Securing Full Economic and Political Cit

US Economic & Political R

This course explores how federal, state, and local policies shape access to full economic and political citizenship in the United States. Students will examine the role of public institutions, legislation, and informal influencers in shaping opportunities for historically marginalized communities. Drawing on case studies and core texts such as
The Persuaders
by Anand Giridharadas, the course considers the relationship between economic self-sufficiency and civic participation. Topics include federal disaster response, social benefit structures, voting rights, and the role of modern-day persuaders in policy discourse. Through discussion and applied assignments, students will analyze policy frameworks and propose actionable strategies to expand civic and economic inclusion.

• Department: Urban and Social Policy
• Instructor: Verna Eggleston
  Info
• 1.5 points

Electricity Markets

This course examines the evolution and future of electricity markets worldwide in the context of liberalization, decarbonization, and technological change. As clean energy costs decline and electrification accelerates, the power sector faces increasing pressure to deliver reliable, affordable, and low-emission electricity. The course provides an interdisciplinary perspective on the structure and operation of electricity markets, exploring regulated and competitive models across advanced and emerging economies. Students will analyze how policy frameworks, regulatory structures, and market incentives shape investment, pricing, and dispatch decisions.

• Department: Climate, Energy, & Environment
• Instructor: A.J. Goulding
  Info
• 3 points

Advanced Economic Development for Intern

Pre-requisites:
A calculus-based micro-economics course (SIPA IA6400) or equivalent. This is an advanced course in development economics, designed for SIPA students interested in rigorous, applied training. Coursework includes extensive empirical exercises, requiring programming in Stata. The treatment of theoretical models presumes knowledge of calculus. Topics include: the economics of growth; the relationship between growth and poverty and inequality; rural-urban migration; the interaction between agrarian institutions in land, labor, credit, and insurance markets; prisoner’s dilemmas and the environment; and policy debates around development strategies. Recurrent themes: Are markets efficient, and if not, in what specific ways are they inefficient? What are the forces driving development and underdevelopment? What are the causal links between poverty and inequality and economic performance? What is the role of interventions by states or civil organizations in bringing about development? The course will integrate theoretical ideas and empirical analysis, with an emphasis on questions relevant for economic policy.

• Department: Development and Governance
• Instructor: Eric A Verhoogen
  Info
• 3 points

Advanced Economic Development for Intern

Pre-requisites:
A calculus-based micro-economics course (SIPA IA6400) or equivalent. This is an advanced course in development economics, designed for SIPA students interested in rigorous, applied training. Coursework includes extensive empirical exercises, requiring programming in Stata. The treatment of theoretical models presumes knowledge of calculus. Topics include: the economics of growth; the relationship between growth and poverty and inequality; rural-urban migration; the interaction between agrarian institutions in land, labor, credit, and insurance markets; prisoner’s dilemmas and the environment; and policy debates around development strategies. Recurrent themes: Are markets efficient, and if not, in what specific ways are they inefficient? What are the forces driving development and underdevelopment? What are the causal links between poverty and inequality and economic performance? What is the role of interventions by states or civil organizations in bringing about development? The course will integrate theoretical ideas and empirical analysis, with an emphasis on questions relevant for economic policy.

• Department: Development and Governance
• Instructor: Eric A Verhoogen
  Info
• 3 points

Gender and International Security

Gender & Int'l Security

Gender has important implications for international security policy. Gender bias can influence policy choices, distort understandings of military capability—especially among nonstate armed groups with women combatants—and aggravate the causes of war. It can increase internal and interstate violence in settings where women are mistreated or where sex imbalances create instability. Gender also shapes how individuals experience wars and disasters, as existing inequalities are often intensified. Bias can discourage women from pursuing careers in security policy, limiting states’ access to a full range of talent.

The intersection of gender and security has been formally recognized since the 2000 passage of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security (WPS). International organizations such as NATO have developed WPS policies, and the United States passed the Women, Peace, and Security Act in 2017 to integrate gender into the work of the State and Defense Departments.

This course offers a sustained exploration of how gender identities and related power dynamics influence international and internal conflict, as well as security policy. Through case studies and examples, students will learn to conduct gender analyses and apply these skills through research, writing, and presentations. The course is structured as a discussion-based seminar to support collaborative learning.

