Curriculum: International Policy and Development
The MA in International Policy and Development (IPD) is a 42-credit program that can be completed in 12 months or 16 months.
| Start | Credits | Practicum | Second Language | Program Chair |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| August or January | 42 | Required | Optional | Scott Pulizzi |
Learning Goals
The International Policy and Development curriculum is based on distinct learning goals that provide students with an in-depth knowledge of policy processes and systems in a variety of contexts. Review the IPD learning goals.
Requirements
Core Course Work (12 credits)
Language Studies and/or Intercultural Competence (4 credits)
Practicum (6 credits)
Electives (20 credits)
Core Course Work (12 credits)
Economics (3 credits)
Research Methods and Qualitative Data Analysis (3 credits)
Development/Policy (3 credits)
Quantitative Data Analysis (3 credits)
Language Studies and Intercultural Competence (4 credits)
You will take content courses in a second language and/or courses in intercultural competence.
Sample language studies courses:
- Arab-African Relations (in Arabic)
- Citizenship, Security, and Development in Latin America (in Spanish)
- Challenges in Peacebuilding—Congo (in French)
Sample intercultural competence courses:
- Intercultural Group Dynamics: explore why global and multicultural teams often struggle and conversely how you can manage diverse teams to outperform homogenous groups.
- Communication in Multicultural Settings: gain the knowledge and tools needed for effective participation in multilingual and multicultural communication as you examine the related social, cultural, and linguistic factors.
You may use electives to take additional language studies and/or intercultural competence courses.
Practicum (6 credits)
Your final semester practicum can be completed in-person or remotely, allowing you to transition to your preferred location before you graduate and gain professional experience in a context that closely aligns with your career goals. Learn more.
Electives (20 credits)
You may use electives to take additional language studies and/or intercultural competence courses, career-related module courses, specialization courses, and/or courses from other degree programs (assuming prerequisites met).
Sample Course Schedule
| Term | Course | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Economics | 3 |
| Fall | Research Methods and Qualitative Data Analytics | 3 |
| Fall | Quantitative Data Analysis | 3 |
| Fall | Elective Course | 3 |
| Fall | Elective Course | 3 |
| January | Elective Course | 3 |
| January | Elective Course | 3 |
| Spring | Development/Policy | 3 |
| Spring | Language Studies/Intercultural Competence | 4 |
| Spring | Elective Course | 3 |
| Spring | Elective Course | 3 |
| Spring | Elective Course | 2 |
| Summer | Practicum | 6 |
| TOTAL | 42 |