International Development
University of Portsmouth
UCAS Code: L902 | Bachelor of Arts (with Honours) - BA (Hons)
Entry requirements
A level
We also accept other combinations equivalent to 104-120 Tariff points to include a minimum of 2 A levels.
106-122 Tariff points from the Access to HE Diploma.
Cambridge Pre-U score of 44-50.
GCSE/National 4/National 5
3 GCSEs at grade C or above to include English and Mathematics/3 GCSEs at grade 4 or above to include English and Mathematics.
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme
25 points from the IB Diploma, to include 3 Higher Level subjects.
Leaving Certificate - Higher Level (Ireland) (first awarded in 2017)
H3,H3,H3,H4,H4-H3,H3,H3,H3,H3
Acceptable when combined with other qualifications.
OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Diploma
Acceptable when combined with other qualifications.
Acceptable when combined with other qualifications.
Pearson BTEC Extended Diploma (QCF)
Acceptable when combined with other qualifications.
Acceptable when combined with other qualifications.
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)
104-120 Tariff points.
T Level
Pass (C or above in the core) - Merit
UCAS Tariff
104-120 points.
About this course
This course has alternative study modes. Contact the university to find out how the information below might vary.
**Overview**
On this BA (Hons) International Development degree course, you’ll tackle some of the major global challenges of our time. You’ll build your skills, knowledge and experience as you study key dimensions of global development.
Your studies will cover areas such as poverty and hunger, climate change, health and education, democracy and human rights. You'll expand your understanding of the role and purpose of co-operation in international development, and use this to gain insights into strategies to improve people's lives on a global scale.
Your learning won’t be limited to the classroom – you'll have opportunities to work with development organisations in the UK or overseas.
This course is ideal for a career working for organisations across the UK and the world in roles such as community development, advocacy, policy development and public affairs.
**What you'll experience**
On this International Development degree course, you’ll:
- Examine global challenges including world poverty and hunger, environmental sustainability, universal education and health care, gender equality and women’s empowerment, democracy, human rights and conflict and security
- Study multiple disciplines including economics, human geography, politics and international relations, and specialise in the fields that most interest you
- Be taught by staff who are committed to their research in the field, keeping your studies up to date with the latest theories, knowledge and issues in international development
- Get experience with an international non-governmental organisation (NGO) during your studies or as part of an optional work placement year
- Learn from professionals working in the sector – recent events include a guest lecture from the Senior Strategic Advisor to Oxfam, a study day examining the conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo and a visit from an NGO based in Peru
- Develop skills in analysis, criticism and argument, communication and problem-solving
- Have the chance to learn a new language
To make sure your training is of the highest professional standard, we've developed this course with the England Standards Board for Community Development.
**Optional pathways**
You can also study international development with international relations – leading to a BA (Hons) International Relations with International Development award at the end of the course.
**Careers and opportunities**
When you finish the course, our Careers and Employability service can help you find a job that puts your skills to work in the field.
This course gives you the skills for careers in areas such as:-
- International community development
- Civil Service
- Fundraising, campaigning and advocacy
- Policy development
- Public affairs
- Project management
- Social enterprise
- Corporate social responsibility
- Programme management, support and evaluation for international agencies and non-governmental organisations
What jobs can you do with an International Development degree?
Our graduates have gone on to roles such as:
- Fundraising development coordinator
- Human rights advocacy
- Media and digital content lead
- Social researcher
- Community development practitioner
- Sustainable sourcing specialist for multinational corporations
- Teacher
You could also continue your studies at postgraduate level.
After you leave the University, you can get help, advice and support for up to 5 years from our Careers and Employability service as you advance in your career.
Modules
Year 1
Core modules in this year include:
- Global Development
- International Development: Academic Enrichment Programme
- Introduction To Development Studies: Policy & Practice
- Key Themes In International Relations
- Performing Like A Pro: Skills For Academic And Professional Success
- The Making Of The Global South
There are no optional modules in this year.
Year 2
Core modules in this year include:
- Economics And Politics Of Development
- Global Environmental Issues And Concerns
- International Development: Academic Enrichment Programme
Optional modules in this year currently include:
- Analysing Foreign and Security Policy
- Development and Democracy in Latin America
- Development Economics
- East Asian States and Societies
- Empire and Its Afterlives
- Gender in the Developing World
- International Community Development
- Introduction To Teaching
- Learning From Experience
- Managing Across Cultures
- Modern Foreign Language
- Russian & Eurasian Politics
- Study Abroad
Placement year (optional)
On this course, you can do an optional work placement year between your 2nd and 3rd years to get valuable experience working in industry. We’ll help you secure a work placement that fits your situation and ambitions. You’ll get mentoring and support throughout the year.
