12 monthsProgramme duration
23,500 GBPTuition Fee/year
01 Aug, 2026Application Deadline
SepStarting Month
Programme overview
Main Subject
Development Studies
Degree
MA
Study Level
Masters
Study Mode
On Campus
Achieving social justice in our rapidly changing and increasingly unequal world is a major challenge. On this MA, you’ll tackle this challenge so you can contribute to positive change.
You’ll learn to articulate your understanding of power and participation, and have the opportunity to connect what you learn to what interests you most in the social change arena.
This MA is for you if you’re an aspiring or experienced development practitioner, social activist or professional with some background in social change action through work volunteering or activism.
During your studies, you’ll gain skills, develop ideas and learn methods that help you to:
- critically reflect on your own experience, work, and practice
- learn about different conceptual and methodological approaches to power participation and social change
- develop your analysis and facilitation skills to support and interpret participatory research and deliberation processes in a range of settings.
Based at the Institute of Development Studies (IDS), you’ll have the opportunity to join an active community of people from around the world working on social justice.
IDS is an independent research and teaching institute located on the campus of the University of Sussex, with a close affiliation with the University. All teaching staff are active researchers in development, giving you a unique learning experience grounded in real-world challenges and solutions.
Programme overview
Main Subject
Development Studies
Degree
MA
Study Level
Masters
Study Mode
On Campus
Achieving social justice in our rapidly changing and increasingly unequal world is a major challenge. On this MA, you’ll tackle this challenge so you can contribute to positive change.
You’ll learn to articulate your understanding of power and participation, and have the opportunity to connect what you learn to what interests you most in the social change arena.
This MA is for you if you’re an aspiring or experienced development practitioner, social activist or professional with some background in social change action through work volunteering or activism.
During your studies, you’ll gain skills, develop ideas and learn methods that help you to:
- critically reflect on your own experience, work, and practice
- learn about different conceptual and methodological approaches to power participation and social change
- develop your analysis and facilitation skills to support and interpret participatory research and deliberation processes in a range of settings.
Based at the Institute of Development Studies (IDS), you’ll have the opportunity to join an active community of people from around the world working on social justice.
IDS is an independent research and teaching institute located on the campus of the University of Sussex, with a close affiliation with the University. All teaching staff are active researchers in development, giving you a unique learning experience grounded in real-world challenges and solutions.
Admission Requirements
- Degree requirements: You should normally have an upper second-class (2.1) undergraduate honours degree or above.
- Subject-specific requirements: Your qualification should be in the social sciences or a related subject. You may also be considered for the course if you have other professional qualifications or experience of equivalent standing.
- Work experience: Yes. You should have two years' development- or social change-related work experience (which can be made up of voluntary work and vacation-based activities).
- Candidates are required to submit an essay(s) for acceptance
Tuition fees
Domestic
International
Scholarships
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