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Countries represented by MIDP alumni
Master of International Development Policy (MIDP)
The Master of International Development Policy (MIDP) is a flexible interdisciplinary degree program focused on mid-career professionals who will dedicate their careers to policymaking and public service in developing countries.
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The Master of International Development Policy program at Duke is the most flexible program of its kind. The graduate degree is tailored to early and mid-career professionals who have worked in development-related sectors and know what kind of impact they want to have in the world. An MIDP degree from Duke equips changemakers with the policy tools necessary to shape social, political and economic development efforts worldwide.
As a fellow in the program, you co-design your own unique course of study, guided by your passions and career interests. In addition to the MIDP core curriculum, fellows choose elective courses from MIDP and departments across Duke, and even courses at UNC-Chapel Hill and NC State University, two other world-class universities in the area.
Our small cohort size and close-knit community sets us apart. It means we can offer unparalleled service to incoming fellows. With years of experience welcoming international students and their families, the faculty and staff of MIDP offer assistance from picking up at the airport to professional development advising.
Global diversity and inclusion is not an afterthought, but a core element of our program’s model. In addition to a variety of social and cultural events, our faculty engage students in meaningful cross-country dialogue in the classroom. As professors of the practice, our faculty have had lifelong international careers that combined academic achievements with on-the-ground jobs. The wide variety of work experiences shared by both our faculty and our fellows encourage creative exchanges inside and outside of the classroom.
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Optional areas of focus
To guide your study, you can select an “area of focus” in one of six areas: Applied Economics, Development Management and Governance, Environmental Management and Policy, Peace and Conflict Resolution, Social Policy, and Innovation and Entrepreneurship.
After you graduate, you join a network of MIDP alumni in more than 100 countries working with international development agencies, in the private sector, and in local, state, and national governments around the world. The connections you make in the classroom will last a lifetime.
Meet Our Director of Graduate Studies
Dr. Sarah Bermeo is associate professor of political science and public policy at Sanford. Her research lies at the intersection of international relations and development, with a particular focus on relations between industrialized and developing countries. Bermeo previously served as associate director of DCID.
Curriculum
| Program | Classes | Internship | Master’s Project | Length |
| Two-year MIDP | 16 courses (48 credit hours): 8 MIDP seminars and 8 electives | Required | Required | Two academic years |
| The MIDP’s Accelerated 30 credit degree program(one-year)* |
10 courses (30 credit hours): 4 MIDP seminars and 6 electives | Optional | Required | Completed over 3 semesters: 1. Fall, Spring, and Summer or 2. Fall, Spring, and Fall with Summer off |
| Non-degree certificate** | 8 courses (24 credit hours): 4 MIDP seminars and 4 electives | Not required | Not required | One academic year |
* To be eligible for the accelerated 30 credit degree, applicants must have completed at least 5 years of professional experience and the equivalent of one-year of previous graduate level coursework in a relevant field.
**If you are currently a graduate student in another department with an interest or focus in international development policy, we encourage you to review information about our concurrent graduate International Development Policy Certificate
Two-Year MIDP
Credits: 48 credit hours
Internship: Required
Master’s Project: Required
Length: Two academic years
Accelerated One-Year MIDP*
Courses: 30 credit hours
Internship: Optional
Master’s Project: Required
Length: One academic year and one summer session
Non-degree Certificate
Courses: 24 credit hours
Internship: Not required
Master’s Project: Not required
Length: One academic year
*To be eligible for the one-year degree, applicants must have completed at least one year of graduate-level coursework in a relevant field, and must also have an academic background in market-based economics with high grades/marks.
Student Life and Engagement
Events and Speakers
Duke attracts high-profile speakers from around the world including Nobel laureates, international scholars, entrepreneurs, policy leaders, and government officials. In addition, the MIDP program brings practitioners-in-residence and other prominent guest speakers to campus to teach in classes, speak at brown bag lectures, and meet in small groups or individually with fellows.
Student Organizations
There are many ways to follow your passions in the MIDP program and Sanford through our student-led organizations and affinity groups. MIDP fellows have joined groups focused on social entrepreneurship and innovation, women in policy, and Latin America, for example. Other fellows have contributed to the Sanford Journal of Public Policy and even Bass Connections projects that bring them together with students from across Duke.
Social & Cultural Activities
Graduate students at Sanford collaborate in a joint social committee that organizes events throughout the year, including networking events, holiday parties, and potluck dinners. The MIDP program celebrates birthdays and our staff organize an annual Thanksgiving dinner for fellows and their families. Duke’s International House and other campus organizations celebrate important cultural and religious holidays, such as Holi and Eid al-Fitr.
Admissions Requirements
- A Four Year Undergraduate Degree
- Letters of Recommendation
- Compelling Essays
- 5+ Years of Work Experience
- Strong English Skills
What is the admissions process like?
Hear one fellow’s experience in her own words
“Every time I get such opportunities I am reminded of the academic and social foundation I gained from the MIDP program, which has equipped me with confidence to handle and engage almost any international development issue.”
Betty Tushabe (MIDP ’16), who was selected as one of 100 Young Global Changers at the G20 Think Tank Summit
Ready to take the next step?
