M.I.D.A. Director: Paul Clements,
Room 3354, Friedmann Hall

The Master of International Development Administration (M.I.D.A.) program is designed to prepare candidates for careers in international development and to meet the specialized needs of public administrators and program and project managers from the developing countries. The course of instruction has as its focus the managerial and political dimensions of development and democratization and includes a strong multidisciplinary component that draws from political science, public administration, economics, geography, social work, communication, and evaluation, research and measurement.

The program is designed for two types of students: Public administrators and officials from developing countries who require additional training to meet new or increased responsibilities; and graduates from both developing and industrial countries, including the United States, who are interested in careers in international development, such as in government, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), or international organizations.

The M.I.D.A. program includes development administration theory and practice, methods and strategies of development management, and the honing of skills. M.D.A. students are guided in their work by established and experienced members of the academic community, all of whom are research scholars, and the majority of whom have lived and worked in the developing countries. Usually faculty have had experience with national and/or international organizations, or have worked with a variety of governments on development projects.

Two options exist—the standard M.I.D.A. program and the Peace Corps option. The admission and program requirements for each option are listed below.

Standard M.I.D.A. Program Option

Admission Requirements

Applicants must satisfy the requirements for admission to the Graduate College in order to be considered for admission to this program. An applicant must possess an undergraduate degree, preferably in the social sciences with either a concentration in political science or public administration, and should have some exposure to economics and/or statistics. Applicants with actual public administration experience may, under some circumstances, substitute professional attainments for undergraduate preparation.

A grade point average of 3.0 in all undergraduate work is normally a requirement for admission to the M.I.D.A. program; however, where grading scales are computed differently, equivalencies will be determined. International students must obtain from and submit their applications to the WMU Office of International Student Services. American students should apply through the WMU Graduate Admissions Office. The Department of Political Science also requires three recommendations (using WMU Graduate Reference Forms), a one page statement of the student’s interest in the M.I.D.A. program, a curriculum vitae or resume, and any other supporting data that can assist the Department’s Admissions Committee, which screens and judges all applications.

All students must demonstrate English proficiency (i.e., the ability to speak, read, and write in the English language) before entering the M.I.D.A. program. A Career English Program is available for students whose English language capabilities are limited.

Students are encouraged to submit all required application materials by June 15 for the fall semester; by September 15 for the spring semester; and by February 15 for the summer session.