The course begins by defining gender and international security and examining why these concepts are difficult to define. Later sessions address the intersection of gender with other identity factors, explore how security institutions are gendered, and consider how to create gender-responsive policies. The course concludes by analyzing gendered strategies in conflict and state responses to conflict.

• Department: International Security & Diplomacy
• Instructor: Phoebe Donnelly
  Info
• 3 points

Cost-Benefit Analysis

This course provides an applied introduction to cost-benefit analysis (CBA) as a tool for evaluating public policies. Students will learn how to interpret and produce CBAs through lectures, problem sets, and real-world case studies focused on environmental, financial, agricultural, and transportation policies. Emphasis is placed on CBAs conducted by government agencies, including critical review of regulatory analyses and formulation of public comments.

Through individual and group assignments, students will gain hands-on experience constructing spreadsheet models, estimating impacts, applying discounting techniques, and performing sensitivity analyses. The course culminates in a student-led cost-benefit analysis project and the submission of formal comments on a government regulation.

Prerequisites:
SIPA IA6350 or SIPA IA6400 (Microeconomic Analysis) or equivalent. Familiarity with Excel is expected.

• Department: Tech Policy and Innovation
• Instructor: Jeffrey G Jr Shrader
  Info
• 3 points

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
• Instructor: Noah Kaufman
  Info
• 3 points

Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprise Deve

MSME Development

This course introduces the role of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in driving inclusive economic growth in developing economies. Students will examine the evolution of MSME development approaches, including value chain and market systems development, microfinance, business services, and private-sector engagement strategies. The course emphasizes practical tools such as value chain assessment and intervention design, along with critical analysis of evidence supporting different MSME development frameworks. Topics include financial services, the business enabling environment, inclusion, and the interaction of MSMEs with broader market, social, and ecological systems. Students will gain hands-on experience applying systems thinking, adaptive management practices, and data-driven approaches to evaluate and improve MSME-focused programs and policies.

• Department: Development and Governance
• 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
• 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
• 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
• 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
• 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
• 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
• 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
• Instructor: Marc Jacquand
  Info
• 3 points

Asian Energy Security

This course surveys the distinctive character of Asian energy security requirements, how they are changing over time, what political-economic forces are driving their transformation and what those requirements imply for broader economic and political-military relationships between Asia and the world. It gives specials attention to Asia’s energy dependence on the Middle East and the extent to which Russia and alternative sources, including nuclear power, provide a feasible and acceptable alternative. Cross-national comparisons among the energy security policies of China, India, Japan, Korea, and Western paradigms are used to explore distinctive features of Asian approaches to energy security.

• Department: Climate, Energy, & Environment
• Instructor: Zoe Liu
  Info
• 3 points

Women s Economic Security

Women's Economic Security

This class will introduce students to the main causes contributing to women’s economic insecurity in the United States and around the world, including discriminatory laws and norms, gaps in care infrastructures, occupational segregation, harassment and gender-based violence, and barriers to accessing capital, along with the growing body of global policies and laws aimed at promoting women’s full and equal economic participation.

• Department: Human Rights, Gender, and Equity
• 3 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
• Instructor: Jeri E Powell
  Info
• 1.5 points

Gender, Conflict, and Peacebuilding

Gender, Conflict & Peaceb

This intensive seminar explores the evolving field of gender, conflict, and peacebuilding, with a focus on the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda initiated by UN Security Council Resolution 1325. Now supported by a suite of resolutions and national action plans, the WPS framework has reshaped the global policy landscape by highlighting women’s contributions to peace and the need for gender-responsive approaches to security. Through lectures, group exercises, and interactive discussions, students will examine the historical, geopolitical, and policy contexts that gave rise to this agenda, as well as the challenges and opportunities facing its implementation in current conflict zones.

• Department: Human Rights, Gender, and Equity
• 1.5 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
• Instructor: Robert Metcalfe
  Info
• 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
• 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
• 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
• 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
• 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
• 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
• 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
• Instructor: Elizabeth Cartier
  Info
• 1.5 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
• 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
• Instructor: Harold B Stolper
  Info
• 3 points

Economics of Education Policy

Pre-req: SIPA IA6501 - Quant II 
or equivalent quantitative methods course. This course applies empirical economic tools to the study of education policy, with a focus on both K-12 and higher education systems. Topics include class size, peer effects, teacher quality, school accountability, school choice, vouchers, and student incentives. In the context of higher education, the course covers investment in human capital, returns to college, and issues of access and equity across income, gender, and race. Students will engage with contemporary research and develop practical skills through empirical exercises using real data. Emphasis is placed on understanding identification strategies and interpreting results from recent studies.

