Graduate and professional students from across Duke, as well as neighboring inter-institutional partners, are invited to complement their degree coursework with the concurrent graduate International Development Policy (IDP) certificate.

To date, over 400 master's and PhD students have enriched their studies with the IDP Certificate. These alumni now influence the broad field of international development whether through global health, business, environmental management, communications and journalism, education, sustainable tourism, scientific diplomacy, etc.

Requirements

The following course requirements (15 credits total) must be fulfilled prior to or in conjunction with graduation from your degree program:

  • One international development (ID) economics seminar (3 credits) 
  • 12 credits of international development (ID) elective courses
  • A minimum of 9 of the 15 credits must be Master of International Development Policy (MIDP) seminars

Process

IDP Certificate Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.

Students enrolled in The Graduate School must additionally complete the Graduate Certificate Program Application as required by their home department, and upload it to the IDP Certificate Application.

Students may begin taking courses toward completion of the certificate before they are officially enrolled.

By submitting an application, students are expressing interest in the certificate and will receive further information by email from the program coordinator.

Review the IDP Certificate guidelines.

To confirm the fulfillment of the requirements, submission of the IDP Certificate Completion Form is required.

Anticipated GraduationCompletion Form Deadline
FallOctober 1
SpringJanuary 10

The deadline to submit this completion form and have the IDP Certificate added to a record for fall graduates is October 1 of their final semester. The deadline to submit for spring graduates is January 10 of their final semester.

Students who have completed the requirements without being officially enrolled in the certificate may have it added to their academic record in their final semester of study.

In addition to the certificate requirements, students must successfully complete their concurrent primary graduate degree. Failure to earn the primary degree will automatically result in the certificate being “discontinued.”

Confirmation of the certificate will be sent to students who have successfully completed all the certificate requirements in the final semester of their primary degree. The certificate will appear on the transcript.

Courses

For a course to be counted towards the certificate, the content must focus on international development.

All MIDP courses, in addition to all those listed under the International Development Economics Seminars, count towards the International Development Electives requirement. MIDP courses are usually PUBPOL courses numbered 700s. One of the 3-credit PUBPOL courses listed (numbered 500s, 600s, or 800s) may be substituted for one of the MIDP courses.

Courses vary yearly, depending on faculty availability and curriculum changes. Only approved graduate courses (500 level or above) may be counted towards the certificate. PUBPOL classes with course number 590 may apply to the certificate as their topics and titles change yearly.

Graduate students interested in pursuing the IDP certificate are responsible for checking the most current available courses on DukeHub.

If you have questions or are interested in counting a class that is not listed below towards the certificate, please include the syllabus of the course you have taken or are planning to take with your online application. The syllabus will be reviewed for approval.

Course approval

Currently enrolled IDP certificate students may submit syllabi for upcoming semesters via email to Jooyoung Chun at Jooyoung.Chun@duke.edu to be reviewed for approval. Non-listed courses will only be reviewed during the shopping cart period and registration of each semester. Please visit the Registrar’s website for these dates each semester and plan your course load accordingly to ensure you fulfill the requirements for the certificate.

Important Note About Academic Records

Please note that once the IDP Certificate has been added to your Duke academic record, it cannot be removed. If you fail to complete the requirements by the end of your graduation term, the certificate will appear as “discontinued” on your academic record. 

Questions? Please email jooyoung.chun@duke.edu.

Frequently Asked Questions

Current, full-time graduate (master's and PhD) or professional students at Duke or nearby inter-institutional partners who are not enrolled in the Master of International Development Policy (MIDP) program.

Yes. Please note that once the IDP Certificate has been added to your academic record, it cannot be removed. If you fail to complete the requirements by the end of your graduation term, the certificate will appear as “discontinued” on your academic record. 

There is no cost for the concurrent graduate certificate.

Student Spotlight

Image
Ryan Van Slyke

Ryan Van Slyke MBA '24

Why are you pursuing the IDP Certificate?

I came to Duke to pursue an interdisciplinary graduate education in business, policy, and the social sciences. The IDP Certificate differentiated Duke from other universities because it allows students from across the university the opportunity to complement their disciplinary studies with a deep, rich focus on development, emerging markets, and the environment. As I speak with organizations working on climate resilient development, they mention that I stand out from the crowd in part because of the IDP Certificate and graduate policy studies.

How will the IDP Certificate help you achieve your career goals?

My ultimate goal is to serve in leadership at nonprofit, private sector, and government organizations working on climate adaptation and resilience funding and solutions in emerging markets. My coursework at Duke under the IDP Certificate, ranging from impact investing to emerging markets strategy to leadership and global value chains, offers the technical, policy, and leadership skills necessary to work in this space. In the process, I’ve met wonderful faculty and developed relationships with them that I hope will last a lifetime.


Alumni Spotlight

Image
Victoria Santamarina

Victoria Santamarina GMALS '14,
Managing Director of GET Cities Miami

How did the IDP certificate help you find your career?

During my time at Duke, I discovered I wanted to focus on minorities and learned as much as possible about alternatives to reduce their vulnerability. Because we were quite diverse students, I discovered my classmates' perspectives on economic development, inequality, and social impact. Since then, those have been my passion. At Duke, I founded innovative people looking to make a difference and fight for social justice worldwide. But most importantly, I found friends to rely on during tough times.

how has the certificate helped you in your current job?

I'm the managing director of GET Cities Miami, and my analytical and problem-solving skills are critical to achieving our goals. The Miami tech ecosystem is dynamic, fast-growing, and incredibly unique; therefore, our approach to addressing inequity must be tailored to this city. 

Duke and the DCID family were a significant part of my career. The faculty encouraged me to find my passion in new cities like Seattle, WA, or Miami, FL. New doors and opportunities flourished after I graduated, and I always had the support of my dearest professors, such as Fernando Fernholz, Stephanie Alt Lamm, and Phyllis Pomerantz.