Interested in pursuing extra-curricular activities or work in global development?
We regularly update this page with internships, jobs and other opportunities in the international development sector. If you would like to profile an opportunity here, please get in touch.
The UNSW HDRs in Development Network brings together HDR students working across UNSW on development-related research topics at UNSW, to share experiences and to promote development initiatives of IGD amongst HDR students.
The UNSW HDRs in Development Network is currently hosted on the UNSW Team’s platform as a public group open to interested students who would like to join based on their research backgrounds. If you have challenges joining, please contact Hanson (h.arthur@adfa.edu.au) or Kaira (k.canete@unsw.edu.au) to be added to the group.
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade - Australian Volunteers for International Development
The Australian Volunteers Program provides opportunities for skilled Australians to contribute to the Australian Government's aid program. Positions vary and are available all year round. More information is available on their website.
Engineers Without Borders - Volunteer Program
Engineers Without Borders (EWB) has various volunteering and internship opportunities available throughout the year. More information is available on their website.
SDGx Academy - edX Online Programs
Head to the edX website to see relevant online courses from The SDG Academy. The SDG Academy creates and curates graduate-level courses on sustainable development for learners around the world. More information is available here.
Interning at the IGD was one of the highlights of my Social Research and Policy degree. Putting my skills into practice on a project with real consequences for the way that UNSW short-term study trips are run was empowering and made me really invest in the quality of my work. Most importantly, working in a supportive and positive team with close supervision was really enjoyable!
Jonathan (Social Research & Policy/Law, 4th year)
The IGD welcomes UNSW students from all disciplines throughout the year.
Previous volunteers and interns have undertaken work on mapping UNSW work against the SDGs, developing and revising student mobility tools, assessing environmental policy approaches and supporting conferences and events.
You may be able to undertake an internship or volunteer with the IGD through the following UNSW programs:
The UNSW United Nations Society is a student run, not-for-profit organisation which seeks to promote the ideals of the United Nations on campus and within our community.
UNSW ASEAN Society was founded in 2018 by a group of students who are keen on establishing the first holistic ASEAN community in UNSW.
UN Youth Australia are one of Australia's largest youth-led organisations, educating and empowering young Australians to build the peoples' movement for the United Nations.
AIESEC is a non-governmental not-for-profit organisation in consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), affiliated with the UN DPI, member of ICMYO, and is recognised by UNESCO.
Young Australians in International Affairs (YAIA)
YAIA is a not-for profit organisation fostering the next generation of Australian perspectives and leadership in international affairs and building the high calibre leaders necessary to navigate Australia's future in the Indo-Pacific century.
ASEAN Youth Organisation of Australia
As a non-profit, non-government, and wholly youth-run organisation, the ASEAN Youth Organisation of Australia are driven solely by the goal of nurturing their members to become leaders of change in their communities.
The below information is an indicative library of degrees at UNSW that offer the opportunity to study development across a variety of disciplines.
At UNSW Faculty of Art, Design and Architecture,studying development has a unique interdisciplinary approach for investigating issues facing our world today. It is essential for providing answers to the world’s most complicated questions in a time when urbanisation is accelerating, environmental health is declining and disparities are widening.
Global development in the Faculty of Art, Design and Architecture can be studied at undergraduate, postgraduate and postgraduate research levels across a variety of disciplines and schools. We have included some courses below that students may wish to consider as part of their degree.
Current undergraduate course options include:
Current postgraduate course options are:
Global development can also be studied across a variety of courses in other faculties at UNSW across a diverse range of subject areas. These include:
For the full list of UNSW courses, please consult the Course Handbook and UNSW Degree Finder, and seek advice from your Faculty.
Degrees
Students of international studies – whether they are aspiring diplomats or gifted linguists – have a natural curiosity about the world. This degree challenges you to examine the dynamics of global and regional change, explore developments in international politics and economics, and evaluate the ways in which the world is changing.
The flexibility of a Bachelor of Arts degree allows you to pursue your interests and career aspirations across a range of disciplines within the humanities and social sciences, including languages, arts, history, philosophy and business.
Environmental engineers are concerned with the impact on the natural world by engineering activities. They combine their broad knowledge of engineering and environmental processes in identifying environmental problems and then developing effective solutions.
By studying how human activity impacts our planet, environmental scientists help shape policy and environmental regulations to create sustainable solutions. This degree will teach you the theory and practical skills you need to influence decisions by providing guidance on how to create a balance between economic, social and environmental concerns.
The Bachelor of International Public Health (BIPH) offers a unique fully online experience delivered through the ground-breaking PLuS Alliance partnership between UNSW Sydney, Arizona State University (ASU) and Kings College London.
Learn how to shape sustainable, equitable, healthy and inspiring built environments. City planners play a pivotal role in decisions shaping the future of our cities and regions by working at the interface between development and environment.
The Bachelor of Politics, Philosophy and Economics (PPE) provides graduates with a powerful combination of intellectual tools to understand and act in the world. The PPE draws together the perspectives of three crucial academic disciplines to address contemporary national and global issues, such as justice, inequality and climate change.
Social researchers inform public debate and political decision-making. This degree develops knowledge and skills in research and analysis to help you understand complex social, environmental and economic problems. Core courses cover social science, policy analysis and research methods.
Studying International Relations (IR) at UNSW will equip you with a strong theoretical and practical understanding of contemporary world politics. The program is designed to introduce you to the main theories and theoretical traditions developed to explain the practices and processes of world politics.
The Master of International Public Health (MIPH) is recognised as a sought after qualification in international health. Many graduates of MIPH or similar programs have found employment with international aid organisations.
The Master of Development Studies (MDS) is offered by the School of Social Sciences and is a flexible and interactive program that provides specialist studies in international development at the local, national and international level. It is based on a philosophy of human rights, social justice, community development and participatory approaches.
The Master of Laws by Coursework offers a flexible and specialised opportunity for law and non-law graduates to develop an advanced, integrated and contemporary understanding of one or more areas of legal study, some of which call for cross-disciplinary perspectives, depending entirely on the student's areas of interests.
A Master of Philosophy (MPhil) combines a thesis comprising an original piece of research that is at least 66% of the degree, and compulsory coursework including research training that is relevant to the field of study.
A Masters by Research (MRes) requires completion of an original piece of research that, given the timeframe, is more limited in scope and nature than that required for a PhD.
The Professional Doctorate in Public Policy and Governance at UNSW is designed for policymakers seeking leadership roles in public policy development. This degree combines postgraduate coursework study in advanced policy work with doctoral research. Our professional degree in applied research draws on your real-world policy knowledge and develops your policy leadership, expertise and research skills.
A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) requires completion of a piece of research that demonstrates a significant and original contribution to knowledge in the field of study.
