The Heller master's program in international development prepares students for professional level positions in the international development field, at a top-10 ranked school of social policy. Join a thriving community of researchers, professors, students and alumni dedicated to reducing poverty and inequality in the world’s most vulnerable communities.
The heart of our curriculum is project-based learning, achieved through a combination of coursework, an optional practicum experience with a development organization and a master's paper. This multi-dimensional approach enables students to acquire a coherent body of substantive knowledge, analytical abilities and management skills, preparing them to create evidence-based, effective solutions to complex development problems.
The two-year standard track is a 21-month program designed around coursework, research, and field-based internships. An accelerated track, completed over 9 to 12 months, is available for students with 3 to 4 years of previous professional experience in the development sector or related field. All SID students are eligible to apply for one of SID’s dual or joint degree programs.
GRE is not required for admission, Because so many of our successful students come from developing nations, we do not use standardized test scores as an assessment tool for applicants to the program. If you have taken the GRE, you may submit your test scores as a supplemental application credential if you wish. Test scores will be sent directly by ETS, Educational Testing Service. The GRE code is 3097.
We do not set a minimum required score for either test, but rather, our admissions committees take a holistic approach to reviewing applications and considers every part of the application carefully. That being said, the majority of our successful applicants tend to have a score of at least 94 on the TOEFL, or 7.0 on the IELTS.