of knowledge and practice.

Capstone Stream 2: GEND90011 Gender and Development Thesis Part 1 and GEND90012 Gender and Development Thesis Part 2 (total 50 credit points)

Purpose: An opportunity to integrate knowledge and research skills to address a specific development research question.

Capstone Stream 3: DEVT90001 Project Management & Design (12.5 credit points) and DEVT90035 Monitoring and Evaluation in Development (12.5 credit points)

Purpose: An opportunity to acquire practical skills in project management and monitoring and evaluation and apply this knowledge to solve problems that arise in a professional context and develop an integrated understanding of knowledge and practice.

External Subject Rule

Students may undertake an external subject (not listed within the program structure) with the permission of the program and subject coordinator. All external subject requests must be for the elective subject requirement, not as a compulsory, core or capstone subject. The maximum external subjects allowed are as follows:

  • 200 point program (2 years): maximum 25 credit points
  • 150 point program (1.5 years): maximum 12.5 credit points
  • 100* point program (1 year): 12.5 credit points

Please note that advanced standing contributes to a student’s remaining points undertaken at University of Melbourne, and may affect how many credit points the student can undertake outside the enrolled program.

For policies that govern this degree, see the Courses, Subjects, Awards and Programs Policy in the University Melbourne Policy Library; students also should also refer to information in the Enrolment and Timetabling Policy, respectively via the following links:

Courses, Subjects, Awards and Programs Policy

University Melbourne Policy Library

Enrolment and Timetabling Policy

Majors, minors & specialisations

Name Credit Points
200pt Program - Development Studies 200
200pt Program - Gender and Development 200
150pt Program - Development Studies 150
150pt Program - Gender and Development 150
100pt Program - Development Studies 100
100pt Program - Gender and Development 100

Further study

Students who complete the thesis option may be eligible for entry into the PhD.

Last updated: 14 March 2025