Master of Arts in Sustainable Development

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"SIT provided the space for me to challenge myself to unlearn many untruths from my professional and personal pasts and to gather more understanding, knowledge, and skill from a rich and diverse community; and from within myself."

-- Korto Williams, Women’s Rights Coordinator Action Aid International, Liberia

Examine competing theories and alternative approaches to development while building competencies in key areas such as community empowerment, monitoring and evaluation, policy analysis, advocacy, training, program planning and proposal writing.

SIT Graduate Institute is the higher education institution of World Learning, a leading international development organization, and as such is uniquely qualified to prepare professionals to work with communities around the world in meeting their development needs.

Program Focus

SIT's Sustainable Development program emphasizes the importance of civil society, which embraces a diversity of spaces, actors, and institutions. These include nongovernmental organizations, community groups, women’s organizations, social movements, coalitions, advocacy groups, charitable organizations, and faith-based organizations.

Optional Concentrations

• Community Development and Social Action
• Development Management
• Policy Analysis and Advocacy

Degree Sequence:

On Campus

• Nine months: September–December (14 weeks) and January–May (16 weeks)
• Minimum 28 credits, maximum 36 credits
• On-campus coursework combines facilitated discussions, simulations, and other methods of highly experiential learning through which students acquire theoretical knowledge and professional competencies essential for their career development.

In The Field

• Reflective Practice Phase: 12 credits
• Following successful completion of on-campus coursework, students engage in at least six months of field practice within an organization of their choice that is relevant to their professional goals.

Capstone Paper and Seminar

• Students apply the knowledge and skills learned on campus through written documentation culminating in a focused capstone paper.

• Optional Concentrations
• Read an Alumni Profile

"SIT provided the space for me to challenge myself ..."
Korto Williams
Women’s Rights Coordinator, Action Aid International, Liberia [Read More]