International Development Studies (IDS) seeks to understand and address problems facing developing countries. It is an inherently interdisciplinary field that examines issues through a range of lenses like political science, economics, science, anthropology, sociology, environment, and many others.
As an IDS student, you can focus on your interests within the following streams:
- Economic Development and Living Standards: You will study factors contributing to economic growth, the trade-offs associated with different ways of achieving it, and the distributional issues that arise. This stream explores what ‘development’ means in different contexts.
- States and Governance: You will focus on how political institutions shape developmental processes.
- Culture and Society: You will learn how the social structures, history, and culture of populations affect development processes.
- Environment and Agricultural Resources: Within development studies, the environment has long been recognized as a vital determinant of development. This stream highlights the delicate balance that must be attained between humans and their environments to make sustained livelihoods possible.
McGill’s IDS program is truly flexible – chose from these streams and tailor an education to your specific interests and skills.