Master in Development Studies

The Master's programme in Development Studies at the University of Bayreuth examines the causes, conditions, and consequences of development, change, and globalisation in Latin America, Asia, and Africa. The approach is interdisciplinary, combining perspectives from development sociology and politics, geography, and economics to analyse how social, political, and spatial conditions interact. The programme is bilingual, offered in both German and English, with an English track available. Students can complete the programme as full-time or part-time students. Teaching is organised around three core disciplines. Development Sociology and Politics covers theoretical and methodological approaches to development, the critique of the concept of development itself, and the actions of relevant actors within development politics. Geography addresses spatial dimensions of development, methods and institutions in development cooperation, and theories of space and society. Economics examines debates in political economy, conditions for sustainable development, and corporate governance from an ethical and economic perspective. A project-focused unit is built into the programme structure: students undertake either a guided internship or a study project or field research, merging theoretical knowledge with concrete empirical or professional work. The university's long-standing research focus on Africa provides particular depth in that regional context, complemented by comparative analyses of other regions. The programme starts in the winter semester. The programme is offered at the University of Bayreuth, located in Bayreuth, Germany.