The International Development (IDEV) program educates and trains development practitioners who are passionate about finding sustainable solutions to end poverty.
Helping countries and communities to overcome the problems of poverty, disease and exclusion, and to protect human rights are among the biggest challenges our globalized world faces today.
The IDEV program nurtures a corps of international development practitioners for leadership roles in policy and practice.
Overview
Faculty
Program Activities
Curriculum
Minor
Specializations and Practicum
Research in Implementation Seminar
Featured Courses
Events Calendar
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The International Development (IDEV) Program provides an interdisciplinary approach to the study of developing countries, with the aim of preparing students for careers in development. Students in the IDEV Program receive rigorous academic training that helps them better conceptualize the development process in its economic, political and social dimensions.
IDEV 2015 Practicum Client Presentations: ASER Center, FEMSA, Mercy Corps, PFAN (Deloitte), World Bank Water and Sanitation, and World Resources Institute (WRI)
Recent Photos
IDEV 2015 Practicum Client Presentations: ASER Center, FEMSA, Mercy Corps, PFAN (Deloitte), World Bank Water and Sanitation, and World Resources Institute (WRI)
Recent Photos
Recent Photos
2016 IDEV Students visit Blue Plains Wastewater Treatment Plant with Professor Nagpal
Recent Photos
2016 IDEV Students visit Blue Plains Wastewater Treatment Plant with Professor Nagpal
Recent Photos
Recent Photos
Recent Photos
Bologna IDEV students attended the 2017 International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Ball in Vienna. Pictured left to right: Adam Weber, Kun Zhang, Audrey Stienon, Erin Smith, Tatiana Lang, Alice Schaus, Grace Cramer, Helena Molina, Pablo Villar Vileikis, Karina Asbjornsen, Rochana Cooray, Raphael Bousquet, Jamil Wyne and Irene Rivera Calderon.
Recent Photos
Bologna IDEV students attended the 2017 International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Ball in Vienna. Pictured left to right: Adam Weber, Kun Zhang, Audrey Stienon, Erin Smith, Tatiana Lang, Alice Schaus, Grace Cramer, Helena Molina, Pablo Villar Vileikis, Karina Asbjornsen, Rochana Cooray, Raphael Bousquet, Jamil Wyne and Irene Rivera Calderon.
Coordinated and led by IDEV students, this events series provides speakers the opportunity to address the challenges of global development assistance and to suggest new initiatives that will improve the field. Learn more about the Development Roundtable[36].
Executive Director of UN Women, Dr. Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka. (Photo Credit: Noel St. John)
Internship Program
Internships are an integral part of the learning experience and an entrée to future employment. The IDEV Program encourages students to pursue internships and research opportunities in developing countries during the summer and in Washington, D.C., during the school year. IDEV collaborates with a range of partner agencies, NGOs, think tanks, and government agencies to help students secure substantive summer internships that build on the skills learned during the first year. Providing stipends for unpaid internships offers students the flexibility to accept overseas positions which meet their needs and interests. Please click the links below to read more about sponsored students' internship experiences in the blogs they have written for SAIS Perspectives:
Erin Smith took time during her internship at UN Women’s East and Southern Africa Regional Office to make a new friend.
Kun Zhang interviewed students attending informal primary schools in Nairobi's slums, Kenya.
Perspectives: IDEV Student-Led Publication
Each spring IDEV publishes Perspectives, with articles on cutting-edge issues in development, many written by IDEV faculty, students and alumni. Each annual issue focuses on a specific theme of development. The editorial team has launched a new online platform http://www.saisperspectives.com/[47] in November 2014 to host the IDEV program's perspectives on international development.
MA students must take the equivalent of 16 non-language courses (64 credits) in order to graduate. Those students who are approved for dual degree or advanced standing may only need to take 12 courses (48 credits) or 14 courses (56 credits) as approved by Academic Affairs.
INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Students concentrating in International Development (IDEV) must take at least 6 courses in the program. In addition, IDEV students must complete a constrained International Economics and Quantitative Reasoning course. Students may not count the constrained International Economics and/or Quantitative Reasoning courses toward their 6 required IDEV concentration courses.
IDEV students must also complete Microeconomics (with a grade B- or above) prior to matriculating at Johns Hopkins SAIS through the school's Summer, Non-Degree, or Pre-Term programs or by passing the waiver exam.
