Migration and International Development may be completed at MSc level (12 months full-time), Postgraduate Diploma level (9 months full-time) or Postgraduate Certificate level (3 months full-time).

Programme Coordinator:  Dr Heaven Crawley

PLEASE NOTE THAT THE MSC IN MIGRATION AND INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT IS SUSPENDED FOR THE 2010-2011 SESSION

The phenomenon of international migration continues to challenge global society on the levels of international politics, law and human rights, social and population policies. The programme in Migration and International Development reflects the importance for development policies and planning of the inter-relationships between poverty, demographic and environmental changes, and population movements (including economic, political and environmental migration, resettlement and displacement). The course introduces students to the major debates surrounding contemporary migration and aims to foster a sophisticated understanding of the relationship between migration and global structures, transnationalisation, governance, development, citizenship and human rights.

The programme is taught by staff from Swansea University's Centre for Migration Policy Research (CMPR) in conjunction with the Geography Department and Centre for Development Studies (CDS). CMPR's mission is to encourage the exchange of ideas about international migration with the aim of ensuring that policy making is underpinned by empirical evidence about the nature and causes of migration, the impacts on different countries and communities and the effects - both intended and unintended - of policy responses. The programme is inter-disciplinary with the aim of developing a better understanding of relationships between international relations and the global political economy, national and international policy regimes, and migrants' own perceptions and experiences.

The focus of the programme is on   

• Understanding and theorising different types of economic migration, the political and social factors influencing migration flows and patterns, the impacts of migration on societies and individuals and the international policy response;
• Causes and patterns of forced migration, political and policy responses to global refugee flows at the international, supra-national and national levels, and the legal and human rights framework for international refugee protection; and
• Understanding relationships between migration and international development at the local, national and international levels, including the negative and positive impacts on sending and host countries, the impact of remittances on poverty, inequality and economic development and the development potential of international migration flows.

Why study Migration and International Development?

• Growing awareness in all areas of policy making of increasing international migration and the complex challenges and opportunities with which it is associated;
• Heightened international focus on the experiences and rights of refugees, asylum seekers, economic and environmental migrants;
• Increasing public and political concern about how to manage the positive and negative economic and social consequences of migration;
• Concern to better harness the opportunities presented by migration for the promotion of development and reduction of social inequalities.

Curently, under this programme, students will take four compulsory modules (plus two others from a selection):

• Studying International Development
• Social Development Theory & Applications
• Governance & Development Policy
• Migration Theory & Practice
• Forced Migration
• Plus one module from a selection
• Dissertation (for MSc students only)

Postgraduate Diploma in Migration and International Development

Students registered for the Postgraduate Diploma in Migration and International Development follow the same modules as those on the MSc but are not required to write a dissertation. The general assessment procedures are the same as those for Part One of the MSc. 

Entry Requirements

A good second-class degree, or above, from an approved institution. However, applicants who do not possess these qualifications may be considered if they have at least two years’ relevant experience at a responsible level and can demonstrate ability to cope with the academic requirements of the programme.

How to Apply

Details of how to apply can be found here for UK applicants

Details of how to apply can be found here for EU and overseas applicants

EnglishLanguage

Applicants for whom English is not their mother tongue or who have not received a significant proportion of their education in English are required to provide evidence of their English language competency.  The level normally considered acceptable for admission is 6.5 IELTS or 570/230 TOEFL.  However, other evidence such as higher education or working in English can be accepted.  Applicants with lower scores may be required to take an approved language course.  Such courses are available in the Centre for Applied Language Studies in the University.  For more information on International English language tests, please consult the following websites:

www.toefl.org

www.ielts.org

www.ucles.org.uk

Career Prospects

Graduates go on to work as development practitioners and policy advisers with NGOs, aid agencies, and organisations such as USAID, UNDP, WHO, Save the Children, Oxfam, DFID.  Please visit our CDS Alumni page for more information. 

Overseas students can visit the University's International Office web site for useful information on studying at Swansea.

What Our Students Say 

I chose this programme for my Masters as the compulsory modules within it cover a broad base of development issues (e.g. governance, social policy, a module of your choice and international development) as well as focussing in on two specialist areas of population movements policy. One of these modules; population policy and dynamics, gives an insight into international development’s changing approaches towards population dynamics and considers fertility theory. Migration gives a broad understanding of the different types of migration and the economic, political and social factors influencing these migration flows. I found the course stimulating and useful, the focus on population and migration is highly relevant for today and it was invaluable to be able to have the opportunity to study these issues in more depth. [Helen Buhaenko, MSc Population Movements & Policies, 2007/2008]