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Develop the skills, insights and ideas needed to explore how globalisation, trade and industrial development shape economies and societies.

MSc Global Development (Globalisation, Trade and Industry) examines the changing relationships between countries through cross-border trade, finance, labour and production.

You will consider how industrial development strategies and international trade policies influence development processes, economic transformation and global inequality.

The course brings together perspectives from political economy, geography, sociology, political science, and international business to help you understand the development consequences of globalisation.

You will explore contemporary issues relating to global value chains, multinational corporations, trade policy, industrialisation and the role of global financial systems in shaping development outcomes.

You will engage with applied learning through research-led teaching, interaction with policy actors and practitioners, and opportunities such as factory visits.

Key themes include:

• industrial development strategies in emerging and developing economies;
• international trade policies and their implications for development;
• global value chains and the distribution of production across borders;
• the role of multinational corporations and global financial systems;
• the relationship between globalisation, inequality, poverty reduction and sustainability.

Studying at Manchester places you within the Global Development Institute, one of the largest development-focused research and teaching institutes in Europe.

You will be part of a university ranked in the world’s top five for Development Studies, with opportunities to learn alongside a diverse community of students and researchers focused on global development challenges.

The programme is suitable for students interested in careers in government, international organisations, NGOs, civil society organisations, the private sector, research, policy and development practice, particularly where these roles focus on trade, industry, economic development and globalisation.

You will:

• gain critical insights into different theoretical and inter-disciplinary perspectives on the political economy of globalisation, trade policy dynamics, and industrial development within the wider context of global development strategies;
• develop your analytical skills in critically evaluating and engaging with distinct and cutting-edge theoretical frameworks that help shape understanding of global value chains and global production networks and their implications for trade dynamics, industrial and trade policies, firm strategies and labour, social and environmental outcomes;
• gain an understanding of the relationship of globalisation to economic, political and social asymmetries of development at global, regional, national and local scales;
• gain an appreciation of the policy issues associated with globalisation, trade and industry and their impacts including insights into the key strategies, policies and practices currently employed by leading public and private policy actors in the global South, prominent international agencies as well as private sector and civil society actors.

• 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 12,000-15,000-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.