WRITING SKILLS FOR NEUROSCIENTISTS
II:BUILDING A SPECIFIC AIMS PG
- Department: Neurobiology and Behavior
- W 3:30 p.m.-5 p.m.
- 0.5 points
Ethics of Media, Technology, and Design
Ethics-Media, Tech, and D
Each week we will examine a variety of case studies covering topics such as: the ethics of information design, algorithmic bias, deceptive user experience patterns, social media and commodification, safe spaces in virtual environments, the development of autonomous systems and smart cities, the relationships between artificial intelligence and copyright, democracy and media, and media activism and community organizing. Throughout the semester, students will select three ethical problems to research, including two case studies and one essay/ opinion piece. Using primary sources, photo, video, and graphics, students will capture pressing ethical issues. They will learn to navigate frameworks for ethical decision making, ethical management systems, and develop “codes” of ethics, and value statements. Students will also have the opportunity to engage in hands-on “ethical” user experience research during class exercises where they test websites, apps, and products. Finally, guests will be invited to the course to share their experience with developing ethical frameworks as media, design, and technology professionals.
- Department: Tech Policy and Innovation
- T 5:10 p.m.-7 p.m.
-
Instructor:
Laura S Scherling
Info - 3 points
Algorithmic Republic: AI Policy Challen
Instructor: Karen Kornbluh.
Artificial intelligence is present in our individual lives, in education, industry, and government. Investment in AI is so large that it is driving GDP growth—and, some say, creating a bubble. Camps of AI “boomers,” who believe AI will usher in a new era of prosperity and enlightenment, are at loggerheads with AI “doomers,” who argue the technology must be stopped or it may kill us all. Yet in the U.S., there is remarkably little regulation of this new, influential technology. Attempts have been made to address potential bias and its documented shortcomings in important decision-making—such as credit, employment, and housing—or to increase transparency about its use. Meanwhile, developers of the technology, deployers who use it in applications, and enterprise customers are employing—to varying degrees—governance mechanisms to manage risks.
This course provides an overview of policy and regulatory discussions in the U.S. and other parts of the world and outlines some of the key questions that regulators and others are grappling with.
We will focus on three broad areas:
– The technology at the heart of AI: What is it exactly?
– How to read the signals—how the digital revolution has already changed so much about 21st-century life, as well as the early changes we see from AI deployment—to make projections about the real dangers and opportunities ahead.
– The big policy challenges—risky decision-making, safety, privacy, IP, liability, competition, geopolitics, employment—and why they matter, as well as what can actually be done to mitigate them. This requires an understanding of what can be regulated and what has already been tried.
The instructor served as the White House Director of the National AI Office as well as Acting CTO and will draw on this experience, which included co-chairing the federal government’s Council of Chief AI Officers. The course will also feature several guest speakers who directly engage with significant AI or AI policy projects in various fields.
- Department: Tech Policy and Innovation
- R 3:10 p.m.-5 p.m.
-
Instructor:
Karen Kornbluh
Info - 1.5 points
PRESENTATION SKILLS FOR NEUROSCIENTISTS
- Department: Neurobiology and Behavior
- R 10 a.m.-11:30 a.m.
- 1 points
Topics in Financial Inclusion: Enhancing
Financial Inclusion Topic
Research shows that countries with deeper levels of financial inclusion -- defined as access to affordable, appropriate financial services -- have stronger GDP growth rates and lower income inequality. In recent years, research around the financial habits and needs of poor households has yielded rich information on how they manage their financial lives, allowing for the design of financial solutions that better meet their needs, boosting financial inclusion. Nevertheless, an estimated 1.3 billion people globally remain underserved by financial services.
While microfinance institutions remain a leading model for providing financial services to the poor, new models and technology developments have provided opportunities for scaling outreach, improving the range of products and services, deepening penetration and moving beyond brick-and-mortar delivery channels. The course will provide an overview of selected topics in financial inclusion, with a focus on several foundational areas and select topics of current interest, including leading-edge digital financial services, gender, and innovative financial product design.
The course will be highly interactive, with leading industry experts as guest speakers and group assignments.
- Department: Development and Governance
- T 5:10 p.m.-7 p.m.
