Overview

In today’s data-driven world, the success of development and organisational initiatives increasingly depends on professionals who can combine strategic insight with technological understanding.

You’ll explore how information, IT, and information systems shape, and are shaped by, organisations, with a particular focus on low- and middle-income countries.

Whether you’re tackling the challenges of e-government, e-commerce, or broader digital development strategies, this Management and Information Systems - Change and Development programme offered by The University of Manchester prepares you to lead change from the inside out, ensuring that digital solutions not only work technically, but also align with organisational goals and social realities.

Career opportunities

This course is designed to develop two groups of participants: functional managers who wish to take greater control over, and make a more direct contribution to, change in their organisations via the development and implementation of information systems; and information systems professionals who wish to improve the success rate of the information systems they develop or use, and who may also wish to upgrade their management skills and knowledge.

• NGOs and third-sector organisations

The teaching and research aims are suited to work in non-government and civil society organisations where you take on a range of roles from policy advisors, project managers, HR and communications staff.

The alumni can be found at large international NGOs like Oxfam as well as in many smaller organisations.

• Government and policy

Graduates can be found in national governments, multilateral organisations and policy influencing positions around the world, in organisations including DFID, the World Bank, African Union, United Nations and as civil servants around the world.

• Private sector

The focus on how businesses and the private sector can play a role in development enables you to gain employment in multinational organisations, private sector firms or to start your own organisations addressing some of the biggest global challenges.

• Research and teaching

The master's courses provide you with a strong theoretical foundation for further study.

Alumni find employment in research and teaching positions at universities and research institutes around the world. Top employers include:

• African Union;

• Oxfam;

• Inter-American Development Bank;

• Care;

• Mercy Corps;

• The British Council;

• the World Bank;

• the Department for International Development;

• United Nations;

• USAID.