Overview: The thematic area in Wealth & Poverty helps students to understand the causes and consequences of poverty and inequality in the world. Students interested in this thematic area learn about why some countries are richer than others, the challenges to development faced by the global south and how globalization can improve and worsen the conditions of the extremely poor. Students that are interested in community development, international development, economic growth, international trade, foreign aid or political economy of development can declare Wealth & Poverty as a thematic area. The students in this thematic area study the Millennium Development Goals and the agenda for sustainable development in depth as well.

Coursework example: An example of topics chosen by students with Wealth & Poverty as a thematic area would be a student interested in studying the impact of foreign aid on development. Such a student can take classes in economics, political science, history and geography to understand the success and failure of foreign aid. Another example would be of a student who is interested in globalization and its impact on urbanization in the global south. This student can take classes in economics, political science, sociology and urban planning to build a unique thematic area skill set. Students interested in Wealth & Poverty thematic area are strongly encouraged to take our gateway course GLBL 250: Development. There are several course options for this thematic area; please speak with an academic advisor to discuss possibilities!

Possible career paths: Students who complete Wealth & Poverty can aspire to have careers in international aid agencies such as IMF and USAID, international development agencies such as UNDP and World Bank, development based NGOs, think tanks, community development and urban planning. This thematic area is also a great fit for students who are interested in the Certificate for International Development Studies. For more information, visit the career prep section.