Development Administration and Planning MSc
London, Bloomsbury
This is the programme information for 2025 entry
The Development Administration and Planning MSc will provide you with the theoretical, empirical and practical expertise to promote societal justice and impact global developmental challenges.
Study mode
Overseas tuition fees (2025/26)
Duration
Programme starts
Applications accepted
Applications open
Applications open
Entry requirements
The normal minimum qualifications are an upper second-class UK Bachelor's degree or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard, or a lower second-class UK Bachelor's degree, or an equivalent overseas qualification, in a subject appropriate to the programme, plus relevant work experience.
In rare cases, applicants with degrees below this standard will be considered if they have significant relevant professional experience.
In all cases, successful applicants are expected to provide good references and a strong personal statement, which adequately demonstrate the applicant’s interest in the topics addressed by this programme.
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The English language level for this programme is: Level 2
UCL Pre-Master's and Pre-sessional English courses are for international students who are aiming to study for a postgraduate degree at UCL. The courses will develop your academic English and academic skills required to succeed at postgraduate level.
Further information can be found on our English language requirements page.
Equivalent qualifications
Country-specific information, including details of when UCL representatives are visiting your part of the world, can be obtained from the International Students website.
International applicants can find out the equivalent qualification for their country by selecting from the list below. Please note that the equivalency will correspond to the broad UK degree classification stated on this page (e.g. upper second-class). Where a specific overall percentage is required in the UK qualification, the international equivalency will be higher than that stated below. Please contact Graduate Admissions should you require further advice.
About this degree
Equitable distribution of resources is one of the key challenges that we face in today’s world to create conditions for long-term growth, greater international equity and environmental sustainability. To achieve this, we need individuals who can apply a critical understanding of the range of policy approaches and development interventions that address these challenges, but in a way that critically analyses the role of institutions (the state, market and civil society) to achieve planning that is just.
Gain experience in development administration and planning
The Development Administration and Planning MSc is an interdisciplinary development course that takes a postcolonial view on planning and urban development in the Global South. This approach will give you an understanding of how cultural, administrative and institutional decisions impact communities and cities differently according to context. You will also gain the confidence to move into your future career as a development practitioner with experience working with specific case studies in meeting development goals.
At The Bartlett Development Planning Unit, we emphasise the importance of putting theory into practice and as a Development Administration and Planning MSc student you will have the opportunity to do so through an overseas practice engagement that will empower you to query the tools and approaches that are used to conceptualise, design, manage, monitor and evaluate development interventions in real life contexts. Through our Development Workshops that simulate the complex processes of negotiating development strategies you will mix with students from other master’s courses.
Explore your personal interests through optional modules
In addition to core learning on the Development Administration and Planning MSc and practical projects, you will develop your personal interests and choose from a wide range of optional modules from across the six other master’s courses at The Bartlett Development Planning Unit, as well as from across The Bartlett Faculty of the Built Environment and wider UCL.
Benefit from our global network of alumni and partners
Throughout your degree, you will engage with scholars and practitioners working in diverse capacities and fields to address urban challenges. We host skills development and careers networking sessions with UCL Careers services. Within The Bartlett Development Planning Unit we also connect you with partner organisations, alumni, development practitioners and academics through our overseas practice engagements and events. We offer the opportunity to participate in our dissertation fellowship scheme where you can partner with reputable NGOs and development consultancies to produce a dissertation which have previously led our students to research collaborations, internships, and employment.
By the end of the Development Administration and Planning MSc, you will:
- Have the practical expertise needed to critically examine development interventions to promote social justice and address key developmental challenges which are globally connected;
- Gain real world experience exploring the implications of development interventions in the Global South;
- Cultivate your capacity to grow professionally as a a development practitioner from a multi-scaler perspective;
- Possess a critical, analytical and comparative approach to planning for social action;
- Develop as a reflexive and ethical professional in the field of sustainable development with key skills in critical thinking, teamwork, project management and impactful communication with stakeholders.
Who this course is for
The Development Administration and Planning MSc cultivates an interdisciplinary group of development practitioners that feel confident in contributing to a more socially just and economically equitable world. Our students typically arrive with backgrounds in social sciences, law, public administration, economics, and politics. This diversity fosters a cooperative working environment and the opportunity to negotiate creatively with others.
We aim to grow this group by welcoming applications from professionals with experience working in the government sector, civil society organisations and consultancy firms. Whilst professional experience is desirable, we offer grounded training in the theory and practice of social transformation and therefore also welcome new entrants in the field of development with a strong interest in exploring the tools and frameworks for responding to global challenges.
