Careers

Students will find this transdisciplinary degree unique, relevant and compelling to advance their professional and personal goals. For example, a 2015 survey of experienced development professionals by DEVEX — the largest provider of recruiting and business development services for global development — in partnership with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), revealed that 79% of respondents believe they will do a better job as a development practitioner if they have a graduate degree in global development. In the same survey, 90% also believed that it is important for development practitioners to have a basic understanding of working with a wide range of stakeholders, rather than a group of people with specific specializations, revealing the need for an interdisciplinary degree. Among the respondents, 75% felt that future development professionals need a greater understanding of social and cultural dimensions of development versus technical skills alone. The PhD in innovation in global development increases the employability of candidates in the academic market and expands their employment prospects in public and private sector organizations engaged in development activities. Increasingly, universities worldwide are adding development programs in response to global needs. Development agencies are also seeking broadly trained professionals who bring transdisciplinary perspectives to solve increasingly complex global challenges.