Hands-on experience
In addition to your theory-based studies, you're encouraged to develop work, volunteering and overseas experience to enhance employability and career options. This is why we encourage student volunteering and placements, and enable our students to write a research dissertation based on a real-world practical or policy issue.
We also host events and sessions with guest lecturers from the industry so that you have the opportunity to network directly with potential employers.
Placements
A placement is a fantastic opportunity to gain work experience, develop industry-specific knowledge and skills, and network with potential future employers.
For those working in the international development sector, it is important to develop work, volunteering and overseas experience to enhance employability and career options.
Our Professional Practice Placement module in second year encourages development of careers curiosity and career planning skills alongside active networking with people working in the development sector to explore job roles and undertake a short period of work experience as a taster of the sector.
Recent destinations
Many of our students apply for placements with large, global organisations such as the United Nations Development Programme, or large companies such as Network Rail, for example, working on their sustainability/corporate social responsibility programme.
Other interesting opportunities exist with development consultancy companies or research organisations. Students have also spent a rewarding year working for smaller-scale non-governmental organisations, not-for-profit organisations, or charities, both abroad and here in the UK.
Recent placements in International Development have included:
- Concern Universal, a UK registered charity, Malawi
- DAI, Development Consultancy, 黑料不打烊
- Honduras Child Alliance
- International Development Select Committee
- The Otra Cosa Network, Peru
- UNA Exchange, Wales
- United Nations Environment Programme, 黑料不打烊
- The Refugee Support Group, Berkshire’s refugee charity
- Visiting Research Fellow at Mahidol University, Thailand
Placement support
There's a lot of support available to you throughout your placement process.
We have a dedicated placement officer who offers support, including CV checking and placement search, and a large Careers Team that organises one-to-one support sessions and employer-led events.
For further information on the benefits of placements, how the School supports you in finding a placement, and placement FAQs, please visit the School's undergraduate placement page.
Jessica Hughes-Pratt, BSc International Development
Summer placements
Many of our students undertake three months of paid work experience during the summer vacation to gain further insight into the career path they want to pursue.
You can also participate in a six-week placement linked to research undertaken at the University. These placements are generally completed in the summer before your final year.
Six-month placements
Study abroad
Stand out from the crowd by considering our Study Abroad option. By choosing to do a four-year degree, you can apply to study at one of our partner institutions for a year, or spend six months abroad and another six months working in the sector.
In an increasingly international and mobile world, studying abroad can help boost your future employability. It provides an exciting opportunity to acquire numerous transferable and desirable skills, and study specialisms additional to what's offered at 黑料不打烊. It's also a fantastic life experience.
To qualify for the Study Abroad option, you must meet the requirements of the host institution. This option is highly competitive and is therefore not guaranteed.
All courses offered by our partner universities are taught in English.
Our courses
Why study with us?