- 1.5 points
International Capital Markets
This course provides a practitioner’s perspective on how global capital markets operate, focusing on the instruments, institutions, and frameworks that channel capital to companies, households, and governments. Students will explore interest rate and FX swaps, derivatives, credit default swaps, asset-backed securities, and structured finance, alongside tools for interpreting yield curves and understanding credit markets. The course integrates current developments, including monetary policy, inflation trends, and systemic risk, with a close look at how financial actors respond. Unlike
Economics of Finance
, which emphasizes theory, this course emphasizes institutional function and market behavior. The course is structured to help students think critically and confidently about real-world financial markets
- Department: International Finance & Economic Policy
- T 5:10 p.m.-7 p.m.
-
Instructor:
Benedict O Okoh
CULPA: 1 Info - 3 points
International Capital Markets
Recitation
This course provides a practitioner’s perspective on how global capital markets operate, focusing on the instruments, institutions, and frameworks that channel capital to companies, households, and governments. Students will explore interest rate and FX swaps, derivatives, credit default swaps, asset-backed securities, and structured finance, alongside tools for interpreting yield curves and understanding credit markets. The course integrates current developments, including monetary policy, inflation trends, and systemic risk, with a close look at how financial actors respond. Unlike
Economics of Finance
, which emphasizes theory, this course emphasizes institutional function and market behavior. The course is structured to help students think critically and confidently about real-world financial markets
- Department: International Finance & Economic Policy
- T 7:10 p.m.-9 p.m.
- 0 points
Academic-Practice Research Fellowship
PRACTICE RESEARCH FELLOWS
This graduate course is designed to provide the student with the knowledge and skills to facilitate changes in practice delivery using quality improvement strategies. Historical development for total quality management and strategies for implementing process improvement are emphasized. Students will learn how to develop a culture of appreciative inquiry to foster inquisition and innovation. Upon completion of this course, students will design a plan for implementation of a quality improvement project.
- Department: Nursing
-
Instructor:
Kasey B Jackman
Info - 0 points
Law and Politics of Spying and Lying
Law & Politics of Espiona
This seminar explores the legal, political, and historical dimensions of U.S. intelligence activities. It examines how secrecy, deception, and covert action have evolved within a constitutional democracy. Through case studies and legal analysis, students consider the balance between national security and accountability, the roles of courts and Congress, and the ethics of surveillance, interrogation, and targeted killing. The course draws from law, policy, and history to understand how intelligence is authorized, constrained, and debated in a democratic society. Students are expected to participate actively and submit concise written memoranda throughout the semester.
- Department: International Security & Diplomacy
- W 10:10 a.m.-noon
-
Instructor:
Timothy Naftali
Info - 3 points
Master's Capstone Project Development
MS CAPSTONE PROJECT DEV
This course prepares students to lead quality improvement and safety initiatives across diverse healthcare settings. Students integrate evidence-based quality improvement science, safety principles, and improvement methodologies to address complex healthcare challenges affecting individuals, families, communities, and populations. The course emphasizes the development of leadership competencies essential for fostering cultures of safety, innovation, and continuous quality improvement.
- Department: Nursing
- T 4 p.m.-6 p.m.
- 3 points
Data and Conflict
This course equips students for humanitarian, human rights, foreign policy and political risk jobs that require real-time interpretation and analysis of conflict data. The course will introduce students to contemporary open-source data about conflict events, fatalities, forced displacement, human rights violations, settlement patterns in war zones, and much more. Students will learn about how this data is generated, what data reveals, what data obscures, and the choices analysts can make to use conflict data transparently in the face of biases. Then, students will learn introductory skills to visualize a range of conflict data in
R
and ArcGIS Pro. The objective is to give students the foundations to go further independently after the course using open-source training material and trouble-shooting portals. Each student will choose a conflict-related policy problem which they will investigate as the course progresses, culminating in a four-page policy brief or an ArcGIS Story Map, along with an explanatory memo.
- Department: International Security & Diplomacy
- R 10 a.m.-11:50 a.m.
-
Instructor:
Sophia Dawkins
Info - 3 points
Innovation Driving Development Impact
Innovation Driving Devt I
This course focuses on innovation in low and middle-income countries and how international development organisations and governments can drive better development processes and outcomes. Sessions will cover the role of innovation in fostering inclusive digital transformation, economic growth as well as practical applications of innovation in development policies and programmes. The course will feature a number of case studies from diverse low and middle-income countries as well as frameworks to help students gain a practical and conceptual understanding of innovation at various levels: macro, meso and micro.
