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International Development

Deepening global inequalities are undoubtedly one of the central challenges of the 21st century. Not only are the glaring inequities between today’s ‘bottom billion’ and the upper billions normatively unacceptable, but they also have the potential to destabilize what ‘development’ we have managed to achieve. The major in International Development therefore focuses on these inequalities, or the gap in development, between countries and peoples across the globe. It seeks to introduce students to debates around the meanings of development and challenge them to identify ways in which they can positively contribute to the complex processes of development.

To this end, the International Development major connects arguments and methods from traditional social science disciplines such as economics, politics, and anthropology, to the insights provided by history and international law. Students can focus on several broad themes, including the meanings of development, models of development, and intervention in the development process. Additionally, students are trained in the importance of research based on reasonable assumptions and appropriate methods, and the value of critically engaging with the insights of a wide range of academic disciplines around a single theme.

With these areas of focus and its interdisciplinary approach the major in International development prepares students for competitive graduate programs in the social sciences, as well as careers in development, diplomacy, international organizations, NGOs and other related sectors.

Methodology courses:
Qualitative Research Methods,
Quantitative Research Methods

100-level

These are the 100-level courses tagged as part of the International Development major.

Vak EC Semester 1 Semester 2
Introduction to Development Studies 5
Transnational History 5
Ethics of Development 5
Introduction to Comparative Politics 5
Introduction to Peace and Conflict Studies 5
Introduction to Socio-Legal Studies 5
Transnational History 5
World Regional Geography 5
Transnational History 5
Introduction to Peace and Conflict Studies 5

200-level

These are the 200-level courses tagged as part of the International Development major.

Vak EC Semester 1 Semester 2
Decision-Making Processes 5
Foundations of Finance 5
Geographic Information Systems 5
Introduction to Game Theory 5
Political Economy of Development: Natural Resource Wealth Management 5
Qualitative Research Methods: Social Research Skills 5
Quantitative Research Methods 5
Trade and Finance in the Global Economy 5
Environmental Remote Sensing 5
International Human Rights 5
Quantitative Research Methods 5
Representations of Culture: Ethnography 5
Research Clinics 5
Empire and Post-Empire 5
Legal Systems Worldwide: Law and Culture 5
Qualitative Research Methods: Social Research Skills 5
Research Clinics 5
Water Resources and River Management 5
Comparative Analysis of Political Systems 5
Conflict & Democracy 5
Quantitative Research Methods 5

300-level

These are the 300-level courses tagged as part of the International Development major.

Vak EC Semester 1 Semester 2
Gender and Development 5
History and Politics of Global Migration 5
Law and Society: Africa 5
Key Issues in the Politics of Development: Sub-Saharan Africa 5
Politics of Religion: Perspectives from the Middle East 5
Public Policy Analysis: Agenda Setting 5
Regionality in World Politics: Rise of China 5
Advanced Quantitative Research Methods 5
Constitutional Design 5
Conflict Resolution and Settlement 5
History of Economic Thought 5
Multi-level Governance 5
Comparative Political Economy 5
Environment and Development 5
Human Security 5
Law, Governance, and Development 5