Program Design, Monitoring and Evaluation

Course Overview

Humanitarian interventions take place in conflict-affected and politically-sensitive contexts. Humanitarian actors have the ethical responsibility to ensure that their work has a positive impact and avoids doing harm. Moreover, there is increasing pressure from donors that limited resources are used in programs to maximize relevance, effectiveness, efficacy, efficiency, impact, and sustainability of funded programs. Accordingly, design, monitoring, and evaluation (DME) have become indispensable parts of humanitarian and peacebuilding programming. This course is designed to prepare students to design, monitor, and evaluate humanitarian interventions. It will feature case studies, hands-on exercises, and specialist guest lectures to develop familiarity with planning tools, evaluation types and designs, metrics and indicators, data collection methods, and human subjects research ethics. Students will be required for their final project to produce an evaluation plan for an appropriate intervention of their choosing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Advance Your Humanitarian Career With a Master’s Degree from USD

Now more than ever, the world needs dedicated leaders to step up and handle some of our most pressing humanitarian emergencies. A master’s degree program will prepare you with the right knowledge, experience and tools to excel in a particular humanitarian career path. The 100% online University of San Diego Master of Science in Humanitarian Action provides an innovative, multidisciplinary curriculum taught by experienced, knowledgeable faculty. Position yourself for leadership and success in the humanitarian field with a master’s degree you can earn in just 20 months.

Will I be able to find a position if I don’t have a lot of humanitarian-related experience?

Humanitarian organizations are looking for bright, dedicated and compassionate individuals. While experience may be required for certain positions, there are entry-level jobs available for those with a limited humanitarian background. To boost your chances and set you apart from other candidates, seek out volunteer and leadership opportunities. A master’s degree is also a great way to gain the knowledge, experience and tools needed to succeed.

What is the salary range for careers in humanitarianism?

Salary will depend on a number of factors, including the position, job responsibilities, the organization and how much experience is required. Entry-level professionals earn an average of $27,000 to $32,000 per year. Mid-career professionals and those with more field experience can expect a salary of $35,000 to $45,000. Senior-level positions typically have an annual salary of $60,000+ with some positions earning more than $100,000.

Is a master’s degree required for certain types of humanitarian careers?

In some cases — yes. Senior-level, management and director roles typically require a graduate degree.

Where can I find a job in the humanitarian sector?

While you can find positions on popular job resources such as LinkedIn and Indeed, there are job sites specifically dedicated to humanitarian-related work, such as ReliefWeb, Idealist and Devex. There are also many national and global organizations that are looking to hire skilled humanitarian professionals. A sample include: American Red Cross, AmeriCorps, CARE USA, Doctors Without Borders, Mercy Corps, UNICEF – and many more.

What if I don’t have any humanitarian-related experience? Do I still have a chance of being accepted into the program?

Absolutely! We also seek applicants who may not have background or experience in humanitarian-related areas but are action-minded individuals with volunteer experience who are interested in pursuing a career in the humanitarianism or disaster relief sector.

How much does the MSHA program cost?

Tuition for the MSHA program is $710 per unit, with $21,300 being the total cost of the MSHA program for the required 30 units.

Can I work full-time while completing the program?

Yes! In fact, the MSHA program was designed specifically for individuals working full-time. Classes are delivered online asynchronously, so you can complete your coursework at your own convenience wherever you have access to the internet.

View All FAQs

Request More Info