Design for Social Innovation
Instructor permission required. Join the waitlist in Vergil to request registration.
This project-based course equips students with the tools of human-centered design to address real-world challenges in the social sector. Working in interdisciplinary teams, students act as “intrapreneurs,” designing solutions on behalf of nonprofit, government, and social enterprise clients. Through a structured 12-week innovation cycle, students move through four design phases:
Explore
(stakeholder research and mapping),
Reframe
(synthesis and insight development),
Generate
(ideation and concept creation), and
Prototype
(building and testing solutions).
Students develop key competencies in design thinking, project and client management, stakeholder interviewing, problem framing, prototyping, and storytelling. The course culminates in a final presentation and deliverables that include an implementation blueprint and pitch materials for client use.
Client organizations span sectors such as education, food systems, sustainability, and civic engagement. Class meetings include workshops, presentations, feedback sessions, and one-on-one team advising. Deliverables are team-based, and participation is evaluated through both class engagement and weekly reflections.
This course is designed for students seeking hands-on experience in social innovation and a creative, collaborative approach to systems-level change.
- Department: Tech Policy and Innovation
-
Instructor:
Sarah M Holloway
CULPA: 1 Info - 3 points
The Politics of Defense in the United St
Politics of U.S. Defense
This course examines how national security and defense policy are developed and implemented in the U.S., focusing on political processes and institutional dynamics. Topics include military strategy, budgeting, force structure, acquisition, personnel policy, and the use of force. Students explore five key dimensions: partisan politics, Congress–Executive relations, civil-military relations, inter-service dynamics, and coordination across federal agencies. While grounded in U.S. policy, the course addresses global contexts and current debates, including defense reform, great-power competition, and the sustainability of the all-volunteer force. Readings span historical and contemporary sources.
- Department: International Security & Diplomacy
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Instructor:
Michael O'Hanlon
Wikipedia Info - 3 points
International Political Economy
Int'l Political Economy
IFEP Concentration Registration Priority.
This course examines the intersection of international politics and international economics. It covers an analysis of the historical background to and contemporary reality of the political economy of international trade, finance, monetary relations, foreign investment, and climate policy; problems of economic development; and globalization.
- Department: International Finance & Economic Policy
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Instructor:
Markus H Jaeger
Info - 3 points
RESEARCH METHS GLOBAL & POP HEALTH
RSRH METH GLOB & POP HLTH
- Department: Medicine
- 0-2 points
INDEP STUDY IN GLOB & POP HEALTH
INDP STUD GLOB & POP HLTH
- Department: Medicine
- 0-3 points
Writing About War: Seeking Narratives in
In Writing about War, seminar participants engage with a pressing matter of our age: how to evaluate facts and context and create compelling and precise narratives from the fog of war. This intensive writing seminar explores the special challenges of creating narrative and assessing truth claims in the context of violent conflict. In this course you will grow as a writer through extensive practice reporting, writing, revising, and editing your own work and that of your peers.
We will read accounts produced as journalism, policy analysis, advocacy, literature, and philosophy. We will discuss ongoing conflicts as well as historical cases, and grapple with questions of policy and ethics. Students will produce original reported narrative writing about conflict, which they may try to place for publication. Students should expect to write or revise an original piece most weeks of the semester.
This course cultivates useful skills for any writer, whether they plan to write about conflict as a journalist, advocate, aid worker, policy analyst, or other field. The instructor places a premium on critical thinking and clear writing; grades reflect participation, effort, clarity of thought, reporting initiative, and narrative craft.
- Department: International Security & Diplomacy
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Instructor:
Athanasios Cambanis
Info - 3 points
International Trade and Financial Market
Intl Trade & Financial Ma
This half-course examines the intersection of international trade and financial markets, exploring how global commerce both shapes and is shaped by macroeconomic policy, financial conditions, and firm-level strategic behavior. The course aims to bridge two traditionally distinct analytical lenses — international macroeconomics and micro-level trade and corporate dynamics — to provide students with an integrated understanding of how trade policies, capital flows, and multinational production networks interact in a financially interconnected world.
