Master in Global Development

Master in Global Development is one of 10 English-taught Development Studies programmes at Master's Degree level in the register, offered by 5 institutions. 10 of them list an annual fee for students from outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland, from EUR 4,250 to EUR 17,300; this programme lists EUR 6,700 a year. 7 are recorded as free for EU, EEA and Swiss students.

The MSc in Global Development at the University of Copenhagen is a two-year English-taught programme for students who want to understand and work on the changes globalisation has brought, especially in the Global South. It is a full-time research university degree. One thing to know up front: this version of the programme is being phased out. You can apply for the last time for study start in September 2027. After that, the programme changes as part of the university's new master's degree opportunities.

What you study

The first year is made up of seven compulsory courses. In the first semester you take Applied Research Methods, Global Politics, Global Development: Theories, Facts and Current Issues, and Transnational Actors, People and Placemaking. The second semester includes Interdisciplinary Field Research, Social Science Perspectives on Climate Change and Development, and Global Business and Economics. All students go on the same mandatory field course in a low or middle-income country.

The second year is for specialisation. In the third semester you choose restricted electives worth 30 ECTS. The programme lists example courses in several areas, including climate, urbanisation, migration, humanitarian aid, anthropology, sociology, political science, economics, geography, food and resource economics, and African studies. The fourth semester is your master's thesis, 30 ECTS.

How the programme is organised

Teaching is field- and research-based. You will do project work, take part in class discussions, and carry out individual and collaborative research. The programme has an international scope, and the cohort is diverse, which the programme page describes as part of the learning experience.

In the third semester you can also study abroad for up to 30 ECTS, take an internship worth 15, 22,5 or 30 ECTS, or write a co-curricular written assignment. An internship needs a protocol and plan accepted by your supervisor. The programme is taught in English.

Who it suits

It suits students with a bachelor's in anthropology, economics, geography, geoinformatics, natural resources, political science, public health, sociology, or urban, energy and environmental planning. Those degrees meet the academic requirements automatically if you also meet English B. Other Danish or international degrees can qualify if the admission board assesses them as equivalent and they include at least 15 ECTS of qualitative or quantitative methods.

The programme gives priority to applicants with personal international experience related to global development, such as studying, working or volunteering abroad or in development programmes. Good grades in relevant bachelor courses and a recent bachelor's degree also count.

Admission, language and next steps

You apply through the application portal. The deadline for applicants from outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland is 15 January at 23:59 CET, with applications opening on 15 November and replies by 13 March. For Danish applicants and applicants from within the EU, EEA and Switzerland, the deadline is 1 March at 23:59 CET, with applications opening on 16 January and replies by 15 May. The programme does not offer pre-assessment of your educational background.

You must document English B and upload a transcript, a self-assessment form, a description of academic relevance, proof of language proficiency, a CV and a copy of your passport or national ID. Depending on your background, you may also need course descriptions, a grading scale description, or proof of passed master's courses. Students from outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland pay an application fee and tuition. Students from the EU, EEA and Switzerland study free of charge.

Master’s applications go straight to University of Copenhagen, not through optagelse.dk, and the institution sets its own deadline. The register shows 15 January 2027 as the next deadline for this programme. Intake, as the register states it: Starts 1 September 2027 (apply by 15 January 2027). Entry requirements and language tests are set by the institution, so start from the official programme page. Our guides cover tuition fees, residence permits and housing.