IDEV REQUIREMENTS
1 course SA.400.821 Introduction to Development required in the fall semester of the first year
2 courses starting with the prefix SA.400.XXX
3 courses from one of the Professional Tracks
IDEV Professional Tracks Students choose one of the following:
The concentration requirements, along with the other requirements of the school's MA, can be found on the IDEV Requirements Chart[53].
Students who choose to dual concentrate must choose IDEV as their primary concentration. All dual-concentrations must be approved by IDEV.
INTERNATIONAL ECONOMICS
Students must complete 16 credits. The four required courses are:
Macroeconomics (prerequisite Microeconomics)
International Trade Theory (co- or prerequisite Microeconomics)
International Monetary Theory (prerequisite Macroeconomics)
One constrained IDEV economics course from below or another development economics course approved by IDEV:
SA.320.724 Introduction to Economic Development
SA.320.731 Microeconomics of Development
SA.320.735 Topics in Growth and Development
SA.320.750 Comparative Perspectives of Economic Growth & Development
SA.320.744 Economic Development
SA.320.715.20 Theories and Models of Economic Development (Bologna campus only)
Students may not count the constrained International Economics course toward their 6 required IDEV concentration courses.
If a student passes a waiver exam[54] in one of these areas, the student must take a replacement International Economics program course(s) to fulfill the concentration requirement.
Concentration GPA Requirement Students must achieve a combined GPA of at least 2.67 in the four required International Economics program courses or they must retake the course(s) until a 2.67 concentration GPA is achieved. In the standard case, the concentration GPA will be the average of the grades of Macroeconomics, International Trade Theory, International Monetary Theory and the constrained IDEV economics course.
If one or more of the four standard courses is waived, the school will use the highest grade(s) from any eligible replacement International Economics program course(s) to compute the International Economics concentration GPA.
QUANTITATIVE REASONING
Students must complete one course from the list below as their constrained IDEV course.
Statistical Methods for Business & Economics
Econometrics (prerequisite Statistical Methods for Business & Economics)
Applied Econometrics (prerequisite Econometrics)
Macro Econometrics (prerequisite Econometrics)
Students may not double-count the same course toward the Quantitative Reasoning requirement and as an International Economics concentration course and vice-versa.
Students may not count the Quantitative Reasoning course toward their 6 required IDEV concentration courses.
If a student passes the statistics waiver exam, the student must take an alternate course from the list above to fulfill the Quantitative Reasoning requirement.
Starting with the entering class of Fall 2017, students who pass Statistical Methods for Business & Economics in Pre-Term[57] will have fulfilled the Quantitative Reasoning requirement. The Pre-Term course is not for credit and is not factored into the GPA.
CORE COURSES/EXAMS
All students must pass 2 core courses and/or exams from the subjects below. If the core courses/exams are not completed by the start of the final semester, the student no longer has the option of completing the exam and must enroll in the core course(s) for credit. IDEV students are strongly encouraged to take Comparative Politics.
American Foreign Policy Since World War II
Comparative Politics
Evolution of the International Systems
Theories of International Relations
LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY
MA candidates must pass exams to demonstrate proficiency in a second language. This language must be offered at the school. Students whose native language is not English may use English as their proficiency language. All non-native English speakers are required to pass an English placement exam upon entering the school, even if not using English for proficiency.
CAPSTONE
IDEV concentrators must complete ONE of the following capstones:
IDEV Oral Exam with an IDEV examiner and an economist
SA.400.821 Introduction to Development (section 02)
2 additional courses (8 credits) with the IDEV prefix of SA.400.XXX
General Minor Requirements:
MA students may pursue an optional minor in a policy or regional program. A student cannot pursue a minor in General IR or International Economics, but can pursue a Specialization in International Economics[69]
A student can have only one minor and can declare a minor at any time prior to graduation.
Students do not receive bidding priority for a minor.
All minors require three courses. Some minors require a specific course(s) and/or language proficiency.
A student may use a maximum of one applicable cross-listed course (4 credits) toward both a minor AND concentration requirements. In the IR or Asia concentrations, the cross-listed course must be from the primary concentration area and not from the 2 additional required courses in the other IR or Asia areas.
IDEV students can opt for a specialization in Development Economics or International Finance, offered through the International Economics Program, or a specialization in Emerging Markets[71]. IDEV students are encouraged to combine functional approaches with the school's rich offerings in the development experience of specific regions such as Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
International Development Practicum In order to expand the opportunities to work directly with public, private and non-governmental organizations, IDEV offers a two-semester Practicum class to second year students for credit. Successful completion of the Practicum also serves as a Capstone for graduating students. In academic year 2017-18, 24 students were enrolled in the Practicum.
