Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ

Develop the knowledge and skills needed to support people, organisations and communities to achieve sustainable development goals.

MSc Human Resource Development (International Development) explores how learning, capacity development and organisational effectiveness can contribute to positive change in international development contexts. The course examines how individuals, organisations and wider systems can develop the capabilities needed to address complex development challenges.

Delivered within the Global Development Institute, the programme combines perspectives from human resource development, organisational learning and international development. You will explore how organisations build knowledge, skills and capacity, and how these processes influence development outcomes in different social, economic and political contexts.

The course focuses on the development of people and organisations, examining themes such as learning, training, professional development, leadership and capacity building. You will critically evaluate approaches to organisational development and consider how they can be applied within development-focused organisations and programmes.

You will learn from academics with expertise in international development, organisational learning and people development, while studying alongside students from a diverse range of professional and cultural backgrounds. This international learning environment encourages the exchange of experiences and perspectives from around the world.

The programme is suitable for students and professionals interested in supporting organisational effectiveness, learning and capacity development across NGOs, international organisations, government agencies and other development-focused settings.

You will gain:  

• knowledge and understanding of the linkage between international development and HRD practices and policies; 
• knowledge of globalisation and cross-cultural actors affecting the application of HRD and education theories and methods in low and middle-income countries; 
• knowledge of education and HRD interventions and their role in building leadership skills and capacity; 
• knowledge of how approaches to national human resource development (NHRD) affect organisation and societal performance in developing and transitional economies; 
• knowledge of how new approaches to HRD strategies including private sector management and development, social capital, knowledge management, gender planning affects the context for competence and performance enhancement in organisations and societies; 
• understanding of how to analyse and design HRD strategies at societal and organisational level; 
• understanding of your own learning and leadership skills and how they may be improved.

• We're Europe's largest dedicated development research and teaching institute and have been at the .
• We are ranked first for research environment and second overall in the UK in the most recent Research Excellence Framework (REF 2021).
• We are proud to tackle global inequalities and rank first in the UK for our impact on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) (THE Impact Rankings 2025).
• We bring cutting-edge insights from our research into all our postgraduate teaching. Our courses bring different development perspectives and voices to Manchester, from to the leaders of multinational companies.
• We are home to the internationally recognised , and research centres.
• Students are part of our vibrant research community, including our which brings world experts, former heads of state, and leading development thinkers, to discuss current issues in development.

Important notice: factors affecting fieldwork and placements

The School of Environment, Education and Development (SEED) recognises the value of fieldwork and placements. However, the safety and wellbeing of our students and staff remains our priority.

The School will assess on a regular basis the viability of any travel and fieldwork and communicate any significant changes to our students at the earliest possible opportunity.

The taught elements of the course, carrying 120 credits overall, is continuously assessed by a variety of methods (eg, project-based reports, essays), involving largely individual submissions, but also elements of group work. 

You must also complete a 12,000 to 15,000-word dissertation on a topic of your choice approved by the Programme Directors.

You are encouraged to base your dissertation on topics of direct professional concern.