The first half of the course (Macro) focuses on the policy dimensions of international trade. It investigates how trade policies influence growth, inflation, and monetary policy in advanced economies, and how these same dynamics play out in emerging markets with more volatile macro-financial linkages. Students will analyze theoretical frameworks for tariffs and trade balances alongside empirical evidence from historical and contemporary policy shifts. Case studies will explore the commodity–currency nexus, crisis transmission through trade channels, and how financial markets price trade risk.
The second half (Micro) transitions to the firm and industry level, examining global supply chains and multinational corporations. The discussions will explore how geopolitical tensions, industrial policies, and technological change are reshaping global production networks. Students will assess the evolving role of multinational enterprises as both transmitters and mitigators of global shocks. Case studies will focus on critical materials and the technology sector, highlighting the strategic and policy implications of concentrated global value chains.
- Department: International Finance & Economic Policy
-
Instructor:
Benjamin R Mandel
Info - 1.5 points
Scale Up Ventures: Growing a Business Ou
Scale-Up Ventures & Polic
This course explores the strategies, tools, and policy environments required to scale ventures beyond the startup phase, particularly in regions outside traditional tech hubs such as Silicon Valley. Students examine the entrepreneurial journey from early traction to sustained growth, considering both bottom-up approaches focused on talent, capital, and customer acquisition, and top-down approaches focused on policy and ecosystem design. Emphasis is placed on high-impact sectors including AI, blockchain, fintech, and edtech, as well as opportunities in underserved markets. Through guest lectures, written assignments, and a team-based final project, students gain practical insight into entrepreneurship, venture capital, and leadership strategies that support scale. The course is designed for students interested in launching ventures, supporting innovation ecosystems, or shaping policies that foster economic growth.
- Department: Tech Policy and Innovation
-
Instructor:
Fernando Fabre
Info - 3 points
Firms, Governments & the Global Trading
Firms Govs & Global Trade
Given the dramatic changes in US Trade Policy, businesses and governments are having to navigate a patchwork of “managed trade” agreements and myriad tariff rates and non-tariff barriers. This short course will equip students with a solid grasp of the fundamentals of the current world trading system – both the “multilateral” system centered on the WTO and still practiced among most countries, as well as the US-centered multiplex system created by the Trump II Administration. The impact on businesses and governments will be examined through a series of interactive classes, business case studies, and executive guest speakers. The course will also explore “Stakeholder Engagement” techniques used by Multinational Corporations seeking to secure competitive advantage in this new environment.
- Department: International Finance & Economic Policy
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Instructor:
Michael R McAdoo
Info - 1.5 points
Building & Scaling Social Impact Program
Build/Scale Social Impact
This course examines how public, private, and nonprofit organizations attempt to address complex social problems through programs, partnerships, and philanthropic investment. The first half explores historical and contemporary interventions across sectors, with attention to trade-offs, incentives, and consequences. Through case studies and critical readings, students analyze how trust, governance, and accountability shape outcomes. The second half focuses on the practice of designing and scaling social impact programs, emphasizing theory of change, evaluation, and strategic alignment. Assignments include strategy and fundraising memos, a final impact plan, and a presentation. This seminar equips students with analytical, writing, and communication skills relevant to leadership roles in the social impact field.
- Department: Tech Policy and Innovation
-
Instructor:
Thomas Ogletree
Info - 3 points
Storytelling and The Art of Creating Soc
Storytelling & Social Imp
- Department: Tech Policy and Innovation
-
Instructor:
Stephen Friedman
Wikipedia Info - 3 points
Human Rights and the Politics of Inequal
Human Rights & Inequality
This course examines the intersection of human rights and economic inequality, exploring how political and economic governance influence access to rights and justice. Students will assess how human rights principles are integrated into economic policy frameworks, including trade, labor, development, and environmental regulation, and how these frameworks shape both public accountability and corporate responsibility.
Through case studies and policy analysis, the course introduces practical tools for advancing human rights in multilateral institutions, national governments, and private-sector operations. Topics include the role of grievance mechanisms tied to trade agreements and development finance, global supply chains, labor standards, and the impact of environmental policy on marginalized populations. Students will analyze pathways to embed human rights criteria into decision-making, and consider the limits and opportunities of current governance structures in addressing inequality.
