Master’s Degree in International Development Cooperation
You will be able to take up senior positions in international organisations, NGOs, consultancy firms and companies involved in the field of co-operation and development
What is the Master’s degree?
The University Institute for Migration Studies (IUEM) has been running this Master’s programme since 1997, training highly qualified professionals to pursue careers in the field of international development cooperation.
The Master’s programme offers multidisciplinary training aimed at developing professional skills in the field of international cooperation and development. It also provides an introduction to research, facilitating progression to doctoral studies.
The programme prepares students to work in national and international organisations, public and private institutions, NGOs, development NGOs, consultancy firms and other bodies linked to cooperation and development, regardless of the career path they choose.
The students’ comprehensive training is complemented by work placements in public or private organisations, enabling them to gain first-hand experience of the realities of international co-operation and development aid. Furthermore, students on the Master’s programme will have the opportunity to undertake voluntary work outside Spain through the ‘Plan Vuela’ scheme, participating in one of the 35 projects being carried out in 11 countries across Latin America, Europe, Africa and Asia.
- CentersInstituto Universitario de Estudios sobre Migraciones
- LanguagesEspañol
- CertificationMásteres oficiales
- ModalityPresencial
- Duration1 año (60 ECTS)
- Starts On23/09/2026
- Seats50
Si necesitas más información puedes rellenar el siguiente formulario y recibirás información de este programa.
Why study this Master’s degree?
The Master’s Degree in International Development Cooperation has a track record spanning almost three decades in training professionals in the fields of cooperation and development. Its approach combines multidisciplinary training with a strong practical and professional focus.
The programme allows students to specialise through two pathways —Development Economics and Communication and Advocacy —and offers guaranteed work placements with organisations in the sector. Furthermore, students have the opportunity to complement their studies with international experiences and to gain an introduction to research as a pathway to doctoral studies.
What sets us apart?
Employment rate amongst Master’s graduates
Regulated work placements
Teachers who combine teaching with their professional practice
Curriculum
Study Plan
Master’s Degree in International Development Cooperation / MCID 17 RD2007
Créditos
- Humanitarian aid
- Design, monitoring and evaluation of cooperation projects
- The international cooperation system
- Approaches to development
- The ethics of international development cooperation
- Management of development cooperation organisations and programmes
- Professional skills
- Migration and development cooperation
- Sustainable Development Goals
- Development cooperation programs in the field of education
- Vulnerable individuals
On this Master’s programme, work placements are guaranteed; you’ll be able to undertake them both in Spain and abroad.
Career opportunities
This programme prepares students for professional practice in fields such as:
- Cooperation Projects Officer at NGOs and foundations
- International development consultant
- Programme manager at cooperation agencies (national or regional)
- Humanitarian aid specialist
- Project Evaluation and Monitoring Officer
- Head of Advocacy and Campaigns
- Expert in sustainability and corporate social responsibility (CSR)
- Researcher or analyst at think tanks and universities
Faculty of teachers
Work Experience
We prepare you for your future and introduce you to the real world through comprehensive work experience placements.
Information for students
Career and academic opportunities
The Master’s degree in International Development Cooperation offers strong international prospects by combining rigorous academic training with a practical and global focus. Its interdisciplinary approach, the diversity of the student body and its links with international development networks, multilateral organisations and NGOs across different continents enable students to acquire technical and intercultural skills that are highly valued in the sector. This combination prepares students to enter the professional world with confidence from day one, whilst providing them with a solid foundation for pursuing a research degree, both in academia – through a PhD – and in applied settings such as think tanks and specialist consultancy firms.
This programme prepares students for professional practice in fields such as:
· Cooperation project officer in NGOs and foundations, designing, implementing and evaluating interventions in the field.
· International development consultant, working for multilateral organisations such as the United Nations, the World Bank or the European Union.
· Programme manager in cooperation agencies (national or regional), participating in the strategic planning of development policies.
· Humanitarian action specialist, working in crisis, emergency and post-conflict reconstruction contexts.
· Project evaluation and monitoring officer, focusing on impact measurement, accountability and improving interventions.
· Advocacy and policy officer, influencing public policy and international development agendas.
· Expert in sustainability and corporate social responsibility (CSR) within companies operating internationally.
· Researcher or analyst in think tanks and universities, in areas such as migration, sustainable development or global inequality.
Everything you need to know
Alumni
Many people just like you are already making the most of their master’s degree.
Find out about their experiences.
Instituto Universitario de Estudios sobre Migraciones
Martina Capelli
The Master's degree allowed her to acquire a broad vision of international cooperation, both in the field and from the local impact in Spain. She highlights her internship at the IUEM, where she continued her research on human trafficking, and her subsequent career at the Red Cross, linked to the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs. She currently works in strategy and operations management in a leading organisation in Spain in the fight against human trafficking.
Instituto Universitario de Estudios sobre Migraciones
Beatriz de Felipe Aguilera
The Master's Degree in International Development Cooperation at Comillas allowed her to direct her professional Degree towards the Third Sector, broadening her training with a global vision of the field of cooperation. She highlights the quality of the teaching staff, the diversity of the student body and the opportunity to carry out internships at the Entreculturas Foundation, where she currently works in the Financial Department.
Quality and regulations
IUEM
4 Calle Rey Francisco
, Madrid
Founded in 1994, the University Institute for Migration Studies (IUEM) was established with the aim of contributing, from within the university, to the understanding and analysis of international migration. Throughout its history, it has expanded its academic activity and social commitment to the fields of international co-operation and development.
The IUEM has an interdisciplinary team comprising researchers and lecturers from various fields within the social sciences and humanities, enabling it to address these phenomena from a broad, rigorous and multidisciplinary perspective.
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Frequently Asked Questions
As there is high demand for places at Comillas and places are limited, the best candidates are selected through entrance examinations.
Each class has a form tutor, whose role is to help students settle into the class and ensure they achieve good academic results. Furthermore, at Comillas, the teaching system is characterised, amongst other things, by personalised attention and a close, ongoing relationship between teachers and students.
Comillas’ teaching system is specifically geared towards engaging with the real-world context of businesses, institutions and organisations, as well as professional practice. The Degree Guidance, Work Placements and Employment Service (OPE) is responsible for helping students secure work placements related to their studies in order to enrich their education. In the 2022–23 academic year, 7,101 student work placements in companies were arranged.
The Career Guidance, Work Placements and Employment Service (OPE) is the university’s service dedicated to providing information, guidance and support to help recent graduates enter the labour market and to assist Comillas graduates in planning their degree paths; To this end, it offers an online tool that connects candidates directly with 8,302 companies with which Comillas has a relationship. During the 2022–23 academic year, 1,542 job vacancies were processed. Of the total number of graduates from the 2021 cohort, 92 per cent were in employment or further study within six months of completing their studies.
Get in touch if you need help
University Institute for Migration Studies
Comillas Pontifical University
C/ Rey Francisco, 4 - 28008 Madrid
Tel. (+34) 91 542 28 00 Ext. 3286
mastercoopera@comillas.edu
Director of the Master’s Programme:
Yoan Molinero Gerbeau
Master’s Programme Coordinator:
Tomás Castillo Crasto
