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Global Migration MSc

London, Bloomsbury

Develop your research skills by exploring critical debates on migration—ranging from asylum seekers' rights to issues of racism and racialisation, and from border security to international development. Linked with UCL’s globally renowned Migration Research Unit, this course covers a wide array of topics across life sciences, social sciences, and the arts, giving you extensive opportunities to specialise in areas that interest you most. This programme provides a strong foundation for impactful careers in government, policy think tanks, Non Governmental Organisations, and grassroots organisations. 

UK students International students
Study mode
UK tuition fees (2025/26)
£16,000
£8,000
Overseas tuition fees (2025/26)
£33,000
£16,500
Duration
1 calendar year
2 calendar years
Programme starts
September 2025
Applications accepted
Applicants who require a visa: 14 Oct 2024 – 27 Jun 2025
Applications close at 5pm UK time

Applications open

Applicants who do not require a visa: 14 Oct 2024 – 29 Aug 2025
Applications close at 5pm UK time

Applications open

Apply for this course

Entry requirements

Normally a minimum of an upper second-class Bachelor's degree in a relevant discipline from a UK university or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard. Professional experience in relevant fields will be considered alongside academic qualifications.

The English language level for this programme is: Level 4

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


This is an academic programme informed by policy debates relating to migration. Students are equipped with advanced analytical skills and research methods. They acquire an understanding of the key concepts essential for the study of global migration and gain the opportunity to apply them in both general and more specialised contexts relating to the processes, policies, poetics and politics of migration.

Who this course is for

While aimed at recent graduates from a range of disciplines (including human geography, political science, sociology, anthropology, economics, and cultural and area studies) who intend to progress to PhD research or develop a career in migration, the programme will also appeal to professionals (with a relevant academic background) wishing to reflect on developments in this field.

Read about what it takes to study for a Master's at UCL

What this course will give you

At UCL, cutting-edge research on migration takes place across many different disciplines including: anthropology, area studies, demography, development planning, economics, education, epidemiology, geography, global and public health, the humanities, law, psychology, politics and public policy and sociology. The involvement of such a wide range of disciplines crossing life sciences, social science and the arts is part of what makes the MSc Global Migration programme so special.

UCL has internationally recognised expertise in migration studies. It has two established research units: the Migration Research Unit and the Centre for Research on Economic Analysis of Migration. Students benefit from access to these and from a range of associated seminars and reading groups. UCL's migration research covers the globe with projects on migration from Mexico to China and from Senegal to Russia. The programme is also embedded in migration networks here in London, one of the world's superdiverse cities.

Global Migration is a friendly and supportive programme with excellent access to academics. All staff are available for consultation in Academic Support and Feedback Hours. Students have the opportunity to work with academics on current research and in UCL campaigns and networks such as Refuge in A Moving World, which can connect them to a range of professional networks.

The programme is made up of a small, but international student body, which enables engaged debates in a trusting environment drawing on diverse experiences. The Migration Research Unit publishes students' dissertation research in the Working Papers series.

"The programme at UCL allowed me to grow immensely both as an individual and professional. It challenged me and allowed me to constantly rethink the ways I had been taught about this ever-changing and important topic of forced displacements." - Clementine Andre, MSc Global Migration, 2023.

Read about what you'll get out of a graduate programme

The foundation of your career

Graduates of this programme are well equipped to work with migrants and asylum seekers across the world and gain posts in the UN, EU and national policy think tanks; government research and policy departments; and NGOs, community-based and grassroots organisations. The programme also provides an excellent foundation for students wishing to pursue doctorates in the interdisciplinary field of migration studies. 

Recent graduates  have found employment with the British Red Cross, Social Mobility Foundation, Royal Society of Arts, Norwegian Refugee Council and Office for National Statistics. (Graduate Outcomes survey 2017-2022)

The programme at UCL allowed me to grow immensely both as an individual and professional. It challenged me and allowed me to constantly rethink the ways I had been taught about this ever-changing and important topic of forced displacements.