What is a Practicum? A practicum is a course designed to provide students the tools and opportunity to work with an external client on a development problem or opportunity. It allows students the opportunity to apply their research, analysis and practical skills to an issue that is of direct relevance to a client. The team of students works closely with the client to produce a high quality output in the form of a publishable report, policy or program that may be implemented by the client. In addition to allowing students to translate their knowledge into practice, the practicum experience also allows students to make valuable contacts with potential employers.
How is the Practicum implemented? Approximately 20 second year IDEV students are eligible for taking the practicum as a course for credit, over two semesters. They are selected in the Fall semester based on their coursework, prior experience and demonstrated interest. Students form teams and work with a professor throughout the Fall semester to conduct research and design a proposal collaboratively with previously identified clients. They meet once a week to discuss research methods, their proposals, and progress with the professor assigned to lead their team. Teams undertake field research during winter break and complete a report to the client upon their return. Students are required to meet with the professor at an assigned class time each week. Every member of the team is held responsible for the timely completion of assignments. The practicum requires that student teams meet outside of class both with each other as well as with the client. The entire team is held responsible for coordinating logistics with the client. Students are evaluated both individually and on the basis of the final product that they deliver to the client. Professor Deborah Brautigam, Director of the International Development Program, has been quoted in Foreign Policy magazine saying that the practicum "gives students an invaluable, hands-on experience to work with an international development organization and address an important development challenge. Participants often say their practicum work was one of the most important experiences they had in graduate school. These are not research projects. Practicum students address practical problems that the client needs to solve.” To read more about the the Practicum program in the Foreign Policy Guide article, click here[72].
In AY 2017-18, 24 students were selected for the IDEV Practicum. Six teams will travel to India, Cambodia, Vietnam, and the Philippines to support their clients.
Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), New Delhi, India - The GAIN team will investigate the sanitation and nutrition environment of street vendors serving perishable, freshly-cooked food and will identify challenges and opportunities in serving the urban poor in New Delhi and Jaipur. The research will focus on perceptions of an enabling/disabling environment for street vending, the urban supply chain, and demand and will create an assessment tool to measure the street vending sanitation and nutrition environment which GAIN can use for determining areas for future programmatic interventions. Final Deliverable[74].
International Finance Corporation (IFC), Manila, Philippines -The IFC team will conduct global stocktaking of successful models for financing young entrepreneurs. They will compile a set of case studies to identify best practices and lessons learned to inform concrete policy recommendations for the G20's Global Partnership for Financial Inclusion.
International Development Enterprises (iDE), Hue, Vietnam - iDE is an international non-profit organization dedicated to creating income and livelihood opportunities for the rural poor, in Vietnam. The goal of this team's project is to develop a business case on the replicability of Hydrologic, a viable social enterprise started by iDE in Cambodia, in the Vietnam context. Hydrologic manufactures, distributes, and sells water filters in rural Cambodia and has to date successfully sold over 500,000 filters to households at the base of the pyramid. Final Deliverable[75].
LV Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad, India - This project aims to assess the cost effectiveness of LVPEI, a network of ophthalmologic clinics in India serving over 2.5 million mostly-low-income patients in India. Additionally, it will perform an operational analysis of a select sample of primary care centers. Altogether, the results should help the organization improve its allocation of resources while getting a better understanding of its impact to the communities it serves. Final Deliverable 1[76]. Final Deliverable 2[77].
Water.org, Phnom Penh, Cambodia - This team is working with Water.org in Cambodia to design a business model for scaling-up access to Water and Sanitation Services (WSS) for financially excluded people through Digital Financial Services (DFS).
Athena Infonomics, Chennai, India -The Athena team is working to identify a social infrastructure project in India that is a viable candidate for a Social Impact Bond (SIB) funding and partnership structure. They will then propose a primer for such SIB structure for the selected project based on consultations with potential investors, implementing partners, government officials, and other relevant actors.
