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International Development

Entry requirements


A level

A,B,B

Access to HE Diploma

D:30,M:15

Cambridge International Pre-U Certificate - Principal

D3,M2,M2

Extended Project

B

In recognition of the excellent preparation that the Extended Project Qualification provides to students for University study, we now include achievement in the EPQ as part of a formal offer.  Eligible applicants would receive two offers,  our usual offer plus an alternative offer of a B in the EPQ and one grade lower in their A level subjects

GCSE/National 4/National 5

GCSE Maths C (or 4), English Language or English Literature C (or 4).

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme

32

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)

DDD

Scottish Higher

A,A,B,B,B

T Level

D

Minimum grade C in the Core Component.

UCAS Tariff

128-147

We've calculated how many Ucas points you'll need for this course.

About this course


Course option

3years

Full-time | 2024

Subject

International development

Do you want to make a difference and understand how people and the planet are changing? Our BSc International Development course is a unique degree that offers expertise from across the University; you can specialise in the key areas that match your interests and work in careers with impact on a global scale.
The study of international development has never been more relevant or important. Complex global problems affect all our lives, as the world experiences rapid and uneven change. More people are moving out of poverty but inequalities are also growing.

Through this course you will explore critical issues relating to poverty and unequal development, the sustainability of the planet’s resources, the politics of aid, and the future of our food systems. Optional modules from across the University allow you to tailor the course to your interests and preferred career path.

You will be taught by experts from departments across the University. In addition to social scientists in the School of Agriculture, Policy and Development, these include experts from Geography, Economics, Politics and Henley Business School. Many of our lecturers are members of the Global Development Division and research associates of the internationally renowned Walker Institute for Climate System Research and the Centre for Food Security.

Many students are keen volunteers and take part in the Reading Experience and Development (RED) Award scheme. You also have the opportunity to study a language as part of your course.

If you are interested in promoting causes related to international development it will definitely be worth joining the International Development society. Run by our students, it's a place to discuss issues, watch documentaries and actually put your ideas into practise.

Placement opportunities
Our mini-placement module enables you to gain first-hand experience in the workplace and improve your networking skills.

Alternatively, you could undertake a placement year between your second and final year with our four-year BSc International Development with Placement Year course.

You could spend this year at an aid agency, charity, non-governmental organisation or relevant government department at home or abroad. The placement year provides first-hand experience in these fields, as well as transferable skills that provide a competitive advantage in your future career.

You are also encouraged to consider a study abroad experience as part of your degree. The University has a wide range of exchange partners in Europe and across the world in Australia, Canada and the USA (subject to availability).

Modules

The following modules have been approved in principle for delivery in 2024/25. Please note that as part of our current curriculum improvement process, all modules require final University approval and may be subject to change. Core modules for this course: Global Sustainability: Challenges and Prospects; International Development: Global and Local Issues; The Economic Environment; Food Dilemmas: Production, Security and Health; Approaches to International Development; Professional Practice Placement for International Development; Research Methods for BSc International Development; Dissertation; Histories, Institutions and trajectories of development; Power and Development. The University cannot guarantee that all optional modules will be available to all students who may wish to take them. Further information about the content of final approved modules will be available between May and July 2023. We suggest that you regularly revisit this webpage during this time to ensure you have the most up-to-date information regarding the modules offered on this programme.

Tuition fees

Select where you currently live to see what you'll pay:

Channel Islands
£9,250
per year
England
£9,250
per year
EU
£22,350
per year
International
£22,350
per year
Northern Ireland
£9,250
per year
Republic of Ireland
£9,250
per year
Scotland
£9,250
per year
Wales
£9,250
per year

The Uni


Course location:

University of Reading

Department:

School of Agriculture, Policy and Development

Read full university profile

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.

88%
International development

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.

Development studies

Teaching and learning

89%
Staff make the subject interesting
100%
Staff are good at explaining things
83%
Ideas and concepts are explored in-depth
78%
Opportunities to apply what I've learned

Assessment and feedback

Feedback on work has been timely
Feedback on work has been helpful
Staff are contactable when needed
Good advice available when making study choices

Resources and organisation

61%
Library resources
83%
IT resources
76%
Course specific equipment and facilities
78%
Course is well organised and has run smoothly

Student voice

Staff value students' opinions
Feel part of a community on my course

Who studies this subject and how do they get on?

90%
UK students
10%
International students
29%
Male students
71%
Female students
80%
2:1 or above
17%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

C
B
C

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.

Development studies

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.

£22,000
med
Average annual salary
95%
med
Employed or in further education

Top job areas of graduates

23%
Business, research and administrative professionals
20%
Business, finance and related associate professionals
10%
Sales, marketing and related associate professionals

This is a newly-classified subject area for this kind of data, and so there are not a lot of stats available for development subjects. About 100 graduates a year take these degrees at the moment and they only attend a handful of universities. It's an emerging field, so if you want a good view of what the degree provides, make sure you get on an open day, talk to course tutors and ask them if they have any stats for their course.

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This is what the university has told Ucas about the course. Use it to get a quick idea about what makes it unique compared to similar courses, elsewhere.

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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?

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