Master of Development Studies
Murdoch University
About
Determined to pursue a career in international development and make a difference?
This course will prepare you for a range of experiences and roles in the sector, in Australia and internationally.You’ll examine the connections between politics, governance and development, social and environmental sustainability, food and health security, gender and empowerment, and state building and conflict, as well as evaluating different approaches to policy and practice.You can choose from professional-based electives, including financial administration, leading and managing not-for-profit organisations, effective leadership, strategic health care management and project management.You can also choose policy-based electives to specialise in global public health, public sector economics, security and conflict, environmental policy and more, or add up to two language units in either Indonesian or Japanese.4 reasons to study a Master of Development Studies at MurdochUndertake a case study project, supervised internship or research thesis to put your learning into practice.
Travel to Indonesia as part of the Study Indonesia Australian Consortium for 'In-Country' Indonesian Studies (ACICIS) program to pursue a semester or summer development practicum.
Choose full-time or part-time options to help you fit study into your working and or family life.
If you’re an international student, you’ll need to study full-time to meet your visa requirements.
Be taught by experts who are active researchers for development impact in Asia and Africa.Develop your skillsBuild essential skills and knowledge to meet your career or study goals.
Topics you’ll cover include:public policy and international affairs foundations critical approaches to development development and sustainability states, social forces and development policy research and evaluation.Your careerYou’ll graduate with the skills and knowledge you need to pursue a career in international development in a broad range of settings, such as regional and international organisations, government agencies, consultancy firms, and non-government organisations (NGOs) involved in development.Careers could include:Campaign and Advocacy Officer International Programs Officer/Manager Partnerships Officer/Manager Gender Analyst/Consultant Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist Water and Sanitation Advisor Humanitarian Response Coordinator.
Structure
Course Core 48 credit points
Required Units 18 credit points
| Unit code | Unit name | Credit points |
|---|---|---|
| SWM649 | Public Policy and International Affairs Foundations | 6 |
| SWM611 | States, Social Forces and Development | 6 |
| SWM511 | Critical Approaches to Development | 3 |
| SWM628 | Development and Sustainability | 3 |
Specified Elective Units 30 credit points
Option 1 - Supervised Research Thesis (6 points) 30 credit points
Required Units 9 credit points
| Unit code | Unit name | Credit points |
|---|---|---|
| SWM618 | Social Science Research Design | 3 |
| SWM617 | Supervised Research Thesis | 6 |
Specified Electives 21 credit points
| Unit code | Unit name | Credit points |
|---|---|---|
| SWM532 | Financial Administration and Budgeting | 3 |
| OR | ||
| MBS684 | Managing Strategic Risk and Projects | 6 |
| OR | ||
| MBS685 | Project Management | 3 |
| OR | ||
| MBS687 | Effective Leadership | 3 |
| OR | ||
| MBS555 | Human Resource Management Perspectives | 3 |
| OR | ||
| MBS651 | Leading and Managing Nonprofit Organisations | 3 |
| OR | ||
| SWM621 | Ethics and Global Justice | 3 |
| OR | ||
| SWM519 | Strategic Health Leadership and Management | 3 |
| OR | ||
| TLC501 | Communication Skills for Postgraduate Study | 3 |
| OR | ||
| MBS589 | Social Enterprise, Social Innovation And Profit For Purpose | 3 |
| OR | ||
| SWM613 | Public Policy Perspectives | 6 |
| OR | ||
| SWM612 | Global Governance, Security and Economy | 6 |
| OR | ||
| SWM645 | Public Sector Economics | 3 |
| OR | ||
| SWM635 | Security, Conflict and Violence | 3 |
| OR | ||
| SWM514 | Global Public Health | 3 |
| OR | ||
| SWM515 | Public Sector Management | 3 |
| OR | ||
| ENV616 | Environmental Policy for the 21st Century | 3 |
| OR | ||
| SWM516 | Policy Research and Evaluation | 3 |
| OR | ||
| BIO681 | Challenges in Food Security | 3 |
| OR | ||
| SWM646 | Parliamentary Democracy | 3 |