The course is designed to help students sharpen their critical thinking skills related to development cooperation policies and programming writ-large, and specifically as they pertain to innovation and digital transformation efforts. Students will gain an understanding of the history of investments in science, technology and innovation (STI) systems in low and middle-income countries and in fields of digital transformation and mission-oriented innovation. Students will work individually and in groups on practical exercises related to innovation policies, local innovation ecosystems, grassroots and frugal innovation, and more. The practical exercises will be anchored in conceptual frameworks and case studies from across low and middle-income countries. Case studies include innovation efforts led by international development organisations as well as by Global South government entities and by local grassroots innovators.
Students will gain practical insights on how to advance inclusive innovation in the context of international development cooperation policies and programmes.
- Department: Development and Governance
- SUSU 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
-
Instructor:
Benjamin Kumpf
Info - 1.5 points
Management and Leadership Skills for Sci
This course will form part of the continuing series on the development of professional skills. It is aimed at introducing the class to leadership and management skills that are as much a part of professional growth and success as technical ability. The primary focus will be on learning to recognize common lab situations that can quickly become problematic if not skillfully handled, and knowing the self-management and interpersonal skills that need to be developed in order to navigate such situations. In addition to this primary focus, there will be discussions on how these skills are transferable to many different types of work and life (the skills are applicable not just in academia).
- Department: Neurobiology and Behavior
- R 4 p.m.-5:30 p.m.
- 0.5 points
Financing and Investing in Sustainable D
Finance for Sustainable D
This course provides students with a comprehensive understanding of the global financial system through the lens of sustainable development. Rather than focusing on ESG or impact investing, the course examines the structures, incentives, and decision-making processes of key financial actors, including public finance institutions, development banks, asset owners, central banks, and private capital markets, and how they can be mobilized to support the goals of sustainable development.
Through lectures, guest speakers, and case studies, students will explore topics such as carbon markets, infrastructure finance, industrial policy, China's international finance strategy, and degrowth economics. The course also addresses the skills and frameworks needed to engage professionally in sustainable finance across sectors.
- Department: MPA-DEVELOPMENT PRACTICE
- M 3:10 p.m.-5 p.m.
-
Instructor:
Aniket A Shah
Info - 3 points
Migration and Economic Development
Economics of Migration
This course equips students with economic tools to analyze the impacts of international migration on destination and origin countries. Emphasizing migration between low-, middle-, and high-income economies, it explores the effects of migration restrictions, remittances, diaspora networks, and labor market outcomes. Students will review key economic models, assess policy debates, and engage with empirical research. The course combines lectures, case discussions, and applied assignments to strengthen analytical skills and inform policy recommendations in migration and development.
- Department: Development and Governance
- R 3:10 p.m.-5 p.m.
-
Instructor:
Limon B Rodriguez
Info - 1.5 points
Impact Evaluations in Practice
This course will be useful for students who are committed to evidence-based operations, programming, strategy, and overall effectiveness. Impact evaluations, combined with strong data systems, are integral tools for this evidence-driven work. At the end of the course, students will understand why and when to conduct impact evaluations, how to manage one, and how to recognize and differentiate a good impact evaluation from a non-rigorous one.
Spring 2026 Course Dates: March 27-28 & April 3-4
- Department: Development and Governance
- FS 1:15 p.m.-4:30 p.m.
-
Instructor:
Jyotsna Puri
Info - 1.5 points
Climate Change Policy and Diplomacy
This course examines the central challenges of climate change policy and diplomacy through three core questions: What should the world do about climate change? Why have past efforts largely failed? How can more effective strategies be developed? Drawing on perspectives from science, economics, ethics, international law, and game theory, students will explore both normative and practical dimensions of global climate action.
The course reviews the scientific basis and projected impacts of climate change, evaluates technological and economic options for reducing emissions, and analyzes the history and design of international agreements from the Framework Convention to the Paris Agreement. Students will consider issues such as policy coordination, compliance incentives, trade linkages, and the role of unilateral measures and geoengineering.
- Department: Climate, Energy, & Environment
- W 1:10 p.m.-3 p.m.
- M 1:10 p.m.-3 p.m.
-
Instructor:
Scott Barrett
Wikipedia Info - 3 points
Applying Machine Learning
The widespread adoption of information technology has resulted in the generation of vast amounts of data on human behavior. This course explores ways to use this data to better understand and improve the societies in which we live. The course weaves together methods from machine learning (OLS, LASSO, trees) and social science (theory, reduced-form causal inference, structural modeling) to address real-world problems. We will use these problems as a backdrop to weigh the importance of causality, precision, and computational efficiency.
