Master of International Development Policy

Program Code: P-IDP1 & P-IDP2
Degree Designation: Master of International Development Policy
Department: School of Public Policy
Website: sanford.duke.edu/academics/masters-programs/master-international-development-policy

Program Summary

The Master of International Development Policy (MIDP) is a flexible interdisciplinary degree program focused on early to mid-career professionals who will dedicate their careers to policymaking and public service in developing countries.

The Master of International Development Policy (MIDP) degree is awarded by the Sanford School of Public Policy through the Duke Center for International Development (DCID).

At the Duke Center for International Development, faculty, staff, and students are driven by a shared vision: development that promotes peace and prosperity for all people. Through rigorous education for mid-career professionals, training programs for policy makers, and engagement informed by timely research, DCID is working to make this vision a reality.

Degree and Certificate Options

Traditional Degree: 48.0 course credits completed over two academic years. Requires a final master’s project and a summer internship usually completed during the summer between the first and second year of study.

Accelerated Degree: 30.0 course credits completed over three semesters. The accelerated degree program can be completed within one calendar year if the student chooses to enroll in a sufficient amount of credits over the summer semester. Requires a final master’s project. To qualify for application to this program, applicants must have completed at least one year of graduate-level coursework and have a strong background in market-based economics.

Nondegree Certificate: 24.0 course credits completed over one academic year, culminating in a nondegree certificate. Master’s project and internship are not required.

Concurrent Graduate Certificate: 15.0 course credits. This certificate is offered to students studying in other graduate programs at Duke University and in neighboring interinstitutional universities. Students interested in this certificate may enroll to complete it concurrently with their degree program. For those who enrolled in full time Duke graduate and professional programs before Fall 2020, the 12-credit model is required. Students who entered Duke in Fall 2020 or after are required to enroll in the 15-credit model.

Areas of Focus

Fellows in the MIDP may self-select into one of the following informal areas of focus that build on the best of Duke. These focus areas serve to aid the course selection process and facilitate professional growth . These focus areas do not appear on student transcripts or diplomas.

Applied Development Economics. This area emphasizes the economic policy aspects of development—including issues of international trade and competitiveness, public finance and evaluation of public expenditures, banking and financial sector management, privatization, external debt management, factors that bolster economic growth, domestic revenue generation, and international capital markets.

Institutions, Governance and Organizations. This area has a strong foothold in political science and covers issues of public and private partnerships, civil society and governance, fiscal decentralization, political risk analysis, aid coordination, regional planning, or other sector development issues.

Social Welfare and Policy. This area focuses on how to improve the lives of citizens by supporting their education, health, work, and wellbeing. It focuses on safety net policies as well as on issues of gender, ethnic and economic inequality, health policy, building human capital, and social entrepreneurship.

Environment and Energy Management and Policy. This area emphasizes international environmental and energy policy, security, regulation, and institutional development. Sanford expertise is complemented by the resources from the Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment and Sustainability in areas such as natural resource economics, energy access, climate change, and environmental advocacy and regulation.

Global Health and Development. This area focuses on health equity and policy alternatives for current global health challenges. Sanford expertise is complemented by the resources of the Duke-Margolis Center for Health Policy and the Duke Global Health Institute. Those interested may pursue the Global Health graduate certificate offered by the Duke Global Health Institute.

Peace and Conflict Resolution. This area equips future leaders to promote greater tolerance, cooperation, and peace among people. Course choices focus on democracy, negotiation, and conflict resolution, and the promotion of effective cooperation in international development. Those interested may pursue a University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill certificate in peace and conflict resolution offered to two-year MIDP fellows through the Duke-UNC Rotary Peace Center.

Technology Policy and Development. Technology plays a crucial role in sustainable and inclusive development. This area focuses on the impact that technology has on society across industries as well as the role of technology in governance and democracy.

Private Sector and Development. This area focuses on the range of strategies that promote economic growth in developing countries by creating healthy enabling environments for private enterprises, whether small, medium, or large. Strategies include political risk analysis, regulation, and global value chains. Additional options are also available at Duke's Fuqua School of Business.

Innovation and Entrepreneurship. This area of focus draws on Duke’s Innovation & Entrepreneurship Initiative and its pioneering leadership in policy and social entrepreneurship education. It aims to further enhance fellows’ abilities to explore the I&E ecosystems and complexities and to develop innovative and entrepreneurial methods to address local and global challenges. Those interested may pursue a graduate certificate in Innovation and Entrepreneurship.

Other DCID Training Programs and Activities

Executive Education

Executive Education programs are offered to organizations in need of training directly related to their regional and professional needs. The content of the programs are adapted based on the needs and professional experience of the participants and organizations. The programs may be held in-country, on the Duke campus, or both as needed and vary in length from one week to a full academic semester. Recent programs have been held for organizations such as Oxfam and the US Military.

Research

DCID faculty and affiliates conduct diverse scholarly activities, from field studies and randomized control trials, to research-backed policy advising in countries around the world. In addition, DCID faculty, fellows, and alumni publish academic articles in a wide range of journals.