Master of International Development Policy Program

Shape the Future of International Development Policy

The Master of International Development Policy program from the McCourt School at Georgetown University is not your typical international development studies program. Instead, its curriculum focuses on economics and the rigorous analytical and technical skills needed to tackle complex challenges in developing and emerging economies. Outside the classroom, you’ll gain valuable professional experiences collaborating with passionate development practitioners who share your passions and recognize and value your new skills. With funding for summer placements, travel opportunities and engaging client-capstone projects, you’ll graduate as a different kind of development professional, one with an easily recognized set of advanced technical skills and real-world experience.

Designated STEM-Eligible Program
Excellent Job Placement
Access to Dynamic Tech Community in Washington DC

Application Deadlines

December 1 | Early Action Deadline
January 15 | Priority Deadline
March 1 | Final Deadline

Start Your Application

Equipped for Success in Development Policy

Our STEM-eligible Master of International Development Policy program is ranked #4 in International Global Policy and Administration by U.S. News & World Report. It provides the necessary technical and analytical skills to make a real impact in developing countries. We incorporate courses and professional work experiences to enhance your understanding of politics, management and ethics.

This comprehensive approach prepares you to navigate the challenges commonly faced in the public sector and international institutions. With a highly structured curriculum, including core and elective courses, a summer experience and a client-capstone project, you’ll gain the professional experience and technical skills that employers value, spanning economics, quantitative research, management and leadership. You’ll also develop vital skills in collaboration, critical thinking, economic analysis, ethical leadership, policy analysis and more through McCourt’s Foundational Skills.

Bridge the Gap Between Theory & Practice: A Program-Funded Summer Experience

Hands-on learning is essential to preparing you for the policy world, especially in development policy. You’ll spend the summer after your first year in a program-relevant professional placement and put what you’ve learned in the classroom into practice. We provide funding for living and travel expenses, enabling you to identify and secure placements that best fit your interests. In 2024, we had MIDP students with professional placements in the following countries: Bangladesh, Cambodia, Egypt, Ghana, Guatemala, India, Kenya, Pakistan, Peru, the Philippines, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Turkey, and Uganda.

Learn About the Summer Program

Our Expert Faculty

Meet Our Faculty

James P. Habyarimana

Distinguished Professor

Jishnu Das

Distinguished Professor

Nada O. Eissa

Associate Professor

Andrew Zeitlin

Associate Professor

Putting Your Knowledge into Practice

You’ll gain the skills and expertise needed to work in a variety of fields, including international development organizations, government agencies, non-profit organizations, and more. No matter where you apply your skills, we’re confident our program will give you the tools and expertise you need to make a meaningful difference. Within six months of completing their degrees, 95% of 2022 graduates were employed or had secured job offers.

5thRankedin International Global Policy & Administration
10thRankedin Public Policy Analysis
10thRankedin Best Public Affairs Schools

U.S. News & World Report

Meet Our Changemakers

As a diverse group of problem solvers, we’re dedicated to turning bold ideas into action. At the McCourt School at Georgetown, you will not only learn from your professors, but also from your classmates. Our students come from all walks of life and backgrounds, offering a rich community of experiences and perspectives. Together, we engage in policy-relevant research and strive to make the world a better place

Meet the McCourt Ambassadors
Frances Chen smiling sitting on a bench at Georgetown

“I wanted a graduate program that would equip me with the knowledge and analytical skills to help me become a more conscientious and effective practitioner in order to design more sustainable and effective programs and policies. Ultimately, I chose McCourt because of its evidence-based approach to development, the strength of its rigorous quantitative sequence, and its proximity and many connections in the International Development hub within DC.”

Frances Chen, MIDP ’20

Request More Information

We know you have a passion for development work; you know that is not enough.

The MIDP Program is different from most other development studies programs. It is a professional program with a skills-based curriculum in economics and quantitative methods that are essential for any development practitioner, and it delivers valuable opportunities for experiential learning, as well.

Thank you for your interest in our program. Please complete this form and we‘ll contact you with more information.

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