Prerequisites:
Students are expected to have completed coursework equivalent to Quantitative Analysis II or Statistics (e.g., SIPA U6501), Microeconomics (e.g., SIPA U6300/50 or U6400), and an introductory Computer Science course (e.g., INAF U6006). Familiarity with econometrics and programming is assumed.
- Department: Data Science for Policy
- W 3:10 p.m.-5 p.m.
- F 1:10 p.m.-3 p.m.
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Instructor:
Daniel C Bjorkegren
Info - 3 points
Emerging Capital Markets: Theory & Pract
This course examines the evolution of capital markets in emerging economies and the forces shaping their current and future trajectories. Through a combination of case studies, financial theory, and practitioner insights, students will explore sovereign defaults, financial crises, policy responses, and structural reforms across Latin America, Asia, and beyond. Key topics include the influence of global liquidity cycles, the rise of China, ESG investment trends, and the implications of new technologies such as generative AI.
- Department: International Finance & Economic Policy
- T 7:10 p.m.-9 p.m.
- 3 points
FOUNDATIONS OF SW PRACTICE
- Department: Social Work
- W 9 a.m.-noon
- R 2 p.m.-5 p.m.
- R 9 a.m.-noon
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Instructor:
Ife Lenard
Info -
Instructor:
Zelaika Clarke
Info -
Instructor:
Krystal Miller
Info - 3 points
SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE II
- Department: Social Work
- W 9 a.m.-noon
- R 9 a.m.-noon
- W 5:10 p.m.-8:10 p.m.
- R 9 a.m.-noon
-
Instructor:
Laura Miller
Info -
Instructor:
Moradeyo Adeyi
Info -
Instructor:
Gariy Livshits
Info -
Instructor:
Craig S Schwalbe
h-index: 10 Info -
Instructor:
Chantelle J Doswell
Info -
Instructor:
Helodia Dastine
Info -
Instructor:
Jillian Tucker
Info -
Instructor:
Josephine L Torielli
Info -
Instructor:
Monica A Joseph
Info -
Instructor:
Michelle Sanderson
Info -
Instructor:
Craig S Schwalbe
h-index: 10 Info - 3 points
SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE II
- Department: Social Work
- W 7 p.m.-10 p.m.
- M 7 p.m.-10 p.m.
- R 7 p.m.-10 p.m.
- W 4 p.m.-7 p.m.
- W 9 a.m.-noon
- R 9 a.m.-noon
- R 2 p.m.-5 p.m.
-
Instructor:
Craig S Schwalbe
h-index: 10 Info -
Instructor:
Typhani D Carter
Info -
Instructor:
Maria del Mar Farina
Info -
Instructor:
Sarah E Strole
Info -
Instructor:
Rachel M Goldsmith
Info -
Instructor:
Gerardine Mareus
Info -
Instructor:
Foluso O Otuyelu
Info -
Instructor:
Josephine L Torielli
Info - 3 points
ADVOCACY IN SW PRACTICE
- Department: Social Work
- W 9 a.m.-noon
- W 2 p.m.-5 p.m.
- R 9 a.m.-noon
-
Instructor:
Ovita F Williams
Info -
Instructor:
Alexandra Seals
Info -
Instructor:
Brooke S West
h-index: 14 Info -
Instructor:
Alexandra Seals
Info -
Instructor:
Jaime Estades
Info -
Instructor:
Russell A Baptist
Info -
Instructor:
Katrina Balovlenkov
Info -
Instructor:
Robin T Kelley
Wikipedia Info - 3 points
ADVOCACY IN SW PRACTICE
- Department: Social Work
- R 7 p.m.-10 p.m.
- R 2 p.m.-5 p.m.
- W 9 a.m.-noon
- W 2 p.m.-5 p.m.
- R 9 a.m.-noon
- W 5 p.m.-8 p.m.
- M 7 p.m.-10 p.m.
-
Instructor:
Brooke S West
h-index: 14 Info -
Instructor:
Peter Maugeri
Info -
Instructor:
Elise M Verdooner
Info -
Instructor:
Jairo Hoyos
Info -
Instructor:
Harry Schiffman
Info -
Instructor:
Samantha C Winter
Info -
Instructor:
Marcella J Tillett
Info -
Instructor:
Mindy Chen
Info - 3 points
Emerging AI and MERL: Responsible Use of
This seven-week course examines the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI) and monitoring, evaluation, research and learning (MERL) in international development and humanitarian contexts. Students will explore two critical dimensions: using MERL approaches to assess AI systems (MERL of AI) and leveraging AI tools to conduct MERL activities (AI for MERL). The course situates AI technologies within current US and global geopolitical contexts, emphasizing both practical applications and ethical challenges that influence decisions about AI use in different development and humanitarian contexts.
