Admission to the Master degree is available to students who have a Bachelor's degree in any area.
Special Tertiary Admissions Test (STAT) 140 Written English
International English Language Testing System (IELTS) 6.0 Overall
6.0 Reading
6.0 Writing
6.0 Speaking
6.0 Listening
Cambridge Advanced English (CAE) 169 Overall
169 Reading
169 Writing
169 Speaking
169 Listening
Pearson Test of English (PTE) 50 Overall
50 Reading
50 Writing
50 Speaking
50 Listening
Test of English as a Foreign Language – IBT (TOEFL IBT) 73 Overall
18 Reading
18 Writing
18 Speaking
18 Listening
Occupational English Test (OET) C (250-290) Reading
C (250-290) Writing
C (250-290) Speaking
C (250-290) Listening
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.
3 reasons to study a Master of Development Studies at Murdoch
Undertake 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.
Develop your skills
Build 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
CRICOS code: 077165J
More info: Click here
Total credit points: 48
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, 30 credit points
Required Units, 12 credit points
SWM618, Research Design, 3
SWM6171, Supervised Research Thesis, 9
Specified Electives, 18 credit points
MBS542, Financial Administration and Budgeting, 3
, OR,
MBS684, Managing Strategic Risk and Projects, 6
, 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,
MBS529, 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,
SUS523, Cities and Sustainability, 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
Option 2 - Internship, 30 credit points
Required Units, 6 credit points
MBS643, Applied Research Practicum, 6
Specified Electives, 24 credit points
MBS542, Financial Administration and Budgeting, 3
, OR,
MBS684, Managing Strategic Risk and Projects, 6
, 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,
MBS529, 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,
SUS523, Cities and Sustainability, 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
Option 3 - Supervised Research Project, 30 credit points
Required Units, 3 credit points
SWM620, Research Project, 3
Specified Electives, 27 credit points
MBS542, Financial Administration and Budgeting, 3
, OR,
MBS684, Managing Strategic Risk and Projects, 6
, 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,
MBS529, 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,
SUS523, Cities and Sustainability, 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
Option 4 - Extended Research Internship, 30 credit points
Required Units, 12 credit points
MBS643, Applied Research Practicum, 6
MBS654, Business Professional Placement, 6
Specified Elective Units, 18 credit points
MBS542, Financial Administration and Budgeting, 3
, OR,
MBS684, Managing Strategic Risk and Projects, 6
, 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,
MBS529, 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,
SWM516, Policy Research and Evaluation, 3
, OR,
BIO681, Challenges in Food Security, 3
, OR,
SUS523, Cities and Sustainability, 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
You’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
Overseas Student Health Cover: 530 AUD per year
