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Development Management A Professional Degree

Addressing poverty and inequality in the world requires people trained and committeed to facilitating and leading change. The Masters of Science in Development Management (MSDM) at the School of International Service is a rigorous accelerated degree program that prepares professionals for leadership and management roles within communities, governments, companies, and organizations committed to making the world a better place.

The MSDM offers a unique combination of applied skills found in a traditional MS degree - such as project management, economics, and quantitative research methods - with an ethics-driven, multidisciplinary, and theoretically rigorous approach to the field of development. It provides skills in management, leadership, and research, with particular attention to the integrated issues of poverty alleviation, environmental sustainability, social equity, and global health. 

Degree Options

The Master of Science in Development Management prepares students for development careers through core curriculum, a Management Practicum, and other opportunities.

At SIS, we care about the quality of our teaching and the rigor and innovation of our curriculum. We have designed the Master of Science in Development Management program to provide the essential skills needed for career advancement and leadership, inlcuding through hands-on training in economics, quantitative research methods, and management. At the same time, our courses in international development provide an opportunity to think through the ethical, historical, and social implications of development and aid more broadly.

While core classes in economics, research methods, management and development are all offered at SIS, students can also take administrative or management courses of their choice from Kogod School of Business or the School of Public Affairs. The MSDM culminates in a management consultancy or applied research capstone of the students' choosing, in collaboration with a partner organization and advised by a faculty member.

Experiential Learning

Students are encouraged to take Skills Institutes and are required to complete an applied capstone, both of which provide extensive practical skills in international development.

Development Management students will pursue a 3-credit Management Consultancy that has the potential for policy or program implementation. It may entail an analysis of an established or ongoing initiative of an organization, UN organization, consulting group, etc. The research problem and outputs are set by the client, and also agreed on by the student and faculty supervisor.

Skills Institutes are intensive workshops designed to introduce students to professional skills relevant to careers in international affairs. Taught by experienced practitioners, these rigorous and experiential workshops allow students to translate theory into practice and gain the competencies sought by today's employers. Over 2-3 full days, students will have the opportunity to focus on tangible skills that are applicable to the development field.

Application At a Glance

View a detailed admission and degree requirements listing for your degree of interest.

Entrance Semester
Fall and Spring
Application Deadline
January 15 for the fall semester
October 1 for the spring semester
Additional Requirements
Undergraduate degree
Two letters of recommendation
Resume
Statement of Purpose
TOEFL/IELTS score if international applicant
Application
Completion of online application