What this course will give you
The Bartlett Development Planning Unit is an international centre concerned with promoting sustainable forms of development, understanding rapid urbanisation and encouraging innovation in the policy, planning and management responses to the economic, social and environmental development of cities and regions, especially in urban cities of the Global South.
The Bartlett Development Planning Unit’s postgraduate courses are supported by international agencies, and national and provincial governments, and the Unit sits within The Bartlett, UCL's Faculty of the Built Environment, which is ranked #1 in the world for Architecture and the Built Environment, and remains #1 in the UK for the tenth year in a row (QS World University Subject Rankings 2024).
Through the core modules of the course, you will be introduced to the historical evolution of the theories and ideas underpinning development interventions, focus on “bottom-up” approaches to development that work for marginalised communities, and discover contemporary approaches to development management that are grounded in overseas fieldwork. Through the optional modules on the Development Administration and Planning MSc you can take advantage of the expertise within The Bartlett required to critically examine the contribution of industrialisation and infrastructure to national, regional and local development in the Global South.
Not only will you be studying course content that matters both to your future career and to the social transformation of urban contexts in the Global South, but you will also gain access to an active and growing alumni network, exchanging knowledge and skills with like-minded individuals from across the globe who are experienced in the realms of urban design and development planning.
The foundation of your career
94% of graduates from The Bartlett Development Planning Unit were in work or further study 15 months after graduation and are working in 52 countries around the world (HESA Graduate Outcomes Survey 2017-21).
The Development Administration and Planning MSc draws strong connections to professional networks through our teaching and research activities, including our overseas practice engagements where we partner with communities and organisations in international contexts to address development administration issues and opportunities, and through students’ involvement in ongoing research projects led by academics of The Bartlett Development Planning Unit.
The analytical, methodological and practical skills nurtured in our students on the course are in demand in local, regional and national government, consultancy firms, national and international NGOs, United Nations programmes and international aid agencies around the world.
Examples of organisations graduates of the Development Administration and Planning MSc have gone onto work in include:
- Asian Development Bank
- Christian Aid (UK and West Africa)
- C EMBARQ India - The WRI Centre for Sustainable Transport.
- International Fund for Agricultural Development
- ERM – Environmental Resource Management
- Entremundos, Guatemala
- Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO)
- Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
- Heifer International
- Inter-American Development Bank (IADB)
- International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED)
- JICA – Japan International Cooperation Agency
- Medical Research Council HIV/AIDS Programme (Uganda)
- Overseas Development Institute (ODI)
- Save The Children
- UNESCO
- UNICEF
- United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA)
- United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR)
- United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East
- World Vision
- International consultancy firms such as OCO Global, Halcrow (UK) and PADECO (Japan)
Our course also inspires graduates of the Development Administration and Planning MSc to pursue further research at PhD level, work as academics in reputable universities, and as independent consultants.
Alumni testimonials
“Within the first six months following the course, I became a consultant in rural development for the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and worked on climate issues for a DAI-USAID project. Subsequently, I was hired as a Programme Officer (PO) at IFAD to oversee projects related to rural development and agriculture in Colombia and Paraguay. In my role as a Programme Officer, I am responsible for designing, monitoring, and evaluating ongoing projects implemented by national public agencies. Thanks to the Development Administration and Planning MSc, I have acquired the tools to more effectively approach these tasks both programmatically and theoretically.” - Claudia Wong Palacios, Consultant in rural development for IFAD and Development Administration and Planning MSc graduate
“I am the Director General of Gwadar Development Authority, Government of Balochistan next year, intending to set the tone for putting the economic activity of the area on reform and development trajectory. I will implement projects that are more focused on water management, electricity, schools, and hospitals of Gwadar.” - Tauqeer Kurd, Director General of Gwadar Development Authority and Development Administration and Planning MSc graduate
“Following my graduation from the Development Administration and Planning MSc, I embarked on a career as a Net Zero Transport Analyst at Mitie in London. During this period, I realised that my passion for academia remained undiminished, prompting me to apply for doctoral programmes. Consequently, I commenced the MRes/PhD program at Warwick Business School in September 2023." - Aylin Baykal, Net Zero Transport Analyst at Mitie and Development Administration and Planning MSc graduate
Discover more alumni stories on The Bartlett Development Planning Unit website and in our Alumni Careers Stories series on YouTube ▶
Employability
To work within government, consultancy firms, NGOs, United Nations programmes and international aid agencies in a way that responds to global challenges of inequality and sustainability, we will equip you with analytical, methodological and practical skills through core learning on the Development Administration and Planning MSc and through department-level workshops that integrate our students with those of the other master’s courses at The Bartlett Development Planning Unit.
