Tulane University

Program Information

Degree Offered

M.S. - International Development; including a Panama Field Work Experience alternative that divides the two-year coursework into one year of study in New Orleans and one year of study in Panama City, Panama where an internship with a UN agency is included as elective credit. In collaboration with Tulane Law School, we also offer a joint JD/MS and a Master in Laws and Development (LLM), Ph.D. - International Development

Format: Campus, Hybrid, Online

Program Description:

The Payson Center for International Development is an interdisciplinary center at Tulane University’s Law School offering Master of Science, Joint Juris Doctor and Master of Science, Master in Laws and Development ((LLM), Doctorate degrees, as well as a coordinate undergraduate major in international development. Since its inception in 1998, the Payson Center has generated one of the fastest growing academic programs at Tulane University. The Payson Center delivers to students a solid foundation of interdisciplinary theories and practices to improve the quality of life for populations in the developing world. The program’s focus is deeply rooted in sustainable human development, which leads to societies that are environmentally sustainable, economically viable, and socially just.

Understanding and ensuring sustainable human development requires that our faculty come from a variety of disciplines. Our current faculty working in the Payson Center comes from disciplines such as: international development, law, business, economics, public health, anthropology, geography, linguistics, sociology, engineering, computer science, political science; and psychology.

Further, we are an applied program where students and faculty alike learn not only in the classroom but in the world. Many of our students gain additional international development experience by working closely with our faculty on a variety of development projects.

Since its inception, the Center has administered 38 projects in 25 countries, with a combined budget of over $52 million. The Payson Center has been engaging in a wide-range of empirical research in areas such as HIV/AIDS, Malaria, Ethnic conflicts, Transitional Justice, Child Labor, and Human Rights.

Our student body is as diverse (if not more so) as our interdisciplinary approach to development and students hail from all parts of the world. In order to meet their needs, several of our classes are offered online. It is not uncommon for our students to be distance-based during a portion of their coursework engaged in the practice of sustainable development while simultaneously working toward their degree.

The Payson Center provides a substantial tuition reduction (less than 50% of the School of Liberal Art's tuition) to all students. The current tuition for MS and PhD in International Development programs is $750 per credit hour.

Our graduates are working for international organizations, managing non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and are professors and practitioners around the world.

Accreditation:

Tulane University is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of College

Eligibility Requirements:

Official record of scores on the Graduate Record Examination General (GRE) Test. For the M.S. program, a minimum of 302 combined score with neither the verbal being lower than 153 nor the quantitative score being lower than 144. For the Ph.D. program, a minimum of 160 for Verbal and 148 for Quantitative is required.

# of Credits Required:

36

International Student Requirements:

Non-US citizens applying for admission must present satisfactory evidence of sufficient competence in English to read, write, speak and understand. Such applicants must meet the Payson Center's TOEFL requirements (575 on the paper test or 90 on the internet version). The Internet based version of the TOEFL includes a writing section. Students taking the paper-based version of the TOEFL must also take the Test of Written English (TWE) and achieve a score of 3.5 or higher. The Payson Center accepts TOEFL scores for up to three years after the test administration. A score on the Test of Spoken English (TSE) is requested but not required. We also accept the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) in lieu of the TOEFL examination. Students must receive an IELTS band sore of 7 or higher. Foreign applicants are also required to take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE).

Tuition & Financial Aid

Cost Per Credit Hour:

$750 USD

Financial Aid Offered: No

Classification: Doctoral/Research Universities - Extensive

Institution Sector: Private not-for-profit

Locale: Midsize City

Size & Settings: 10,000 - 19,999