| OR | ||
| SWM517 | Health Policy and Governance | 3 |
| OR | ||
| SWM518 | Health Economics and Finance | 3 |
| OR | ||
| SWM647 | Cultural and Communications Policy | 3 |
| OR | ||
| SWM648 | Corruption, Anti-corruption and its Discontents | 3 |
| OR | ||
| SWM651 | Comparative Governance and Public Administration | 3 |
| OR | ||
| SWM652 | Private Sector and Development | 3 |
OR
Option 2 - Supervised Research Thesis (9 points) 30 credit points
Required Units 12 credit points
| Unit code | Unit name | Credit points |
|---|---|---|
| SWM618 | Social Science Research Design | 3 |
| SWM6171 | Supervised Research Thesis | 9 |
Specified Electives 18 credit points
| Unit code | Unit name | Credit points |
|---|---|---|
| SWM532 | Financial Administration and Budgeting | 3 |
| OR | ||
| MBS684 | Managing Strategic Risk and Projects | 6 |
| OR | ||
| MBS685 | Project Management | 3 |
| OR | ||
| MBS687 | Effective Leadership | 3 |
| OR | ||
| MBS555 | Human Resource Management Perspectives | 3 |
| OR | ||
| MBS651 | Leading and Managing Nonprofit Organisations | 3 |
| OR | ||
| SWM621 | Ethics and Global Justice | 3 |
| OR | ||
| SWM519 | Strategic Health Leadership and Management | 3 |
| OR | ||
| TLC501 | Communication Skills for Postgraduate Study | 3 |
| OR | ||
| MBS589 | Social Enterprise, Social Innovation And Profit For Purpose | 3 |
| OR | ||
| SWM613 | Public Policy Perspectives | 6 |
| OR | ||
| SWM612 | Global Governance, Security and Economy | 6 |
| OR | ||
| SWM645 | Public Sector Economics | 3 |
| OR | ||
| SWM635 | Security, Conflict and Violence | 3 |
| OR | ||
| SWM514 | Global Public Health | 3 |
| OR | ||
| SWM515 | Public Sector Management | 3 |
| OR | ||
| ENV616 | Environmental Policy for the 21st Century | 3 |
| OR | ||
| SWM516 | Policy Research and Evaluation | 3 |
| OR | ||
| BIO681 | Challenges in Food Security | 3 |
| OR | ||
| SWM646 | Parliamentary Democracy | 3 |
| OR | ||
| SWM517 | Health Policy and Governance | 3 |
| OR | ||
| SWM518 | Health Economics and Finance | 3 |
| OR | ||
| SWM647 | Cultural and Communications Policy | 3 |
| OR | ||
| SWM648 | Corruption, Anti-corruption and its Discontents | 3 |
| OR | ||
| SWM651 | Comparative Governance and Public Administration | 3 |
| OR | ||
| SWM652 | Private Sector and Development | 3 |
OR
Option 3 - Research Internship 30 credit points
Required Units 6 credit points
| Unit code | Unit name | Credit points |
|---|---|---|
| SWM619 | Research Internship | 6 |
Specified Electives 24 credit points
| Unit code | Unit name | Credit points |
|---|---|---|
| SWM532 | Financial Administration and Budgeting | 3 |
| OR | ||
| MBS684 | Managing Strategic Risk and Projects | 6 |
| OR | ||
| MBS685 | Project Management | 3 |
| OR | ||
| MBS687 | Effective Leadership | 3 |
| OR | ||
| MBS555 | Human Resource Management Perspectives | 3 |
| OR | ||
| MBS651 | Leading and Managing Nonprofit Organisations | 3 |
| OR | ||
| SWM621 | Ethics and Global Justice | 3 |
| OR | ||
| SWM519 | Strategic Health Leadership and Management | 3 |
| OR | ||
| TLC501 | Communication Skills for Postgraduate Study | 3 |
| OR | ||
| MBS589 | Social Enterprise, Social Innovation And Profit For Purpose | 3 |
| OR | ||
| SWM613 | Public Policy Perspectives | 6 |
| OR | ||
| SWM612 | Global Governance, Security and Economy | 6 |
| OR | ||
| SWM645 | Public Sector Economics | 3 |
| OR | ||
| SWM635 | Security, Conflict and Violence | 3 |
| OR | ||
| SWM514 | Global Public Health | 3 |
| OR | ||
| SWM515 | Public Sector Management | 3 |
| OR | ||
| ENV616 | Environmental Policy for the 21st Century | 3 |
| OR | ||
| SWM516 | Policy Research and Evaluation | 3 |
| OR | ||
| BIO681 | Challenges in Food Security | 3 |
| OR | ||
| SWM646 | Parliamentary Democracy | 3 |
| OR | ||
| SWM517 | Health Policy and Governance | 3 |
| OR | ||
| SWM518 | Health Economics and Finance | 3 |
| OR | ||
| SWM647 | Cultural and Communications Policy | 3 |
| OR | ||
| SWM648 | Corruption, Anti-corruption and its Discontents | 3 |
| OR | ||
| SWM651 | Comparative Governance and Public Administration | 3 |
| OR | ||
| SWM652 | Private Sector and Development | 3 |
OR
Option 4 - Extended Research Internship 30 credit points
Required Units 12 credit points
| Unit code | Unit name | Credit points |
|---|---|---|
| SWM619 | Research Internship | 6 |
| SWM6191 | Internship Professional Placement | 6 |