Through a combination of theoretical frameworks, case studies, discussions, and hands-on exercises, students will develop knowledge and competencies in evaluating AI tools, understanding their limitations and biases, and making informed decisions about their appropriate use in development and humanitarian settings. The course addresses key ethical concepts (including data privacy, bias and inclusion, climate impacts), and helps students build their practical technical skills in AI for MERL. It also supports managerial level skills such as assessing AI vendors and developing AI policies. Special attention is given to critical perspectives on both AI and MERL, examining how power dynamics and resource inequities affect AI development and deployment in low and middle-income countries.
Students will engage with practical AI tools throughout the course, developing skills in critical assessment while maintaining awareness of ethical boundaries and professional responsibilities. The course culminates in students developing an AI use policy, integrating technical knowledge with ethical frameworks and contextual considerations relevant to their future work in international development or humanitarian assistance. This course does not have prerequisites, but you will benefit more (as well as contribute more to discussions with your colleagues) if you have at least 2 years of professional experience in international development or humanitarian aid, or if you have taken Methods for Sustainable Development Practice (DVGO8000I), Evaluation in International Organizations (DVGO7092), Impact Measurement and Evaluation for Sustainable Development (TPIN7315), or a comparable course.
- Department: Development and Governance
- W 5:10 p.m.-7 p.m.
- 1.5 points
Green Transition in Emerging Markets
Greening Emerging Markets
The transition to a net-zero economy is of particular relevance to Emerging and Developing economies, which are both the most vulnerable to climate change and also the largest emitters of greenhouse gases.
The transition is creating considerable challenges but also opening up significant opportunities: over $200 trillion of investments will be needed in order to ensure that global temperatures stay well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels, with most to be invested in the infrastructure sector of emerging and developing economies.
The class will explore the challenges of the transition to a low-carbon economy. It will also examine the new mechanisms that are being put in place to channel finance toward the greening of emerging and developing countries.
- Department: International Finance & Economic Policy
- R 10 a.m.-11:50 a.m.
-
Instructor:
Christian Deseglise
Wikipedia Info - 1.5 points
Operations Strategy
A firm's operations encompass all the activities that are performed in order to produce and deliver a product or a service. An operations strategy refers to a set of operational decisions that a firm makes to achieve a long-term competitive advantage. These decisions may be about the firms facilities, its technology/process choices, its relationships with both upstream and downstream business partners etc. The goal of this course is to provide students with an understanding of how and why operational decisions are integral to a firms success. The course builds on concepts from the core Operations Management course and the core Strategy Formulation course. It is highly relevant to anyone whose work requires the strategic analysis of a firms operations, including those interested in consulting, entrepreneurship, mergers and acquisitions, private equity, investment analysis, and general management. The course consists of four modules. The first module, Strategic Alignment," explores the question of how a firms operations should be structured so as to be consistent with the firms chosen way to compete. The second module, "Firm Boundaries," considers the question of what operational activities should remain in house and what should be done by a business partner and the long-term implications of these decisions on competitive advantage. This module also addresses the issue of managing the business relationships with supply chain partners. The third module, "Internal Operations," considers key decision categories in operations, e.g., capacity decisions, process choices, IT implementation, and managing networks, and shows how these decisions can lead to distinctive capabilities. The final module, "New Challenges," is set aside to address new topics that reflect the current trends in the business environment."
- Department: Decision, Risk and Operations
- S 3:45 p.m.-6:45 p.m.
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Instructor:
Medini Singh
Info - 3 points
Intelligence and US Foreign Policy
Intelligence & US Foreign
Instructor permission required. Join the waitlist in Vergil to request registration.
This seminar explores the role of intelligence in U.S. national security and foreign policy, focusing on both historic and contemporary controversies. Topics include intelligence failures such as 9/11 and Iraq’s WMDs, challenges in cyber and surveillance, and debates about covert action and interrogation practices. The course also considers the Intelligence Community’s (IC) relationship with policymakers, particularly during election cycles and presidential transitions. Recent failures in Russia and Israel will prompt discussion on whether intelligence failures are inevitable and how success or failure should be defined. Students will examine the core functions of intelligence—collection (human, technical, cyber), analysis, and covert action—and their place in a democratic society. Readings focus on the post-WWII period to the present, with an emphasis on reform efforts. Guest speakers and a crisis simulation will provide practical insight into intelligence work, including real-world pressures faced by analysts and decision-makers.
