- 1st in the world for Development Studies (QS World University Rankings by Subject 2023)
The world is shaped by global challenges such as climate change, new conflicts, changing migration patterns and deepening inequalities.
At Sussex, you’ll explore these issues. You’ll look at the institutional legacies and structures of power that shape them, and you’ll examine what’s being done to address them. You’ll learn from specialists in areas such as climate justice, markets and finance, gender and sexuality, social justice and rights, health and new technologies. Building on our expertise, you’ll develop the critical knowledge and practical tools to be part of the change you want to see in the world.
On your course, you’ll take an interdisciplinary view. You’ll learn about global challenges from different perspectives including Anthropology, Geography, International Relations, Education and Economics. Throughout your studies, you’ll:
- learn about the root causes of poverty and inequality from a global perspective of social justice
- challenge simplistic understandings of what development is, who it is for and who it is done by
- understand how development practitioners, policy-makers, social movements and affected communities around the world are responding to new challenges
- collaborate with fellow students to design creative and innovative responses to work towards alternative futures.
You’ll combine International Development with a language, choosing from Arabic, British Sign Language, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Mandarin Chinese and Spanish. Or you can choose to study English Language Teaching.
You’ll become a part of a vibrant and welcoming community of staff and students passionate about achieving greater social and environmental justice.
When you graduate, you’ll have the knowledge, skills and critical hope you need to participate in creating just and equitable change. Your language skills will give you valuable intercultural communication and awareness skills. You’ll have the confidence to start a rewarding global career in development policy, practice or advocacy.
We understand that deciding where and what to study is a very important decision. We’ll make all reasonable efforts to provide you with the courses, services and facilities described in this prospectus. However, if we need to make material changes, for example due to government or regulatory requirements, or unanticipated staff changes, we’ll let you know as soon as possible.
The faculty are incredibly open and responsive – if you’re interested and willing they’re happy to support you.”Andy Chapman
International Development and French BA
Open Days and virtual visits
Meet us on campus or online
Entry requirements
Entry requirements for this course are currently under review – please check back in early March 2024.
Modules
This is a major/minor course, enabling you to study in depth in a core area (your major subject: taking up 75% of your time), while also exploring an additional area (your minor subject: taking up 25% of your time).
Find out about our types of undergraduate degrees, their structure, modules and credits
Core modules
Core modules are taken by all students on the course. They give you a solid grounding in your chosen subject and prepare you to explore the topics that interest you most.
- Colonialism and After
- Global Development Paradigms, Policy and Politics
- Sussex Perspectives on International Development
Autumn teaching
Spring teaching
Options
Alongside your core modules, you can choose options to broaden your horizons and tailor your course to your interests. This list gives you a flavour of our options, which are kept under review and may change, for example in response to student feedback or the latest research.
While it’s our aim for students to take their preferred combinations of options, this can’t be guaranteed and will be subject to timetabling. Options may be grouped and if so, students will be able to choose a set number of options from the selection available in any particular group.
- Arabic Beginners A
- Arabic Intermediate A
- British Sign Language and Deaf Culture 1A
- Chinese Beginners A
- Chinese Intermediate A
- French Beginners A
- French For Professional Purposes 1A
- French Intermediate A Year 1
- German Beginners A
- German Intermediate A
- Italian Beginners A
- Italian Intermediate A
- Japanese Beginners A
- Japanese Intermediate A
- Spanish Beginners A
- Spanish for Professional Purposes 1A
- Spanish Intermediate A Year 1
- Arabic Beginners B
- Arabic Intermediate B
- British Sign Language and Deaf Culture 1B
- Chinese Beginners B
- Chinese Intermediate B
- French Beginners B
- French For Professional Purposes 1B
- French Intermediate B Year 1
- German Beginners B
- German Intermediate B
- Italian Beginners B
- Italian Intermediate B
- Japanese Beginners B
- Japanese Intermediate B
- Spanish Beginners B
- Spanish for Professional Purposes 1B
- Spanish Intermediate B Year 1
Autumn teaching
Spring teaching
We regularly review our modules to incorporate student feedback, staff expertise, as well as the latest research and teaching methodology. We’re planning to run these modules in the academic year 2024/25. However, there may be changes to these modules in response to feedback, staff availability, student demand or updates to our curriculum. We’ll make sure to let you know of any material changes to modules at the earliest opportunity.
