International Development (ID) focuses on improving the welfare of a community or communities at a global level. Areas of international development include foreign aid, governance, disaster relief, microfinance, humanitarian aid, gender equality, healthcare, and infrastructure, peace and conflict resolution, and alleviating poverty. Individuals who work in these areas focus on either short-term relief, or long-term social change through sustainable practices. The involvement of ID organizations ranges from individual projects, such as building a well in a village; to empowering a group or society, such as women in developing countries.
Things to Consider
Those considering a career in international development should consider whether they want to work at an organization’s headquarters in their home country or on-site in another location. Students looking to work with international development or international affairs need to obtain international experience in order to be competitive for positions.