- Department: International Security & Diplomacy
- R 3:10 p.m.-5 p.m.
-
Instructor:
Peter Clement
Info - 3 points
Emerging Digital Tech for Impact
Emerging Digital Tech-Imp
Unlike typical “Ethical AI” or “Technology for Development” courses that debate whether technologies are good or bad or focus on isolated deployments, this course is designed for non-technical students who want to truly understand both the technologies themselves and the environments they operate in for current and future applications. It offers an accessible introduction to the core technology concepts behind emerging digital tools like AI, Generative AI, Blockchain, and IoT alongside a deep dive into what history and case studies reveal about the enabling environment required for these tools to succeed: infrastructure, policy, funding, localization, and more. It equips students with the foundational understanding and critical lens to ask better questions, increase their digital literacy, recognize patterns, and contribute to sustainable development. Through this course, students will be able to understand what readiness might look like and discover the role they can play in shaping a future where tech serves humanity more effectively. This course is designed for individuals without a technical background who want to engage productively with the growing world of digital technologies for social and environmental impact. Whether you're considering a career shift, seeking to better understand emerging tools like AI, Generative AI, Blockchain, and IoT, or looking to contribute more effectively within your current role, this course will help you build both the technical foundations and the critical insight to do so. It is especially valuable for those who are curious about how these technologies can support sustainable development and who want to explore what it takes to make real impact possible.
- Department: MPA-DEVELOPMENT PRACTICE
- T 3:10 p.m.-5 p.m.
-
Instructor:
Mariela J Machado
Info - 3 points
Data Science and Public Policy
Pre-req: SIPA IA6501 - Quant II or equivalent quantitative methods course. Instructor permission required. Join the waitlist in Vergil to request registration.
This course bridges the gap between data science and public policy by bringing together students from diverse academic backgrounds to address contemporary policy challenges using large-scale data. With the rapid growth of digital information and the increasing influence of machine learning and AI on public life, the ability to work across disciplines is becoming essential.
Students will examine real-world datasets on topics such as disinformation campaigns, privacy and surveillance, crime and recidivism, natural disasters, and the impact of generative AI. Through weekly presentations and a semester-long team project, students will gain practical experience applying data science methods to pressing policy issues while learning how to collaborate across fields.
- Department: Data Science for Policy
- W 10 a.m.-11:50 a.m.
-
Instructor:
Tamar Mitts
h-index: 5 Info - 3 points
FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT
- Department: Social Work
- T 9 a.m.-10:50 a.m.
- W 4:10 p.m.-6 p.m.
-
Instructor:
Monica L Foote
Info -
Instructor:
Jordana Rutigliano
Info - 3 points
Emerging Financial Systems: BR,IN,ID,MX
Fin.Systems:BR,IN,ID,MX
This course examines the workings of a select group of emerging economies’ financial systems, providing students with the tools to assess the efficacy of the financial system as a key pillar for a country’s sustained economic development and growth. Characteristics to be analyzed and compared include the roles of domestic private, public sector, and foreign banks; impact of fintech developments on competition between incumbents and challengers; business strategy and market valuation; systemic resilience and regulation; breadth and depth of domestic capital markets; access to foreign capital; climate change and sustainable finance; and potential for advancement by current leading emerging economies’ banks.
- Department: International Finance & Economic Policy
- M 5:10 p.m.-7 p.m.
-
Instructor:
Fernando Sotelino
Info - 3 points
Policy Through Partnerships for the Liva
Urban Policy Partnerships
This course explores the growing role of public-private partnerships (PPPs) in addressing urban challenges across housing, education, and economic development. Students will examine how cities are responding to crises with innovative, cross-sector collaborations, and analyze the implications for governance, equity, and service delivery. Drawing on recent trends and practical examples, the course equips students with tools to assess partnership models, evaluate policy tradeoffs, and develop effective interventions. Emphasis is placed on critical thinking, negotiation, and strategic planning in the context of building livable cities through collaborative approaches.
- Department: Urban and Social Policy
- T 1:10 p.m.-3 p.m.
