OVERVIEW OF THE DEVELOPENT, CLIMATE, AND SUSTAINABILITY FOCUS AREA FROM SAIS:

Some of the most vexing economic, political, social, legal, and environmental policy challenges the global community faces today require a central focus on development, climate, and sustainability. These challenges are escalating, propelled by a resurgence of nationalism, rising global inequalities, demographic trends, sharpening geopolitical competition, and inexorable climate change. Responses to these challenges are framed within the broader perspective of sustainable development for current and future generations, in developing and advanced industrial countries alike.

The Development, Climate and Sustainability focus area at SAIS prepares students with a sound comprehension of the core concepts of sustainable development in an era of the triple environmental crises of climate change, biodiversity loss and toxification of the planet, provides them with the skills and tools to analyze these problems, and empowers them with the knowledge necessary to discern the complex tradeoffs in formulating public policies to address these challenges. This focus area includes courses that emphasize an interdisciplinary approach involving the social, political, economic, legal and natural science disciplines.

Featured DCS Courses:

  • Development Strategies

  • Climate Change: Science, Economics and Politics

  • Global Electricity Markets

  • International Environmental Law: Crisis and Cooperation

  • Reimagining International Development for Children and Youth

  • The Water, Energy and Food Nexus

  • Urban Economics in Emerging Markets: Sustainability, Health, and Infrastructure

  • Theories of Change in Development: The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly

  • International Migration, Diasporas and Development

  • Sustainable Development in the Era of Climate Disruption

  • Financial Inclusion

SAIS graduates have gone on to work at many prominent development organizations, including Catholic Relief Services, the World Bank, Save the Children, and Dalberg Global Development Advisors.

CLICK HERE to learn more about the Development, Climate, and Sustainability Focus Area .