International Development with Economics

International development is the field concerned with understanding and addressing global inequality, poverty, and the conditions under which people and societies can flourish. It draws on economics, political science, sociology, geography, and history to analyse why some parts of the world are wealthy while others remain poor, what the consequences of global economic systems are for different populations, and what kinds of policy, aid, trade, and governance interventions actually help. Economics provides the quantitative and theoretical tools that make development analysis rigorous, giving you the frameworks to evaluate whether particular policies work and why.

At the University of Bath, the BSc in International Development with Economics is a three-year full-time programme taught within a department that takes a broad social science approach to development questions while grounding that approach in economic reasoning. You will study economic theory, development economics, international trade, poverty analysis, and the politics of aid and governance, alongside the social science perspectives that situate economic analysis in its human and historical context. Bath is known for its practically engaged social science, and the programme reflects a commitment to understanding development as both an intellectual and an ethical project.

The combination of international development and economics produces graduates who can think rigorously about complex global questions and communicate their thinking to a wide range of audiences.

Graduates go on to careers in international development organisations, NGOs, the United Nations system, government aid agencies, international finance institutions, economic consultancy, journalism, and policy analysis. The degree is also a strong foundation for postgraduate study in development economics, international relations, or social policy.