International Development Studies
IDS is home to critically engaged advocates on the international stage. Our community proudly examines global perspectives on how we live our lives, make a difference in our communities, and identify with our peers.
The IDS program supports students in developing an informed appreciation of their regions of study, including the history behind present-day policies and media headlines. They will learn to analyze the impact of colonialism on the global south, recognize inequalities in wealth and power between nations, and appreciate the various political-institutional, cultural, socio-economic and environmental factors that affect international development. With our outstanding faculty and department resources, students will gain a thorough grounding in the field and grow comfortable conversing in routine institutional discourses with development professionals.
Students choose their regional focus on Latin America and the Caribbean, Africa, South Asia, or East Asia. They will also select their area of concentration from: Culture, Diasporas and Migration; Environment, Gender, Political Economy and Politics; or Governance and Policy.
Through our relationship with the Lassonde School of Engineering, engineers can choose a dual Bachelor of Engineering and Bachelor of Arts degree – the only dual degree program of its kind in Canada.
What you’ll learn
- Understand the issues confronting the global south as well as the challenges governments and states encounter in addressing issues like global health in circumstances of poverty and acute inequalities of distribution and access
- Understand how non-profit organizations and international bodies, such as the World Bank, function.
- Build a richer, more nuanced understanding of the political and socioeconomic obstacles faced by different regions around the world as well as the opportunities afforded.
Hands-on experiences
- Complement your studies (for course credit) through international mobilities such as internships, study-abroad programs, and through international and local volunteer positions or work placements.
- Participate in workshops both locally, conducted by program faculty and pan-university wide, and internationally through the International Consortium on the Global South.
- Participate in our research facilities: the Centre for Research on Latin America and the Caribbean, York Centre for Asian Research, Centre for Feminist Research, the Harriet Tubman Institute, and the Centre for Refugee Studies.
Questions?
Contact us at goyork@yorku.ca
Program Details
Offered By
Degrees Offered
Fall Entry
Winter Entry
Summer Entry
Ways to Study
Sample Schedule (First-year)
- Introduction to International Development Studies
- General Education courses
- Courses outside the major
Possible Career Paths
- - international development professional in the public, non-governmental or private sector
- - officer in a non-governmental, governmental or international agency
- - teacher, researcher, policy analyst or academic
- - social activist or community development worker
- - specialist in topics of international development such as international law, labour, environment, gender, culture, health, ethnicity, politics, demographics, migration, etc.
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Admission Requirements
I am a high-school student I have completed at least one year of full-time study at college or university I have been away from high-school for at least two years I have never studied in a formal academic high-school environment Returning / Reactivating student (previously York) Visiting StudentsBA
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Required Documents for Preliminary Review
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- A maximum of 30 possible transferable credits may be granted for successful completion of the Baccalauréat Général. Please click here, then click “Transfer Credit Requirements” for details.
Minimum Requirements
Required Documents for Preliminary Review
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- Minimum overall result of “Bien/Buena/Bueno/Good” on all academic courses.
- Some programs require a higher GPA.
Required Documents for Preliminary Review
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- A minimum overall average of 3 out of 7 is required. Higher grades required for certain programs.
- CAPE 2-unit courses, with results of 3 or better, are eligible for transfer credit, up to a maximum of 18 credits. Please click here, then click “Transfer Credit Requirements” for details.
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- Extra courses will be assessed for transfer credit. Applicants with the DEC may be awarded up to one full year of transfer credit.
Minimum Requirements
Required Documents for Preliminary Review
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- Some programs require higher. Please review the requirements for your program below.
- Prerequisite courses should not be below a grade of 4.0 or 70%.
Required Documents for Preliminary Review
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Minimum Requirements
Required Documents for Preliminary Review
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- GCE A2 examinations with results of "C" or better, are eligible for transfer credit, up to a maximum of 18 credits. Please click here, then click “Transfer Credit Requirements” for details.
Minimum Requirements
Required Documents for Preliminary Review
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Required Documents for Preliminary Review
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- IB Diploma with passes in six subjects: three passes at the Standard-level and three passes at the Higher-level, or two passes at the Standard-level and four passes at the Higher-level
- Transfer credit is granted for IB courses with Higher-level final grades of 5 or better, to a maximum of 30 credits. Please click here, then click “Transfer Credit Requirements” for details.
- Some programs require a higher average. Please review the requirements for your program below.
- Prerequisite courses should not be below a grade of 55%.
Required Documents for Preliminary Review
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- All-India Senior School Certificate (AISSCE)
- Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC)
- Indian School Certificate (ISC)
- Intermediate Examination Certificate
- Pre-University Examination Certificate
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Minimum Requirements
Required Documents for Preliminary Review
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- Grade 12 graduation with a minimum overall average of "B" on Grade 11 and Grade 12 academic courses is required to be considered for most programs. Some programs require a higher average. Please review the requirements for your program below.
- SAT or ACT scores are not required for students studying in a recognized accredited US curriculum outside the United States, Puerto Rico or Guam.
- SATs/ACTs are considered in combination with high school grades.
Required Documents for Preliminary Review
For Fall (September) 2021 and Winter (January) 2022 entry, York University will deem the SAT/ACT as optional for students studying in a recognized accredited US curriculum high school in the United States, Puerto Rico or Guam. However, students who have completed a standardized test are encouraged to submit their test scores as it may support your application for competitive programs. SAT/ACT scores must be sent electronically from the College Board directly to York. Please browse the section below for pre-requisites and detailed admission requirements.
Note: An SAT/ACT test will be required from students who are not enrolled in a recognized accredited US curriculum high school in the United States, Puerto Rico or Guam or have not studied in a formal academic high-school environment.
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- AP College Board examinations are eligible for transfer credit, for results of 4 or 5, up to a maximum of 30 credits. Please click here, then click “Transfer Credit Requirements” for details.
Required Documents for Preliminary Review
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You are required to provide official evidence of academic achievement in secondary education. This can be demonstrated through:
- Final grades under the Ontario curriculum (obtained through correspondence, night school or through TVO)
- Credentials through other curricula, such as results from Advanced Placement (AP) or Advanced-level courses in the General Certificate of Education (GCE). (Students may register to sit for the AP and GCE examinations as private candidates.)
In the absence of final grades in courses:
- You must submit the results of standardized tests such as the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) with a minimum combined total of 1170 on the Critical Reading and Math components or a composite American College Testing (ACT) score of 24.
- Your application will be reviewed by an admissions sub-committee. If admitted, you will not be eligible for entrance scholarships. You will be considered for continuing student scholarships at the end of your first year of study, if you satisfy those criteria.
You may also be required to provide proof of language proficiency. You will be considered for entrance scholarships on the basis of your overall averages in the six 4U/4M (Ontario curriculum) or equivalent courses.