International Aid / Development Major?

<p>My daughter is very good at languages (like her mother) and has enjoyed her several years living overseas.</p>

<p>She said she is interested in possibly working in the foreign assistance or development arena.</p>

<p>I could only find about four schools within 700 miles of the Mid-Atlantic that offer such majors, usually within the Economics department.</p>

<p>Am I looking in the right place?</p>

<p>Is it called something else at colleges?</p>

<p>Should she major in something else instead that would better prepare her?</p>

<p>Which schools have the best reputation in this area?</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

<p>Yes, you’re looking in the wrong places. Look for interdisciplinary majors in international relations/international studies. Many such programs have thematic options or subspecializations within the major. Development studies often is one of these options.</p>

<p>The other place to look is at the ag colleges at public landgrant universities. Many of them offer programs in ag & development economics, international agriculture, etc. which actually cover much more in the area of development. These programs tend to have a more applied focus, whereas the IR programs tend to have a policy focus.</p>

<p>These programs have a diverse range of titles, e.g., global studies, and a diverse range of structures, including majors, minors, and certificate programs. So, at any given school, you might need to dig around a bit to find out what they call these particular programs. </p>

<p>If your daughter is interested in particular world regions, there also are language and area studies programs, too, e.g., Latin American studies, African Studies, etc.</p>

<p>Here are some to check out:
[Institute</a> for Global Studies : University of Minnesota](<a href=“http://igs.cla.umn.edu/]Institute”>http://igs.cla.umn.edu/)
[Global</a> Affairs Major | Jackson Institute for Global Affairs](<a href=“http://jackson.yale.edu/global-affairs-major]Global”>http://jackson.yale.edu/global-affairs-major)
[Development</a> Studies Program at Brown](<a href=“http://www.watsoninstitute.org/ds/]Development”>http://www.watsoninstitute.org/ds/)
[The</a> Payson Center for International Development | Undergraduate](<a href=“http://www.payson.tulane.edu/undergraduate.html]The”>http://www.payson.tulane.edu/undergraduate.html)
[International</a> Programs](<a href=“http://ip.cals.cornell.edu/academics/undergraduate.cfm]International”>http://ip.cals.cornell.edu/academics/undergraduate.cfm)
[Admissions</a> and Academics - School of Foreign Service - A Premier School of International Affairs in Washington, DC - Georgetown University](<a href=“http://sfs.georgetown.edu/admissions/]Admissions”>http://sfs.georgetown.edu/admissions/)
[International</a> Studies Program](<a href=“http://www.ii.umich.edu/cics/academics/internationalstudiesprogram]International”>http://www.ii.umich.edu/cics/academics/internationalstudiesprogram)
[Undergraduate</a> Studies : Institute for Global Studies : University of Minnesota](<a href=“http://igs.cla.umn.edu/ugrad/]Undergraduate”>http://igs.cla.umn.edu/ugrad/)
[International</a> Development Concentration - B.A. in International Affairs - The Elliott School of International Affairs](<a href=“http://elliott.gwu.edu/academics/ugrad/ia/concentration/development.cfm]International”>http://elliott.gwu.edu/academics/ugrad/ia/concentration/development.cfm)
[International</a> Development - College of Social Science - Michigan State University](<a href=“http://socialscience.msu.edu/undergrad/international_dev.html]International”>http://socialscience.msu.edu/undergrad/international_dev.html)
[Jackson</a> School of International Studies - Office of Student Services](<a href=“http://jsis.washington.edu/advise/catalog/is_ba.shtml]Jackson”>http://jsis.washington.edu/advise/catalog/is_ba.shtml)
[Global</a> Development Studies — Global Development Studies, Arts & Sciences, U.Va.](<a href=“http://artsandsciences.virginia.edu/globaldevelopment/]Global”>http://artsandsciences.virginia.edu/globaldevelopment/)
[Global</a> Studies Major Academics LAS Global Studies College of Liberal Arts & Sciences University of Illinois](<a href=“http://www.globalstudies.illinois.edu/academics/gsmajor/]Global”>http://www.globalstudies.illinois.edu/academics/gsmajor/)
[International</a> Studies Major: Indiana University](<a href=“http://www.indiana.edu/~intlweb/internship.shtml]International”>http://www.indiana.edu/~intlweb/internship.shtml)
[International</a> Studies Major - University of Wisconsin-Madison](<a href=“http://ismajor.wisc.edu/]International”>http://ismajor.wisc.edu/)
[International</a> Relations Program : Tufts University](<a href=“http://ase.tufts.edu/ir/]International”>http://ase.tufts.edu/ir/)
[UM</a> Global Interdisciplinary Programs](<a href=“http://www.international.umd.edu/oip/54]UM”>http://www.international.umd.edu/oip/54)</p>

<p>Extremely very cool!</p>

<p>Thank you very much for all the great info.</p>