Image of Clementine Andre

Clementine Andre

Global Migration MSc

Read more

Employability

The programme fosters core academic skills: critical analysis, advanced interpretation of a range of texts, logical reasoning, effective writing and clear thinking. The dissertation builds advanced skills in:

  • Research design.
  • Data acquisition and analysis methods.
  • Constructing arguments and sustained writing. 

In addition, the programme offers opportunities for developing: 

  • Verbal and written communication skills
  • Teamwork and collaborative skills
  • Problem-solving skills for research
  • Organisational skills such as time management and efficient working.

Networking

You will benefit from the expertise of our world-class researchers and due to the interdisciplinary nature of our work, you can develop your knowledge across subjects, learning from academics not only in Geography but the wider UCL community as well. The Department also hosts annual career events where alumni share their experience of post-graduation training and employment across the wide variety of opportunities available to geography graduates.

Teaching and learning

The programme is delivered through a combination of lectures, seminars, presentations, discussions, independent reading and workshops.

The majority of modules are assessed through written coursework although a small number are assessed by examination or oral presentations.

Each 15 credit module involves 150 hours of learning, including lectures, practicals, pre-recorded lectures, independent study, peer-to-peer learning, tutorial support, and assessment and assessment preparation. This will be supplemented by voluntary in-person activities including research seminars and assessment and feedback hours.

For full-time students, this is typically around 12 hours per week contact time. Outside of lectures, seminars, workshops and tutorials, you will typically study the equivalent of a full-time job, using your remaining time for self-directed study and completing coursework assignments. Additionally, you will be expected to complete a dissertation, worth up to 60 credits. You will have regular contact with your supervisor(s) who will guide and support you throughout your work.

Modules

You will undertake eight taught modules and the research dissertation. Students can choose from a wide range of optional modules.

Term One:
You will take two compulsory modules, one of which will involve methodological training in qualitative social science.

Term Two:
You will take one compulsory module.

During terms one and two you will complete 75 credits (usually five additional modules) of optional and elective modules, subject to availability in Geography, Anthropology, Laws, History, SSEES and Political Science.

Term Three
The dissertation planning commences in term one with the research and writing conducted in term three over and the following summer.

You will undertake eight taught modules and the research dissertation. Students can choose from a wide range of optional modules.

It is recommended that you take all the compulsory modules in year one and one optional/elective module in year one, term two. In year two you would complete the remaining three optional/elective modules along with the dissertation which would be submitted in September of the second year.

Compulsory modules






Optional modules






Migration and Health




Nations, Identity and Power




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 Global Migration.

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

UK students International students
Fee description Full-time Part-time
Tuition fees (2025/26) £16,000 £8,000
Tuition fees (2025/26) £33,000 £16,500

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.

Further information can be found in the Tuition fee deposits section on this page: Tuition fees.

There are no additional costs for this programme.

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

Possible funding opportunities include: UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office Chevening Programme; Commonwealth Scholarships and Fellowships Plan; Ford Foundation International Fellowships Programme; Marshall Scholarships - Marshall Commission; Fulbright Traditional Postgraduate Student Awards; US-UK Fulbright Commission; Thomas Wall Trust.

For a comprehensive list of the funding opportunities available at UCL, including funding relevant to your nationality, please visit the Scholarships and Funding website.

See all the ways you can fund your studies

Aziz Foundation Scholarships in Social and Historical Sciences

Value: Full tuition fees (equivalent to 1yr full-time) (1yr)
Criteria Based on financial need
Eligibility: UK

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 know:

  • why you want to study Global Migration
  • why you want to study Global Migration at UCL
  • what particularly attracts you to this programme
  • how your academic and/or professional background meets the demands of a challenging academic environment
  • 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 programme match what the programme will deliver.

We are also looking for applicants with a good standard of written and spoken English and a high level of English comprehension. 

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.

Year of entry: 2025-2026

Apply for this course

Got questions? Get in touch

Geography
Geography

geog.office@ucl.ac.uk

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