- Department: Human Rights, Gender, and Equity
- 3 points
Rethinking Human Rights and Humanitarian
Rethinking Rights & Aid
This advanced seminar critically examines the evolving challenges, limitations, and potential of human rights and humanitarianism as frameworks for justice and global governance. Centering human rights discourse, the course invites students to examine foundational concepts such as universality, accountability, sovereignty, and identity, while addressing complex topics and challenging cases. Through case studies, normative debates, and applied advocacy tools, students explore the responsibilities of state and non-state actors, the contested definition of the “human” in rights claims, and strategies for persuasion, enforcement, and reform in both policy and practice. Course themes include: The political limits and promise of human rights in global and national contexts; Accountability gaps across governments, corporations, and armed groups; The status of refugees, displaced persons, and marginalized groups; Humanitarian dilemmas, transitional justice, and foreign policy advocacy; The rise and fall of doctrines such as Responsibility to Protect (R2P); and Pragmatism, realism, and human rights under states of exception.
- Department: Human Rights, Gender, and Equity
-
Instructor:
Andrew C Heinrich
Info - 3 points
Intro to American Civil-Military Relatio
How does, and how should, the United States manage the relationship between elected leadership, the military, and society? This course will examine the history and current state of American civil-military relations, helping students place current challenges and debates within historical and theoretical context while also providing a better understanding of the relationship between elected political leadership, the military, and the people they both serve. This course places a special focus on the unique challenges the US faces in maintaining healthy civil-military relations in an era of heightened partisan polarization and political change.
- Department: International Security & Diplomacy
-
Instructor:
Jason K Dempsey
Info - 3 points
Using Big Data to Develop Public Policy
Using Data for Policy Des
This applied course provides students with foundational skills to analyze and interpret publicly available datasets for public policy decision-making. Emphasizing hands-on learning, the course covers data sourcing, cleaning, research design, statistical analysis, and data visualization using Stata. Students will explore real-world challenges across topics such as poverty, education, housing, and public health, culminating in a data-based policy memo developed through collaborative group work.
- Department: Urban and Social Policy
-
Instructor:
Francesco Brindisi
CULPA: 1 Info - 3 points
Energy and Power Financing Markets
Energy & Power Finance Ma
This course explores the financing structures that underpin the development and transformation of global energy and power markets. Students will examine how asset-based, project, and tax-driven financing mechanisms have evolved to meet the growing demands for conventional and clean energy, and how these tools can be leveraged to support the transition to a low-carbon economy. Through case studies and lectures, the course introduces the financial, regulatory, and policy frameworks that shape energy markets, with an emphasis on U.S. practices and instruments. Topics include reserve-based lending in oil and gas, project financing for power generation, Master Limited Partnerships in midstream infrastructure, and renewable energy finance strategies. Special focus is placed on aligning commercial viability with sustainable development objectives, addressing greenhouse gas emissions, and ensuring affordable access to energy. Students will develop applied skills in evaluating financing approaches, assessing project risks, and reconciling financial structures with physical energy system requirements.
- Department: Climate, Energy, & Environment
-
Instructor:
Brooks James Klimley
Info - 3 points
Rethinking Policing in the 21st Century
Rethinking Policing-21st
This course examines modern policing in the United States through historical, legal, racial, and political lenses. Students will explore the evolution of policing practices and their implications for civil rights, public trust, and public safety. Key topics include police recruitment and training, disciplinary procedures, technology in law enforcement, use-of-force guidelines, and the impact of police unions. The course will evaluate the role of social movements, such as Black Lives Matter, in advancing reform and will analyze policy recommendations implemented in cities across the U.S. and abroad. Students will engage with current scholarship, government reports, and case studies to assess efforts to reimagine public safety, address systemic racism, and improve police-community relations. The course culminates in a policy-oriented final paper proposing actionable reform strategies.
