Home Master of International Development Policy (MIDP)Areas of Focus

Areas of Focus

As an MIDP fellow, you may choose from seven optional areas of focus to help shape your studies. Areas of Focus build on the best of Duke and are a useful tool for designing a course of study together with your academic adviser and MIDP program staff.

Applied Economics

The Applied Economics area of focus emphasizes the economic policy aspects of development. This may include issues of international trade and competitiveness, public finance, and evaluation of public expenditures. Similarly, fellows in this focus area may examine subjects like banking and financial sector management, privatization, external debt management, and international capital markets.

Development Management and Governance

The Development Management and Governance area of focus covers a broad area of international development issues, and is beneficial for fellows with aspirations for more senior leadership roles. Fellows may focus on issues such as development project management and nonprofit management. Alternatively, you may dig into things like society and governance, capacity building, decentralization, media policy, aid coordination, science and technology policy, and regional planning.

Environmental Management and Policy

Interested in the connection between development and the environment? Passionate about the Sustainable Development Goals? The Environmental Management and Policy area of focus looks at international environmental policy, security, and institutional development. The expertise of the MIDP faculty is complemented by resources from the Duke University Nicholas School of the Environment in such areas as natural resource economics, tropical ecology and eco-tourism. Learn more about sustainable development and environmental policy at Sanford. 

Peace and Conflict Resolution

The Peace and Conflict Resolution area of focus, offered in association with the Duke-UNC Rotary Peace Center, guides fellows interested in the connections between peace and development. Therefore, the program focuses on democracy, negotiation, and conflict resolution alongside issues of resource management and the promotion of sustainable development as a basis for world peace. Learn more about peace and conflict resolution study at Duke.

Social Policy

The Social Policy area of focus draws on social development and safety net policies, along with education and health policies. Fellows may also cover issues of disadvantage, gender, ethnic and economic inequality, and social entrepreneurship. Learn more about social policy at the Sanford School. 

Innovation and Entrepreneurship

This area of focus draws on Duke’s Innovation and Entrepreneurship Initiative and its pioneering leadership in policy and social entrepreneurship education. Fellows in this area of focus learn how to develop creative solutions to challenges in international development. 

New! Duke I&E initiative now offers a concurrent graduate certificate available to MIDP fellows. Learn more here. 

Past Student Research Snapshots

Janina Cuevas-Zuniga, MIDP ’14 discusses her research on Mexico’s Full-Time Schools Program. 

Teale Yalch (MIDP ’15), returned Peace Corps volunteer, on how public-private partnerships can help ensure Cote d’Ivoire’s palm oil industry benefits both smallholders and the environment.

Partomuan Juniult, MIDP ’14 with a focus on International Taxation, discusses his research on tax treaties in Indonesia.

Comments are closed.

Close Search Window
↑