International Development

Course detail Description

The International Development BA is a unique degree course, focusing on the development process in middle-income countries and the changing global economy. Teaching draws on a range of important disciplines including political science, sociology, social anthropology, geography, development economics and management.

Your course comprises a mix of required and optional modules totalling 120 credits for the year.

You will explore the challenges facing rising economic powers such as India, China and Brazil as well as other countries which have recently experienced considerable economic growth and social and political change such as Indonesia, Chile, Peru, Mexico, Nigeria and South Africa. The course also considers what lessons these experiences offer for other countries and regions.

Students on the International Development with a Year Abroad BA will spend their third year studying abroad before returning to complete a final year with King's. Students on the three year course may transfer to the four year International Development with a Year Abroad BA. In both cases studying abroad will be dependent on levels of achievement in first and second year modules.

Teaching

The course is delivered through a combination of lectures, seminars and independent study. You will be assigned a personal tutor to provide support for your studies. Typically, one credit equates to 10 hours of work.

Assessment

Assessment methods will vary according to the modules you have selected to study. The primary methods of assessment for this course are coursework, assessed essays, written examinations and individual and group presentations. Informal assessments also form part of the course structure, and while not for credit, this type of evaluation is an essential component of the overall learning process that allows you to develop or question ideas and arguments.

Location

The Department of International Development is part of King’s School of Global Affairs and located in Bush House North East Wing as part of the Strand campus. It is within easy walking distance of the Maughan Library (close to the Royal Courts of Justice) and Senate House Library in Bloomsbury. Most seminars and lectures will take place at the Strand Campus.

Other related courses

• Geography BA
• Geography BSc
• Global Health & Social Medicine BA
• Global Health & Social Medicine BSc

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Structure

• Year 1
• Year 2
• Year 3
• Year 4

Year 1 Courses are divided into modules. Each year you will normally take modules totalling 120 credits.

King’s College London reviews the modules offered on a regular basis to provide up to- date, innovative and relevant courses of study. Therefore, modules offered may change. We suggest you keep an eye on this course page for updates.

Required Modules

You are required to take the following modules:

• Introduction to Development Studies (30 Credits)
• History of the Global Economy (30 credits)
• Economic Analysis of Emerging Economies (30 credits)
• Social & Political Analysis of Emerging Economies (30 credits)

Optional Modules

There are no optional modules in your first year.

Year 2 Required Modules

You are required to take the following modules:

• Development Theory (15 credits)
• Approaches to Researching Development: Quantitative & Qualitative Methods (30 credits)

Optional Modules

In addition, you are also required to take 30 credits from the following optional modules, which may typically include:

• East Asian Development (15 credits)
• China & Development (15 credits)
• Transition, Emergence & Development in Africa (15 credits)
• Development Issues in South Asia (15 credits)
• Political Economy of Development in Latin America (15 credits)

You are also required to take 45 credits worth of additional optional modules, to bring your total for the year to 120 credits. Optional modules may typically include:

• Migration and Development (15 credits)
• Social Justice: Ethnographic Insights (15 credits)
• Microeconomics for Development (15 credits)
• Macroecornomics for Development (15 credits)
• Issues of Development in Contemporary Middle East (15 credits)
• Approved modules from other departments: including the option to choose a Modern Language from King’s Modern Language Centre (15 credits)

Year 3

International Development BA

If you are studying the three year BA, you will take the final year modules in your third year.

Required Modules

You are required to take the following modules:

• Dissertation (30 credits)

Optional Modules In addition, you are required to take 90 credits worth of optional modules, to bring your total for the year to 120 credits. Optional modules may typically include:

• Gender, Society & Development (15 credits)
• Politics of Market Reforms (15 credits)
• National Development Strategies (15 credits)
• Poverty, Inequality & Social Policy (15 credits)
• Analysing Politics (15 credits)
• Health & Development in Emerging Economies (15 credits)
• Comparative Public Policy Analysis (15 credits)
• Advanced Topics in Development Economics (15 credits)
• Econometrics (15 credits)
• The Political Economy of Entrepreneurship (15 credits)
• Project Management for International Development (15 credits)
• The Political Economy of Entrepreneurship (15 credits)
• Governing Complex Societies: Federalism, Decentralisation & Development (15 credits)
• Approved modules from other departments

International Development with a Year Abroad BA

If you are on the four year course, you will spend your third year studying abroad before returning to complete a final year with King's. This will depend on reaching a certain grade average and being accepted by a partner institution. Partner universities currently include:

• Korea University
• Monash University (includes campuses in South Africa and Malaysia)
• 3 Campus Programme (students attend Keio, Yonsei and HKU)
• University of North Carolina (Chapel Hill)
• Yonsei University
• Chinese University of Hong Kong
• University of California
• Hong Kong University
• National University of Singapore
• Kyoto University
• Ritsumeikan University

For further information about studying abroad, please visit our Study Abroad webpage.

Year 4

International Development with a Year Abroad BA

Students on the four year course will spend their third year studying abroad before returning to complete a final year with King’s.

Required Modules

You are required to take the following modules:

• Dissertation (30 credits)

Optional Modules In addition, you are also required to take six modules from the following optional modules, which may typically include:

• Gender, Society & Development (15 credits)
• Politics of Market Reforms (15 credits)
• National Development Strategies (15 credits)
• Poverty, Inequality & Social Policy (15 credits)
• Analysing Politics (15 credits)
• Health & Development in Emerging Economies (15 credits)
• Comparative Public Policy Analysis (15 credits)
• Advanced Topics in Development Economics (15 credits)
• Econometrics (15 credits)
• Project Management for International Development (15 credits)
• The Political Economy of Entrepreneurship (15 credits)
• Approved modules from other departments