- Department: Urban and Social Policy
-
Instructor:
Basil A Jr Smikle
Info - 3 points
Renewable Energy Project Finance Modelin
Renewable Energy Finance
This course provides a rigorous introduction to renewable energy project finance modeling, focusing on the concepts, structures, and financial mechanisms that underpin investment in renewable energy projects such as wind and solar. Through lectures, demonstrations, and guided analysis of actual project documents and contracts, students will develop a comprehensive understanding of the key drivers of renewable energy economics and financing.
Students will examine debt structuring, cash flow analysis, revenue modeling, risk assessment, tax incentives, and the impact of policies such as the Inflation Reduction Act. The course emphasizes the development of best practices in financial modeling and the critical evaluation of project structures, with particular attention to the challenges and considerations unique to renewable energy assets.
Participants will learn to analyze project agreements, assess project risks, build robust financial models, and evaluate project viability from the perspective of developers, lenders, and investors. The curriculum integrates lectures on technical and contractual fundamentals, discussion of policy implications, and instruction on modeling techniques, culminating in the creation of a detailed project finance model.
- Department: Climate, Energy, & Environment
- 3 points
Methods for Defense Analysis
Defense policy involves some of the highest stakes in government, often concerning life-or-death decisions. It is also a major employer, with U.S. government agencies, think tanks, and contractors relying on formal analysis to guide decisions ranging from equipment purchases to national military strategy. A large, trained workforce produces these studies, while others must critically assess their findings. Although most robust in the U.S., similar analytic work exists globally.
This intellectually demanding field requires strong methods and integrity. Poorly designed studies can distort decision-making, while sound analysis improves it. This course prepares students to work effectively as entry-level defense analysts or as informed consumers of analysis. Emphasis is placed on research design, which is often the key determinant of a study’s success. Through methodological training and critique of exemplar analyses, students will build the skills and intellectual foundations to advance quickly in the field and help shape its future. This is not a course in defense policy topics, but in the design and evaluation of defense analysis.
- Department: International Security & Diplomacy
-
Instructor:
Stephen Biddle
Wikipedia Info - 3 points
Human Rights Simulation
Fall 2026 Course Dates: September 18 & October 2, 2026.
This simulation course is a short two-day course designed to enable participating students to weigh and apply human rights principles, best practices, and standards to simulated human rights emergencies. The simulation exercise challenges student participants with issues facing human rights practitioners when responding to human rights crises and provides practice operating within the human rights system and devising innovative solutions to complex challenges. Participants will evaluate data reports, assess relevant human rights tools and mechanisms, and propose interventions. The simulation will include a day of simultaneous exercises, followed by another day of debriefing, evaluation, and identification of key challenges and lessons.
- Department: Human Rights, Gender, and Equity
- 1.5 points
Economic Development for International A
The course has two broad objectives: 1) to explore how economics can be used to understand various facets of development and 2) to provide tools and skills useful in policy work. In the course, we will describe the basic facts surrounding the development process and use economic theory to make sense of these facts and to identify gaps in our understanding. We will also learn about the tools that development economists use to fill in those gaps. These will include analyzing real-world data and thinking in terms of causality and its relevance for policy. Specific modules/topics in the class include: 1) What is Development, 2) Distribution of Income and Human Resources, 3) Randomized Controlled Trials, 4) Growth Models, 5) Trade and Development, 6) Sustainability Topics
- Department: Development and Governance
-
Instructor:
Andrew Simons
Info - 3 points
Failures and Successes of Three Decades
Peacemaking: Lessons & Fa
This course examines three decades of international peacemaking efforts to assess what has been learned, and what has been unlearned, through major conflicts. Drawing on the instructor’s experience leading UN peacekeeping operations and conflict resolution initiatives, the course explores case studies from various regions, including Rwanda, Bosnia, Libya, Syria, Colombia, Ukraine, and Israel-Palestine. Students will analyze how geopolitical shifts, institutional capacities, and strategic choices have influenced outcomes. The course pays particular attention to the United Nations' involvement, the evolution of doctrines such as the Responsibility to Protect, and the role of external actors.