We’ll do our best to provide as much optional choice as we can, but timetabling constraints mean it may not be possible to take some module combinations. The structure of a small number of courses means that the order of modules or the streams you choose may determine whether modules are core or optional. This means that your core modules or options may differ from what’s shown here.
Check back in January 2025 for more details of the modules running in the academic year 2025/26.
Core modules
Core modules are taken by all students on the course. They give you a solid grounding in your chosen subject and prepare you to explore the topics that interest you most.
Autumn teaching
Options
Alongside your core modules, you can choose options to broaden your horizons and tailor your course to your interests. This list gives you a flavour of our options, which are kept under review and may change, for example in response to student feedback or the latest research.
While it’s our aim for students to take their preferred combinations of options, this can’t be guaranteed and will be subject to timetabling. Options may be grouped and if so, students will be able to choose a set number of options from the selection available in any particular group.
- Arabic Advanced A
- Arabic Intermediate A
- British Sign Language and Deaf Culture 2A
- Chinese Advanced A
- Chinese Intermediate A
- Economic Perspectives on Development
- French Advanced A
- French for Professional Purposes 2A
- French Intermediate A
- German Advanced A
- German Intermediate A
- Italian Advanced A
- Italian Intermediate A
- Japanese Advanced A
- Japanese Intermediate A
- Research Skills for Development
- Social Change, Culture and Development
- Spanish Advanced A
- Spanish for Professional Purposes 2A
- Spanish Intermediate A
- Arabic Advanced B
- Arabic Intermediate B
- British Sign Language and Deaf Culture 2B
- Chinese Advanced B
- Chinese Intermediate B
- Development and the State
- Environmental Perspectives on Development
- French Advanced B
- French for Professional Purposes 2B
- French Intermediate B
- Gender and Development: Theory, Concepts and Issues
- German Advanced B
- German Intermediate B
- Health, Poverty and Inequality
- International Education and Development
- Italian Advanced B
- Italian Intermediate B
- Japanese Advanced B
- Japanese Intermediate B
- Race, Ethnicity and Nationalism
- Spanish Advanced B
- Spanish for Professional Purposes 2B
- Spanish Intermediate B
Autumn teaching
Spring teaching
We regularly review our modules to incorporate student feedback, staff expertise, as well as the latest research and teaching methodology. We’re planning to run these modules in the academic year 2024/25. However, there may be changes to these modules in response to feedback, staff availability, student demand or updates to our curriculum. We’ll make sure to let you know of any material changes to modules at the earliest opportunity.
We’ll do our best to provide as much optional choice as we can, but timetabling constraints mean it may not be possible to take some module combinations. The structure of a small number of courses means that the order of modules or the streams you choose may determine whether modules are core or optional. This means that your core modules or options may differ from what’s shown here.
Check back in January 2025 for more details of the modules running in the academic year 2025/26.
Study abroad (optional)
Apply to study abroad – you’ll develop an international perspective and gain an edge when it comes to your career. Find out where your course could take you
If your application to study abroad is successful, you’ll have to meet the academic requirements at Sussex and also at the partner university. Find out more about studying abroad as a Sussex student
Placement (optional)
To help you gain experience and increase your employability, you can apply for an optional placement as part of your course. You’ll be responsible for applying for and securing your placement. Our dedicated careers team can provide you with information and advice. If you’re successful in obtaining a placement, this will form part of your course.
Find out more about placements and internships
Please note that if you’re receiving – or applying for – USA federal Direct Loan funds, you can’t transfer to the version of your course with an optional study abroad period in any country or optional placement in the USA if the number of credits for the placement/internship exceeds 25% of the total credits for your course. Find out more about American Student Loans and Federal Student Aid
Options
You choose options to broaden your horizons and tailor your course to your interests. This list gives you a flavour of our options, which are kept under review and may change, for example in response to student feedback or the latest research.
While it’s our aim for students to take their preferred combinations of options, this can’t be guaranteed and will be subject to timetabling. Options may be grouped and if so, students will be able to choose a set number of options from the selection available in any particular group.
- Advanced Sustainable Development: Sustainability in Policy and Practice
- Arabic Advanced A
- Arabic in Context A
- British Sign Language and Deaf Culture 3A
- Building Peace After War
- Chinese Advanced A
- Chinese in Context A
- Cultures of Colonialism
- Development, Business and Corporate Social Responsibility
- Disasters, Environment and Development
- Disease, Diplomacy and Development
- East Asia Rising: Beyond the American Century?
