May 3, 2007 | Read Time: 3 minutes
Q: I am currently studying for a master’s degree in theology. I would like to develop a career in humanitarian work overseas, particularly in Africa, and would like to get on the right track to reach my goal. What master’s degree should I attain for this type of career? And whose advice should I seek?
A: The quick and easy answer is: a master’s degree in public health, says Nathaniel Dunigan, founder and director of Aidchild, a nonprofit organization in Uganda that provides homes, medical care, and education to orphans with AIDS.
“The degree offers important historical perspectives and a critical understanding of the health issues facing our world today,” he says. A master’s in public health will also open many career doors for you in the international community, whether your interests are in research, service, government or development, adds Mr. Dunigan. “An M.P.H. is to the modern humanitarian scene what an M.B.A. was to the corporate world in the 1980s.”
Of course, a master’s in public health is not the only degree that can provide a solid foundation, says Josh Ruxin, director of the Access Project for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, a program administered through the Earth Institute at Columbia University, which focuses on public health needs and poverty in Rwanda. If you would prefer to work directly with governments and make public-policy recommendations, a master’s in international relations or development might be a better route; or if you’re interested in economic development, a master’s in business administration may be the answer.
In fact, Mr. Ruxin suggests that anyone hoping to work for an aid organization consider attaining a management degree. “There is a great shortage of that particular skill set in humanitarian work,” he says. “Excellent managers are usually snatched up by the private sector.”
In addition to general administrative abilities, there is also a need for many specialized skills, such as those required for HIV/AIDS program management, notes Dave Piraino,executive vice president for human resources at Catholic Relief Services, in Baltimore.
“While there is generally adequate medical staff, there is an inadequate pool of candidates that have HIV/AIDS and related health programming and project-management skills,” says Mr. Piraino.
His charity and others like it, he says, are always seeking applicants with backgrounds in conflict resolution and mediation experience. Several universities offer master’s degrees in peace and justice studies, where you can learn such skills.
You will need more than a good education to be successful, however, says Mr. Dunigan: “The life of a humanitarian in Africa has an extreme number of challenges, and you will likely feel unequipped to address them if your main resource is a degree.”
So before you apply to a master’s program, do some hands-on research. Start by talking with your college or university’s career counselor. Then, obtain informational interviews with people who have worked for international aid groups. (You can read more about informational interviewing in Philanthropy Careers’archives.)
Mr. Dunigan also suggests contacting the U.S. Foreign Service. “Specialists in the field have access to opportunities and resources that simply aren’t available to most other humanitarians,” he says.
Volunteering, especially for the Peace Corps or another aid organization, might also help clarify your future, he says. “Churches and service clubs also often have opportunities that might provide you with just the right experience to get your feet wet, and your goals more fine tuned.”
Or plan your own trip to the country where you envision yourself working and meet some of the expatriates there, suggests Mr. Ruxin. “Particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, these tend to be tightly knit groups who are happy to share their experiences with you,” he says. “A short visit of a couple of weeks will yield valuable insights that may help to steer you down the right path.”