In AY 2016-17, 23 students were selected for the IDEV Practicum. Six teams travelled to India, China, Kenya, and Uganda to support their clients. The field work conducted by each team in January 2017 is summarized below:
Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (New Delhi, India) - Improving Municipal Nutrition Security in New Delhi: identifying key blockages in the value chains of selected nutritional food items in Delhi in order to propose intervention points for the Client. Final Deliverable.[79]
World Wildlife Fund (Beijing, China) - Promoting trade and investment in Green Products (GPs) between China and Kenya: develop key products and sectors in China, in tandem with team in Kenya, where GPs have the greatest economic and environmental benefit for China-Africa economic interactions. Final Deliverable[80].
World Wildlife Fund (Nairobi, Kenya) - Promoting trade and investment in Green Products (GPs) between China and Kenya: develop key products and sectors in Kenya, in tandem with the team in China, where GPs have the greatest economic and environmental benefit for China-Africa economic interactions. Final Deliverable[80].
International Center for Research on Women (Kampala, Uganda) - Strategic planning for the recently opened ICRW African Regional Office: Stakeholder analysis and strategic proposal to guide the development of ICRW’s activities in Africa. Final Deliverable[81].
Quona (Mumbai, India): Implementing the agile development model to enhance Quona’s social performance management tool and facilitate the adoption of common valuation practices among portfolio clients. Final Deliverable[82].
Athena Infonomics (India) - Maternal and Child Health Data Management: Understanding the challenges around and improving MCH data collection, management, and analysis. Final Deliverable[83].
IDEV AY2016-17 Practicum Client Presentation on 4/26/2017 with Presentation Video[84] and PowerPoint Presentation, as well as a Storify[85].
2017 IDEV Practicum Team (Photo Credit: Anshu Singh)
In AY 2015-16, 23 students were selected for the IDEV Practicum. Six teams traveled to Kenya, Nigeria, India, Egypt, and Sri Lanka, in order to support clients by working on projects ranging from decision-making tools for sanitation decision makers to evaluating business models for training and vocational education. The field work conducted by the teams in January 2016 is summarized below:
Athena Infonomics - City Development, India: Worked with government officials, civil society organizations, and academics to determine possible strategies to leverage technology to engage directly with citizens to improve service delivery in urban areas. Particular attention was paid to road quality. The team will build on RoadLab app, which was used as the key element in a blueprint for identifying poor-quality road construction to be targeted for repair. Final Deliverable[86].
Athena Infonomics - Sanitation Planning, India: Supported the development of a Decision Support System (DSS) Tool to aid policymakers in determining future urban sanitation investments. Students carried out field work in Chennai and Vellore, India and created a blueprint for a DSS tool that will be shared with Athena. Final Deliverable[87].
International Water Management Institute, Sri Lanka: Assess the threats and opportunities to the fishing communities surrounding Negombo Lagoon through meetings and focus groups with key government officials, fishermen, and non-profit organizations in the area. Conducted extensive research to describe the cause of declining ecosystems and shrinking catch size, and determine possible strategies for solving these problems. Final Deliverable[88].
Promundo, Egypt: The Practicum team worked with the International Men and Gender Equality Survey (IMAGES) team of Promundo to identify potential partners and support adoption of Promundo’s gender equality activities to new contexts in the Middle East. Final deliverable results included a comprehensive stakeholder map for new partners as well as policy recommendations for expanding into Morocco.
Sino-Africa Centre of Excellence Foundation (SACE), Kenya: Four IDEV students traveled to Kenya to work with SACE and determine possible strategies for improving Technical Vocational Education Training (TVET) to better meet the needs of Chinese firms operating in Africa. Interviews in Eldoret, Nairobi, and Mombasa determined gaps and areas of weakness in the TVET market in Kenya, and final deliverables will result in proposed strategies for achieving long-term sustainability and further growth for SACE. Final Deliverable[89].
Zhongfu International Investment Company, Nigeria: IDEV students worked with their client to assess the successes and opportunities for the Ogun-Guandong Free Trade Zone with a particular focus on management strategies and sustainable growth for the FTZ. Final deliverables will include suggestions for further management and organizational strategies to improve the FTZ. Final Deliverable[90].
In AY 2014-15, the Practicum grew to include 22 students who traveled with their teams to Cambodia, the Philippines, China, India and Mexico, based on the location of the client and the project. Consulting teams once again negotiated a demanding terms of reference with their clients and produced an array of high quality outputs, described below.
ASER-India: Work with ASER, the premier independent evaluator of educational inputs and outcomes in India, to understand how to incorporate twenty-first century skills into educational curricula and evaluate readiness among students and teachers in government schools. Students carried of field work in India and created new qualitative and quantitative tools for ASER. Final Deliverable[93].