-
Instructor:
Ashley R Macquarrie-Tomey
Info - 3 points
Text as Data
Pre-req: SIPA IA6500 - Quant I, and prior experience with R are required. Instructor permission required. Join the waitlist in Vergil to request registration.
This course introduces students to the quantitative analysis of text, an increasingly important method in the social sciences and public policy. With vast amounts of textual information now available from sources such as social media, news articles, political speeches, and government documents, the ability to analyze text systematically is essential. Students will learn how to collect, process, and analyze text data to answer meaningful research questions.
The course covers a range of methods including dictionary-based approaches, supervised classification, topic modeling, word embeddings, and emerging applications of Large Language Models. Emphasis is placed on practical application through hands-on exercises using the R programming language. By the end of the semester, students will develop an original research project using text as data.
- Department: Data Science for Policy
- R 10 a.m.-11:50 a.m.
-
Instructor:
Tamar Mitts
h-index: 5 Info - 3 points
SEMINAR ON POLICY PRACTICE II
- Department: Social Work
- W 2 p.m.-3:50 p.m.
- T 4:10 p.m.-6 p.m.
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Instructor:
Mashura Akilova
Info - 3 points
Terrorism and Counterterrorism
This course examines the origins and development of modern terrorism, the challenges it poses to states and the international system, and the strategies employed to confront it. The course explores a wide range of terrorist groups, assessing the psychological, political, socioeconomic, and religious factors that contribute to terrorist violence. Students will also evaluate the effectiveness and ethical implications of various counterterrorism approaches. The course is structured in two parts. Part I addresses the nature, causes, tactics, and objectives of terrorism and terrorist organizations. Part II focuses on counterterrorism, including U.S. policy responses, international strategies, and the tension between security and democratic values.
- Department: International Security & Diplomacy
- T 3:10 p.m.-5 p.m.
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Instructor:
Stuart M Gottlieb
CULPA: 12
Info
- 3 points
Seminar in Urban Politics and Policy
S. Urban Politics and Pol
All public policy occurs within a political context. The purpose of this seminar is to examine how politics impacts policy in America’s large cities. While we rely on case material from American cities, the theoretical frameworks, problems, and policy solutions we consider are relevant to understanding public policy in any global city.
Cities are not legal entities defined in the American Constitution. Yet, historically, they have developed a politics and policymaking process that at once seems archetypically American and strangely foreign. We will consider who has power in cities and how that impacts policy priorities; whether America’s traditional institutions of representation “work” for urban America; how the city functions within our federal system; and whether neighborhood democracy is a meaningful construct. We will also consider the impact of politics on urban policymaking. Can cities solve the myriad problems of their populations under existing institutional arrangements? How are cities being affected by the post-pandemic work-from-home economy? Do the economic and social factors that impact urban politics and policy limit a city’s capacity to find and implement solutions to urban problems? How has increasing income inequality and persistent racial discrimination impacted urban governance and policy making? Does political protest result in changes in urban policy? Finally, can urban politics be restructured to better address problems of inequity and racial justice. Do cities have a viable economic future in post-pandemic America?
- Department: Urban and Social Policy
- T 3:10 p.m.-5 p.m.
-
Instructor:
Patricia A Kirkland
Info - 3 points
Advanced Computing for Policy
Pre-req: DSPC IA6000 - Computing in Context,
or see option for testing out
.
In Computing in Context, students "explored computing concepts and coding in the context of solving policy problems." Building off that foundation of Python fundamentals and data analysis, Advanced Computing for Policy goes both deeper and broader. The course covers computer science concepts like data structures and algorithms, as well as data engineering tools like databases, cloud services, and collaboration tools. Over the semester, students will build a complex end-to-end data system. This course prepares students for more advanced data science coursework at SIPA, and equips them to do sophisticated data ingestion, analysis, and presentation. It's particularly well-suited to students looking to do data work in the public sector, not-for-profits, and academia.
- Department: Data Science for Policy
- R 3:10 p.m.-5 p.m.
- F 1:10 p.m.-3 p.m.
-
Instructor:
Aidan Feldman
Info - 3 points
Finance, Policy, and Investments in Sub-
Fince & Policy: Sub-Sahar
Finance, Policy, and Investments in Sub-Saharan Africa examines the interaction between public policy, financial systems, and private investment across selected countries in sub-Saharan Africa. The course focuses on how governments, financial institutions, and investors design and implement policies, financial products, and investment strategies to address development challenges and unlock economic opportunities.