- Department: International Security & Diplomacy
-
Instructor:
Jean-Marie Guehenno
Wikipedia Info - 3 points
Failures and Successes of Three Decades
Peacemaking: Lessons & Fa
This course examines three decades of international peacemaking efforts to assess what has been learned, and what has been unlearned, through major conflicts. Drawing on the instructor’s experience leading UN peacekeeping operations and conflict resolution initiatives, the course explores case studies from various regions, including Rwanda, Bosnia, Libya, Syria, Colombia, Ukraine, and Israel-Palestine. Students will analyze how geopolitical shifts, institutional capacities, and strategic choices have influenced outcomes. The course pays particular attention to the United Nations' involvement, the evolution of doctrines such as the Responsibility to Protect, and the role of external actors.
- Department: International Security & Diplomacy
-
Instructor:
Jean-Marie Guehenno
Wikipedia Info - 3 points
Corporate Finance
IFEP Concentration Registration Priority. Prerequisite: SIPA IA6200 Accounting.
(Note: Based on their performance in SIPA IA6260 Accounting Fundamentals, IA6260 students may be allowed to register if space remains.)
This course provides an introduction to corporate finance, focusing on how firms assess funding needs, evaluate investment opportunities, and select financing strategies. The course equips future policymakers and practitioners with core analytical tools in financial decision-making. Topics include working capital management, cost of capital, security valuation, capital structure, and free cash flow analysis. Emphasis is placed on applying financial concepts to real-world situations through case studies, quantitative problem sets, and hands-on modeling. Students will gain exposure to Excel-based analysis and decision-making under uncertainty. Prior coursework in accounting is required, and fluency in Excel is essential.
- Department: International Finance & Economic Policy
-
Instructor:
Deborah McLean
Info - 3 points
Corporate Finance
IFEP Concentration Registration Priority. Prerequisite: SIPA IA6200 Accounting.
(Note: Based on their performance in SIPA IA6260 Accounting Fundamentals, IA6260 students may be allowed to register if space remains.)
This course provides an introduction to corporate finance, focusing on how firms assess funding needs, evaluate investment opportunities, and select financing strategies. The course equips future policymakers and practitioners with core analytical tools in financial decision-making. Topics include working capital management, cost of capital, security valuation, capital structure, and free cash flow analysis. Emphasis is placed on applying financial concepts to real-world situations through case studies, quantitative problem sets, and hands-on modeling. Students will gain exposure to Excel-based analysis and decision-making under uncertainty. Prior coursework in accounting is required, and fluency in Excel is essential.
- Department: International Finance & Economic Policy
-
Instructor:
Deborah McLean
Info - 3 points
Topics in Corporate Finance
This course examines the real-world application of corporate finance across both developed and emerging markets. Drawing on the instructor’s 30 years of experience in global equity research, the course examines how investors value companies, how firms build and allocate capital, and how financial markets respond to corporate behavior and economic conditions.
Topics include capital structure, valuation techniques, investor activism, corporate governance, ESG considerations, asset bubbles, fraud detection, and private equity. Special sessions feature guest speakers from Wall Street and case-based discussions grounded in current market trends.
Students will gain practical exposure to forecasting, strategic financial analysis, and investor behavior through interactive lectures and assignments. Readings include both foundational finance texts and real-world case studies.
Pre-reqs
: At least one prior finance course (IFEP IA7301 Corporate Finance is strongly recommended; IFEP IA7022 or IFEP IA7045 acceptable). A background in accounting (e.g., SIPA IA6200) and working knowledge of Excel are preferred.
- Department: International Finance & Economic Policy
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Instructor:
Michael N Eastwood
Info - 3 points
Impact Investing: Essential Skills
Impact Investing: Skills
This is an experiential course designed to introduce students to impact investing and provide them with the skills used by impact investors every day. Students will work on the key "products" required in an impact investment transaction including: sourcing a possible impact investment; pitching a potential investment; writing an investment memo with a full impact analysis; and creating and negotiating a term sheet for a possible impact investment. Through case studies, hands-on assignments, and team-based presentations, students will learn how to evaluate and structure impact investments. The course emphasizes applied tools used in the field and offers insight into pathways for careers in impact finance.
- Department: Tech Policy and Innovation
- 1.5 points