FEMSA Foundation, Mexico: Evaluate the existing nutritional education programs in Food Banks supported by the Foundation and create new monitoring and evaluation tools for the Foundation. These are supported by training tools for staff. The team also completed an evaluation of potential partners for the Foundation. All research and tools are in Spanish. Final Deliverable[94] and Measurement Plan[95].
Mercy Corps, the Philippines: Using primary qualitative and quantitative survey data and an extensive literature survey, student produced a comprehensive report on the determinants of disaster resilience in the Philippines. Their analysis focused on financial inclusion and an evaluation of Mercy Corps' unconditional cash transfer program in the typhoon affected areas of the Philippines. Final Deliverable[96].
Private Financing Advisory Network-Asia, Cambodia: A student team assisted PFAN-Asia to document the demand for solar energy in Cambodia with a view to creating a business case for independent investors. The final deliverable is a "business case" for solar photovoltaic as a viable profit-seeking model, with accompanying financial modeling detailing both the expected returns per transaction as well as the overall financials for a business operating in this space if the entrepreneur began pursuing the proposed model starting in 2016. Final Deliverable.[97]
World Resources Institute, China and the Philippines: WRI worked with students to explore options to promote sustainability at new multilateral financial institutions New Development Bank (NDB) formed by the BRICS, and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) formed by the Government of China. This timely research has the potential to influence the environmental and social safeguards policies adopted by both MFIs. Final Deliverable[98].
Water and Sanitation Program, World Bank, Cambodia: The team conducted in-depth surveys to evaluate the state of sanitation businesses in rural Cambodia. It created guidelines for the formation and implementation of a business association of sanitation-related service providers in Cambodia with a view to helping the country reach millions of Cambodians who currently lack access to improved sanitation. Final Deliverable[99] and Break-Even Analysis[100].
Mercy Corps Team: Grace Harter, Meredith Kummings, Daniel Hudner (not pictured, Joanna Van Asselt) (Photo Credit: Jacquelyn Kasuya, Johns Hopkins SAIS)
In AY2013-14, 16 second year students successfully completed the first IDEV Practicum. Four teams delivered high quality, valuable products to a diversity of clients from the World Bank to large and small NGOs in India. Deliverables included surveys in rural Indian villages and large cities such as Bangalore, primary data collection through phone interviews in the US, stakeholder and sector analysis based on secondary sources. Students completed business plans, monitoring and evaluation guides, new research guides and methodologies for their final deliverables with the following clients:
Indian Institute of Emergency Medical Services (Kottayam, India)
LV Prasad Eye Institute (Hyderabad, India)
Reap Benefit (Bangalore, India)
Water and Sanitation Program, World Bank (Washington, D.C.)
Location: Bernstein-Offit Building 1717 Massachusetts Ave., N.W. Washington, D.C. 20036
Fall 2017
September 8, 2017 - Martin Williams[105], Associate Professor in Public Management, Blavatnik School, Oxford University
Beyond State Capacity: Policy Implementation, Bureaucratic Effectiveness, and Reform
September 29, 2017 in BOB 736 - Michael Woolcock[106], Lecturer in Public Policy, Harvard Kennedy School and Lead Social Development Specialist, World Bank Building State Capability
October 6, 2017 - Brian Levy[107], Professor of the Practice of International Development, Johns Hopkins SAIS Hierarchical vs Horizontal Governance: Using 'Political Settlements' and Institutional Approaches to Assess 'Good Fit’ in South African Schools
October 20, 2017 in BOB 416 - Robert Blair[108], Assistant Professor of Political Science and International and Public Affairs, Brown University Building Trust in a Reformed Security Sector: Evidence from Liberia
November 3, 2017 in BOB 416 - Mai Hassan[109], Assistant Professor of Political Science, University of Michigan Governing Under Autocratic Regimes
November 17, 2017 in BOB 736 - Neeraj Mittal[110], Senior Adviser to Executive Director (EDS12), World Bank, Anit Mukherjee[111], Center for Global Development, Alan Gelb[112], Center for Global Development. The Reform of India’s LPG Cooking Gas Subsidy: The Largest Direct Benefit Transfer System in the World
December 1, 2017 in BOB 736 - Shelby Grossman[113], Assistant Professor of Political Science, University of Memphis The Politics of Order in Informal Markets: Evidence from Lagos
Featured Courses
These are typical International Development Courses:
Basic Education in Low and Middle Income Countries: Policy and Practice
China in Africa
Development Strategies
Financial Inclusion
Gender Inequality and Development
IDEV Practicum
Improving Service Delivery in Developing Countries
Introduction to Development
Introduction to Public Health for Development Practitioners
Practical Research Methods for International Development
Principles of Evaluation for Development Projects
Social Entrepreneurship: Driving Innovations in Development
This course aims to introduce students to contemporary discussions on designing ...
