Curriculum

The 40-credit M.A. program in International Development Studies consists of four integral parts — Core Courses, Analytical Courses, the Concentration, and Language Proficiency — each of which is described below:

Core Courses (10 credits)

Required for all students in the program. Core courses are taken in sequence, integrating theory and policy issues with actual practice. The culmination of this work is the yearlong capstone project, in which students consult directly with a development agency in Washington, travel to a field site abroad, and produce a substantive and professional product for their client.

Analytical Courses (12 credits)

The analytical courses are intended to provide students with concrete skills and practical knowledge of essential processes in the professional field of international development. The four areas in which students must take a course to fulfill this requirement are Economics, Policy Analysis, Methods, and Management. Students are able to elect from among various course options available to them in departments throughout the university.

The analytical courses must all be taken by the end of the third semester, so that students are fully prepared for the capstone project in their final semester.

Concentration Courses (18 credits)

In consultation with the program director and faculty advisors, students design their own academic concentrations based on area of interest. A list of sample concentrations can be found here, although students are encouraged to design their own concentrations to match their specific area of interest. Thus, the courses listed and the concentrations themselves should be treated as suggestions and examples, not requirements.

Language Proficiency

Students must demonstrate proficiency in a modern foreign language. The ability to communicate across cultures in more than one language is a distinguishing and expected skill of the international development professional. For that reason, completion of the M.A. in International Development Studies requires demonstrated oral and reading proficiency in a modern foreign language.

Professional Skills Courses

The Elliott School offers a series of one-credit workshops on a variety of topics and students are encouraged to explore the possibility of taking up to three of these. Offered throughout the academic year, the skills covered include public speaking, grant writing, and financial analysis and provide students with practical skills and knowledge that they will need to perform effectively in a variety of work settings.