Graduate School of Public and International Affairs—Master of International Development (MID)

The MID degree is designed to prepare students to make a difference locally, nationally, and globally by emphasizing intellectual rigor and practical skills.   Student study development theoretically, but also learn concrete technical and managerial skills necessary to work in organizations that promote equality in the developing world.  MID students promote respect for human life and human rights, often working behind the scenes to bring real improvements to the human condition through hands-on careers in public service.  They work face-to-face with underprivileged and vulnerable populations, in the front offices of aid agencies, and in international organizations dedicated to protecting those who need help most.  Graduates exit the program prepared for professional work in the United Nations, public aid agencies, and charities of all sizes.  Often, they pursue work in the private sector, research groups, and prominent nongovernmental organizations.

The 48-credit MID degree offers three majors in development planning and environmental sustainability, nongovernmental organizations and civil society, and human security. Each of these majors can be combined with opportunities to study and intern in the nation’s capital in the Washington Semester program; earn another professional degree, with the MID, through GSPIA’s joint programs with the Graduate School of Public Health and the Schools of Social Work, Business, and Information Science; or acquire an areas studies certificate in Asian studies, Latin American studies, Russian and East European studies, or global studies, through the University Center for International Studies.

MID students are required to select a major from among the three listed below. These three majors (ngo’s & civil society, development planning & environmental sustainability, and human security) are also offered as minors for the MPA, MPIA, and MID degree programs.

Requirements for the Master of International Development

The MID program requires a minimum of 48 credits, distributed as follows:

GSPIA Core Requirements (See Master’s Degree Requirements)	18 credits
Degree Core Courses	9 credits
PIA 2501 Development Policy & Administration
PIA 2510 Economics of Development (pre-requisite PIA 2024 + 2025/6/7
PIA 2096 Capstone Seminar (pre-requisite PIA 2028 = 2003 = approval
or
PIA 2099 Thesis (pre-requisite PIA 2028 + 2003 + approval)
Major Courses	12 credits
Electives	9 credits
Minimum Required Credits	48 credits

MID students are required to select a major from among those listed below. These three majors are also offered as minors for the MPA and MPIA degree programs. These majors emphasize conceptual clarity; applied skills in communication, teamwork, and leadership; and specialized management, planning, and analytic methods. Each consists of four courses, plus a seminar on a geographical region. Concentrated 1.5-credit skill courses may also be combined to meet some of the course requirements for the major.

NGOs and Civil Society (NGOCS)

Much of the work that has defined change around the world has been the domain of nongovernmental organizations (NGO’s).  The nongovernmental organizations and civil society (NGOCS) major prepares students for a future in a world where NGO’s are committed to social change in the shifting landscape of the human condition.  Students acquire knowledge in management strategies and politics and courses cover such topics as alleviating hunger, advocating for human rights and promoting public health. 

GSPIA NGOCS students have the opportunity to develop experience through internships, both domestic and international, as well as the change to build expertise in issues such as grant writing, education or health care that will serve them well following graduation.  Our approach is to act as advocates of change with our courses and faculty inspiring and empowering students to make a difference.  Graduates go on to work with individual governments, regions and communities around the globe to improve the quality of life.

The major curriculum, comprising 12 credits, follows:

Development Planning and Environmental Sustainability (DPES)

Students in the development planning & environmental sustainability major learn to become informed, responsible leaders whose decisions will affect future generations.   The program builds a sound knowledge base in the fundamentals of the discipline: economics, project planning and the balance of environmental preservation and financial feasibility.   Students learn how to understand the political and economic context of markets; the role of foreign aid, policy and international environmental law; as well as strategic thinking for developing countries.

While GSPIA graduates might study the impact of American consumption patterns, for example, our alumni also change the world overseas.  An articulate, well-trained graduate will go far in explain how U.S. agriculture policies, such as price subsidies, will impact farmers in other nations.   Graduates from developing countries also take what they learned at GSPIA and apply it to their homelands to achieve success in projects such as finding and protecting safe water sources or pursing international finance for development.

The major curriculum, comprising 12 credits, follows:

Human Security (HS)

Because the globalization process has made the world seem exponentially smaller, threats from tsunamis, earthquakes, disease and starvation are arriving faster and in more dramatic fashion than ever before.  One of the most innovative, forward-thinking disciplines in international affairs today, the human security major covers a wide swath of issues critical to the safety of people worldwide. 

GSPIA’s program, one of the first of its kind in the United States, emphasizes the development of peacekeeping and peace-building skills.  Students study threats to individuals from non-governmental, nonmilitary sources.  Examples of threats include civil wars, international migration and crime, global climate changes and natural disasters.  We teach students to focus on the human condition as a planet, resulting in a new generation of leaders able to guide our global community through some of the most perilous times is has ever experienced.

The major curriculum, comprising 12 credits, follows: