Energy Transition in Europe

This course explores the opportunities and challenges presented by Europe’s efforts to lead the global transition to net-zero greenhouse gas energy systems. Centered on the European Union and its member states, the course also considers key geopolitical developments shaping the region’s energy future, including the war in Ukraine, transatlantic relations, and trade tensions with China.

Students will examine how climate goals intersect with energy security, affordability, and political feasibility. The course covers policy design, institutional dynamics, and market responses across power generation, transportation, and industrial energy systems. Topics include energy storage, electrification, decarbonization of hard-to-abate sectors, and the integration of renewables into power grids.

Through case studies and discussion, students will assess how EU energy and climate policies translate into real-economy investment and innovation. The course emphasizes critical engagement with required readings, active participation, and an understanding of the political and economic factors that shape Europe's transition agenda.

This intensive seven-week course is recommended for students already familiar with energy transition issues.

• Department: Climate, Energy, & Environment
• 1.5 points

Energy Decarbonization

This course examines the pathways, technologies, and policies for transitioning energy systems from fossil fuels to low-carbon alternatives. Energy systems underpin modern economies and human well-being but remain the primary driver of climate change. The course introduces the scientific, economic, and political foundations of energy decarbonization and surveys the barriers to reducing emissions across major sectors, including power, transportation, buildings, and industry.

Students will engage with case studies, debates, and guest lectures to explore topics such as carbon pricing, innovation policy, equity considerations, and decarbonization in emerging economies. The course integrates perspectives from international climate negotiations and country-specific approaches, with a focus on U.S. policy design and implementation.

• Department: Climate, Energy, & Environment
• M 3:10 p.m.-5 p.m.
• Instructor: Noah Kaufman
  Info
• 1.5 points

Innovations in Development Finance

Innovations-Development F

The aspirations outlined in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development are in jeopardy as the world faces cascading and interrelated global crises and conflicts. It has become increasingly apparent that traditional funding modalities are falling tragically short to meet the financing requirements in addressing the SDGs - currently estimated to be around US$4.2 trillion per year. Hence, there is an urgent need to leverage alternative and innovative sources for financing development initiatives.

This course will explore the intersection of development finance, strategy, and policy. It will examine the landscape of traditional development financing, provide an overview of the various innovative development financing mechanisms, and reflect on the process to design them. The course will be highly interactive, involving six classes taking place over three weekends. It will have leading experts as guest speakers, and practical activities including an individual opinion piece, a group project and presentation, and a simulation exercise on partnership building.The course objectives include: (1) examining tradition and innovative approaches to financing of development initiatives and their relevant advantages and disadvantages; (2) reflecting on the process of designing innovative financing mechanisms and (3) developing practical skills necessary such as, writing clearly and persuasively for different audiences, developing proposals for innovative financing, and building partnerships with diverse stakeholders.

Spring 2026 Course Dates: April 10-25

• Department: Development and Governance
• FS 12:40 p.m.-3 p.m.
• Instructor: Radha S Kulkarni
  Info
• 1.5 points

Applied Value Investing

While the professors background is investing, this course is to a great extent a study of the elements that make a business great. As a result this class provides a sound intellectual framework to think about business in general, and as such it is equally appropriate for students who will work for a great business, build a great business, or invest.COURSE DETAILS: Value Investing is simply the purchase of any asset at a price that is significantly less than its true value. To learn how to do that when investing in common stocks, Warren Buffet has said investment students need to study two things: How to value a business. How to think about market prices. Through practical work as business analysts, the students in this class will primarily learn and intensely practice the skills and framework necessary to understand (and therefore value) a business.The professor has historically found the most value by investing in great (or future great) businesses. As a result, A SIGNIFICANT part of the course will be spent on: Detailed study of what makes a great business, and how to identify/build great (or future great) businesses Realization that to accomplish anything great", it is enormously helpful to identify, understand and align yourself with certain "truths" (For example the necessity of a broad understanding of people, group dynamics, the importance of independent thinking, basic probability, basic finance and accounting, EVA, the implications of proper focus, etc., etc.)."

• Department: Finance
• SS 12:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m.
• Instructor: Ehsan Ehsani
  Info
• 3 points

Accelerating Small and Growing Businesse

Accel Small & Growing Biz

The objective of this course is to learn and apply practical approaches to leveraging business innovation to spur socially and environmentally sustainable development, based on an understanding of the role of enterprises—especially small and growing businesses (SBGs)—in emerging markets and developing economies (EMDEs). Students will learn—from the course professors, as well as a group of guest lecturers specialized in a range of economic sectors, social or environmental priorities, and types of client—about the leading approaches to enterprise development and their foundations in systems thinking, political science, innovation theory, complexity science, and institutional, ecological, and business economics. Over the years, enterprise development has grown from implementing organizations directly providing services to businesses to the use of more systems-aware, facilitative approaches that include work with larger private sector companies, communities, local governments, and civil-society, and use tactics like business incubators and blended finance in ways that break away from a traditional grant-led donor paradigm and align commercial incentives with social and environmental priorities.

 

The ten-session course will begin with understanding market systems and their context in the surrounding socio-ecological system, then cover the financial systems, business enabling environment, and ‘knowledge’ systems of data and decision-making that make healthy market systems thrive. Students will learn fundamental market systems development concepts like facilitation and complexity-aware programming as well as concrete skills like market systems analysis, public-private partnership design, and incubator–accelerator tactics. Students will complete a semester-long project—including mid-term feedback from a simulated client—in market systems analysis and intervention design oriented to one of five types of client: traditional bilateral or multilateral institutions; impact investors; private philanthropy; multinational companies; and the governments of developing countries. Interventions will harness business growth to accelerate equitable economic development that achieves both social and environmental outcomes. A group of active professionals in the field will provide guidance on the semester-long projects to help demystify ‘development consulting’ and prepare students with the skills and mindsets to enter a rapidly evolving field. Fol

• Department: Development and Governance
• M noon-3 p.m.
• Instructor: Daniel Langfitt
  Info
• 3 points

History for Future Policymakers

This course examines the uses and misuses of historical analysis in policymaking and strategic thinking. Although leaders often invoke historical analogies, they tend to rely on a limited set of familiar episodes. Students will explore the value and limitations of using history to inform decisions about present and future challenges. The course introduces key tools of historical reasoning, including concepts such as continuity and change, contingency, human agency, and structural constraint. Students will also consider the risks of overreliance on analogy or using history to support predetermined conclusions. The goal is to deepen understanding of frequently cited historical examples while encouraging more original and critical approaches to thinking about the future.

• Department: International Security & Diplomacy
• T 10 a.m.-11:50 a.m.
• Instructor: Sarah C Kovner
  Info
• 3 points

Universal Food Security

This course addresses the challenges and opportunities for achieving a productive, profitable, inclusive, healthy, sustainable, resilient, and ethical global food system. Our first class will provide a brief historical perspective of the global food system, highlighting relevant developments over the past 10,000 years and will explain key concepts, critical challenges, and opportunities ahead. For the ensuing few weeks, we will cover the core biophysical requirements for food production: soil and land, water and climate, and genetic resources. We include an introduction to human nutrition – 
Nutrition Week
 – that focuses on dietary change and food-based solutions to malnutrition. Building on this, the course will survey a selection of important food systems and trends across Asia, Africa, and Latin America that provide food security and livelihoods for more than half of the world’s population. Case studies and classroom debates throughout the course will explore the roles of science, technology, policies, politics, institutions, business, finance, aid, trade, and human behavior in advancing sustainable agriculture, and achieving food and nutritional security. We will probe the interactions of food systems with global issues including poverty and inequality, the persistence of chronic hunger and malnutrition, climate change, environmental degradation, international food business and value chains, biotechnology (GMOs), post-harvest losses, and food waste. With a sharp eye for credible evidence, we will confront controversies, reflect on historical trends, identify common myths, and surface little-known but important truths about agriculture and food systems. In our final sessions, we address the ultimate question: can we feed and nourish the world without wrecking it for future generations?

• Department: MPA-DEVELOPMENT PRACTICE
• TR 8 a.m.-9:50 a.m.
• Instructor: Glenn Denning
  h-index: 14 Info
• 3 points

Foreign Exchange Markets Theory and Prac

This course provides an in-depth examination of the foreign exchange (FX) market—the largest and most liquid financial market in the world. Students will explore the structure of the FX market, key market participants, and trading conventions. Through a combination of theory, practical tools, and analysis of current market developments, the course offers insights into how currencies are traded, valued, and influenced by macroeconomic policy and geopolitical trends.

Topics include currency movements and valuation, FX market structure, trading practices, U.S. dollar dominance, FX intervention by central banks, and reserve management strategies. Guest speakers from both the public and private sectors will provide professional perspectives, and students will engage in topical discussions linking theory to real-world events.

• Department: International Finance & Economic Policy
• R 7:10 p.m.-9 p.m.
• 1.5 points

Campaign Management

This hands-on, skills-based course trains students to plan, manage, and execute the key elements of a modern American political campaign. Students learn the fundamentals of campaign management, including research, targeting, message development, fundraising, media strategy, digital engagement, crisis communications, and voter outreach. Through simulations and guest lectures by campaign professionals, students gain real-world insights and practical competencies in managing electoral campaigns at all levels.

A central component of the course is a team-based mock campaign project, in which each student assumes a specific campaign role, such as campaign manager, field director, press secretary, or pollster—and contributes to the final campaign plan. Teams respond to real-time political developments and present their final plans to a panel of experts.

By semester’s end, students will have developed a professional-grade campaign plan and acquired the tools to enter the field of political campaigning with confidence and applied knowledge.

• Department: Urban and Social Policy
• R 5:10 p.m.-7 p.m.
• 3 points

The UN Development System in Action: Gov

UN Development System Wor

This course examines the United Nations Development System (UNDS) as the world’s most prominent multilateral development actor. Students will explore the governance and funding structures of over 35 UN agencies, programs, and funds, and analyze how they collaborate to achieve country-level results. Topics include joint responses to global crises, UNDS reforms, SDG financing, and partnerships with governments, donors, civil society, and the private sector. Drawing on real-world case studies and practitioner insights, the course emphasizes practical competencies in multilateral development cooperation.

• Department: International Security & Diplomacy
• R 10 a.m.-11:50 a.m.
• Instructor: Gulden Turkoz-Cosslett
  Info
• 1.5 points

United Nations and Globalization

United Nations & Globaliz

United Nations and Globalization
introduces the various ways in which the United Nations affect global governance. Over the last decade, every aspect of global governance has become subjected to review and debate: peacekeeping and peacebuilding, the future of humanitarianism, a new climate change architecture, human rights, a new sustainable development agenda, and the need for a new understanding of multilateralism.

Part 1
of this course introduces the different actors, entities, and platforms through which the UN affects global governance. It creates the conceptual foundations for the role of international organizations in today’s multiplex world. It sheds light on how the UN acts at various levels, in different forms and with a varied set of partners to foster global public goods and global public policy. This includes discussions on the role of international law, goal setting, and frameworks, as well as the interlinkages between global-level interventions and regional, national, and local activities and outcomes.

Part 2
applies the conceptual insights to specific issue areas. Discussions on global governance mechanisms in the areas of peace and security, humanitarian action, sustainable development, climate change, human rights, gender, migration, global health, and COVID-19 deepen the understanding of the role the UN plays in global governance regimes more broadly.

In addition to critical scholarship on international organizations and global governance, the course relies on students’ analysis of relevant proceedings and debates at the UN, original policy documents, as well as expert testimony from a range of guest speakers, who share their extensive first-hand observations as actors of global governance processes. By these means,
United Nations and Globalization
offers insights into the processes, challenges, and impacts of UN activities to make global governance regimes stronger, more effective, and hold actors more accountable.

• Department: International Security & Diplomacy
• T 10 a.m.-11:50 a.m.
• Instructor: Daniel Naujoks
  Info
• 3 points

Risk Management for UN Crisis and Post-c

This course introduces students to the theory and practice of risk management in crisis and conflict settings, with a focus on the United Nations’ efforts to deliver on mandates in complex environments. Drawing on UN doctrine and international standards such as ISO 31000, the course emphasizes practical skills and real-world applications across the UN’s peace and security, development, human rights, and humanitarian pillars. Students will engage with case studies, guest speakers, and group simulations, culminating in the development of a comprehensive risk assessment for a selected UN mandate. Topics include security risk management, access and protection, strategic communications, human rights, program and partner risks, political engagement, civil affairs, DDR, and mission transitions.

• Department: International Security & Diplomacy
• M 7 p.m.-9 p.m.
• Instructor: Marc Jacquand
  Info
• 3 points

Gender Based Violence Law & Policy

This course will introduce students to manifestations of gender-based violence around the world—including intimate partner violence, sexual assault, child marriage and forced genital mutilation, femicide and “honor killings,” human trafficking, conflict-related sexual violence, and technology-facilitated gender-based violence. The course will also examine the legal and policy frameworks governing these manifestations at the international, regional, and national levels—including global treaties, national laws and action plans, and programmatic support for survivors—and evaluate research on how and why ending gender-based violence globally advances prosperity and stability.

• Department: Human Rights, Gender, and Equity
• R 1:10 p.m.-3 p.m.
• Instructor: Rachel Vogelstein
  Info
• 1.5 points

Ocean Policy, Sustainable Development an

Sustainable Ocean Policy

Oceans are critical to life on Earth. They supply more than half of the oxygen we breathe, regulate our climate, and connect peoples and continents.

The class will provide an overview of the most contentious and vexing issues and challenges regarding the ocean that are facing policy makers in the U.S. and across the globe today, and will examine their implications for global security and sustainable development of ocean resources.

The class will discuss policy, international institutions, governance models, scientific and economic issues, and potential solutions.

• Department: Climate, Energy, & Environment
• Instructor: Monica D Medina
  Info
• 3 points

Women and the Economy: Policy, Participa

Improving women’s economic security and boosting women’s labor force participation is not only critical for advancing gender equality but also for driving economic growth.  This class will introduce students to the main factors contributing to women’s economic insecurity in the United States and around the world, including legal barriers, insufficient care infrastructure, lack of access to good-paying jobs, and discrimination and harassment, including sexual harassment, in the workforce.  The course will also explore solutions – domestic and global laws, legislative proposals, and policies – to address these barriers and to advance progress on women’s economic security, along with the current debates on these policy interventions.  Students will also learn about the role that social norms play in women’s ability to participate fully in the economy.

• Department: Human Rights, Gender, and Equity
• W 3:10 p.m.-5 p.m.
• Instructor: Jennifer L Klein
  Info
• 1.5 points

Women and Leadership: Designing Policy f

Women, Leadership & Polic

This course examines how public policy can support the advancement of women in leadership roles across sectors. Despite increased global attention, women continue to be underrepresented in senior leadership positions, and progress toward achieving gender equity remains slow. Through a combination of readings, class discussions, guest speakers, and applied policy analysis, students will explore the structural and cultural barriers to women’s leadership and design policy solutions to address them. Topics include gender norms, discrimination and harassment, workplace equity, and mandates such as Title IX and corporate board quotas.

• Department: Human Rights, Gender, and Equity
• W 10 a.m.-11:50 a.m.
• Instructor: Jeri E Powell
  Info
• 1.5 points

Gender, Conflict, and Peacebuilding

Gender, Conflict & Peaceb

Over 25 years ago, the UN Security Council unanimously adopted resolution 1325 on women, peace, and security, and since then, it has adopted an additional 9 related resolutions. This agenda marks the first time in the UN’s 80-year history that women’s experiences, particularly their contributions to promoting peace and security in contexts of violent conflict, closed political spaces, and rising extremism, are acknowledged. It is also the first time that the need for women’s protection has been strongly noted. The resolution marks a clear watershed in the evolving efforts to promote human security as a normative framework for the international community. Although the primary focus is on women, the emerging discourse has drawn increasing attention to the need for gendered analysis – i.e., addressing the conditions/experiences of women and men with intersecting identities – in conflict and peacebuilding.

This intensive 2.5-day seminar will provide an overview of the evolving field of women, peace, and security. Drawing on empirical research and practice, the modules will address the following issues:

● Historical and geopolitical evolution and context in which the WPS field has arisen;

● Attaining UN Security Council Resolution 1325 and the expansion of the WPS policy agenda with attention to subsequent resolutions and key pillars of this agenda – notably women’s participation in peace and security, protection issues, peacekeeping and conflict prevention including conflict related sexual violence.

● Implications of ongoing conflicts, rising authoritarianism, and violent extremism on gender, peace and security issues.

● Gender analysis and the practical application of a gendered lens to key mediation, security, and peacebuilding processes.

● Experiences and lessons from women’s peace coalitions and women’s contributions to peacebuilding including countering/preventing violent extremism

● Efforts to prevent and address sexual violence in conflict.

● Women and peacekeeping, including issues of sexual exploitation and abuse.

• Department: Human Rights, Gender, and Equity
• Instructor: Jennifer L Klein
  Info
• 1.5 points

Real Estate as an Asset and a

NOTE: YOU SHOULD NOT ENROLL IN THIS COURSE IF YOU HAVE TAKEN OR PLAN ON TAKING REAL ESTATE FINANCE (B7331)
The goal of this course is to make you knowledgeable and conversant about the principles of real
estate, with many changes as the world has adjusted to the new circumstances of COVID-19. As both a physical asset and an investment asset with a defined location in space, real estate is strikingly different from other asset classes. Real estate forms part of the alternative investment asset class and institutional investors invest a substantial part of their portfolio in real estate. We will look at the investors in real estate and the investment management firms and how they are investing
internationally. We will give an overview of investing in all major commercial property types: office,
logistics, retail, hotels, and residential, niche sectors like senior housing and student housing, and the purchase of a home and consider how these are changing to a quickly evolving world. The goal is to give an overview of the international real estate market and provide you with the tool set to identify investment opportunities globally, certainly for investing but also to find a place to live and figure out how to work.

• Department: Finance
• MTWRU 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
• 3 points

The Economics of Energy

This course is an introduction to the economics of energy markets. We will study the main sources of inefficiencies in energy markets—market power and externalities—and their implications for policymaking. We will cover, for example, how oil and natural gas prices are determined globally, deregulation and market power in electricity markets, and policy responses such as carbon permit trading.

We will also discuss recent challenges faced by policymakers in energy markets, such as the incorporation of renewables, transmission, transport, and the broader energy transition to net zero.

Students will work in groups to deliver a project and presentation focusing on a real-world energy policy question of their choice. The objective of the group project is to provide hands-on experience in energy policy analysis using the main economic concepts discussed in the class.

• Department: Climate, Energy, & Environment
• T 10 a.m.-11:50 a.m.
• T 3:10 p.m.-5 p.m.
• W 7:10 p.m.-9 p.m.
• R 8 a.m.-9:50 a.m.
• Instructor: Robert Metcalfe
  Info
• 3 points

Quantitative Methods in Program Evaluati

Quant Methods-Program Eva

Pre-req: SIPA IA6501 - Quant II. 
The goal of this course is to provide students with a basic knowledge of how to perform some more advanced statistical methods useful in answering policy questions using observational or experimental data. It will also allow them to more critically review research published that claims to answer causal policy questions. The primary focus is on the challenge of answering causal questions that take the form “Did A cause B?” using data that do not conform to a perfectly controlled randomized study. Examples from real policy studies and quantitative program evaluations will be used throughout the course to illustrate key ideas and methods.

First, we will explore how best to design a study to answer causal questions given the logistical and ethical constraints that exist. We will consider both experimental and quasi-experimental (observational studies) research designs, and then discuss several approaches to drawing causal inferences from observational studies including propensity score matching, interrupted time series designs, instrumental variables, difference in differences, fixed effects models, and regression discontinuity designs.

As this course will focus on quantitative methods, a strong understanding of multivariate regression analysis is a prerequisite for the material covered. Students must have taken two semesters of statistics (IA6500 & IA6501 or the equivalent) and have a good working knowledge of STATA.

• Department: Data Science for Policy
• W 10 a.m.-11:50 a.m.
• Instructor: Alan S Yang
  CULPA: 5 Info
• 3 points

Sovereign Debt and Power Dynamics

Sovereign Debt & Power

This course explores the economics and politics of sovereign debt, focusing on the sustainability of public borrowing and the power dynamics shaping debt resolution processes. Students will analyze how debt decisions are made under uncertainty and examine the implications for domestic economies and the global financial system. The course is divided into two parts: the first covers the structure of sovereign debt, market incentives, and macroeconomic linkages; the second examines sovereign debt crises, including restructuring processes, negotiation challenges, and the roles of key institutions such as the IMF. Case studies—including Argentina, Greece, Puerto Rico, and ongoing restructurings in developing economies—provide practical insight. The course is designed for students interested in policymaking, international finance, or advanced academic work in this field.

• Department: International Finance & Economic Policy
• M 3:10 p.m.-5 p.m.
• Instructor: Martin Guzman
  Wikipedia Info
• 3 points

Basics of Cybersecurity

The purpose of this half-semester course is to familiarize students with how the Internet and cybersecurity works; to provide a foundation of knowledge for later courses; and to familiarize students with the devices, protocols, and functions of computers, the Internet, industrial control systems, and cybersecurity. This course is not intended to be a computer science course, but to provide the students with the lexicon of cyberspace and the understanding of how hardware, software, and networks fit together to create the Internet experience. We will also illuminate some essential and current cybersecurity policy topics, including privacy and risks of emerging technology.

It is a broader course meant to complement Cyber Risks and Vulnerabilities and other coursework throughout SIPA.

• Department: International Security & Diplomacy
• W 5:10 p.m.-7 p.m.
• Instructor: Ian W Gray
  Info
• 1.5 points

Foundations of Cyber Conflict

This course explores the strategic, policy, and institutional dimensions of cyber conflict. It focuses on the national security implications of cyber threats and responses, rather than the technical mechanics of cyberspace. Students will examine how cyber operations unfold at both tactical and strategic levels, assess the comparison of cyber power to other domains of conflict, and trace the development of U.S. cyber policy and organizational structures. There are no prerequisites, though students without prior exposure to cybersecurity are encouraged to complete the assigned foundational readings before the first class or take a 1.5-credit introductory course.

• Department: International Security & Diplomacy
• T 5:10 p.m.-7 p.m.
• Instructor: Jason Healey
  Wikipedia h-index: 15 Info
• 3 points

Cyberspace in Modern Warfare

This course examines the evolving role of cyberspace in modern warfare. Since the emergence of the Internet, scholars and policymakers have debated whether cyber capabilities represent a fundamental shift in the nature of conflict or a complement to conventional military power. Students will engage key conceptual debates about cyber conflict, assess how major powers including the United States, Israel, Russia, and China develop and employ cyber capabilities, and consider whether cyber operations should be viewed as a distinct strategic domain. The course also explores the future of cyber warfare, including the role of non-state actors and the integration of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and space-based systems. Through case studies and policy analysis, students will develop a framework for understanding how cyber strategy is shaped and executed in theory and practice.

• Department: International Security & Diplomacy
• W 10 a.m.-11:50 a.m.
• Instructor: Erica D Lonergan
  Info
• 3 points

Cyber Risks and Vulnerabilities

The purpose of this course is to familiarize SIPA students with the function of the internet while focusing on the flaws and vulnerabilities that can be exploited in attacks or impact user privacy.  This course will approach each session in the following manner: discussion of recent cyber events, discussion topic(s) to be covered, and the ramifications when used in the real world.

This course is intended to build on the Basics of Cybersecurity with a tighter focus on specific vulnerabilities and information transmission and how these can be exploited by hackers, criminals, spies, militaries, or business interests.

This course is intended to be an introduction to cyber risk and vulnerabilities and is thus suitable for complete newcomers to the area. It is a big field, with a lot to cover; however, this should get students familiar with all of the basics.  The class is divided into weekly topics; the first five iteratively build on each other, and the others either addressing recent technologies or hosting relevant guest speakers.

Many cyber jobs are opening up with companies that need international affairs analysts who, while not cybersecurity experts, understand the topic well enough to write policy recommendations or intelligence briefs.  Even if you don’t intend your career to focus on cyber issues, having some exposure will deepen your understanding of the dynamics of many other international, privacy, and public policy issues.

• Department: International Security & Diplomacy
• W 5:10 p.m.-7 p.m.
• Instructor: Elizabeth Cartier
  Info
• 1.5 points

Democratic Institutions under Stress

This course will explore the core principles of constitutional democracy, beginning with a close reading of the US founding documents, and proceeding through the key institutions, from citizenship and elections to the branches of government, the role of the military and a free press. We will alternate between a discussion of history and text and consideration of contemporary topics in the US and around the world. The course will stress the inherent tensions and guardrails in democracy that protect individual and minority rights while allowing for orderly governance and security, and some of the challenges that exist today in both mature and emerging democracies

• Department: Urban and Social Policy
• M 1:10 p.m.-3 p.m.
• Instructor: Jacob J Lew
  Info
• 3 points

Cybersecurity and Business Risk

Cybersecurity & Business

This course introduces cybersecurity as a business risk, emphasizing its impact beyond IT and into areas such as regulation, governance, finance, and reputation. Students explore core concepts in cybersecurity, risk management frameworks, and the evolving threat landscape. The course examines how leading organizations assess, quantify, and address cyber risk through strategies such as risk mitigation, transfer, and resilience. Topics include incident response, supply chain vulnerabilities, regulatory compliance, critical infrastructure, and cyber conflict. Through policy memos and a group-designed risk taxonomy, students build practical tools for evaluating and managing cyber threats in public, private, and nonprofit sectors.

• Department: International Security & Diplomacy
• W 1:10 p.m.-3 p.m.
• 3 points

Data Analysis for Policy Research Using

Data for Policy Research

This course develops the skills necessary to prepare, analyze, and present data for policy analysis and program evaluation using R. Building on the foundations from Quant I and II—probability, statistics, regression analysis, and causal inference—this course emphasizes the practical application of microeconometric methods to real-world policy questions. (Note: macroeconomic topics and forecasting methods are not covered.)

The central objective is to train students to be effective analysts and policy researchers. Key questions include: Given the available data, what analysis best informs the policy question? How should we design research, prepare data, and implement statistical methods using R? How can we assess causal effects of policies rather than mere correlations? What ethical considerations arise when working with data on marginalized populations?

Students will learn through hands-on analysis of datasets tied to a range of policy issues, including: caste-based expenditure gaps in India, racial disparities in NYPD fare evasion enforcement, water shutoffs in Detroit, Village Fund grants in Indonesia, public health insurance and child mortality, and Stand Your Ground laws and gun violence. The course culminates in a student-led project on a policy topic of their choosing.

• Department: Data Science for Policy
• T 1:10 p.m.-3 p.m.
• R 1:10 p.m.-3 p.m.
• Instructor: Harold B Stolper
  Info
• 3 points

Cyberspace in Strategy and Grand Strateg

Cyberspace & Grand Strate

This course examines the role of cyberspace in national strategy and grand strategy, with a primary focus on the United States and select comparative cases. As the United States shifts from counterterrorism and counterinsurgency toward renewed great power competition, questions about the utility of force, alliance structures, economic statecraft, and international institutions are increasingly framed by strategic thinking. Although cyberspace influences nearly all instruments of national power, its role in debates about grand strategy remains underexplored. This course addresses that gap by evaluating how traditional concepts of strategy and grand strategy apply in the digital domain. Students will assess how cyberspace shapes the formulation and execution of strategy through military operations, diplomacy, intelligence, and economic tools.

• Department: International Security & Diplomacy
• W 1:10 p.m.-3 p.m.
• Instructor: Erica D Lonergan
  Info
• 3 points

Education in Humanitarian Emergencies

Education in Emergencies

Education is often the first casualty of crisis—and the cornerstone of recovery.

This course examines how education systems sustain continuity of learning amid conflict, displacement, and climate-related shocks. As crises intensify worldwide, understanding how to keep children learning under disruption has become one of the defining challenges of our generation. Students analyze the principles and practice of Education in Emergencies (EiE), including the legal and policy frameworks that protect the right to learn, the minimum standards guiding education responses, and coordination and financing within the evolving global aid architecture. Cross-cutting barriers—gender inequality, gender-based violence, early marriage, child recruitment, and disability inclusion—are addressed throughout.  Students will explore how education can drive equity, peacebuilding, and climate resilience in crisis contexts, gaining the analytical and practical tools to design and lead responses in global organizations. Methods include case studies, simulations, and interactive sessions with humanitarian leaders. Applied projects may focus on aid and finance, emergency response, policy design, or education system resilience, or other topics of interest for students, supporting clear pathways to professional impact.

• Department: Development and Governance
• T 10 a.m.-11:50 a.m.
• 3 points

The Tenets and Dilemmas of Humanitarian

Humanitarian Action Dilem

This course will provide students with a comprehensive introduction to the international humanitarian response system. Upon completing this course, students will have an understanding of:


The main parties with a stake in international humanitarian action, and how their interests can align or diverge.

The normative frameworks and operational standards that apply to humanitarian action.

The ethical dilemmas surrounding humanitarian action, and the questions needed to address them.

The place of humanitarian action within larger global priorities.


Never have more people been in need of humanitarian assistance globally. The impact of conflict, natural disasters, climate change, and governance crises has led to the largest ever global Humanitarian Needs Overview and appeal in 2023, with a record-high funding requirement of US$56.7 billion. But is the system functioning the way it should, and has humanitarian action been shielded from politization and power dynamics?

This course will allow students to examine the history, norms, principles, actors, and governance of the international humanitarian response system, to critically assess whether the norms and actors established yesterday are still the ones needed today. Through a combination of thematic sessions and case studies, it will provide insights into how humanitarian responses are governed, implemented, and coordinated, and help students understand the dilemmas faced by humanitarian actors on a daily basis. Students will be asked to reflect on the key issues and challenges facing the humanitarian system.

• Department: Development and Governance
• R 10 a.m.-11:50 a.m.
• Instructor: Laura Perez
  Info
• 3 points

Theory and Practice of Financial Regulat

Financial Regulation Theo

This course examines the theory, design, and implementation of financial regulation. Students will explore the rationale for regulatory oversight in financial systems, focusing on the challenges of liquidity and solvency risk, information asymmetries, market failures, and systemic vulnerabilities. The course considers both regulation, meaning rules grounded in law, and supervision, referring to oversight practices that enforce those rules.

Through case studies and recent financial failures such as FTX and Silicon Valley Bank, students will consider how regulatory frameworks have evolved over time, largely in response to crises and scandals. The course emphasizes the complexity of balancing regulatory objectives, managing trade-offs between credibility and flexibility, and understanding how regulatory design affects the behavior and incentives of financial market participants.

Topics include capital and liquidity requirements, stress testing, internal governance, the role of market discipline, regulatory responses across financial subsectors, the growth of shadow banking, and developments in macroprudential supervision. Students will also examine the limitations and unintended consequences of regulatory interventions.

• Department: International Finance & Economic Policy
• M 10 a.m.-11:50 a.m.
• Instructor: Christine Cumming
  Info
• 3 points

Family Systems Across the Lifespan

FAM SYSTEMS ACROSS LIFESP

This course will present Family Systems Theory as it applies to families across the lifespan. It will apply the concepts of Family Systems Theory to the understanding and assessment of the family life cycle from a multi-generation and multi-cultural perspective. The conceptual framework will assist the clinician in the provision of family-centered primary care.

• Department: Nursing
• Instructor: Patricia Ryan
  Info
• 1 points

Leadership and Policy Development: Domes

Leadership & Policy Devel

The purpose of this course is: (1) to familiarize participants with contemporary issues in US and international economic policy development; (2) to better understand the interplay of domestic and international political factors that influence public sector decision-making, and (3) to improve skills for drafting memoranda and making presentations to senior policymakers. The class will focus on domestic and international economic policy issues in which the US has played a significant role or has a substantial interest. It will focus on topics that arise in a variety of contexts: unavoidable issues with looming deadlines; managing to avoid a potential crisis; and affirmative initiatives where policy leaders choose an objective to advance. Discussions will put class participants in seats at different policy tables, and memos will reflect these varying perspectives.

This course will be conducted in a small group discussion-based format. Participation will be key to making the sessions productive and worthwhile. Students will get the most from these sessions if they come to class prepared with questions based on the readings, as well as their own perspectives on the issues at hand. 

The first lecture will offer an introductory framework and there will be a session dedicated to writing for the workplace. All other meetings will alternate between a lecture/discussion on a particular topic and student presentations on that topic. Students will take opposing views and present their arguments through a memo and an oral presentation. After the presentations, Professor Lew will moderate a discussion in which the class can express views on the presentations and policy options presented. The discussion will simulate a meeting of key decisionmakers with Professor Lew playing the role of the decisionmaker.

• Department: International Finance & Economic Policy
• T 1:10 p.m.-3 p.m.
• Instructor: Jacob J Lew
  Info
• 3 points

Managing Humanitarian Emergencies

According to the 2025 Global Humanitarian Overview, humanitarian partners are seeking over $47 billion to assist nearly 190 million people facing life-threatening and urgent needs across 72 countries. These alarming figures are driven by various factors, including conflicts, political instability, climate change, disease outbreaks, poverty, and natural disasters. Additionally, a rise in nationalism is impacting multilateral cooperation, which is essential for the effective functioning of the humanitarian system. Together, these issues have exacerbated pre-existing vulnerabilities, leading to unprecedented levels of need. 

Relief work is crucial; it saves lives and, when executed effectively, can protect livelihoods, alleviate human suffering, and help communities rebuild. The adaptability and flexibility of humanitarian organizations and workers have demonstrated their capacity to adjust to new realities. The current obstacles also present opportunities for humanitarian actors to strive for a long-term goal: the decentralization and localization of the humanitarian system.

This course focuses on the management of humanitarian operations, offering students the opportunity to explore the strategic and day-to-day work of humanitarian organizations, including various UN agencies, as well as international and local organizations. It aims to help students develop an analytical framework that can be applied in both headquarters and field settings, along with a tools to evaluate populations' needs, write successful grants, and monitor the impact of humanitarian assistance. This practical course will appeal to those interested in working with an aid agency, whether directly with disaster-affected populations or indirectly, as well as to those who seek to gain a deeper understanding of the humanitarian system and the opportunities and challenges it presents.

• Department: Development and Governance
• W 1:10 p.m.-3 p.m.
• Instructor: Pierrette Quintiliani
  Info
• 3 points

Humanitarian Crisis Simulation

This short course is designed to enable participating students to weigh and apply humanitarian principles, concepts, best practices, and minimum standards to a simulated humanitarian emergency response. The simulation exercise challenges student participants with issues and dilemmas confronting humanitarian practitioners when responding to a complex emergency, and inspires them to work within the humanitarian system and architecture to solve problems in creative ways.

In their roles as staff of humanitarian response agencies charged with responding to a large-scale crisis, student participants will analyze a dynamic stream of assessment data, prioritize key humanitarian needs, and make critical decisions about the appropriate type and scale of needed interventions. Participants will also be introduced to the importance and mechanisms of international humanitarian coordination in assembling the response. 

The simulation will include a day-long exercise followed by a day of debriefing, analysis, and identification of key challenges and lessons. The Humanitarian Crisis Simulation focuses on humanitarian operations from the perspective of humanitarian assistance agencies operating in the field. The course should, therefore, be of interest to those wishing to work with humanitarian agencies responsible for planning and conducting responses to vulnerable populations affected by disaster, or to those who want to better understand the humanitarian assistance system and the challenges confronting humanitarian decision-makers.

• Department: Development and Governance
• US 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
• Instructor: Jeffrey Klenk
  Info
• 1 points

Development Practitioner's Lab (DP-Lab)

DP-Lab I

Development Practitioner's Lab I (DP-Lab I)
is a required course for MPA-DP students in their second semester, focused on tools and methods for effective program design in sustainable development. Drawing on insights from over 90 MPA-DP alumni working in diverse global contexts, this course emphasizes applied learning, systems thinking, and adaptive leadership.

Students will learn and apply tools to diagnose development challenges, design interventions for social impact, and address cross-cutting themes such as communication, ethics, equity, and inclusion. The course supports students in developing a comprehensive project proposal, structured around contextual analysis, implementation planning, and critical reflection on development practice.

• Department: MPA-DEVELOPMENT PRACTICE
• R 1:10 p.m.-3 p.m.
• Instructor: Lisa Tarantino
  Info
• 3 points

International Finance & Monetary Theory

Lecture

This is a theory and applications course in international macroeconomics and finance. It provides students with the basic tools to analyze real-life macroeconomic, policy, and financial market situations. The class is suitable for those interested in working at domestic or international policy institutions, in diplomatic service, the financial sector, or the media. Lectures are fairly rigorous, though if the student has some first-year economics, knows basic algebra and graphs, they will handle the material fairly easily. While theory is central, policy and market relevance is emphasized through: i) discussions on topical issues; ii) study of key historical and current episodes to illustrate ideas; iii) relevant pieces of policy/media/finance sector analysis. In terms of topics, part one will develop analytic frameworks to understand exchange rates in terms of short- and long-term determinants. Part two explores the balance of payments and the interaction between the macroeconomic policy, the exchange rate, and macroeconomic outcomes. Then part three will cover various advanced topics such as the choice of exchange rate regime, the euro, currency crashes, and default.

• Department: International Finance & Economic Policy
• M 7:10 p.m.-9 p.m.
• Instructor: Daniel J Waldman
  Info
• 3 points

International Finance & Monetary Theory

Recitation

This is a theory and applications course in international macroeconomics and finance. It provides students with the basic tools to analyze real-life macroeconomic, policy, and financial market situations. The class is suitable for those interested in working at domestic or international policy institutions, in diplomatic service, the financial sector, or the media. Lectures are fairly rigorous, though if the student has some first-year economics, knows basic algebra and graphs, they will handle the material fairly easily. While theory is central, policy and market relevance is emphasized through: i) discussions on topical issues; ii) study of key historical and current episodes to illustrate ideas; iii) relevant pieces of policy/media/finance sector analysis. In terms of topics, part one will develop analytic frameworks to understand exchange rates in terms of short- and long-term determinants. Part two explores the balance of payments and the interaction between the macroeconomic policy, the exchange rate, and macroeconomic outcomes. Then part three will cover various advanced topics such as the choice of exchange rate regime, the euro, currency crashes, and default.

• Department: International Finance & Economic Policy
• 0 points

Comparative Social Welfare Policy

This course explores welfare systems from a comparative perspective and analyzes the political, economic, socio-cultural, and historical factors that shape and sustain them in various parts of the world.  It pays particular attention to the development of key national social welfare policies, such as social security, health care, unemployment insurance, social assistance, public employment and training, and emerging best practices and challenges in these areas.  The course also analyzes pressing global/regional trends (e.g., greying of societies, labor market stratification, social innovation, and working poverty).

• Department: Urban and Social Policy
• T 5:10 p.m.-7 p.m.
• Instructor: Yumiko T Shimabukuro
  Info
• 3 points

Collaborative Social Justice and Health

Social Justice & Health

This intensive, two-day course introduces students to the collaborative social justice model, with a focus on Medical-Legal Partnerships (MLPs) as a policy tool to advance racial and health equity. MLPs bring together professionals across disciplines, particularly law and medicine, to jointly address the structural causes of poor health, including poverty, discrimination, and housing insecurity. The course explores how these partnerships operate, their policy reform potential, and the risks and challenges of interdisciplinary collaboration. Through guest speakers and hands-on group work, students will examine how to design and advocate for collaborative social justice initiatives that protect marginalized communities and promote systemic change. Students will gain practical tools for developing cross-sector partnerships and translating them into effective policy interventions.

Spring 2026 Course Dates: March 27-28

• Department: Urban and Social Policy
• FS 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
• Instructor: Rose C Goldberg
  Info
• 1 points

Conduct of Diplomacy

In Conduct of Diplomacy, we will use an interdisciplinary lens to study the strategic and tactical considerations that shape a credible foreign policy and effective international diplomatic engagement.

Drawing examples from U.S. practice, we will explore various forms and attributes of diplomacy, including the international legal framework and the nature of diplomatic missions. We will consider various tools for conflict resolution, including mediation and reconciliation.

We will look at a number of important policy areas where diplomatic strategy can advance national interests, including with respect to the use of force, economic statecraft, human rights, international development, technology, and climate change. In doing so, we will assess the notion that the United States is “the indispensable nation,” as former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and others have suggested.

Towards the end of the semester, we will have an opportunity to test the theoretical and practical knowledge that we have gained by engaging in two simulations—one involving Russia and Ukraine, and the other involving China and Taiwan—before concluding with a discussion of multilateral diplomatic engagement.

• Department: International Security & Diplomacy
• 3 points

Global Monetary Policy in the 21st Centu

This seminar examines the evolution of global monetary policy from 2000 to the present, focusing on the actions and strategies of the Federal Reserve, the European Central Bank, and the Bank of England. Students study the major economic disruptions of the era, including the Global Financial Crisis, the Eurozone sovereign debt crisis, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the recent surge and subsequent decline in global inflation. The course analyzes how central banks operated under constraints such as the effective lower bound and explores the adoption of unconventional monetary tools. Students will assess the effectiveness, repercussions, and future trajectory of monetary policy in advanced economies.

• Department: International Finance & Economic Policy
• R 8 a.m.-9:50 a.m.
• Instructor: Richard H Clarida
  CULPA: 2 Info
• 3 points

Conflict Resolution

This course introduces the study and practice of international conflict resolution, providing students with a broad understanding of the subject and a framework for approaching more specific strands of study offered by CICR. Can a war be stopped before it starts? Is it realistic to talk about ‘managing’ a war and mitigating its consequences? What eventually brings adversaries to the negotiating table? How do mediation efforts unfold and how are the key issues resolved? Why do peace processes and peace agreements so often fail to bring durable peace? Students will address these and other fundamental questions in order to develop an understanding of international conflict resolution.

• Department: International Security & Diplomacy
• R 10 a.m.-11:50 a.m.
• 3 points

Mediation in a World in Flux

This course explores the challenges and opportunities in international peacemaking, with a particular focus on mediation as a tool for advancing political solutions to violent conflict. Complementing other CICR courses, it offers students the opportunity to deepen their understanding of how various mediators—including the United Nations, multilateral institutions, states, and non-governmental organizations—are responding to shifting dynamics in global conflict and politics.

The course considers key questions: What factors hinder current conflict resolution efforts? How have mediators adapted to changes in geopolitics, the fragmentation of non-state armed groups, and a crowded mediation landscape? How should they continue to adapt, especially amid declining resources for peace and humanitarian efforts and growing resistance to established norms?

Students will also examine how mediators can engage conflict parties on emerging issues, including the effects of the climate crisis and digital technologies on conflict dynamics and peace processes.

• Department: International Security & Diplomacy
• M 7:10 p.m.-9 p.m.
• Instructor: Teresa Whitfield
  Info
• 1.5 points

International Finance, Liability Flows a

Intl Finance & Stability

This course explores the benefits and risks of international financial flows, with a focus on the economic stability of emerging markets and non-major developed economies. Students will examine the drivers and implications of cross-border liability flows, consider the perspectives of local and global policymakers, and analyze how capital movements shape national debt dynamics and financial resilience. Drawing on theory, current research, and real-world cases, the course covers topics such as exchange rate regimes, uncovered interest parity, financial crises, capital flow management, and the effects of monetary tightening in major economies. Readings include academic work and institutional analyses from the IMF, BIS, and World Bank.

• Department: International Finance & Economic Policy
• T 3:10 p.m.-5 p.m.
• Instructor: Sigridur Benediktsdottir
  Info
• 3 points

Macroeconomic Policy and Global Financia

Macroecon & Global Fin Ma

This course examines the pivotal moments in international finance since the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, a turning point that marked a shift in global priorities from security to prosperity. Students will explore how macroeconomic conditions and policy decisions can trigger decisive changes in markets and economies, often overturning conventional wisdom. The course also develops an understanding of the psychology and dynamics of financial markets, which remain among the most powerful and cyclical forces shaping global outcomes.

For future policymakers, this knowledge provides valuable insight into how financial markets influence, and are influenced by, policy decisions. For those pursuing careers in finance, the course offers a practical framework for assessing markets, macroeconomic trends, and their interactions as events unfold.

Drawing on first-hand experience, the instructor shares personal insights and case studies from major financial episodes, highlighting the strategies and decision-making approaches of policymakers and market participants. Through these examples, students will gain perspective on effective responses to economic challenges and on the complexities of the macroeconomic policy process in both large and small economies, during periods of stability and crisis alike.

• Department: International Finance & Economic Policy
• W 1:10 p.m.-3 p.m.
• 1.5 points

Global Financial Crises: Lessons on Cris

Global Financial Crisis D

The course examines the dynamics at play during financial crises, integrating theoretical underpinnings of financial stability with a review of key historical financial crises and. Drawing from historical financial crisis episodes - including the Great Financial Crisis, Asian Financial Crisis and the European Sovereign Debt Crisis - students will learn about how financial shocks transmit via different markets, institutions and global channels and will analyze the role of systemic vulnerabilities.

• Department: International Finance & Economic Policy
• 1.5 points

Advanced Analytics for Financial Stabili

The course explores how advanced analytical tools are applied in financial stability analysis, with a focus on the frameworks used by central banks and regulatory authorities. Students will engage in both conceptual and practical exercises to design monitoring systems, analyze vulnerabilities, and apply data-driven methods to the OTC derivatives and hedge fund sectors.

• Department: International Finance & Economic Policy
• 1.5 points

Deglobalization

This course explores the causes and consequences of the slowdown in global economic integration since the Global Financial Crisis. Following decades of rapid expansion in trade and investment, “hyper-globalization” has given way to “slowbalization,” marked by stagnating trade flows, renewed protectionism, and rising barriers to commerce. Students will examine both the political and economic dimensions of these shifts, tracing the historical roots of globalization from the nineteenth century to the present. Case studies include the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union (“Brexit”) and the resurgence of trade tensions amid slower growth, nationalism, and strategic rivalry among major powers. Through weekly readings, discussion, and a term paper, the course equips students to assess whether the recent retreat from globalization represents a temporary adjustment or a structural reordering of the global economy.

• Department: International Finance & Economic Policy
• Instructor: Ben Broadbent
  Info
• 1.5 points

Struggles for Sustainability: Food, Farm

How has the quest to produce enough food shaped societies, economies, and the environment in the United States and beyond? This course examines the powerful historical forces that have driven transformations in food production and policy over the past century, and how those forces continue to shape debates around sustainability, food security, and development today.

Students will explore the evolution of agricultural science and technology, the impact of government programs such as subsidies and rationing, and the ways ideas born in the U.S. have been adopted, adapted, or resisted globally. From the rise of large-scale production to the emergence of movements for organic and regenerative practices, we will trace how food systems reflect shifting values, power dynamics, and visions of progress.

This seminar invites students interested in sustainability and social change to critically engage with the past to better understand the urgent questions of the future.

• Department: Climate, Energy, & Environment
• M 1:10 p.m.-5 p.m.
• Instructor: Sara Tjossem
  Info
• 3 points

Central Bank Crisis Management

The extraordinary policy responses of global central banks to the 2023 banking turmoil, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the 2007-2009 financial crisis have fostered debate about both the appropriateness and the effectiveness of central bank actions.   This course will discuss the theory and practice of “unconventional” monetary policy tools – i.e., those used to address financial crises, widespread deflation, and deep recessions or depressions.  Examples in the course will be drawn from a broad array of crises, countries, and central banks in both the developed and emerging world over many decades. 

 The bulk of the course will focus on how central banks adapt their policy rules and tools in response to extraordinary financial or economic turmoil. Different types of monetary policy tools will be discussed and analyzed, with particular focus on the design and the effectiveness of various crisis policy tools.  Central to understanding policy effectiveness will be consideration of how financial and macroeconomic conditions impact central bank policy design,  and in turn, how financial markets and the macroeconomy respond to extraordinary policies. 

Examples of the use of crisis management tools – both more and less successful – across jurisdictions will be discussed in the latter half of the course.   The course finishes with discussions of several important and timely dilemmas: Where is the “line” between crisis monetary policies and traditional fiscal policy actions?  Why was the (inflation) impact of COVID-19 policy responses so different from previous episodes of instability?   How do central bank “undo” their crisis management policies and return to “normal”?  What difficulties do central banks face in handling economic side effects and the political consequences of extraordinary policies?

Prerequisites:
 Macroeconomics (SIPAU6401 or PEPMU6104)
OR
permission of the Instructor.  If you have taken a quantitative macroeconomics course prior to SIPA and wish to take the class, please contact the instructor during registration.

• Department: International Finance & Economic Policy
• M 1:10 p.m.-3 p.m.
• Instructor: Patricia C Mosser
  Info
• 3 points

Applied Peacebuilding and Conflict Resol

Peacebuilding Fieldwork

This course prepares students to engage in peacebuilding practice by developing fieldwork-related competencies rooted in critical reflection, professional strategy, and ethical engagement. Students examine foundational values, frameworks, and dilemmas in the peacebuilding field, while cultivating skills in project design, monitoring and evaluation (MEAL), communication, collaboration, and cultural awareness.

Structured as the first part of a spring-summer-fall sequence, the course introduces peacebuilding theory and practice through seminar-style discussions and applied assignments. Students collaborate with vetted field-based partner institutions to design projects aligned with real-world needs. These projects are implemented through optional summer internships, followed by a fall debrief session with the incoming cohort.

Coursework emphasizes partnership with local actors, conflict sensitivity, reflective practice, and an openness to critique and adaptation. Students are expected to grapple with the complexity of field conditions and to develop strategies for self-care, ethical engagement, and navigating uncertainty. Assignments include reflective journals, a midterm conflict analysis and thematic research paper, and a final project design paper.

Please note: All fieldwork and associated travel are voluntary and student-funded, though external funding opportunities may be available.

• Department: International Security & Diplomacy
• F 10 a.m.-11:50 a.m.
• Instructor: Zachary B Metz
  Info
• 3 points

Fighting Corruption: Concepts and Strate

Corruption undermines governance, saps resources and undermines development.  It is also exceptionally difficult to identify, address, and resolve due to the intrinsic opacity of its operative mechanisms, endemic nature inside systems, and persistence.

This course will teach:


How to identify corruption, both in general and in its particular manifestations;

Current strategies to respond to corruption, particularly within developing countries; and,

Expected/possible future trends in corruption.


This course will also focus on practical problem-solving and policy-making solutions, including through classroom debate, scenario assessment, simulation, and paper-writing.

• Department: Development and Governance
• T 10 a.m.-11:50 a.m.
• Instructor: Richard Nephew
  Wikipedia Info
• 3 points

Applied Geopolitics: Risk Analysis

This course introduces students to the theory and practice of political risk analysis, focusing on how geopolitical dynamics shape markets, investment strategies, and global governance. Students will examine frameworks such as the G-Zero world, J-Curve, and state capitalism, and explore how they apply to real-world risks across countries and sectors. Taught by leading experts in the field, the course emphasizes interdisciplinary tools and methodologies for identifying, assessing, and managing political risk—including scenario planning, risk indices, and game-theory modeling. Through a combination of case studies, interactive practicums, and group presentations, students will apply these tools to current global challenges such as political transitions, social unrest, climate change, technological disruption, and great power conflict. The course prepares students to think strategically and forecast risk in public, private, and multilateral settings.

• Department: International Finance & Economic Policy
• M 3:10 p.m.-5 p.m.
• 1.5 points

Sustainable Finance II: System-level Inv

Sust Fin II: System-Level

Today’s most pressing challenges, including climate change, social inequities, and financial instability, are complex, global, and systemic. This course explores how investors can respond through system-level investing, an emerging approach that considers the deep interconnections among financial markets, the real economy, and long-term environmental, social, and governance (ESG) outcomes.

Building on traditional and sustainable finance principles, system-level investing expands beyond portfolio-level risk and return analysis to address the broader systems that support market performance. Students will explore how investors can influence and manage systemic risks to improve investment outcomes and support societal resilience. Topics include foundational finance theory, tools for system-level investing, real-world case studies, and evolving practices across asset classes.

• Department: Climate, Energy, & Environment
• R 5:10 p.m.-7 p.m.
• 3 points

Sustainable Investing: Past, Present, an

Sust. Investing: Past-Fut

This course will track the history of sustainable investing from the 1970s, in order to better understand the field, what it’s been doing, and where it stands now. We will start with the emergence of sustainable investment in the 1970s as it congealed strands of community organizing, consumer society, institutional activism from community organizing, labor activism, and institutional investor assertion into a new set of specific institutions and practices; continue through the shareholder activism and professionalization of the field in the 1980s and 1990; turn to the substantial growth and mainstreaming of the field from 2000s; and finally bring our history up to the present moment of policymaking, backlash, and self-doubt in the field. We will ask questions like: what did practitioners and advocates hope to achieve by building the field of sustainable investment? What kinds of work, in what kinds of institutions, made up the field? What are the political and ideological contexts in which the field emerged, and how have they changed over time? Why did something seen as so marginal back become so much more central to how we talk about finance and financial policy now? What does this history tells us about the (potential) utility of sustainable investment?

• Department: Climate, Energy, & Environment
• W 5:10 p.m.-7 p.m.
• Instructor: David C Wood
  Info
• 1.5 points

Impact Investing II: Blended Finance

Impact Investing II: Blended Finance'' equips students with a detailed understanding of the tools, strategies and innovative approaches being utilized by investors seeking both financial and impact returns, via blended finance transactions. Students in this course will study cases, dig into transactions and be prepared to be a professional contributor to a transaction at a future employer. Moreover, the course provides students with a further understanding of opportunities that blended transactions can provide impact investors as they aim to unlock capital markets' support to mitigate climate change, reverse biodiversity loss, address social inequality, reduce poverty, and generate other system-level challenges.

• Department: Climate, Energy, & Environment
• R 1:10 p.m.-3 p.m.
• 1.5 points

State-Owned Investors: A Public Policy a

The wealth of a nation enables its decision makers to pursue welfare objectives on behalf of their citizens. How can a country’s wealth be effectively managed to achieve its desired goals? This fundamental inquiry lies at the core of public policy.

Historical circumstances have led many nations to accumulate substantial financial assets or benefit from abundant natural resources. Such wealth presents both significant opportunities and complex challenges. The central task for policymakers in this context is to safeguard the nation’s existing wealth, ensure its sustainable growth, and deploy it effectively to advance key policy objectives.

This course examines a particularly important set of institutional arrangements established by countries to manage national wealth. It identifies the challenges involved in governing the wealth entrusted to State-Owned Investors (SOIs), who are guided by domestic policy priorities while operating within an increasingly complex geopolitical environment. The course engages students in a comprehensive exploration of these issues, beginning with an overview of the forces that led to the creation of SOIs and a brief history of their development. It then deepens the analysis through a study of SOI interactions with the broader domestic public sector and the global community. Finally, it applies key concepts through case studies that illustrate the current role of these institutions both domestically and internationally, offering a practical framework for policymakers seeking to establish or manage SOIs in their own countries.

By developing a strong understanding of the financial and policy dimensions of SOIs, students will be better equipped to engage directly in leveraging national wealth as policymakers in pursuit of welfare goals, or indirectly as market participants operating in a global financial environment where these institutions play an increasingly prominent role.

• Department: International Finance & Economic Policy
• 1.5 points

Climate Finance, Policy, and Just Transi

Clim Fin, Policy, & Just

The field of responsible investment has grown rapidly over the last twenty years, with the climate crisis serving as the paradigmatic ESG issue for investors. In the private sector, investors pledge to decarbonize their portfolios, ask for carbon reporting to manage that task, join together to engage corporations on their transition plans. As activity has grown, questions about the effectiveness and limitations of climate finance approaches to the climate crisis have grown along with them. A narrow focus on decarbonization has begun to give way to broader considerations of the transition and the risks and opportunities it poses for affected workers and communities, on the belief that social cohesion is a precondition for successful transition. Private sector initiatives have been complemented with public policy and public investment efforts to shape environmental, social, and economic outcomes. Climate finance is in a moment of reflection, change, and doubt.

This course will survey and analyze the ways that public and private investment are being or could be directed in support of a Just Transition (i.e., a low-carbon transition that does not worsen social inequalities), and various ways to think about how effective climate finance can be. We will look at investors’ approaches to the decarbonization of the economy in political and social context, asking: how do or should investors integrate concerns for workers, communities, and environment into climate finance? what kinds of public policies are needed to ensure that investment points towards a Just Transition? The result, we hope, will lead both to a better understanding of the roles public and private investment in a Just Transition, climate policy, and an expanded critical capacity to analyze how well it’s working.

• Department: Climate, Energy, & Environment
• W 1:10 p.m.-3 p.m.
• Instructor: David C Wood
  Info
• 3 points

ESG and Corporate Political Strategy

ESG and Corporate Political Strategy examines how organizations align environmental, social, and governance (ESG) priorities with corporate political strategies to shape policy, manage risk, and advance system-level change. As public expectations of corporate responsibility grow, firms must navigate both market and non-market arenas to sustain value, engage with stakeholders, and influence the rules by which they operate.

This course equips students with practical tools and analytical frameworks to understand and implement integrated strategies that align ESG goals with legislative, regulatory, and political engagement. Case studies and applied exercises explore how companies influence policy, respond to regulatory shifts, and act as stewards of systemic transformation. Topics include corporate lobbying, public positioning on social issues, regulatory influence, and the strategic use of litigation and partnerships.

Ideal for students pursuing careers in business, policy, nonprofit, or advocacy sectors, this course complements 
Social Impact: Business, Society, and the Natural Environment 
and is open to graduate students across SIPA, Columbia Business School, the Climate School, and other Columbia schools.

• Department: Climate, Energy, & Environment
• T 3:10 p.m.-5 p.m.
• Instructor: Dylan Minor
  Info
• 1.5 points

Quantitative Valuation of the Environmen

Quant Valuation of Enviro

The Quantitative Valuation of the Environment course will explore theory and methods of economically valuing environmental benefits and disbenefits, and how they can be applied in decision-making processes to improve stated outcomes. Specifically, it examines model specification for stated preference valuation, generating awareness of the theoretical and empirical questions being investigated in the area, generating awareness of environmental and resource issues currently being debated, and practical issues such as how these welfare economics measures can be used in efficiency measures such as benefit cost analysis.

• Department: Climate, Energy, & Environment
• M 3:10 p.m.-5 p.m.
• Instructor: Lorie Srivastava
  Info
• 3 points

Campaigning for Change - Media, Mobiliza

Strategic Campaigning & R

This course introduces the history, strategy, and practice of human rights campaigning, with a focus on media-driven advocacy. Students will examine the foundations of campaigning journalism, explore modern digital mobilization tactics, and learn to develop and execute impactful advocacy campaigns. The course emphasizes the intersection of strategic communications, digital tools, and policy advocacy, and provides hands-on experience in campaign design, messaging, and evaluation.

Students will develop an original advocacy campaign on a contemporary human rights issue using the 2026 FIFA World Cup as a global platform. Course assignments include writing advocacy letters and op-eds, designing media strategies, and producing a final campaign pitch deck. Case studies will include successful campaigns addressing labor rights, gender equity, and corporate responsibility in sport.

The course is suitable for students interested in human rights, journalism, digital strategy, and public advocacy. Sessions include skill-building workshops, guest speakers, and applied project work in collaboration with Human Rights Watch and other advocacy professionals.

• Department: Human Rights, Gender, and Equity
• R 3:10 p.m.-5 p.m.
• 3 points

Social Impact: Business, Society, and th

Social Impact:Bus,Soc,Nat

The Social Impact: Business, Society, and the Natural Environment course explores the relationship between corporations, society, and the natural environment. Specifically, it examines the ways in which governments, (for-profit and non-profit) organizations, and investors (fail to) have positive impact and manage issues where the pursuit of private goals is deemed inconsistent with the public interest.

• Department: Climate, Energy, & Environment
• T 5:10 p.m.-7 p.m.
• Instructor: Caroline Flammer
  Info
• 3 points

Sustainability Reporting

The Sustainability Reporting course explores the ever-evolving global Sustainability and ESG reporting environment and the standards and frameworks that are being used by companies to report on their sustainability related performance. Environmental, Social, and Governance Reporting (“ESG”) also referred to in parts as Corporate Responsibility /Accountability Reporting. The course explores the market drivers that generate the demand for sustainability reporting by companies, key areas of focus for investors and other capital providers, regulatory activities and the intersection of sustainability reporting with traditional corporate financial reporting.

• Department: Climate, Energy, & Environment
• W 3:10 p.m.-5 p.m.
• Instructor: Avner Bukspan
  Info
• 3 points

Geoeconomic Fragmentation

A seminar on the growing fragmentation of the global economy. The course explores how the rise of geoeconomics—marked by the proliferation of sanctions, tariffs, export controls, and industrial policies—is reshaping the global financial system, energy markets, supply chains, and technology industry. Topics include dedollarization and digital currencies, the bifurcation of the global oil market, China’s dominance of critical minerals and clean-energy supply chains, and the race for leadership in artificial intelligence. The course also examines alternative futures for the world economic order as the era of globalization gives way to something new.

• Department: International Finance & Economic Policy
• Instructor: Edward B Fishman
  Info
• 1.5 points

SIRI Practicum

The Sustainable Investing Research Consulting Project provides an action-based learning experience to students interested in sustainable investing, covering both sustainable investing in the financial sector (impact investing and sustainable finance) and the real economy (for-profit and non-profit organizations). For example, students will learn about the opportunities, challenges, and limitations faced by sustainable and impact investors to finance a more sustainable world. Moreover, they will learn how (for-profit and non-profit) organizations develop innovative products and services that help mitigate grand challenges, such as climate change, biodiversity loss, social inequality, poverty, etc., and enable them to grow their business and sustain their competitive advantage over time.

Throughout the semester, students will work on an actual sustainable investing research consulting project for a client from across the world. They will (e-)meet with the client on a regular basis, discuss their progress, obtain feedback, and present their recommendation to the client. Furthermore, students will conduct research and interviews to learn about the broader business environment and institutional context (including cultural, political, economic, and social factors) to better understand the opportunities and challenges the clients face.

This course is ideal for students interested in pursuing careers in sustainable finance, impact investing, ESG, corporate sustainability, social entrepreneurship, and sustainable development. 

The Sustainable Investing Research Consulting course offers consulting projects from around the world, covering a broad range of topics in sustainable investing. Clients include start-ups and established firms, non-profit and for-profit organizations, and clients from the finance and investing world. For more information on client projects and the student experiences, please see the SIRI website:
https://siri.sipa.columbia.edu/news

Registration in this course is instructor-managed. Students must join the course waitlist in Vergil during their registration appointment and submit the following application to be considered for enrollment:
https://forms.gle/XQNhfryMhGUszkZB6
.

• Department: Climate, Energy, & Environment
• R 10 a.m.-11:50 a.m.
• Instructor: Courtney Sara L Minard
  Info
• 3 points

Benchmarking Skills for Process & Organi

Benchmarking Skills-Proc

Effective management in the public, nonprofit, and private sectors depends on an organization’s ability to continually improve performance. This course introduces the principles and practices of benchmarking—comparing performance against top organizations to identify, study, and adapt best practices that drive excellence. Through public sector–based case studies, hands-on group exercises, and applied examples, students will learn the full benchmarking process, including tools and techniques for implementation. The course also explores the history, purpose, and organizational advantages of benchmarking as a strategy for continuous improvement. Conducted in person, the class emphasizes collaborative learning through breakout group activities that apply each phase of the benchmarking methodology.

Spring 2026 Course Dates: TBA

• Department: Tech Policy and Innovation
• FS 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
• Instructor: Christopher J Loso
  Info
• 1 points

Leadership in Times of Disruption

Leadership during Disrupt

This intensive, seven-week course prepares students to lead and manage effectively through periods of significant change. Combining research-backed frameworks with reflective practice, students explore the intersection of vision, strategy, culture, and people management. The course draws on examples from the social impact sector and high-growth startups to examine how leaders drive transformation, build resilient organizations, and inspire performance. Students will apply concepts through the design of a hypothetical organization, culminating in the development of a strategic plan, organizational structure, and leadership toolkit. Ideal for students preparing to lead teams or initiatives across sectors.

• Department: Tech Policy and Innovation
• R 10 a.m.-11:50 a.m.
• Instructor: Alison Go
  Info
• 1.5 points

Leading Global Innovation

This course prepares students to lead innovation in the global social impact sector. It introduces methods such as human-centered design, futures thinking, and systems innovation, with applied focus on the energy and health sectors. Students will explore how to design, launch, and manage innovation strategies within NGOs, INGOs, and private sector organizations, while critically examining equity, ethics, and power dynamics in innovation ecosystems. Through case studies, guest speakers, and hands-on assignments, students develop practical skills and a personal innovation toolkit to support their careers as practitioners, strategists, and changemakers in complex, cross-sector environments.