• Department: Data Science for Policy
• Instructor: Cristian Pop-Eleches
  h-index: 23 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
• Instructor: Erica D Lonergan
  Info
• 3 points

Education in Humanitarian Emergencies

Education in Emergencies

This course examines the role of education as a critical component of humanitarian response. Students will explore the legal frameworks, minimum standards, coordination mechanisms, and funding models that underpin education in emergencies. The course analyzes how conflict and disasters disrupt learning, and how education contributes to protection, psychosocial wellbeing, and resilience. Special attention is given to issues of gender, disability inclusion, and emerging challenges such as climate change. Through readings, discussion, and research, students will gain practical and theoretical insights into designing effective education interventions in crisis-affected settings.

• Department: Development and Governance
• 3 points

The Tenets and Dilemmas of Humanitarian

Humanitarian Action Dilem

This course introduces students to the foundations, actors, and debates that shape modern humanitarian action. Students will examine the history and evolution of humanitarianism, the development of international legal and normative frameworks, and the operational principles guiding humanitarian response. Through case studies and thematic discussions, the course explores the challenges of delivering aid in complex emergencies, including issues of coordination, protection, access, politicization, and accountability.

Attention will be given to ethical dilemmas, the humanitarian-development-peace nexus, the rise of localization, and calls for decolonizing aid. Students will engage critically with core questions: How does humanitarian action intersect with power, politics, and security? Are established norms fit for purpose in today’s crises? The course combines lectures, debates, and independent research to prepare students to assess and navigate the evolving landscape of humanitarian response.

• Department: Development and Governance
• 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
• Instructor: Christine Cumming
  Info
• 3 points

Managing Humanitarian Emergencies

According to the 2025 Global Humanitarian Overview, humanitarian partners are appealing for over US$47 billion to assist nearly 190 million people facing life-threatening and urgent needs across 72 countries. These staggering numbers are fueled by drivers such as conflicts and political instability, climate change, disease outbreaks, poverty, and natural hazards. Together, these drivers have deepened pre-existing vulnerabilities, resulting in unprecedented need. They have also prompted humanitarians to address the accountability challenges and inequities deeply seated within the aid system.

Humanitarian agencies strive to meet rising needs, but the task that confronts them is immense. 
Funding
 for humanitarian responses is not keeping pace with requirements: although donors contribute more, the amounts are not commensurate with needs. Beyond financing, donor policies and politics challenge agencies' ability to deliver. The safety and security of aid workers is increasingly under threat.

This course focuses on the management of humanitarian operations and intends to provide students with the opportunity to explore critical issues in the humanitarian system. It helps students understand debates in the humanitarian system, develop a framework of analysis they can use in headquarters and the field, and acquire a toolkit to help them succeed as aid workers. This practical course will interest those wishing to work with an aid agency, directly or indirectly with disaster-affected populations, or those who want to better understand the system and the opportunities and challenges that humanitarians face.

• Department: Development and Governance
• Instructor: Pierrette Quintiliani
  Info
• 3 points

International Finance & Monetary Theory

Intl Finance & Monetary T

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
• Instructor: Daniel J Waldman
  Info
• 3 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
• 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.

• Department: Urban and Social Policy
• Instructor: Rose C Goldberg
  Info
• 1 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
• 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
• 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
• 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
• Instructor: Sigridur Benediktsdottir
  Info
• 3 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
• 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?

• Department: International Finance & Economic Policy
• 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
• Instructor: Zachary B Metz
  Info
• 3 points

Fighting Corruption: Concepts and Strate

This course examines the causes, dynamics, and consequences of corruption across societies, with emphasis on developing countries. Students will learn to identify different forms of corruption and explore legal, institutional, and policy-based strategies to prevent and address it. Through scenario assessments, simulations, and applied exercises, the course emphasizes practical tools for designing anti-corruption responses. Topics include measurement and transparency, enforcement mechanisms, multilateral initiatives, the role of civil society and media, and emerging challenges such as strategic corruption and financial technologies.

• Department: Development and Governance
• 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
• 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
• 3 points

History of Sustainable Investing

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
• 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
• 3 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
• 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
• 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
• 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
• Instructor: Mary Worden
  Info
• 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
• 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
• Instructor: Avner Bukspan
  Info
• 3 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
• Instructor: Courtney Sara L Minard
  Info
• 3 points

Conducting Empirical Research in Economi

Empirical Research-Econom

Pre-req: any Quant III course. Instructor Managed Registration. Join Vergil waitlist and apply at 
https://forms.gle/fjM8zkoSx9encCo49
.  
The main outcome of the course will be a complete, novel empirical research paper. During the first half of the course, you will review empirical methods, learn about the structure of a high-quality research paper, and process the data for your project. The focus will be on learning how empirical methods—including not only regression-based causal inference but also data processing and measurement—are used in practice. We will draw on examples of excellent applied economics research papers to highlight best practices. By the middle of the semester, you will be expected to have completed initial analysis of your project. The remaining portion of the semester will be spent revising and improving drafts of the research paper, culminating in a presentation of results and submission of a final, publication-quality research paper.  An emphasis of the class will be on real-world practice of handling, cleaning, and processing data. To this end, students will help build and maintain a database of data sets used for their analyses. Over time, this database will become a resource that future students can draw on for their own analyses.

• Department: Data Science for Policy
• Instructor: Jeffrey G Jr Shrader
  Info
• 3 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
• 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
• Instructor: Chandani Punia
  Info
• 3 points

User Experience (UX) in Digital Developm

UX in Digital Development

This course introduces students to human-centered approaches for designing and evaluating digital technologies in development contexts. Moving beyond technological determinism and the notion of digital “silver bullets,” the course emphasizes understanding users, their communities, and local systems to create more inclusive, sustainable solutions. Through frameworks in Human-Centered Design (HCD), systems thinking, and participatory methods, students will engage with core issues of digital development practice, including technology adoption, literacy, and equity.

Students will learn to critically assess and design digital tools such as mobile applications, platforms, and services, while considering constraints and opportunities in low-resource settings. The course combines interactive sessions in UX and UI design with guest lectures from practitioners and researchers. Coursework includes facilitation and participation, authoring a reflective Medium article on HCD in development, and a culminating group design project. No prerequisites are required beyond a constructive and critical mindset.

• Department: Development and Governance
• 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
• Instructor: Ebonya L Washington
  Info
• 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
• Instructor: Naomi Weinberger
  CULPA: 11 Info
• 3 points

Gender, Politics, and Development

Gender, Politics, & Devel

Gender equality, and the empowerment of women and girls, are now widely accepted as development goals in their own right and as essential to inclusive and sustainable development. Yet despite progress in many areas, gender gaps and discrimination persist. This course asks: How did gender equality move from the periphery to the center of development discourse, and what difference has this shift made? Is gender equality a human right, an essential dimension 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 different development settings? What are possible responses to the “gender backlash” emerging in some countries and institutions?

In this course, we approach gender, politics, and development through 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 the influence of dominant economic and political trends. We examine how gender norms shape the approaches of governments, development agencies, civil society organizations, and the private sector.

A critical gender lens is applied to a wide range of development sectors and issues, including economic development, political participation, education and health, environment and climate change, and conflict and displacement. The course also considers current debates and approaches related to gender mainstreaming and gender metrics in development practice. Students engage with the material through class discussions, exercises, case studies, and the development of a gender-related project proposal.

• Department: Development and Governance
• 3 points

Global Constitutionalism

This course compares a range of proposals that have been advanced to promote a constitutional world order. It begins with traditional conceptions of the balance of power among independent “Westphalian” states, then explores 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, the course examines the underlying principles of international politics, ethics, and constitutional design that characterize efforts to establish rules for the globe.

• Department: Development and Governance
• 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
• Instructor: Thomas J Christensen
  CULPA: 2 Wikipedia 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
• 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
• Instructor: Victoria Nuland
  Info
• 3 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

EXTERNSHIP FEDERAL PROSECUTION

• Department: Law
• 2 points

EXTERNSHIP FEDERAL PROSECUTION

• Department: Law
• 2 points

TIME AND TEMPO IN HOMER AND SAPPHO

TIME & TEMPO HOMER AND SA

This seminar sets Homer's Iliad and Sappho's lyric poems in relation to each other around topics involving time – including narrative time, beginnings and endings, timeliness, and temporality, as well as rhythm and tempo, syncopation, bodily timing and performance, and chronotopic dynamics. It proposes to think as well about textual time, meaning both how different genres orchestrate time and tempo but also how these authors are treated in ancient and modern reception. We will read theoretical studies of time and temporality, the event, and periodicity, as well as those more focused on genre and occasional performance. Discussions will center around close attendance on specific images and dynamics in the ancient texts, as well as the ways in which theoretical frames may illuminate these. Thus, for instance, seminars juxtapose the epic punctuation of bodies in space with Sappho's female lovers on the move, with scholarly readings deployed to critique the epic-lyric divide around these dynamics. A central and recurrent figure in this scheme is Helen, who is presented in Homeric epic as the central catalyst for the violent unfolding of events (i.e., the Trojan War) and who functions in lyric poetry as a cathexis for the violent consequences of desire.

• Department: Classics @Barnard
• 3 points

S PUB EDUC POLICY SEM & PRACT

• Department: Law
• 5 points

S PUB EDUC POLICY SEM & PRACT

• Department: Law
• 6 points

S PUB EDUC POLICY SEM & PRACT

• Department: Law
• 2 points

CURRENT ISSUES IN COPYRIGHT

• Department: Law
• Instructor: Jane C Ginsburg
  Wikipedia Info
• 2 points

S. Rethinking Globalization

• Department: Law
• Instructor: Charles Sabel
  Wikipedia h-index: 77 Info
• 3 points

Ex. In-House Counsel

• Department: Law
• 2 points

Ex. In-House Counsel

• Department: Law
• 2 points

Ex. In-House Counsel

• Department: Law
• 2 points

Ex. In-House Counsel

• Department: Law
• 2 points

Ex. In-House Counsel

• Department: Law
• 2 points

Ex. In-House Counsel

• Department: Law
• 2 points

SEM-NEGOTIATION WORKSHOP

This is a Law School course. For more detailed course information, please go to the Law School Curriculum Guide at: http://www.law.columbia.edu/courses/search

• Department: Law
• Instructor: Mavis K Fowler
  Info
• Instructor: Jay A Hewlin
  Info
• Instructor: Katerina M Yiannibas
  Info
• 3 points

SEM-NEGOTIATION WORKSHOP

This is a Law School course. For more detailed course information, please go to the Law School Curriculum Guide at: http://www.law.columbia.edu/courses/search

• Department: Law
• Instructor: Katerina M Yiannibas
  Info
• Instructor: Edward C Frischling
  Info
• 3 points

SEM-NEGOTIATION WORKSHOP

This is a Law School course. For more detailed course information, please go to the Law School Curriculum Guide at: http://www.law.columbia.edu/courses/search

• Department: Law
• 3 points

SEM-NEGOTIATION WORKSHOP

This is a Law School course. For more detailed course information, please go to the Law School Curriculum Guide at: http://www.law.columbia.edu/courses/search

• Department: Law
• Instructor: Avery W Katz
  Info
• 3 points

S ADV NEGIATION WORKSHOP

course decription

• Department: Law
• Instructor: David S Ross
  Info
• 3 points

Intro to Biology Course (T3ST)

Test Course for Vergil Launch Demonstration

• Department: OFFC OF THE REGISTRAR
• 3 points

S ADV INTER COMM ARBITRATION

• Department: Law
• Instructor: Robert H Smit
  CULPA: 13 Info
• 2 points

S CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

• Department: Law
• Instructor: Zohar Goshen
  h-index: 12 Info
• 3 points

Financial Management

The course introduces students to budgeting and financial control as a means of influencing the behavior of organizations. Concepts include the budget process and taxation, intergovernmental revenues, municipal finance, bonds, control of expenditures, purchasing, debt management, productivity enhancement, and nonprofit finance. Students learn about the fiscal problems that managers typically face, and how they seek to address them. Students also gain experience in conducting financial analysis and facility with spreadsheet programs. Case materials utilize earth systems issues and other policy issues. A computer lab section is an essential aspect of the course, as it teaches students to use spreadsheet software to perform practical exercises in budgeting and financial management.

• Department: MPA-ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE POL
• Instructor: Rebecca E Koike
  Info
• 3 points

S ROLE OF INSIDE COUNSEL

• Department: Law
• 1 points

Non-Profit Law, Taxation and Policy

NON-PROFIT LAW TAXATION P

See CLS Curriculum Guide

• Department: Law
• Instructor: David M Schizer
  Wikipedia Info
• 3 points