Master in International Development Program (IDP)

The International Development Program at the International University of Japan is a two-year, English-taught master's program in Niigata, with enrollment starting each September. IUJ presents itself as a place where the world gathers, a graduate school teaching all courses in English to 380 students from 60 countries, with on-campus dormitories and a faculty and staff structure oriented toward international students. This program focuses on the theory and practice of economic and social development, covering areas such as development economics, poverty reduction, project design and evaluation, governance, and sustainable development. Students typically study how development policy is formed and implemented in agriculture, infrastructure, education, health, and environmental management, drawing on case material from developing and developed economies alike. Applied coursework often includes project planning exercises, statistical and economic analysis methods, and a research component addressing a specific development issue. Graduates of international development programs commonly work for government development agencies, multilateral and international organizations, non-governmental organizations, and private-sector consulting firms focused on development projects, as well as continuing into academic research. The two-year timeframe allows for grounding in development economics and policy analysis before specialization in later coursework and applied research. With 380 students from 60 countries enrolled at IUJ, students in the International Development Program study development questions alongside classmates from the regions those questions concern, which the university describes as part of what distinguishes the graduate school's approach to development education in Niigata.