• Department: Tech Policy and Innovation
• W 5:10 p.m.-7 p.m.
• Instructor: Chandani Punia
  Info
• 3 points

User Experience (UX) in Digital Developm

UX in Digital Development

Drawing on the co-instructors' experience at MERL Tech Initiative and Dalberg Design, this course challenges the notion that technology alone can solve complex development problems and that a human-centered ecosystem approach is critical. While innovations like mobile money and AI are often hailed as silver bullets, history shows that their impact depends on context, users, and systems. Drawing on lessons from decades of “tech for good” — from community radio to drones — we encourage students to question technological determinism and instead focus on the lived realities and needs of users.

To do so, the course adopts a human-centered design (HCD) and systems-thinking approach. We start the course with UX principles and how they are applied in digital development, and follow this with weekly case studies in class, e.g., designing a digital ID for refugee camps, AI chatbots for low-income women entrepreneurs, participatory digital campaigns, capacity building in communities, community health worker tablets/iPads and so on. 

Students will learn how to design relevant solutions by understanding users — such as  refugees, entrepreneurs, or health workers — within their social, cultural, and institutional contexts. Emphasizing empathy, participation, and sustainability, the course moves from abstract theory to practical, user-driven design methods, supported by tools and case studies from Savita’s experience in digital development with clients including Mastercard Foundation, Gates Foundation and many others, and Claudia’s experience at Dalberg Design. Assessment is through a combination of participation in class, case study design and a group project.

• Department: Development and Governance
• R 5:10 p.m.-7 p.m.
• 3 points

Economic Measurement of Discrimination

Econ Measures-Discriminat

Discrimination is the differential treatment of people based on identity or perceived identity (race, gender, ethnicity, LGBTQ+ status, age, religion, disability, immigration status, etc.). Such behavior violates some legal, social, and moral norms and has a negative impact on those discriminated against.

For these and other reasons, it is important to be able to formally identify discrimination from data. But how do we know that A’s treatment of B is because of B’s identity as opposed to some other characteristic of B or A that we may not even have a variable for?

In this class, we will explore economists’ methodologies for answering this question. We will survey the economic literature on discrimination against a variety of types of people in a variety of markets and across countries. Students are encouraged to explore discrimination in contexts not covered in the reading in their final projects.

• Department: International Finance & Economic Policy
• W 10 a.m.-11:50 a.m.
• Instructor: Ebonya L Washington
  Info
• 3 points

Islam, Judaism, and the Israeli-Palestin

This course seeks to help students learn
how
to think, not
what
to think – we pursue fuller thinking by drawing on the broadest range of evidence from right and left, Arab, Israeli and Palestinian, Jewish and Muslim, and others. No questions are banned: all perspectives are open to challenge. What tools are required to engage, understand and be involved with improving the Israeli-Palestinian issue by acquiring greater intelligence, nuance, and awareness of the claims and sensitivities of both sides? Too often, American and European policymakers bring our own biases and blind-spots to the negotiating table, and do not understand the beliefs of local nations. Which leads to the question: How do policy practitioners help participants in the conflict move forward, while taking seriously the claims and cultures of the people involved? This course respects and meets the people involved in the conflict in their words, narratives, and deeds. The longest war in the Middle East is not only about that region: American university campuses, political parties, and different communities are being torn apart by slogans of “Zionism is racism”, “white colonial settlements”, “apartheid”, “globalize the Intifada”, and “Islam is terrorism”. Why does this conflict matter so much? How do we approach it with intellectual honesty, empathy, openness, facts and mutual respect?

• Department: International Security & Diplomacy
• 3 points

Middle East Conflicts and Global Securit

ME Conflicts & Global Sec

This course analyzes the impact of domestic and regional conflicts in the Middle East on global security. Key concepts include: regime change, revolution, civil war, conflict management, security sector reform, arms transfers, nuclear proliferation, counterterrorism, and international criminal justice. These conceptual tools are used for comparative analysis of three sub-regional conflict zones: Saudi Arabia / Iran / Iraq, Egypt / Syria / Lebanon, and Palestine / Jordan / Israel. Each of these regions has galvanized substantial global engagement.

• Department: International Security & Diplomacy
• T 1:10 p.m.-3 p.m.
• Instructor: Naomi Weinberger
  CULPA: 11 Info
• 3 points

Gender, Politics, and Development

Gender, Politics, & Devel

Gender equality, and women’s and girls’ empowerment, are now widely accepted as development goals in their own right, and essential to inclusive and sustainable development.    But despite progress in many areas, gender gaps and discrimination persist.  How did gender equality move from the periphery to the center of development discourse, and what difference has this made? Is gender equality a human right, an essential aspect of human development, or “smart economics”?    What are the implications of a gender equality agenda for men and boys, and for broader understandings of gender identities and sexualities? What policies, strategies and practices have been effective – or ineffective – in narrowing gender gaps and improving outcomes for both women and men in particular development settings?  And what are possible responses to the "gender backlash" that has emerged in some countries and institutions?

In this course, we approach gender, politics and development in terms of theory, policy and practice.  We explore multiple constructions of gender in development discourse; the intersection of gender with race, ethnicity, caste, class, sexual orientation, disability and other social categories, and with dominant economic and political trends; and the ways in which gender norms inform the different approaches of governments, development agencies, civil society organizations, and the private sector.  We apply a critical gender lens to a wide range of development sectors and issue areas, including economic development, political participation, education and health, environment and climate change, and conflict and displacement.  We also consider current debates and approaches related to gender mainstreaming and gender metrics in development practice.  Students engage with the course material through class discussion, exercises and case studies, and the development of a gender-related project proposal.  Guest speakers share practical strategies for advancing gender equality in the current environment.

• Department: Development and Governance
• T 1:10 p.m.-3 p.m.
• 3 points

Global Constitutionalism

The class compares a variety of proposals that have been advanced to promote constitutional world order.  We begin with traditional conceptions of the balance of power among independent “Westphalian” states and then explore arrangements designed to produce alternative forms of constituted international and world order.  These include liberal and authoritarian internationalism, collective security through the League Covenant and the United Nations Charter, John Rawls’s
Law of Peoples
and various other contemporary models of international law, global governance networks and global democratization.

In addition to assessing the particular merits and limitations of these visions of world order, we will examine the underlying principles of international politics, ethics and constitutional design that characterize these efforts to establish rules for the globe.

• Department: Development and Governance
• W 1:20 p.m.-3:10 p.m.
• Instructor: Michael Doyle
  Info
• 3 points

China's Foreign Relations

This course examines the foreign policy of the People’s Republic of China from 1949 to the present, analyzing the political, strategic, and economic drivers of Beijing’s engagement with the world. Topics include China’s relations with the United States, Russia, Asia, and the Global South; key historical turning points such as the Cold War, reform era, and post-Tiananmen period; and contemporary challenges including cross-Strait relations, great power competition, and global governance. Emphasis is placed on the causes and consequences of China’s external behavior and how domestic politics, nationalism, and leadership shape policy. Graduate students participate in additional precepts and complete analytic memos designed to build policy-relevant skills.

• Department: International Security & Diplomacy
• F 9 a.m.-10 a.m.
• F 11 a.m.-noon
• Instructor: Thomas J Christensen
  CULPA: 2 Wikipedia Info
• 3 points

The U.S. Role in World Affairs, II

This course is the second half of the year-long International Fellows Program (IFP) seminar examining the United States’ evolving role in global affairs. Building on themes from the fall, the spring semester focuses on the challenges confronting a new U.S. presidential administration and the strategic decisions that will shape American leadership in a contested international environment. Through a combination of seminar discussions, case studies, guest speakers, and two regional crisis simulations, students will examine U.S. policy responses to geopolitical competition, regional instability, and transnational threats. Enrollment is limited to students in the International Fellows Program (IFP).

• Department: International Security & Diplomacy
• R 1:10 p.m.-3 p.m.
• Instructor: Victoria Nuland
  Info
• 3 points

READY 4 RESIDENCY

• Department: Medicine
• 0 points

READY 4 RESIDENCY

• Department: Medicine
• 0 points

EXTERNSHP:FEDERAL GOV'T IN DC

• Department: Law
• 2 points

EXTERNSHP:FEDERAL GOV'T IN DC

• Department: Law
• 3 points

EXTERNSHP:FEDERAL GOV'T IN DC

• Department: Law
• 8 points

R4R ONLINE

• Department: Medicine
• Instructor: Lyndsey Adams
  Info
• 0 points

R4R ONLINE

• Department: Medicine
• Instructor: Lyndsey Adams
  Info
• 0 points

Graduate Independent Research

Independent Study with Faculty Advisor must be registered for every semester after first academic year

• Department: Statistics
• Instructor: Marco A Avella Medina
  Info
• Instructor: David Blei
  Wikipedia h-index: 98 Info
• Instructor: John P Cunningham
  CULPA: 7 Info
• Instructor: Richard Davis
  CULPA: 3 h-index: 60 Info
• Instructor: Victor H de la Pena
  h-index: 20 Info
• Instructor: Bianca Dumitrascu
  Info
• Instructor: Andrew Gelman
  CULPA: 6 Wikipedia h-index: 112 Info
• Instructor: Yuqi Gu
  h-index: 6 Info
• Instructor: Ioannis Karatzas
  CULPA: 7 h-index: 58 Info
• Instructor: Samory Kpotufe
  CULPA: 2 Info
• 3 points