Public Administration and International Development

In the MPA/ID Program, three-quarters of our students and many of our faculty come from countries other than the United States. We especially encourage applications from citizens of developing and transitional economy countries. Applicants must demonstrate competence in economics and quantitative analysis and the potential for leadership in international development. The MPA/ID Program rarely accepts applicants directly from undergraduate colleges and universities; most admitted candidates have at least three years of development-related work experience in government, central and regional banks, international development institutions, non-profits, research organizations, or private businesses.

The MPA/ID Program has course prerequisites to ensure that students will be adequately prepared for the rigor of the core curriculum. The prerequisite course requirements are one university-level course in each of the following:
• Microeconomics
• Macroeconomics
• Multivariable calculus (usually the third course in a university-level calculus sequence)

The demanding set of core courses includes:

• Advanced Microeconomics
• Advanced Macroeconomics
• Advanced Statistics and Econometrics
• Economic Development: Theory, Evidence and Policy Design
• Management in a Development Context
• Institutions in Development
• Good Governance
• Applications and Cases in International Development
• Second Year Policy Analysis (SYPA)

Students gain professional expertise through the case workshop, a requiredsummer internship, a substantial second-year policy analysis, and elective coursework in specific fields of development.

In short, the MPA/ID Program is built on three pillars:

PhD-level training in economics and quantitative methods

Multidisciplinary approach through coursework on institutions, politics, and management

Professional orientation through the case workshop, a summer internship, and other integrative work

he MPA/ID Program is a rigorous economics-centered program designed to prepare development practitioners. When evaluating an application, the Admissions Committee looks for:Strong academic record, including good grades in economics and mathematics courses.Required prerequisite courses, including at least one university-level course each in microeconomics and macroeconomics, and three university-level courses in calculus, which must include multivariable calculus. Statistics and linear algebra are desirable, but not required.Demonstrated commitment to the field of international development and compelling evidence of professional potential in the field. While work experience is not an absolute requirement, development work often serves to demonstrate this commitment.Strong recommendations from academic and professional recommenders who know you well and can comment on the qualities needed for this program.Competitive GRE or GMAT quantitative section score. In general, candidates who score in the top 80th percentile and above on the GRE or GMAT quantitative section are most competitive for admission.For applicants whose native language is not English, evidence of fluency in English as demonstrated by a minimum TOEFL score English Language Requirements IELTS band: 7 TOEFL iBT® test: 100

The Joint Japan/World Bank Graduate Scholarship Program (JJ/WBGSP), in partnership with the MPA/ID Program, awards eight scholarships per year to citizens of World Bank member borrower countries. These scholarships provide full tuition, a monthly living stipend, and round trip airfare. Scholarship recipients are required to return to their home country or to another developing country after they graduate. Scholarship recipients are ineligible for employment at the World Bank Group for a period of three years after graduation.