This course aims to introduce students to contemporary discussions on designing and delivering basic education (primary and lower secondary level) services in low and middle income countries. The course pays special attention to lessons learned for improving access to and quality of education. The readings focus primarily on basic education with some discussion on early childhood education and care. We begin this 2-credit course with a general introduction about the ongoing debates at the global and national level about the successes and shortcomings of recent interventions for improving basic education in low and middle income countries. During the second section of the course, we will have the opportunity to learn about both demand and supply-side obstacles to providing basic education to all children. During the third and major section of the course, we will examine the evidence about the effectiveness of a wide range of efforts at improving access to and quality of basic education, including but not limited to class size, teacher training, cash transfer, and technological interventions. The course is run as a seminar so the students are expected to do the assigned readings prior to each session. At the end of the course, students will have familiarity with both the pertinent academic literature on basic education interventions in low and middle income countries, and the key reports published by international development organizations. Students will also have the opportunity to practice their policy analysis skills through the policy memo assignments.
This course critically examining China's rapidly growing economic, political and...
This course critically examining China's rapidly growing economic, political and social ties with African countries. What drives these ties? How do they reflect China's "Going Global" thrust? What impact is Chinese engagement having on development prospects in other countries? What is myth, and what is reality? How is this engagement changing? Comparisons with Chinese engagement in Asia and the Americas. All students will write an original research paper.
Basic services such as drinking water, sanitation, solid waste disposal and publ...
Basic services such as drinking water, sanitation, solid waste disposal and public transport are essential to development, yet in many countries their provision remains extremely problematic. While crowded cities with potholed roads, overflowing garbage heaps, and waterways clogged with untreated sewage are the images that come to mind when one thinks about missing services, rural areas are often even worse off. In this course we will review the main challenges to effective and reliable service delivery, the roles of key players, how these roles have been changing over time and how they may change in the future. We begin by discussing the theory of the state’s role in service provision, why some services are harder to provide, or some populations more difficult to serve. Next we focus on four sectors—drinking water, sanitation, solid waste and public transport. Problems specific to each sector, policies and programs used to address these challenges, to what extent they have been successful and why, and what approaches may work in the future, will be discussed. The course will pay special attention to innovations in service delivery—clearer incentives for regular service provision, strengthening municipal financing, integrating the private sector and communities into service provision. Students will study the costs associated with service delivery; service delivery planning; tools used for benchmarking utilities; and innovations in financing services.
Study of development reveals a wide range of proposals for economic and politica...
Study of development reveals a wide range of proposals for economic and political reform, and an equally wide range of political and economic constraints to reform. But the challenge confronting development practitioners is neither to decide which measures are optimal (the optimal is rarely implementable), nor to explain why action is infeasible. The aim is to find a tractable and promising way forward, given country-specific realities. This course will explore our evolving understanding of the tension between a normative vision of ‘good’ economic policy and ‘good governance’, and the practical challenge of identifying a feasible set of ‘next steps’ in a concrete setting – that is, of strategic sequencing. The focus will be on feasible ways forward in countries with low-incomes, and politics and institutions that are not supportive of development. Half of the classes will comprise lecture-style presentation and discussion of emerging concepts, approaches and tools that help us better think about the development constraints and options in institutionally challenging settings. The other half will be discussion-based; these classes will each focus on a country case study, and will explore alternative options for addressing a specific difficult development policy challenge in that country, in a way that highlights the intersection between economics and politics.
Money management is a fundamental part of everyday life, yet low-income families...
