International Development and Humanitarian Work
This pathway is for students interested in working directly on global health, humanitarian response, and development challenges—often with international NGOs, UN agencies, or field-based organizations.
Roles in this space range from program design and implementation to field operations, humanitarian logistics, and community-based health initiatives.
The best way to explore this field is through direct exposure to development or humanitarian work, whether through an internship, a study abroad or field-based program, or volunteer work with an organization operating in this space.
Because this field often involves working across cultural and geographic contexts, language skills and cross-cultural experience are especially valuable, along with a clear-eyed understanding of the practical and ethical complexities of humanitarian and development work.
Key Skills and Coursework
Students pursuing this pathway benefit from coursework and experience in:
Global health, public health, or international relations
Anthropology or sociology (for understanding community and cultural context)
Program evaluation and monitoring & evaluation (M&E) methods
A foreign language relevant to a region of interest
Economics or development studies
Gaining Experience
Direct field experience is one of the most valuable things a student can bring to this pathway. Relevant experience includes:
Internships with international NGOs, UN agencies, or humanitarian organizations (in-country or remote)
Study abroad or field-based research programs with a public health or development focus
Volunteer work with community health or humanitarian organizations, domestically or internationally
Language study and cultural immersion relevant to a region of interest
Students should be thoughtful about the ethics of international volunteer and internship work, prioritizing organizations with strong local partnerships and sustainable, community-led program models rather than short-term "voluntourism."