The MSc African Development programme aims to provide students with a high quality academic introduction to the study of politics, economic development and economic policy in Africa. The programme employs political economy approaches to understand the variegated national trajectories of African states, regionalism and localism in politics and economics, and the political and economic forces that shape Africa's insertion into the global economy. The objective of the programme is to track the causes and effects of the shifts in development theory and practice since the mid-twentieth century. These have exerted powerful effects on public policy in Africa. A focus on specific events and places within the continent will be set within the global context of institutional, environmental and technological transformations shaping Africa's future. In addition to compulsory courses introducing African political economy and development policy, you will take a broad range of courses on topics including health, humanitarianism and development. Many LSE International Development students go on to pursue PhDs in related disciplines, and we anticipate that many African Development students will follow this path. We also expect that MSc African Development students, like other International Development students, will find opportunities in international aid agencies, NGOs, government agencies, the media, and research positions that allow them to employ the skills gained on the programme.