Year 3
Core modules in this year include:
- Dissertation / Major Project (International Development)
- International Development: Academic Enrichment Programme
- Rethinking Aid and Development
Optional modules in this year currently include:
- Africa Revisited: Nation Building and 'State Fragility' in Post-Colonial Africa
- China & East Asian Economies
- Ethnicity Class & Culture in the Developing World
- Global Capitalism: Past, Present and Future
- Global Health
- Independent Project
- Learning from Experience
- NGOs and Social Movements
- Professional Development: Recruiters and Candidates
We use the best and most current research and professional practice alongside feedback from our students to make sure course content is relevant to your future career or further studies.
Therefore, some course content may change over time to reflect changes in the discipline or industry and some optional modules may not run every year. If a module doesn’t run, we’ll let you know as soon as possible and help you choose an alternative module.
Assessment methods
You’ll be assessed through:
examinations
case studies
projects
presentations
book reviews
assignments
You’ll be able to test your skills and knowledge informally before you do assessments that count towards your final mark.
You can get feedback on all practice and formal assessments so you can improve in the future.
Tuition fees
Select where you currently live to see what you'll pay:
The Uni
University of Portsmouth
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
What students say
We've crunched the numbers to see if overall student satisfaction here is high, medium or low compared to students studying this subject(s) at other universities.
How do students rate their degree experience?
The stats below relate to the general subject area/s at this university, not this specific course. We show this where there isn’t enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.
Human geography
Teaching and learning
Assessment and feedback
Resources and organisation
Student voice
Who studies this subject and how do they get on?
Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)
Economics
Teaching and learning
Assessment and feedback
Resources and organisation
Student voice
Who studies this subject and how do they get on?
Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)
Politics
Teaching and learning
Assessment and feedback
Resources and organisation
Student voice
Who studies this subject and how do they get on?
Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)
After graduation
The stats in this section relate to the general subject area/s at this university – not this specific course. We show this where there isn't enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.
Human & social geography
What are graduates doing after six months?
This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.
Top job areas of graduates
Economics
What are graduates doing after six months?
This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.
Top job areas of graduates
This is a degree in demand, as business increasingly needs workers who can examine and explain complex data. And yet the number of economics graduates fell by nearly 10% last year, which means demand is even greater. As so many economic grads go into banking and finance, it's not surprising that over half of all 2015's economics graduates who did go into work were working in London. And don't think it's just the finance industry that's interested in these graduates - there's a significant number who enter the IT industry to work with data as analysts and consultants. It's quite common for economics graduates to go into jobs such as accountancy and management consultancy which may require you to take more training and gain professional qualifications - so don’t assume you won’t have to take any more exams once you leave uni. And the incentive to take them, of course, is better pay, which will be on top of an already healthy average starting salary of over £30,000 for graduates working in the capital.
Politics
What are graduates doing after six months?
This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.
Top job areas of graduates
The numbers of people taking politics degrees fell sharply last year and we'll keep an eye on this one - it can't really be because of graduates getting poor outcomes as politics grads do about as well as graduates on average. Most politics or international relations graduates don't actually go into politics - although many do, as activists, fundraisers and researchers. Jobs in local and central government are also important. Other popular jobs include marketing and PR, youth and community work, finance roles, HR and academic research (you usually need a postgraduate degree to get into research). Because so many graduates get jobs in the civil service, a lot of graduates find themselves in London after graduating. Politics is a very popular postgraduate subject, and so about one in five politics graduates go on to take another course - usually a one-year Masters - after they finish their degrees.
What about your long term prospects?
Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.
Geography, earth and environmental studies
The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.
£20k
£24k
£27k
Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.
Economics
The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.
£24k
£33k
£41k
Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.
Politics
The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.
£21k
£25k
£27k
Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.
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Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF):
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This information comes from the National Student Survey, an annual student survey of final-year students. You can use this to see how satisfied students studying this subject area at this university, are (not the individual course).
This is the percentage of final-year students at this university who were "definitely" or "mostly" satisfied with their course. We've analysed this figure against other universities so you can see whether this is high, medium or low.
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This information is from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), for undergraduate students only.
You can use this to get an idea of who you might share a lecture with and how they progressed in this subject, here. It's also worth comparing typical A-level subjects and grades students achieved with the current course entry requirements; similarities or differences here could indicate how flexible (or not) a university might be.
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Post-six month graduation stats:
This is from the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Survey, based on responses from graduates who studied the same subject area here.
It offers a snapshot of what grads went on to do six months later, what they were earning on average, and whether they felt their degree helped them obtain a 'graduate role'. We calculate a mean rating to indicate if this is high, medium or low compared to other universities.
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Graduate field commentary:
The Higher Education Careers Services Unit have provided some further context for all graduates in this subject area, including details that numbers alone might not show
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The Longitudinal Educational Outcomes dataset combines HRMC earnings data with student records from the Higher Education Statistics Agency.
While there are lots of factors at play when it comes to your future earnings, use this as a rough timeline of what graduates in this subject area were earning on average one, three and five years later. Can you see a steady increase in salary, or did grads need some experience under their belt before seeing a nice bump up in their pay packet?
Have a question about this info? Learn more here