Boost your employability through core and optional modules
Our core modules have been designed so that you will be encouraged to critically reflect on the epistemology of development interventions and how they operate in the context of postcolonialism. Our optional modules will give you the opportunity to explore the connections between core modules with your personal interests. Putting theory into practice, we bring together these reflections in individual assignments and group work, increasing your confidence to go out into the world of work and undertake fieldwork research, prepare written reports, work with a diverse group of stakeholders, and negotiate various development outcomes.
Explore current debates and issues in international development and planning
The Development Workshops will introduce you to the current debates and issues surrounding international development and planning. Through lectures, short films, and group discussions you will discuss key topics in urban development, urban equality, drawing on post- and de-colonial insights. Through a roleplay methodology in the Development Workshops, we will encourage you to mix with your peers across our seven master’s courses across The Bartlett Development Planning Unit and “step into the shoes” of a multiplicity of stakeholders involved in planning and decision-making. This will help you and your peers explore the intersecting identities and interests of development stakeholders whilst fostering empathy with their narratives, helping you acknowledge the complexity of real-world planning processes.
Partner with international development organisations in a dissertation fellowship
The Development Planning Dissertation Fellowship Scheme offers important opportunities for professional development and, in some cases, has led to research collaborations, internships, and employment.
The advantages of participating in this scheme for your employability include:
- Your dissertation will be relevant to the current work of an international development organisation.
- You will have access to a member of staff and relevant data (but NO fieldwork and/or primary data collection is expected).
- A summary of your dissertation will be published in an appropriate form (eg policy brief, blog post), subject to agreement over edits to ensure that high standards are maintained with respect to the work itself and any pertinent copyright or other issues
- You will receive a letter stating that you have done this research with the partner organisation.
Networking
As a student of The Bartlett Development Planning Unit, you will be connected with professionals, researchers and academics who have had long-standing careers in the development field and can share valuable and candid insights through events and networking. Additionally, you will benefit from our digital Alumni Networking Platform where you can discover the international reach of our alumni community on a map and connect with individuals by year of graduation, course of study and by city.
As a student on the Development Administration and Planning MSc you will also benefit from opportunities to network with guest lecturers on core and optional modules during term time and through the series of events which are open to all students at The Bartlett Development Planning Unit (including our flagship Dialogues in Development lecture series, film screenings, and talks with academics about their research projects), and to speak with alumni in networking events about their experiences of the course and how it shaped their career trajectories.
In addition to the above and to the core UCL Careers provision, as a student at The Bartlett you will have access to a mix of faculty-wide and department-specific support and activities to bolster your career development and develop your networking skills to successfully navigate the job markets. Open across the Faculty, this includes a programme of lively industry panel discussions and interactive workshops, spotlighting the key sectors graduates typically venture into such as construction, consultancy, commercial property and urban planning and development.
Additionally, The Bartlett’s Building a Better Future Consultancy Project will give you a unique opportunity to collaborate in a multidisciplinary team to tackle a real world challenge the built environment is grappling with, equipping you with the in-demand skills sought after by employers. Featured organisations in this programme include global consultancies such as BuroHappold, Hoare Lea, AtkinsRealis to burgeoning start-ups and SMEs as well as local councils and not-for-profit organisations such as C40 Cities, Greater London Authority and London authorities.
Teaching and learning
The Development Administration and Planning MSc is delivered both inside and outside of the classroom so you can discover methodologies and frameworks for a critical participatory, community-based approach to promoting societal justice and impacting global developmental challenges. On campus, the course will be taught through a wide range of teaching techniques including lectures and seminars that are delivered by academics who are renowned for their academic thinking and development practice, and through group work and online activities.
In partnership with academic institutions and civil society organisations, we take learning one step further in our annual overseas practice engagements. Here, you will explore different tools, concepts and ideas in development administration and planning in a Global South context.
The course is assessed through coursework, written examinations and the 10,000-word dissertation report.
In terms 1 and 2, as a full-time student you can typically expect between 9-12 contact hours per teaching week through a mixture of lectures, seminars, workshops and tutorials. Each teaching week, you will have two-hour face-to-face encounters on campus in all core and optional modules. Each teaching week, you will also have one three-hour practice module encounter on campus.
