M.A. in Sustainable International Development:
Accelerated Track

Each year the Sustainable International Development Program receives inquiries and applications from midcareer development practitioners who have substantial professional experience. For these applicants, the programs second year requirement that students obtain practical experience through an internship, advanced study or field project is not always beneficial. The second-year internship requirement ensures that our students who have had little time in the field gain valuable experience that may be critical in enabling them to break into the very competitive field of international development. But a recent survey of our students concluded that those who are advanced professionals find less career benefits from the internship experience. In addition, many advanced practitioners who would otherwise be interested in the program cannot commit to a two-year program.

The Accelerated Track SID M.A. exempts a select group of advanced development practitioners from the second year internship while raising the academic requirements for them during their Year-in-Residence. Accelerated Track students would enter with all other incoming students in late August and fulfill all course requirements for the existing program over the Fall and Spring semesters. Accelerated Track students will each write a Masters Paper during the summer term that applies development theory and skills to solving a real development problem recently encountered in their work. Students will propose the topic as part of their application to the program.

Students matriculated in the two-year M.A. may not petition to switch to the Accelerated Track. Applicants will have to meet the following criteria to be accepted: five or more years of experience that includes both implementation and management; outstanding recommendations from supervisors; a strong undergraduate record; and above average oral and written English skills as evidenced by international standardized tests such as TOEFL.

View Accelerated Track admission requirements.

For more information on the Accelerated Master's Degree in SID please email the admissions office at sidrecruit@brandeis.edu

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