International Development - Environment and Development: The University of Manchester

Course description

The World Summit on Sustainable Development in 2002 underlined the extent to which, over the past decade, environmental considerations have become central to development policy and management. As a result, there is a growing need for policy makers, planners, and managers to be fully conversant with the environmental dimension of development.

This programme aims to meet this need by linking environmental understanding grounded in the physical sciences with study of the social and economic bases of planning and managing development. It provides participants with a thorough conceptual framework and the skills necessary to analyse effectively the relationships between environmental issues and development processes, and critically assess policies and their implementation.  It is intended for social science graduates or for those concerned with policy-making, planning or management in environmental or development-related fields.

Career opportunities

IDPM has a large and diverse postgraduate population, including a large number of students from outside the UK (85% of their students are drawn from outside the UK, particularly from Africa, Asia and Western Europe, but also reaching out to Latin America, the Middle East, North America and the Pacific). Many of their alumni have gone on to prestigious careers in the public service or in the NGO/charitable and private sectors, as policy officers, managers, consultants or development practitioners - while others have pursued further academic study leading to a PhD and academic careers. Since its foundation, IDPM has trained over 7000 individuals from 170 different countries.

Entry requirements

Entry qualification overview:

• Applicants should have a good first degree (minimum 2:1 or equivalent).
• Admission of candidates who do not meet this criterion may be approved if satisfactory evidence of postgraduate study, research or professional experience can be provided.

English language: Applicants whose first language is not English should meet the following language requirements:

• an IELTS Test score of 7.0 or more overall with a minimum writing score of 7
• or a TOEFL Test (Paper-based) score of 600 or more with a minimum score in Test of Written English of 5
• or a TOEFL Test (Computer-based) score of 250 or more with a minimum essay rating of 5
• or a TOEFL Test (Internet based) score of 100 or more with a minimum writing score of 25
• an NCUK PMP EAP Grade A