The CDE at Williams offers an intensive, one year masters degree program designed for economists from low and middle-income countries who have demonstrated responsibility early in their careers in public sector institutions or in non-governmental organizations.

The goal of the program is to provide students with a thorough understanding of the development process, emphasizing analytical techniques helpful to policymakers. The result is an effective mix of theory and policy application that enables students to be more objective in their home environment.

Small classes at the CDE allow individual attention from a faculty that is readily available to meet with students outside of the scheduled class time.

The admissions process is highly selective .