Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs (MPA-Development Practice)

Build the skills, experience, and networks, to make the world a better place

Small by design, a multidisciplinary program that focuses on practice and builds connections across the globe for your future

Fast Facts

• Two-year (21 months) master’s degree program
• One new cohort of 50 students every year
• The most practice-oriented and cross-sectoral master degree in development you’ll find
• 2 years of fieldwork required (Peace Corps service counts)
• STEM-designated, a nationally-recognized designation to broaden your employment options
• Located in vibrant New York City, with access to premier international organizations, such as the UN, local organizations, such The City Administration, and a wide range of industries, such as finance, tech/data, life sciences, and media.

Learn More

Join our Peace Corps Volunteer-exclusive MPA-DP Info Session on October 2, 10:00am EST . You will meet the MPA-DP team to learn more about the program. You will also have the opportunity to ask questions, interact with current students and learn about the application process.

Development Practice, not Development Studies

The 21-month MPA-DP, a STEM-designated degree program, is a practice-oriented, professional advancement degree where you will acquire the knowledge, and build the skills, experience, and networks, to make the world a better place. Our objective is to empower and support you through a combination of core and elective courses, skills development, and real-world practice. We support diverse, work-experience opportunities during the program, including a twelve weeks professional placement, a client-oriented, team capstone project, and internships. Upon graduation, you will be ready to apply these competencies with leading organizations in the public, non-profit, and private sectors or create your own enterprise, as many of our students have done.

We Take Field Work Seriously

Your coursework will be supplemented by a 12 weeks professional summer placement with established partner organizations around the world, providing you with practical work experience in sustainable development practice and a holistic learning experience. Our students have worked with 280 organizations in 95 countries, and new ones are added every year. Other practice-based courses include Development Practice Lab I and II.

Explore our interactive map of summer internship placements

Accelerate Your Career

“Business as usual” graduate programs in development prepare you for traditional careers in traditional development institutions. But the “development ecosystem” is rightly becoming more complex and increasingly inclusive of all countries and societies. While our graduates are regularly finding their way into the United Nations, the multilateral development banks, aid agencies, NGOs, and development consultancy firms, the door is opening in non-traditional areas. Big name management firms like McKinsey and Deloitte have lately been recruiting our graduates. State and local authorities in the United States have hired MPA-DPs to tackle urban development challenges. Other graduates have joined tech start-ups and impact investing firms, or have created their own social enterprises. Several of our alumni are currently enrolled in PhD programs. Career paths for development practitioners will continue to evolve and diversify. And we will support you towards the path that best meets your professional and personal goals.

Explore our global alumni community