Money management is a fundamental part of everyday life, yet low-income families are typically excluded from the formal financial sector. The delivery of quality financial services (loans, savings, insurance, money transfers, etc.) at affordable costs to all segments of society is an important policy goal in closing the income gap and improving quality of life. This course is designed to give the student an overview of the history and key issues involved in “Financial Inclusion,” which has evolved as an industry from “Microfinance.” The course assignments are intended to teach practical technical skills and critical thinking about financial systems and the unbanked, assessing the financial needs of and designing products for the poor, operational aspects of managing a microfinance institution, and major debates about impact, socially-responsible investing, and future trends. This course is complementary to SA.400.724 Impact Investing: Financial Inclusion and Creating Value at the Base of the Pyramid, offered in Spring 2016.
The objectives of this seminar are broadly two-fold: first, to gain a solid unde...
The objectives of this seminar are broadly two-fold: first, to gain a solid understanding of the patterns and constraints of gender inequality around the world up to the present day, and second, to review and debate what we know and don’t know about what policies and programs can work to close gender gaps, with a focus on developing countries. This 2-credit course will cover a broad range of topics, from economic opportunities, to gender based violence, to the global agenda and post 2015 framework.
The Practicum is a course designed to provide students with the opportunity to a...
The Practicum is a course designed to provide students with the opportunity to apply their research, analysis and practical skills to an issue that is of direct relevance to a client in the international development space. Through the practicum, students not only refine the skills that they have gained but also make a tangible contribution to the practice of international development. Working in teams, and responding to client demands gives students a glimpse of working life upon graduation. Students are expected to meet all deadlines outlined in the Terms of Reference provided by the client. The IDEV Practicum is only open to second year IDEV students. For these students it also serves as a culminating educational experience and capstone, taking the place of an oral examination. The exception will be those students who quality for Johns Hopkins SAIS honors orals. Such students may wish to take the orals in addition to completing the Practicum.
Development is a complex, multifaceted phenomenon that must be studied from a nu...
Development is a complex, multifaceted phenomenon that must be studied from a number of disciplinary approaches. Much of development theory focuses on economic growth, and students will have the opportunity to learn about the economic aspects of development in other classes. Economic growth is necessary to development, but not sufficient. Societies also change politically and socially, and politics, culture, and social structure are important in determining the quality of their institutions and the opportunities they offer their citizens. This course provides a general interdisciplinary foundation for the study of international development that includes history, theory, analytical tools, and institutions, and that will enable our students to be better prepared to analyze and address current issues.
This is a required course for first year IDEV concentrators, and all IDEV affiliated students (MIPP/Minor).
This course offers a practical introduction to major issues, policies and practi...
This course offers a practical introduction to major issues, policies and practices of public health, and examines the role of health in development. The course teaches critical public health skills such as epidemiology, burden of disease studies, rapid assessments and outbreak investigations, enabling students to understand the basic tools of public health and to analyze strengths and weaknesses in public health studies. Furthermore, this course examines major public health topics of concern to development, including HIV/AIDS, malaria, neglected tropical diseases, maternal and child health, water and sanitation, and emerging diseases. This training will enable development practitioners act on the ground and in development institutions to improve global health. This course is designed as both a stand-alone primer on public health for those working in development, and as a foundation course for more advanced study of global health issues. Course Number: SA.400.807.01 Campus: Washington, D.C. Term: Fall 2017 Faculty:Joshua Michaud[118], Jennifer Kates[119]
Covers a range of practical tools for development-related information gathering,...
Covers a range of practical tools for development-related information gathering, including for project planning, design and evaluation. Grounded in survey and interview skills, also reviews participatory approaches, rapid appraisal, action research and many other techniques. Gives special attention to methods suitable for low budgets, limited time and nonprofessional management staff. Makes extensive use of real-world cases. Includes a team-based practicum in Washington.
This course will help students develop critical skills in applying methodologies...
This course will help students develop critical skills in applying methodologies and strategies for the evaluation of international development projects. It will provide the conceptual and theoretical framework to help students navigate decisions about the most appropriate tools for assessing project achievements and evaluating their impact through formative, process, and summative approaches. Students will learn to identify sound evaluation questions, develop logic models to assess their utility for project monitoring and evaluation (M&E), and select performance and evaluation indicators and apply these in qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods designs. The course will provide insight into how methodological choices influence research design, data interpretation, and the strength of evaluation results. Students will learn to critique reported program results against standards of validity, reliability, efficiency, and effectiveness and will gain skills relevant for research uptake, instructing students how to present findings in appropriate formats for diverse audiences. Students will also be challenged to navigate ethical dilemmas of evaluation in the context of international development programming and reflect on appropriate alternative designs. The course will include brief lectures, in-class exercises, plenary discussions, and small group sessions. Case studies will be used to review and compare the M&E practices of major donors (multi-laterals, bi-laterals, and private foundations) and to critically assess examples of good and bad practice. The final project will showcase students’ skills in designing a rigorous and appropriate evaluation to answer a real world development question.
