Global Development Studies Minor

The Global Development Studies Minor is an interdisciplinary program of study that provides  students with an understanding of the multifaceted dynamics of societal transformation in an interconnected world. Issues such as  inequality, poverty, climate change, migration, and conflict will be analyzed from a multi-level (local, national, regional, and global) and multi-stakeholder perspective. Courses and extracurricular activities delve into the economic, social, political, technological, and cultural facets influencing societal change. Throughout the program, students are encouraged to conceptualize development as a process of self-determination, working towards the agency and advancement of all communities, both domestically and internationally.

Curriculum

The minor can complement any major in the School of Foreign Service. It is designed to be flexible to allow students to take courses based on their specific interests.  The course sequence is as follows:

  • INAF 2252: Introduction to Global Development
  • 5 (five) electives from the approved GDS courses list that will support your Global Development Studies learning goals

Electives can be drawn from courses within the School of Foreign Service and the university at large that cover a range of topics within the field of global development, from the changing landscape of foreign aid, to problems of fragile states and state-building, to the global challenges of infectious diseases and climate change. The multi-disciplinary tools and the substantive knowledge gained through the minor will serve students who pursue graduate work or careers in global development, whether in bilateral or multilateral aid organizations, global philanthropy, international or “frontline” NGOs, or the private sector.

Please note: 

  • A student must declare their major before they can apply for the GDS minor.
  • At most 2 courses can be double-counted between the University/School Core and the GDS Minor. 
  • Courses taken to fulfill the requirement for a major may not double count for a minor – i.e., if you are required to take an INAF course in order to complete a requirement for your IPOL major, that course may not double-count towards your GDS minor elective course requirement. Please be sure to review your Major course requirements carefully to determine what courses may or may not fit your needs. If you have any questions, please reach out to your curricular advising dean.

Undergraduate students with questions about the Global Development Studies minor should reach out to the GDS Team at email address at gdsminor@georgetown.edu.  

Elective Petitioning

If you are currently enrolled in the GDS minor (i.e., have already successfully completed your application process and have been enrolled for at least 1 semester), and you would like to pursue an elective in support of your GDS minor that is not included on the linked list of GDS elective courses, you may petition to have a course count towards your minor.

To do so, please fill out and submit the GDS Minor Elective Petition Form.

How to Apply to the GDS Minor

Undergraduate students who are interested in pursuing the GDS minor should fill out and submit the Global Development Studies Minor Declaration application form in order to enroll in the minor. Further instructions are included within the application form.

In order to finalize your participation in the GDS Minor, all students are expected to meet with either Professor Patricia Biermayr-Jenzano (patricia.biermayrjenzano@georgetown.edu) or Professor Shareen Joshi (sj244@georgetown.edu) to discuss the student’s interest in the minor, potential course enrollments to fulfill elective requirements, as well as areas of interest pertaining to global development. Both professors can be contacted via the email addresses listed above, or you can simply email gdsminor@georgetown.edu. The GDS minor administrator will reach out to the student to coordinate the meeting following application submission.

Once your application has been approved, you will be notified via email. At that time, the GDS administrator will reach out to your curricular advising Dean to ensure that your Degree Audit is updated to reflect the GDS minor.

Documents & Forms