Skip over navigation

Development Studies

Mission

Development Studies is an interdisciplinary concentration whose main mission is to provide students with the knowledge, critical perspectives and skills they need to reflexively engage with the issues and problems of international development, especially as they relate to the Global South. Drawing on a range of disciplines, from anthropology to economics, from comparative literature to engineering, concentrators design their own programs, combining courses that offer local and historical knowledge with those that explore transnational dimensions of development. During the senior year, all concentrators complete a capstone experience tailored to their interests in some aspect of international development and for which they benefit from extensive faculty support.

The rigor and creativity of this academic experience is evidenced by the fact that many concentrators published parts of their senior capstone in peer-reviewed academic and policy journals, while others received competitive thesis awards or used their training to develop concrete initiatives in the practice of development. In sum, if you wish to pursue your interest in international development through a combination of maximum flexibility and maximum rigor make an appointment. We have done this for decades.