Through comparative case studies and guest lectures by senior policymakers and industry leaders, students analyze real-world examples spanning banking reform, development finance, mobile money, health and financial inclusion, private equity, and infrastructure investment. Each case highlights the underlying market conditions, policy frameworks, investment structures, and measurable outcomes, with attention to both successes and limitations.
Designed for students interested in international finance, economic policy, and emerging markets, the course equips participants with analytical tools to assess risk, evaluate policy effectiveness, and understand how financial innovation can support inclusive growth in developing economies.
- Department: International Finance & Economic Policy
- T 1:10 p.m.-3 p.m.
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Instructor:
Benedict O Okoh
CULPA: 1 Info - 1.5 points
Our AI Future
(Formerly
AI Institutions
)
AI is rewriting the rules of society. This course invites you to understand and shape what comes next. We begin by turning the classroom into a living experiment on how AI could change education, then examine how abundant intelligence could reshape work, governance, and transportation. In a field often dominated by speculation, we will ground our discussions in evidence and theory. Together, we’ll explore what institutions are needed for a world transformed by intelligence.
- Department: Data Science for Policy
- W 1:10 p.m.-3 p.m.
-
Instructor:
Daniel C Bjorkegren
Info - 3 points
Critical Issues in Urban Public Policy
This course is designed to prepare future policymakers to critically analyze and evaluate key urban policy issues in US cities. It is unique in offering exposure to both practical leadership experience and urban policy scholarship that will equip students to meet the challenges that face urban areas. Students are responsible for all the required readings and they will hear from an exciting array of guest lecturers from the governmental, not for-profit, and private sectors. Drawing from my experiences as former Mayor of Philadelphia, I will lay out fundamental issues of urban governance and policymaking, emphasizing the challenges and opportunities cities are now facing.
- Department: Urban and Social Policy
- W 10 a.m.-11:50 a.m.
-
Instructor:
Michael A Nutter
Info - 3 points
International Trade
This course explores both the theory and policy of international trade. In the first half, students will learn why countries trade, what determines trade patterns, and how trade affects prices, welfare, and income distribution. Key models covered include the Ricardian, Specific Factors, and Heckscher-Ohlin models, along with extensions on migration and offshoring. In the second half, the course focuses on trade policy instruments such as tariffs, quotas, and subsidies, examining their effects under different market structures. Topics include the political economy of trade, strategic trade policy, climate and agricultural subsidies, and international trade agreements. Prior coursework in microeconomics is required. Students will develop both analytical and applied understanding of global trade issues.
- Department: International Finance & Economic Policy
- R 3:10 p.m.-5 p.m.
-
Instructor:
Arvind Panagariya
Wikipedia Info - 3 points
International Trade
Recitation
This course explores both the theory and policy of international trade. In the first half, students will learn why countries trade, what determines trade patterns, and how trade affects prices, welfare, and income distribution. Key models covered include the Ricardian, Specific Factors, and Heckscher-Ohlin models, along with extensions on migration and offshoring. In the second half, the course focuses on trade policy instruments such as tariffs, quotas, and subsidies, examining their effects under different market structures. Topics include the political economy of trade, strategic trade policy, climate and agricultural subsidies, and international trade agreements. Prior coursework in microeconomics is required. Students will develop both analytical and applied understanding of global trade issues.
- Department: International Finance & Economic Policy
- M 5:10 p.m.-7 p.m.
- 0 points
Conduct of War
The conduct of war is central to international security policy. Even when unused, the ability to wage war effectively underpins deterrence and shapes foreign policy. Military organization, training, and strategy are built around this capacity, and the institutions that support it exist largely to ensure effectiveness in conflict. A strong grasp of modern warfare theory and practice is essential for anyone pursuing a career in security policy. This course provides a foundation in the conduct of war, preparing students for professional roles in government agencies, legislative offices, think tanks, and international organizations. It focuses on developing the analytical skills and conceptual tools needed for early-career success and long-term growth in the defense policy field. While the course includes critical thinking and key concepts, it is intended as targeted professional preparation rather than general education. The course complements ISDI IA6000: Foundations of International Security Policy, ISDI IA7250: Military Technology Assessment, and ISDI IA7275: Methods for Defense Analysis. While these courses may be taken independently, this course does not address topics such as war’s causes, ethics, or technology evaluation, which are covered elsewhere. Instead, it concentrates on the theory and practice of how wars are conducted.
- Department: International Security & Diplomacy
- T 5:10 p.m.-7 p.m.
- 3 points