Students in the International Development Capstone Program at NYU Wagner are advanced graduate students enrolled in the Master of Public Administration in Public and Nonprofit Management & Policy program, often with a specialization in international development, governance, and finance. 

These students bring diverse regional and professional backgrounds—from global NGOs and multilateral institutions to social enterprises and international foundations. They are deeply committed to sustainable development, institutional reform, climate resilience, and social justice. Their coursework and experience equip them with the tools to lead projects focused on governance, policy analysis, service delivery, and development finance across global contexts. 

They are collaborative, equity-minded problem-solvers, eager to apply their skills in research, stakeholder engagement, and systems thinking to real-world development challenges.

Student teams will work with mission-driven organizations to: 

CAPSTONE: LEARNING IN ACTION
NYU Wagner’s Capstone program pairs small teams of students with clients in the public and private sectors who are tackling a public service issue—whether in health, education, international development, urban planning, or any other programmatic field—to tackle a project.

Partnering with NYU Wagner’s Capstone program gives your organization access to top-tier, passionate public service students who bring fresh perspectives, innovative solutions, and skills to address complex issues and create meaningful change for your organization.

Our talented public service students provide in-depth analysis and actionable insights to help your organization optimize funding opportunities and strengthen financial sustainability.

Partnering with an NYU Wagner International Development Capstone team provides organizations with: 

✅ Rigorous research and strategic insights to support initiatives related to global development, governance, policy reform, or service delivery. 

✅ Professional-grade deliverables such as policy analyses, program evaluations, strategic plans, landscape studies, or implementation frameworks tailored to your organization’s goals. 

✅ Hands-on consulting support from graduate students trained in international development, public policy, and development finance, guided by experienced NYU Wagner faculty. 

✅ Fresh perspectives grounded in systems thinking and equity-centered development practices, helping organizations explore innovative approaches to complex global challenges. 

✅ A structured, low-cost, high-value engagement requiring minimal time commitment while producing meaningful analysis and recommendations. 

✅ Access to emerging global development professionals with experience across NGOs, multilateral organizations, social enterprises, and public institutions.

Industry partners participating in the NYU Wagner Capstone program are expected to actively support the student consulting experience by providing a well-defined project and consistent engagement throughout the academic year.

Participating organizations should be prepared to:

• Identify a clearly defined project challenge aligned with the program’s topic areas and suitable for a small graduate student consulting team.
 • Designate a project manager who will serve as the primary point of contact for the student team throughout the engagement.
 • Participate in key project milestones, including the project kickoff, periodic check-ins, and the final presentation of recommendations.
 • Provide relevant background information, documentation, and context that will help students understand the organization, its operations, and the project challenge.
 • Offer timely feedback on student questions, research findings, and draft deliverables to help guide the team’s work.
 • Maintain regular communication with the student team and faculty advisor as needed during the project.

Projects should be scoped so they are feasible for a small team of graduate students to complete within the academic term while still providing meaningful value to the partner organization.