Twelve months from admission to development professional: Waterloo's course-based MDP, housed in the School of Environment, Enterprise and Development, runs four courses a term across health, natural, social and management sciences and then sends every student out on a spring-term field placement — recent cohorts have worked in India, Madagascar, Tanzania and Canada. One September intake, applications due 1 February, and a reference letter that must speak to your leadership is part of the price of entry.
Key facts
Duration
12 months (1 year)
Language
English
Format
Full-time
Intake
September (sole intake)
Curriculum modules
Interdisciplinary coursework — Four courses per term across health, natural, social and management sciences.
Development practice skills — Applied methods for the development profession.
Field placement (DEVP 611) — Spring-term supervised placement in the development sector.
Admission requirements
Four-year honours bachelor's degree in humanities, social science, health, engineering, environmental science or business with at least 75% overall standing in the last two years
TOEFL/IELTS for non-native English speakers
Two references (one attesting to leadership competencies) and a 500-word statement of interest
Career destinations
Development Practitioner — NGOs & international agencies
Sustainable Development Analyst — Government & multilaterals
The 2026 Sustainability Degree Shortlist Guide: pick, compare and afford the right programme — plus occasional emails with new programmes, scholarships and application tips.