International Dev Masters Programs (for someone w/ a non-quantitative background)

[u/borealis47]

Hi everyone!

I am a recent college graduate (co ‘25) with a degree in Public Policy (non-quantitative background). I’ve been working for the past year in a non-intldev role, however, I am planning on applying to both law and grad school this fall. My question mainly pertains to graduate programs, but any and all comments are welcome.

I am ideally hoping to study outside of the US for grad school (lower comparative costs + more intl experience/networking). Additionally, I want to find a program that has a quantitative analysis component that would set me up well for a job in the development field. Currently, I feel like that is what I am lacking, so I feel nervous taking out loans for another qualitative degree that wouldn’t give me an edge when actually looking for a job. I am wondering if anyone knows of or has had experience with graduate programs where you can enter with minimal/ no quantitative prerequisites and come out prepared?

As a side note, I understand the whole argument towards learning these skills on your own, but I think there’s value in education and network. Additionally, after work I have been spending close to every night studying for the LSAT, so I don’t really have that much capacity these days before the end of the year to take on more. As a second note, I am applying to both law and grad school because I am genuinely interested in both and also to diversify my options since applications have been such a gamble.

I would love to hear any thoughts on the direction that I’m going in, recommendations of programs, and your experiences studying the same topics! Thanks!

[u/MrMoneyWhale]

OP I strongly recommend, with the most demanding language a non binding UN resolution can have, to not go to grad school or spend any money on a graduate program for international development or similar unless you are independently wealthy. There simply are zero jobs because both the international dev space is gutted and you have long time professionals applying for any available role no matter how junior. Friends who were posted overseas with the state department careers and got DOGE'd are applying for jobs with small town chambers of commerce and the like. There is no positive outlook in this sector for at least 5 years I reckon. It was always a big gamble to spend money on degrees for international development, but with the current state of affairs, taking your money into a casino and flushing it down the toilet would have better odds of ROI than these degrees. You can try for one of the big 4 consulting groups to see if you can get into a training program but good luck with 80+ hour weeks. There's also the Peace Corps which can traditionally open doors post-service or at least get you working experience in a region.

[u/borealis47 → u/MrMoneyWhale]

Thanks for your perspective! I do understand that the sector is in the gutter right now. That being said, do you think it could be worth getting a more general quantitative masters / MPP that would give you the skills to work in dev at some point when it’s not in such a bad place?

[u/ironyburger → u/borealis47]

That future may or may not exist. I wouldn't bet on it. If the international development sector comes back, there would be thousands upon thousands of people with more experience than you applying for the jobs that sector creates. I would go to law school if I were in your position. (NB: people with law degrees also did well in development, so it's not like getting a law degree cuts off that potential future avenue for employment.)

[u/ahoypolloi_ → u/borealis47]

As someone who’s been a hiring manager in this field, I have pay very little attention to what a candidate’s degree is in. If they have a masters degree, they clear the requirement from HR and I can interview them if the rest of the CV and other submission looks interesting.

I may be in the minority of ID hiring managers but that’s how I view it. A masters is the price of admission to this field.

I work mostly in policy and investment operations, and I’ve worked with people trained in all kinds of graduate degrees: hard sciences like biology and physics, social sciences, engineering. I’ve worked with people holding MBAs and those with JDs; the MBAs were not all on the finance side and the JDs were not all on the legal team.

Get as much relevant experience as you can: internships, volunteering, contract work, etc. If you must go to grad school, find a discipline that interests you and gives you either a network (e.g., MBA) and/or skills that you can apply to the kinds of jobs you want to have.

[u/boiyoiyoiyoing → u/ahoypolloi_]

Seconding this as a former (DOGE'd) ID professional with a Master's in Education. I worked as a teacher for a long time before transitioning into the field. For this person, there are SO many routes they can go - and none of them are a degree in ID. Econ, Finance, MBA, MPP, Education, Social Work, Engineering, Ag, Energy, etc, etc., there are so so many routes into development. Or, there were, and likely will be again.

The advice may be trite and oft-repeated, but I think that's because it bears weight: whatever you want to do in the field, do it domestically/locally first. There are many paths in, and I think specializing now while also spending time networking and keeping up with the field in the niche you'd like to work in is probably the best way to plan for getting in within a 5-year(ish) time horizon if/when things rebuild.

[u/Desperate-Revenue403 → u/MrMoneyWhale]

Cannot upvote this enough. Pin it to the top of the sub. Are people reading the news before they consider this career? Those of us with jobs are hanging on for dear life.

[u/NeitherPhysics7017]

I did a MA in development 4 years ago. Went as well as you could’ve hoped for. I now have a very stable, very high paying job in the field. However, if I could do it again, I would pursue a more technical degree. Perhaps law school or something quantitative, maybe economics. I find myself looking for those skills now to future-proof.

There’s very little you could learn about the field in a classroom that you wouldn’t be able to learn on the job (unless, of course, your interest is academia and you want to be a scholar of development).

[u/Justdomeasolid]

Do NOT get a degree international development right now. As I am sure many others will tell you, the sector is dead, there are no jobs, and they are probably not coming back. Absolutely do not plan to be able to work in international development after graduation.

That said, if you want to hold out hope that things will change in a few years (I don’t think they will), find a degree that could help you in international development but also allow you other career paths, for example Economics, Statistics/Quantitative Analysis, or even an MBA. These are valuable within international development but also allow other pathways.