Outside of lectures, seminars, workshops and tutorials, as a full-time student you will typically study the equivalent of a full-time job, using your remaining time for self-directed study and completing assignments. We expect full-time students to commit an average of 40 to 45 hours of study per week reviewing online resources, completing module activities, engaging in wider reading and working on their assignments.
In term 3, you will complete the overseas practice engagement. The duration of this engagement will depend upon travel arrangements with partner organisations but is typically around two weeks overseas. In term 3 and the summer period, you will complete your own dissertation research, keeping regular contact with your dissertation supervisor.
Modules
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The Development Administration and Planning MSc is delivered over three terms when taken in one academic year. In Terms 1 and 2 you will study compulsory modules which make up 75% of the taught component of the course (equivalent to 90 credits) and provide you with the theoretical and methodological foundations to become a development practitioner. The remaining 25% of the taught component of the course is dedicated to a range of optional modules on offer, allowing you to combine your learnings with your personal interests in Terms 1 and 2. The practice module, where we complete the overseas practice engagement, runs across Terms 1, 2 and 3.
In Term 4, ie the summer term, you will focus on your dissertation which is a research project you will conduct independently, complemented by support from a dedicated dissertation tutor. The dissertation gives you the opportunity to focus on an area of the course that most interests you. The research that supports the production of your dissertation should rely on secondary sources of data and/or primary sources of data that can be accessed without field survey work (for example internet or archival data sources). You have the option of focusing on a case study or on a more generalised argument, and in either case your argument should be supported by a combination of logic and empirical evidence. Conducting this independent research builds your skills in planning a research project, reviewing literature, and using the knowledge acquired during the taught component of the course to review evidence, develop an argument and communicate and justify your findings. The dissertation culminates in a 10,000-word dissertation and is submitted at the end of Term 4.
Past dissertations have been published as DPU Working papers, including:
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The Development Administration and Planning MSc is delivered over two years when taken part-time.
Typically, in Year 1, you will study two core modules which are delivered in Terms 1 and 2.
In Year 2, the taught modules are delivered in Terms 1, 2 and 3.
In Year 2, you will study one core module and a choice of optional modules which can either be:
- 1 x 30 credit optional module, or
- 2 x 15 credit optional modules.
In Term 4 of Year 2, you will focus on your dissertation which is a research project you will conduct independently, complemented by support from a dedicated dissertation tutor. The dissertation gives you the opportunity to focus on an area of the course that most interests you. The research that supports the production of your dissertation should rely on secondary sources of data and/or primary sources of data that can be accessed without field survey work (for example internet or archival data sources). You have the option of focusing on a case study or on a more generalised argument, and in either case your argument should be supported by a combination of logic and empirical evidence. Conducting this independent research builds your skills in planning a research project, reviewing literature, and using the knowledge acquired during the taught component of the course to review evidence, develop an argument and communicate and justify your findings. The dissertation culminates in a 10,000-word dissertation and is submitted at the end of Term 4.
Past dissertations have been published as DPU Working papers, including:
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The Development Administration and Planning MSc is delivered over a period of two to five years when taken on a flexible basis. You may structure your core and optional modules in any format you wish, noting that the practice module and dissertation must be taken in your final years of study.
The dissertation, which is a research project you will conduct independently, complemented by support from a dedicated dissertation tutor. The dissertation gives you the opportunity to focus on an area of the course that most interests you. The research that supports the production of your dissertation should rely on secondary sources of data and/or primary sources of data that can be accessed without field survey work (for example internet or archival data sources). Conducting this independent research builds your skills in planning a research project, reviewing literature, and using the knowledge acquired during the taught component of the course to review evidence, develop an argument and communicate and justify your findings. The dissertation is submitted at the end of Term 4.
Past dissertations have been published as DPU Working papers, including:
Compulsory modules
Optional modules
Please note that the list of modules given here is indicative. This information is published a long time in advance of enrolment and module content and availability are subject to change. Modules that are in use for the current academic year are linked for further information. Where no link is present, further information is not yet available.
Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits. Upon successful completion of 180 credits, you will be awarded an MSc in Development Administration and Planning.
Fieldwork
In Term 3 of the Development Administration and Planning MSc, you will carry out an overseas practice engagement as part of the practice module which offers hands on experience applying theoretical learnings from the classroom to developmental interventions and projects in a real world, global context. These experiences will equip you with the tools to become a better development practitioner.
Each year, our Development Administration and Planning MSc students engage with issues raised by partners and communities in a local context. To date, we have engaged with partners and communities in postcolonial contexts including Brazil, Uganda and Ethiopia on themes spanning indigenous rights, access to education, queer rights, sanitation, food sovereignty, and housing rights.
