At Brandon University in Brandon, Canada, MA/MS in Rural Development is offered as a master's degree in Development Studies programme. Tuition for international students is CAD 455 per credit (CAD 227 per credit for local students).
Also offered as: Postgraduate Diploma
At a glance
Degree:Master's Degree
Field:Development Studies
Local tuition: CAD 227 / credit
International tuition: CAD 455 / credit
Information for the 2027/28 academic year · Last reviewed September 2026 ·
Program details
Overview
The Master in Rural Development at Brandon University is a graduate program focused on rural governance, community relations, policy formulation, and the structures shaping rural society, alongside research design and the application of development theory to real-world rural contexts. Unlike the university's Graduate Diploma in Rural Development, the Master's program includes both thesis and practicum options, giving students a choice between a research-based route and one built around applied fieldwork. The program is delivered through Brandon University's Rural Development program in Brandon, Manitoba. It is designed for students who already hold an undergraduate degree and want graduate-level training in analyzing and responding to the economic, social, and policy challenges facing rural regions and communities. The Master's sits alongside the same program's Bachelor's major and Graduate Diploma, giving students already familiar with the field a route into more advanced, research-oriented study.
Requirements
Admission Requirements: The Master of Rural Development page states no admission requirements specific to this program; graduate admission at Brandon requires official transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended and any further documents the Graduate Course Calendar sets for the program, applied for through the Graduate Studies office rather than the general undergraduate portal. All applicants whose first language is not English, or who lack at least three years of English-medium secondary or post-secondary study, must meet Brandon's English Language Proficiency requirement: IELTS Academic 6.5 overall (min. 6.0 per band), TOEFL iBT 86 overall (min. 20 per section), Duolingo English Test 120 overall (min. 105 per component), PTE Academic 58, CAEL 60, or Cambridge C1 Advanced/C2 Proficiency 176 overall (min. 170 per component); exemptions include Manitoba Grade 12 English 40S at 70%+, IB Higher Level English 4+, AP English 4+, or Brandon's EAP Tier 4 program.
Application Details
Application Deadline:Domestic applicants apply directly to Brandon University: for Fall (September) 2027 entry the deadline is August 15, 2027, and for Winter (January) 2027 entry it is December 1, 2026. International applicants must apply earlier: April 1, 2027 for Fall 2027 entry, and August 1, 2027 for the next open Winter window (Winter 2028 entry), since the Winter 2027 international deadline of August 1, 2026 has already passed. Applications for the new academic year open October 1 each year. A late application for one term is automatically carried to the following term rather than rejected, but Brandon does not otherwise describe admission as rolling. These are institution-wide dates; this programme publishes no deadline of its own.
