Global Development and Innovation (Graduate Certificate)
Are you interested in working for nonprofits, industries and research institutions engaged in global development? Do you want to be able to identify innovative and sustainable solutions to global development challenges? Gain a global development perspective that emphasizes the knowledge and skills you need to realize transformative social change.
Quick facts
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Credits
Additional facts
Accreditation
Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Certificate description
The graduate certificate program in global development and innovation responds to the gap in knowledge and skills that development practitioners around the world often struggle with. It provides current and critical perspectives as well as analytical and practical skills for addressing some of today's most pressing global challenges, including inequality, sustainability and poverty.
You acquire an understanding of the main debates in global development, and you learn how to engage in informed and critical ways with professionals from a variety of development backgrounds to challenge development orthodoxies. You learn how to approach development problems with creativity and confidence, and work collaboratively to address current global issues.
Curriculum
This graduate degree includes courses focused on a specialized topic, so you can advance your skills for further professional opportunities. Explore all courses below.
15 credit hours
Required Core (3 credit hours) Electives (12 credit hours) Additional Curriculum Information
GTD 511 Development Policy and Practices (3)
Students complete 12 credit hours of electives: six credit hours of courses focused on global development and six credit hours of other elective courses that are relevant to the certificate. No more than three one-credit courses may count toward the 12. The electives can change over time as needed with unit director approval. For a current and complete list of approved electives, students should see their academic unit.
What you'll learn
The following learning outcomes highlight some of the knowledge and skills you'll develop to support your future success.
- Identify and analyze competing theories and practices on global development and innovation.
- Communicate global development policies, the practice of development, and actual outcomes.
Identify and analyze competing theories and practices on global development and innovation.Admission requirements
Here are the admission and application details
All students are required to meet general university admission requirements.
U.S. applicants (opens in new window) | International applicants (opens in new window) | English proficiency (opens in new window)
Applicants must fulfill the requirements of both the Graduate College and the Rob Walton College of Global Futures. Applicants must have earned a bachelor's or master's degree in any field from a regionally accredited institution or the equivalent from an international institution that is officially recognized by that country. Applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in the last 60 hours of their first bachelor's degree program or a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in an applicable master's degree program. All applicants must submit: Additional Application Information International students who need an F-1 or J-1 visa first need to apply to and be accepted to a master's degree or doctoral degree program before being considered for the certificate program. International students residing in the U.S. on other types of visas must adhere to all Graduate College policies and procedures regarding admission to be considered for admission to this certificate program.
An applicant whose native language is not English must provide proof of English proficiency regardless of their current residency. Acceptable proof consists of a TOEFL iBT® score of at least 4, or a score of 80 (taken at a testing center) if taken before January 21, 2026; an IELTS overall band score of at least 6.5 with no band below 6.0; or a Pearson Test of English score of at least 60.
Application deadlines
| Session | Modality | Deadline | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Session A/C | In Person | Rolling* | |
| Session A/C | Online | Rolling* |
| Session | Modality | Deadline | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Session A/C | In Person | Rolling* | |
| Session A/C | Online | Rolling* |
*A rolling deadline means that applications will continue to be reviewed on a regular basis until the semester begins. International students should be mindful of visa deadlines to ensure there is time to produce necessary visa documents. Applicants are encouraged to complete and submit application materials as soon as possible for consideration.
Explore expanded study opportunities
Students can complete two graduate certificate programs and combine them into a Master of Advanced Study degree, giving ultimate flexibility to build their own master's degree. Interested students can learn more about MAS requirements and the admission process.
Studying abroad is encouraged for graduate students. Nearly all of the Rob Walton College of Global Futures faculty-directed programs offer graduate credit. In addition, the Global Education Office offers more than 50 program opportunities, with programs on every continent.
Faculty-directed programs tend to be the best fit for graduate students; taking courses with ASU professors over the summer or during academic breaks offers students close mentorship and professional network growth in many fields of study while they earn ASU credit. Exchange program participation is also possible with careful planning.
Students can find programs specific to their interests on the Rob Walton College of Global Futures study abroad webpage, and additional opportunities and information on the ASU Global Education Office website. These sites also include additional information about applying for funding to support global travel.
Paying for college
Use our calculator to estimate your full-time or part-time tuition fees for this program prior to any financial aid. Keep in mind that most of our students recieve financial aid, which can reduce out-of-pocket costs.
Get an estimateCareer opportunities
This certificate program may be paired with graduate degree programs, enabling graduates to pursue a variety of careers. Professionals with an understanding of the main debates in development are in high demand across a wide range of global development agencies, including nongovernmental organizations, civil society, foundations, industries and philanthropic organizations.
Career examples include:
- data analyst
- development field researcher
- development planner
- development program associate
- gender specialist in nongovernmental organizations
- organizational consultant
- organizational development specialist
- poverty policy analyst
- social entrepreneur
Contact information
Use the contact information below to get in touch if you're a current student or have general questions.
Prospective students should fill out the Request for Information form.
School of Innovation Futures
|
ISTBX 366
sfisgrad@asu.edu
480-965-6584
Frequently asked questions about degree programs
Accelerated programs allow students the opportunity to expedite the completion of their degree.
Accelerated master's
These programs allow students to accelerate their studies to earn a bachelor's plus a master's degree in as few as five years (for some programs).
Each program has requirements students must meet to be eligible for consideration. Students typically receive approval to pursue the accelerated master's during the junior year of their bachelor's degree program. Interested students can learn about eligibility requirements and how to apply.
Concurrent degrees allow students to pursue their own personal or professional interests, earn two distinct degrees and receive two diplomas. To add a concurrent degree to your existing degree, work with your academic advisor.
Joint programs, or jointly conferred degrees, are offered by more than one college and provide opportunities for students to take advantage of the academic strengths of two academic units. Upon graduation, students are awarded one degree and one diploma conferred by two colleges.
ASU adds new programs to Degree Search frequently. Come back often and look for the "New Programs" option.
ASU Online offers programs in an entirely online format with multiple enrollment sessions throughout the year. See https://asuonline.asu.edu/ for more information.
The Western Regional Graduate Program (WRGP) provides a reduced tuition rate to non-resident graduate students who qualify. Visit the WRGP/WICHE webpage for more information: https://graduate.asu.edu/wiche.