Course Number: SA.400.809.01 Campus: Washington, D.C. Term: Spring 2018 Faculty:Jeffrey Edmeades[121], Laura Hinson[122]
Social Entrepreneurship: Driving Innovation in Development is focused on underst...
Social Entrepreneurship: Driving Innovation in Development is focused on understanding social entrepreneurship and the challenges of building sustainable, impactful businesses that address critical underserved needs in emerging global marketplaces.
The course aims to create in each student an appreciation of the qualities, values and skills of social entrepreneurs and also entrepreneurial opportunities in critical sectors of human need in complex, resource-constrained markets that are plagued by fragmented infrastructure, inadequate institutions and other governance challenges. Students will learn first-hand how businesses serving the needs of the poor contribute to community development and “do well by doing good”. The capstone project in the course is a group presentation based on a partnership with an existing social enterprise, or a newly conceptualized social enterprise based on student ideas.
Course Number: SA.400.750.01 Campus: Washington, D.C. Term: Spring 2018 Faculty:Cinnamon Dornsife[19], David Kyle[123]
Events
Our Alumni
IDEV Alumni
In addition to making a decisive impact on the field of international development, IDEV graduates have established an active alumni network and maintain a close relationship with the program. They also give back to the program in many ways - delivering presentations at brown bag lunches, assisting in the school's Admissions Office and on career development panels, offering job and internship advice to current students, and serving as the best possible advocates for recruiting new students.
If you would like to stay connected, check us out on LinkedIn, Twitter[124], and Instagram[125].
We appreciate the responses from all of you who have contacted us regarding your current endeavors. We hope to establish a complete list of IDEV student alumni updates.
If you are interested in contacting our alumni or have additional questions regarding IDEV alumni affairs please contact the International Development Program at saisidev@jhu.edu[78].
To refer a prospective student to Johns Hopkins SAIS, please click here[126].
We've launched our Alumni Newsletter in AY2015-16 to keep you updated with the latest news, research and events from IDEV, and to provide an opportunity for you to connect with your fellow alumni. Within the newsletters, you will find: alumni updates and contact information, news from the China Africa Research Initiative (CARI), information on how to contribute to SAIS Perspectives, updates on this year's IDEV Practicum Projects, upcoming IDEV events, information on new courses, professors, and more!
SAIS Perspectives[47] is an annual publication of the International Development program at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) in Washington, DC. The publication provides a forum for discussion of critical, cutting-edge topics with the goal of proposing innovative ways of thinking about the practice and policy of international development.
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Professor Cinnamon Dornsife, Faculty Advisor prior to 2014, promoting SAISPerspectives.
For Professors Brautigam, Nagpal, Dornsife, and Honig: Click on “Professor [Last Name]'s Office Hours”.
Check off the time slot of your preference, and click on “Submit and Sign Up”
Enter your name in the “My Comment” section and complete your personal information and click on “Sign Up Now!”
Voila! You are done!
You will need your e-mail address for making or changing an appointment online. If you need to meet with Professor Brautigam outside of office hours, please contact Nicole Kazi at nkazi1@jhu.edu[144] to schedule an appointment.
Johns Hopkins SAIS Honor Code Documents
According to "The Red Book: Johns Hopkins SAIS Student and Academic Handbook", enrollment at the school obligates each student to conduct all activities in accordance with the rules and spirit of the school’s Honor Code. The Honor Code governs student conduct. It covers all activities in which students present information as their own, including written papers, examinations, oral presentations and materials submitted to potential employers or other educational institutions. It requires that students be truthful and exercise integrity and honesty in their dealings with others, both inside the school and in the larger community. For more details, please see The Red Book[145].
An online course is available to students to help learn about JHU academic standards, and how to avoid plagiarism during your studies. This course covers important topics on how to cite, quote, paraphrase, and summarize. To access this online course, please have your JHED and password ready and login here[146].
Bernard L. Schwartz Professor in International Political Economy, Professor of International Development and Comparative Politics, Director of the International Development Program
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dbrautigam@jhu.edu [141]
202-650-5412
202-663-7701
