Global Development

Explore theories and practices of sustainability and global justice with tools from across the natural sciences, social sciences and humanities.

This course will equip you with the skills to become a leader of change in the drive towards a fairer world. You'll further your understanding of global inequalities, and develop an awareness of how various organisations interact with each other as they contribute to problems such as global exploitation, environmental degradation and injustice. Supported by the Interdisciplinary Global Development Centre, you'll learn to apply your skills to tackle real-life issues from the very first day.

Offering an interdisciplinary, problem-based approach to understanding global development and addressing some of the fundamental challenges facing our world today. How do we tackle climate change? Why is there so much inequality between and within countries? Why do racism and colonial thinking persist? In our interconnected age, making a difference requires understanding and cooperation across diverse knowledges, backgrounds and geographies. Our BA Global Development programme, designed and delivered by the Departments of Environment & Geography, History, and Politics & International Relations, taps into York's research and teaching excellence to help you build valuable practical skills readily applicable in careers relevant to global development, further study at Master's and PhD level, and in the world.

Learning & teaching approach
The programme takes a novel approach to global development, based around a core of problem-based learning (PBL) that runs throughout the programme. PBL is a student-centred approach to learning in which students take a highly active role in their own development by working in small groups to define and address open-ended problems centred on social justice, sustainability, and wellbeing and equality, fostering a learning community.
PBL is complemented by other core modules which will build your understanding of key concepts, theories, methods and skills, such as research skills in Year 1 and a dissertation module in Year 3. You can take optional modules from across natural sciences, social sciences and humanities, for instance from Economics, Environment & Geography, History, Languages, Politics & International Relations, Education, Social Work and Social Policy and many others, through which you can tailor the degree to your interests and strengths. You will develop an awareness of the ways in which states, international organisations, private sector, non-governmental organisations and social movements interact in contributing to, and resolving, problems such as global exploitation, climate and environmental change, and injustice. You will develop a deeper understanding of individual and collective responsibilities in moving towards a fairer and more sustainable world across all axes of difference. You will gain practical skills in leadership, communication, collaborative working, cross-cultural fluency, and project management.

Preparing you to make a difference
Real-world assessments including group presentations and blogs will develop your skills throughout the programme. As part of the broader opportunities offered by the university, you can opt to spend a year abroad on a work placement or at a university, including partner institutions in the Global South. You will benefit from seminars organised by the Interdisciplinary Global Development Centre with leading practitioners and academics, as well as field trips and masterclasses organised for BA Global Development students to facilitate real-world learning from experts in research, the charity sector or public sector from across the world. As a graduate of the programme, you will be prepared for a range of careers in international and national governmental and non-governmental organisations, private sector, advocacy, journalism and the media, and research and consultancy.