- Environment and Development in World Politics
- Environmental Protest: Past & Present
- French Advanced A (B)
- French For Professional Purposes 3A
- French in Context A
- Geographies of Money, Finance, and Debt
- Geographies of Rising and Declining Powers
- German Advanced A
- German in Context A
- Global Work Experience
- Hope for health: Disease, development and society
- Human Rights
- Italian Advanced A
- Italian in Context A
- Japanese Advanced A
- Japanese in Context A
- Mobilities and Global Inequalities
- Palestine and the International
- Policing Racial Capitalism
- Refugees, Migrants and Religion
- Religions in Global Politics
- Slavery, Emancipation and Legacies
- Spanish Advanced A (B)
- Spanish for Professional Purposes 3A
- Spanish in Context A
- The Anthropology of Geopolitics
- Arabic Advanced B
- Arabic in Context B
- British Sign Language and Deaf Culture 3B
- Chinese Advanced B
- Chinese in Context B
- Critical Perspectives on Conflict and Violence
- Decolonial Movements
- Designing Alternatives for Development
- Development Tools and Skills
- Education, Justice & Liberation
- French Advanced B (B)
- French For Professional Purposes 3B
- French in Context B
- German Advanced B
- German in Context B
- Italian Advanced B
- Italian in Context B
- Japanese Advanced B
- Japanese in Context B
- Political Ecology and Environmental Justice
- Spanish Advanced B (B)
- Spanish for Professional Purposes 3B
- Spanish in Context B
Autumn teaching
Spring teaching
We regularly review our modules to incorporate student feedback, staff expertise, as well as the latest research and teaching methodology. We’re planning to run these modules in the academic year 2024/25. However, there may be changes to these modules in response to feedback, staff availability, student demand or updates to our curriculum. We’ll make sure to let you know of any material changes to modules at the earliest opportunity.
We’ll do our best to provide as much optional choice as we can, but timetabling constraints mean it may not be possible to take some module combinations. The structure of a small number of courses means that the order of modules or the streams you choose may determine whether modules are core or optional. This means that your core modules or options may differ from what’s shown here.
Check back in January 2025 for more details of the modules running in the academic year 2025/26.
Practical skills and applied learning
In addition to your lectures and seminars, you’ll have the opportunity to take part in:
- practice-based modules that foster learning by doing
- creative workshops to apply your learning to re-imagining development
- guest talks by development practitioners and activists, as well as visits from alumni to learn from their work
- access to the Department of Language Studies’ language suite, multimedia workstation and Language Café.
Silver
The student experience and student outcomes are typically very high quality.
This rating was awarded in 2023, for four years.
(Teaching Excellence Framework 2023)
Find out more about our approach to teaching and supporting you to thrive
Our staff
I am working on a project with the University of Bergen, Norway, investigating issues of corporate social responsibility in the global oil industry.”Dr Dinah Rajak
Lecturer in Anthropology and International Development
International Development
Prof Grace Carswell
Professor of Geography and International Development
Prof Anne-Meike Fechter
Professor of Anthropology and International Development
Dr Lyndsay McLean
Reader in Anthropology and International Development
Prof Benjamin Selwyn
Professor of International Relations and International Development
Languages
Fees
Fees are not yet set for the academic year 2025/26 – please check back in September 2024. Note that your fees, once they’re set, may be subject to an increase on an annual basis.
Find out about typical living costs for studying at Sussex
Find out about our terms and conditions
Scholarships
Details of our scholarships are not yet set for entry in the academic year 2025/26.
Careers
You gain transferable skills in problem-solving and independent learning. Employers will value your extra language abilities, improved communication and cultural understanding.
You can use your degree in International Development with a Language for careers in:
- environment and international development
- the charity, voluntary, social and welfare sectors
- the Civil Service, politics and social research.
We support and stay in touch with our graduates – you can attend specialist careers events and receive careers advice from Sussex, for up to three years after you have completed your studies.
Graduate destinations
Recent International Development graduates have started jobs as or in:
- advocacy and communications assistant, War Child UK
- consultant, UN Industrial Development Organisation
- programme monitoring, UNHCR Earthquake Response Programme, Nepal.
(International Development careers database)
Working while you study
Our Careers and Entrepreneurship team can help you find part-time work while you study. Find out more about career development and part-time work
Sussex has given me the skills and expertise to get involved in field work and research in my home country of Palestine.”Bushra Khalidi
International Development BA