Development and Governance
The concentration in Development and Governance (D&G) – formerly Economic and Political Development (EPD) – equips future leaders and changemakers to address the most pressing global and national development issues, including inequalities and poverty, through evidence-based strategies to promote inclusive, sustainable growth and human development. Our curriculum and approach to preparing future leaders are guided by the UN's 2030 Agenda and Sustainable Development Goals.
The concentration provides students with a broad understanding of the processes of economic, political, and social change in the developing world, as well as focused competence in specific fields, such as financial inclusion, small business and social enterprise development, corporate social responsibility, gender and development, education and health policy, sustainable development, humanitarian policy, post-conflict reconstruction, and governance. Through an interdisciplinary package of courses, capstone workshop projects, and practical internship options, students gain key skills in policy analysis, program planning, monitoring and evaluation, and adaptive management for inclusive and sustainable development.
Who It’s For
The D&G Concentration attracts diverse students from around the world, committed to fighting inequality between and within countries, eradicating poverty and its causes, and promoting inclusive, sustainable growth and human development by expanding people's civil, political, economic, and social rights and freedoms. D&G concentrators include students with prior experience in development, as well as students who have shifted from other fields.
Curriculum and Courses
The D&G Concentration complements the core MIA and MPA curricula with a deeper grasp of development economics, the political context of development, and trends and good practices in the international development field, guided by the UN’s 2030 Agenda and Sustainable Development Goals.
Students complete 15 credits of courses, as well as the Capstone Workshop in Sustainable Development Practice (3 credits), structured as follows:
Students complete 15 credits of courses, as well as the Capstone Workshop in Sustainable Development Practice (3 credits), structured as follows:
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Students take one course that examines the political structures, power dynamics, and governance systems that shape development outcomes.
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Students take one course in this area, which equips them with tools to analyze development issues from an economic perspective. The course may address macroeconomic policy, trade, financial inclusion, labor markets, or the role of international financial institutions in development.
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All students complete the Methods for Sustainable Development Practice course in the fall of their second year. This course integrates applied research and analytical methods used in development practice, with an emphasis on project/program design; monitoring, evaluation and learning; and real-world problem-solving. The Methods course prepares students to participate in the Capstone Workshop in Sustainable Development Practice (the D&G Workshop) in the spring of their second year. The D&G Workshop is an opportunity to work in a team, advised by a SIPA faculty member, to implement an innovative project for an organization in the international development or humanitarian assistance space. Workshop teams are assigned in early November and start work on their projects in the last part of the fall Methods course. Most Workshop teams travel for their project over SIPA’s winter or spring break.
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Students complete two elective courses (totaling 6 credits) in one of the following focus areas
- Economic Development
- Political Development and Governance
- Social Development
- Sustainable Development
- Humanitarian Policy and Practice
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All D&G students are also required to satisfy the MIA language requirement. Students may fulfill the language requirement for the MIA degree and the MPA/D&G Concentration with any modern language offered by Columbia University language programs or the Language Resource Center. Information on language proficiency assessments at Columbia University is provided here.
Optional Minors Available
– Economic Development
– Political Development and Governance
– Social Development
– Sustainable Development
– Humanitarian Policy and Practice
Student Career Paths
D&G graduates pursue internationally focused careers, going on to become managers, advisors, analysts, and change agents with organizations in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors, including governments, multilateral institutions (including the UN system and development banks), consulting firms, impact investors, financial institutions, think tanks, foundations, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), and social enterprises.
Related Degree Programs
Designed for students looking to facilitate and lead international cooperation, the MIA equips students to understand international political and legal institutions, and develop the skills of conflict resolution, diplomacy, and inter-cultural competency necessary to achieve change on the worldwide stage.
Developed for students looking to lead the policymaking process, the MPA provides a data-rich analytical education, equipping students to understand policy challenges and to develop, implement, and evaluate policy solutions. The MPA is STEM-designated so that students in all policy domains will be eligible to apply for OPT extensions where relevant.
Contact Us
José Antonio Ocampo
Professor of Professional Practice in International and Public Affairs; Co-Director
IAB Room 1315 | [email protected]
Jenny McGill
Senior Lecturer in the Discipline of International and Public Affairs; Co-Director
IAB Room 1305B | [email protected]
Vida Herling
Concentration Manager
IAB room 1305 | [email protected]