In preparation for overseas travel and fieldwork, you will work collaboratively in groups with your peers and with various developmental organisations to understand how a project is planned for development interventions and query the tools and approaches that are used to conceptualise, design, manage, monitor and evaluate them. You will analyse how outcomes may differ depending on context and reflect on your positionality as a development practitioner impacting interventions. Thematically, the organisations have focused on various developmental issues such as indigenous rights, access to education, food security, queer rights and sanitation. Previously, our course has travelled to Egypt, Ethiopia and Ghana.
The fieldwork component takes place in Term 3.
Ultimately, our students encapsulate their research findings and recommendations moving forward in written reports. These research outputs operate beyond academia and can serve partner organisations at the same time as building a portfolio for your future career.
Accessibility
Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble. Further information can also be obtained from the UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Services team.
Fees and funding
Fees for this course
| Fee description | Full-time | Part-time |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition fees (2025/26) | £20,500 | £10,250 |
| Tuition fees (2025/26) | £33,000 | £16,500 |
Programme also available on a modular (flexible) basis.
The tuition fees shown are for the year indicated above. Fees for subsequent years may increase or otherwise vary. Where the programme is offered on a flexible/modular basis, fees are charged pro-rata to the appropriate full-time Master's fee taken in an academic session. Further information on fee status, fee increases and the fee schedule can be viewed on the UCL Students website: ucl.ac.uk/students/fees.
Additional costs
For Full-time and Part-time offer holders a fee deposit will be charged at 10% of the first year fee.
For flexible/modular offer holders a £500 fee deposit will be charged.
Further information can be found in the Tuition fee deposits section on this page: Tuition fees.
Core costs related to compulsory practice engagement projects will be covered from within tuition fees. This includes partner and facilitation expenses, travel-related costs where travel is possible (eg transportation, visas, travel insurance) and accommodation costs where required. Personal expenses (eg food, mobile data, non-essential leisure activities) must, as normal, be covered by the student regardless of whether practice engagements take place in person or remotely.
UCL’s main teaching locations are in zones 1 (Bloomsbury) and zones 2/3 (UCL East). The cost of a monthly 18+ Oyster travel card for zones 1-2 is £114.50. This price was published by TfL in 2024. For more information on additional costs for prospective students and the cost of living in London, please view our estimated cost of essential expenditure at UCL's cost of living guide.
Funding your studies
Any additional funding available will be advertised on The Bartlett Development Planning Unit scholarships and funding webpage and The Bartlett faculty webpage.
The Bartlett Promise Scholarship aims to enable students from backgrounds underrepresented in The Bartlett to pursue master's studies. Please see the UK Master's scholarship and Sub-Saharan Africa Master's scholarship webpages for more information on eligibility criteria, selection process and FAQs.
For a comprehensive list of the funding opportunities available at UCL, including funding relevant to your nationality, please visit the Scholarships and Funding website.
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Bartlett Promise Sub-Saharan Africa Masters Scholarship
Deadline: 28 March 2025Value: Fees, stipend and other allowances (Duration of programme)Criteria Based on financial needEligibility: EU, OverseasBartlett Promise UK Master's Scholarship
Deadline: 31 May 2025Value: Tuition fees plus £15,864 maintenance/yr (Duration of programme)Criteria Based on financial needEligibility: UKCommonwealth Shared Scholarship Scheme (CSSS)
Deadline: 12 December 2024Value: Full fees, flights, stipend, and other allowances (1 year)Criteria Based on both academic merit and financial needEligibility: EU, OverseasGREAT Scholarship
Deadline:8 May 2025Value: £10,000 towards tuition fees (1 year)Criteria Based on both academic merit and financial needEligibility: EU, Overseas
Next steps
Students are advised to apply as early as possible due to competition for places. Those applying for scholarship funding (particularly overseas applicants) should take note of application deadlines.
There is an application processing fee for this programme of £90 for online applications. Further information can be found at Application fees.
When we assess your application, we would like to learn:
- Why you want to study Development Administration and Planning at UCL at graduate level
- What particularly attracts you to the chosen course
- What do you think you will bring to the course
- How your academic and professional background meets the demands of this challenging course
- Where you would like to go professionally with your degree.
Together with essential academic requirements, the personal statement is your opportunity to illustrate whether your reasons for applying to this course match what the course will deliver.
Please note that you may submit applications for a maximum of two graduate programmes (or one application for the Law LLM) in any application cycle.
Choose your programme
Please read the Application Guidance before proceeding with your application.
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