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Students attend IDE orientation

Yale’s one-year IDE Master’s Program teaches cutting-edge empirical and econometric methods, and prepares students to make an impact in global development.

Study economics at Yale. Make an impact around the world.

Embark on an intensive one-year master’s journey designed to equip you with the tools to navigate the complexities of today’s global development landscape. The International and Development Economics (IDE) program at Yale University offers rigorous training in quantitative analysis, preparing you to tackle real-world economic challenges head-on. The foundation of the IDE curriculum is a series of five core classes in which students develop essential competencies in microeconomics, macroeconomics, econometrics, and development economics.

Why Choose IDE at Yale?

  • Intensive One-Year Curriculum: Accelerate your career with our focused and demanding program.
  • Expert Quantitative Training: Master cutting-edge empirical and econometric methods under the guidance of renowned Yale faculty.
  • Research Opportunities: Apply your data skills through IDE Research Assistantships with renowned Yale researchers in international development.
  • Personalized Learning Environment: Thrive in small cohorts (average 30–35 students) that ensure individual attention and mentorship.
  • Global Perspective: Join a diverse community with students from 14 countries.
  • STEM Designation Benefits: International students can enjoy a 1+2 year Optional Practical Training (OPT) extension due to our STEM-certified degree.
  • Interdisciplinary Electives: Customize your studies with access to courses across Yale’s schools, including the School of Management, Jackson School of Global Affairs, School of the Environment, and Yale Law School.
  • Economic Growth Center (EGC): Engage with Yale's hub for economic growth and poverty studies, and participate in leading events and policy initiatives.
  • Vibrant Graduate Community: Be part of Yale's dynamic network of over 5,000 graduate students across 13 professional schools and more than 70 fields of study.
IDE '25
Attend an information session

We periodically host live webinars featuring program directors, faculty, and students. We’d love to meet you and share more information about the program.

Ana Cecilia Fieler teaching

Explore the possibilities

Join the ranks of our alumni who, over the past 65 years, have made impactful contributions across all global development sectors.

The Yale IDE program provided a springboard for a rich, multi-faceted, and tailored education into the development economics topics I was most interested in. The core classes deepened my understanding of development economics, and opened my eyes to new applications as my diverse set of classmates shared their experiences. The electives enabled us each to take classes in our chosen areas of expertise, leveraging the full breadth of Yale's offering. At the same time, extracurricular activities such as being a Teaching Fellow, interning at the United Nations, or going on funded research trips all broadened my understanding of how development economics can be used in the real world."

Susanna Berkouwer
Assistant Professor of Business Economics and Public Policy at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania
Susanna Berkouwer

IDE by the numbers

31
Entering class size
15
Countries represented
48
%
Enter PhD or Predoc
37
%
Enter Private Sector
15
%
Enter Public/Dev Sector
Economic Growth Center

is the home at Yale for economic research on global development and poverty reduction. EGC researchers are applying rigorous methods to understand not only the links between economic growth and poverty, but also how rising inequality and a changing climate affect individual wellbeing, especially among marginalized groups in developing countries.

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About New Haven

"Connecticut’s third-largest city is a historic, mostly walkable and bikeable seaside town with distinctive neighborhoods, an encyclopedic collection of great American architecture, a thriving cultural life and one of the best food scenes in the country for a city of its size (134,000)." Read more about New Haven in the New York Times' 52 Places to Go. 

Yale graduate students have many options for affordable, comfortable, and convenient places to live in greater New Haven while at Yale. You can live on-campus, in Yale-owned off-campus apartments, or in off-campus apartment buildings and homes in several neighborhoods. While most graduate students live on or near campus in New Haven, some live in surrounding towns and commute to campus. Read more about life in New Haven. 

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New Haven, CT park
New Haven, CT night life

Discover how the IDE program can shape your future. Visit the Yale Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS) for detailed information on the application process, campus life, and the myriad resources available to you in New Haven.

Subscribe to International and Development Economics

We periodically send updates about upcoming webinars and informational sessions about the IDE program. Sign up to stay in touch.