Educads

8 Best Development Studies Universities in the United States

University of California, Davis leads the 8 Development Studies universities in the United States at #114 in the QS World University Rankings 2026. Next come The University of Alabama (#216 in United States) and University of San Francisco (#304 in United States). The universities on this list offer 9 matching courses between them.

8 universities · ranked best first

how we rank
4Ranked
CP California Polytechnic State University, Pomona logo
#526 in United States United States
#526 in United States · by research impact
276,702 citations · h-index 184

Development Studies at other levels

How these universities are ranked

Only one university here holds a QS World position — University of California, Davis at #114 — so it heads the list. The rest are ordered by research impact. University of California, Davis has the largest research record in this group, with 30,383,251 citations and an h-index of 1,238.

Public, private and where they are

The split is 8 public to 0 private institutions.

Levels, lengths and start dates

The usual length is 4 years. 89% are full-time and 1 can be studied online. Start dates lean to Fall (100% of courses with a stated intake) and Spring (100% of courses with a stated intake). California Polytechnic State University, Pomona offers the widest choice, with 2 of these courses.

Frequently asked questions

What are the top universities for Development Studies in the United States?

University of California, Davis (QS World #114), The University of Alabama (#216 in United States) and University of San Francisco (#304 in United States) lead this list. QS World positions come first; the rest are ranked by research impact.

How many public universities offer Development Studies in the United States?

8 public and 0 private universities are on this list.

How long does a Development Studies course take in the United States?

Most listed courses run 4 years.

When do Development Studies courses start in the United States?

Fall is the main intake — 100% of courses with a stated start date begin then, and Spring is the second.

Can I study Development Studies online with a university in the United States?

1 of these courses are listed as online.

Which university has the most Development Studies courses in the United States?

California Polytechnic State University, Pomona, with 2, ahead of Fort Lewis College (1).

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