Specified Electives 18 No credit points
| Unit code | Unit name | Credit points |
|---|---|---|
| SWM532 | Financial Administration and Budgeting | 3 |
| OR | ||
| MBS684 | Managing Strategic Risk and Projects | 6 |
| OR | ||
| MBS685 | Project Management | 3 |
| OR | ||
| MBS687 | Effective Leadership | 3 |
| OR | ||
| MBS555 | Human Resource Management Perspectives | 3 |
| OR | ||
| MBS651 | Leading and Managing Nonprofit Organisations | 3 |
| OR | ||
| SWM621 | Ethics and Global Justice | 3 |
| OR | ||
| SWM519 | Strategic Health Leadership and Management | 3 |
| OR | ||
| TLC501 | Communication Skills for Postgraduate Study | 3 |
| OR | ||
| MBS589 | Social Enterprise, Social Innovation And Profit For Purpose | 3 |
| OR | ||
| SWM613 | Public Policy Perspectives | 6 |
| OR | ||
| SWM612 | Global Governance, Security and Economy | 6 |
| OR | ||
| SWM645 | Public Sector Economics | 3 |
| OR | ||
| SWM635 | Security, Conflict and Violence | 3 |
| OR | ||
| SWM514 | Global Public Health | 3 |
| OR | ||
| SWM515 | Public Sector Management | 3 |
| OR | ||
| ENV616 | Environmental Policy for the 21st Century | 3 |
| OR | ||
| SWM516 | Policy Research and Evaluation | 3 |
| OR | ||
| BIO681 | Challenges in Food Security | 3 |
| OR | ||
| SWM646 | Parliamentary Democracy | 3 |
| OR | ||
| SWM517 | Health Policy and Governance | 3 |
| OR | ||
| SWM518 | Health Economics and Finance | 3 |
| OR | ||
| SWM647 | Cultural and Communications Policy | 3 |
| OR | ||
| SWM648 | Corruption, Anti-corruption and its Discontents | 3 |
| OR | ||
| SWM651 | Comparative Governance and Public Administration | 3 |
| OR | ||
| SWM652 | Private Sector and Development | 3 |
OR
Option 5 - Supervised Case Study Project 30 credit points
Required Units 3 credit points
| Unit code | Unit name | Credit points |
|---|---|---|
| SWM620 | Supervised Case Study Project | 3 |
Specified Electives 27 credit points
| Unit code | Unit name | Credit points |
|---|---|---|
| SWM532 | Financial Administration and Budgeting | 3 |
| OR | ||
| MBS684 | Managing Strategic Risk and Projects | 6 |
| OR | ||
| MBS685 | Project Management | 3 |
| OR | ||
| MBS687 | Effective Leadership | 3 |
| OR | ||
| MBS555 | Human Resource Management Perspectives | 3 |
| OR | ||
| MBS651 | Leading and Managing Nonprofit Organisations | 3 |
| OR | ||
| SWM621 | Ethics and Global Justice | 3 |
| OR | ||
| SWM519 | Strategic Health Leadership and Management | 3 |
| OR | ||
| TLC501 | Communication Skills for Postgraduate Study | 3 |
| OR | ||
| MBS589 | Social Enterprise, Social Innovation And Profit For Purpose | 3 |
| OR | ||
| SWM613 | Public Policy Perspectives | 6 |
| OR | ||
| SWM612 | Global Governance, Security and Economy | 6 |
| OR | ||
| SWM645 | Public Sector Economics | 3 |
| OR | ||
| SWM635 | Security, Conflict and Violence | 3 |
| OR | ||
| SWM514 | Global Public Health | 3 |
| OR | ||
| SWM515 | Public Sector Management | 3 |
| OR | ||
| ENV616 | Environmental Policy for the 21st Century | 3 |
| OR | ||
| SWM516 | Policy Research and Evaluation | 3 |
| OR | ||
| BIO681 | Challenges in Food Security | 3 |
| OR | ||
| SWM646 | Parliamentary Democracy | 3 |
| OR | ||
| SWM517 | Health Policy and Governance | 3 |
| OR | ||
| SWM518 | Health Economics and Finance | 3 |
| OR | ||
| SWM647 | Cultural and Communications Policy | 3 |
| OR | ||
| SWM648 | Corruption, Anti-corruption and its Discontents | 3 |
| OR | ||
| SWM651 | Comparative Governance and Public Administration | 3 |
| OR | ||
| SWM652 | Private Sector and Development | 3 |
Entry requirements
Advanced Standing
Everyone has a different path to university so if you’ve already completed formal or informal learning, you could receive advanced standing. Also known as recognition of prior learning, advanced standing can reduce the amount of study needed to complete your degree by giving you credit for certain units.
Formal learning can include previous study in higher education vocational education or adult and community education. Informal learning can include on the job learning, various kinds of work and life experience.
Find out more
This information applies to courses offered at our Australian campuses only. Courses offered at our Dubai, Singapore and Myanmar campuses or delivered by Open Universities Australia may have different requirements.
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