Business analytics refers to the ways in which enterprises such as businesses, non-profits, and governments use data to gain insights and make better decisions. Business analytics is applied in operations, marketing, finance, and strategic planning among other functions. Modern data collection methods – arising in bioinformatics, mobile platforms, and previously unanalyzable data like text and images – are leading an explosive growth in the volume of data available for decision making. The ability to use data effectively to drive rapid, precise, and profitable decisions has been a critical strategic advantage for companies as diverse as Walmart, Google, Capital One, and Disney. Many startups are based on the application of AI & analytics to large databases. With the increasing availability of broad and deep sources of information – so-called “Big Data” – business analytics are becoming an even more critical capability for enterprises of all types and all sizes.
AI is beginning to impact every dimension of business and society. In many industries, you will need to be literate in AI to be a successful business leader. The Business Analytics sequence is designed to prepare you to play an active role in shaping the future of AI and business. You will develop a critical understanding of modern analytics methodology, studying its foundations, potential applications, and – perhaps most importantly – limitations.
Intelligence activities are traditionally thought to comprise the activities of a nation state’s intelligence organizations attempting to steal secrets, usually those pertaining to national security, from the organizations of another nation state. However, intelligence activities have seldom, if ever, been confined to the government sphere. Most nation states have employed their national intelligence systems to steal privately held economic information from other countries to benefit their economies: many continue to do so. Private enterprises have long employed methodologies associated with “traditional” intelligence to obtain trade secrets from domestic and foreign competitors. The establishment of a legal and ethical framework to govern this activity –- the discipline of “competitive intelligence’, is a relatively recent phenomenon.
This course will examine in depth the interaction of intelligence and private sector on these three levels. Part one of the course will cover economic espionage: the deliberate targeting of private sector entities by foreign intelligence services. Soviet/Russian and Chinese conduct of Economic Espionage will be discussed in detail. A separate class will examine the prevalence of economic espionage among democratic nations, usually considered allies of the United States in both theory and practice. The U.S. attitude towards economic espionage, and the U.S reaction to the threat, will be the subject other class meetings. The course will then move on to industrial espionage, companies spying on other companies, and its’ more socially acceptable counterpart, competitive intelligence, attempting to distinguish between legal and illegal uses of intelligence by the private sector.
This course focuses on climate change adaptation, examining how communities, governments, and institutions manage climate risks and build resilience. Students will engage with key concepts such as vulnerability, resilience, adaptation effectiveness, and climate justice, using a risk reduction framework to analyze real-world challenges and responses.
Through case studies, collaborative labs, and applied assignments, students will assess adaptation strategies across sectors including food, water, health, cities, and biodiversity. The course emphasizes both global frameworks and local action, highlighting enabling conditions such as finance, governance, and information access. Students will also examine institutional dynamics and the political contexts that shape adaptation planning and implementation.
This course is designed for students from diverse academic and professional backgrounds. No technical prerequisites are required. It provides a foundation for evaluating adaptation programs, identifying feasible solutions, and developing effective climate policy.
This course examines both traditional and new approaches for achieving operational competitiveness in service businesses. Major service sectors such as health care, repair / technical support services, banking and financial services, transportation, restaurants, hotels and resorts are examined. The course addresses strategic analysis and operational decision making, with emphasis on the latter. Its content also reflects results of a joint research project with the consulting firm Booz Allen Hamilton, which was initiated in 1996 to investigate next-generation service operations strategy and practices. Topics include the service concept and operations strategy, the design of effective service delivery systems, productivity and quality management, response time (queueing) analysis, capacity planning, yield management and the impact of information technology. This seminar is intended for students interested in consulting, entrepreneurship, venture capital or general management careers that will involve significant analysis of a service firms operations.
The collection and use of intelligence have been functions of the state for thousands of years, and an essential element of the national security and foreign policy systems of the modern nation state. However, it has long been apparent that different states conduct intelligence activities differently. What accounts for these differences? Until recently, the secrecy surrounding the activities, structure and impact of the specialized organizations involved in the intelligence process have made them difficult to study on a comparative basis. Recent advances in the unclassified literature have now made such study possible. The comparative study of foreign intelligence systems provides important insights into the foreign policy priorities and goals of the states in question, relevant to the work of both the national security and wider foreign policy communities in the U.S. and elsewhere.
Moreover, the extent to which intelligence systems reflect the political culture of their host societies is also a subject of interest. This course will begin with an introduction to intelligence systems as an academic subject. It will continue with a comparative treatment of several Western and non-Western intelligence systems, to include those of major actors in the international system as well those of small powers. For each intelligence system, we will examine the historical, institutional and cultural factors that make it unique. Finally, the course will examine several functional intelligence challenges and compare how these are addressed by different states. Particular attention will be paid to the identification of pathologies that can have a negative impact on the role of intelligence organizations within a given state, and the reform of intelligence systems to facilitate an appropriate role within a democratic or democratizing society.
This intensive short course explores the financing, development, and policy landscape of energy and infrastructure projects. Students will examine how partnerships are structured to allocate risk, how capital is raised and deployed across project stages, and how political and regulatory environments shape investment decisions. Through real-world case studies, from carbon pipelines and LNG terminals to rail and airport concessions—students will analyze evolving infrastructure models and evaluate the roles of private, public, and multilateral actors. The course emphasizes practical skills in investment strategy, policy analysis, and project structuring.
This course explores how Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) and climate considerations are reshaping public market investment strategies. Students will learn how institutional investors use ESG signals and climate-related data to assess risk, identify opportunity, and support real-world outcomes—all while meeting fiduciary obligations.
The class introduces the concept of the “Double Bottom Line,” or double materiality, where financial performance and sustainability impact are jointly pursued. Students will examine active and index-based approaches to climate and ESG investing, review emerging academic research, and hear from guest speakers on the evolving landscape of sustainable finance.
A key course deliverable is a student-designed investment strategy that applies the Double Bottom Line framework to a climate or ESG theme, demonstrating how it could drive financial returns and measurable impact.
This course is intended for students planning careers in asset management, policy, sustainability, or ESG advisory roles. It focuses exclusively on public markets and complements SIPA courses covering private finance and regulatory approaches.
Students should know basic finance concepts like beta, the Capital Asset Pricing Model, equilibrium, active and passive management, and portfolio risk and return. Students should be familiar with some basic knowledge of statistics, like the concepts of statistical significance and regressions. At least one semester of statistics is required. We recommend that students have taken some previous classes in finance, management, sustainability, or quantitative analysis.
Business analytics refers to the methods enterprises—such as businesses, non-profits, and governments—use to analyze data to gain insights and make better decisions. This discipline is applied across various functions including operations, marketing, finance, and strategic planning. The advent of modern data collection methods in fields like bioinformatics, mobile platforms, and previously unanalyzable data (such as text and images) has led to an explosive growth in the volume of data available for decision-making. Utilizing data effectively to drive rapid, precise, and profitable decisions has become a critical strategic advantage for diverse companies including Walmart, Google, Capital One, and Disney. Moreover, many startups are emerging based on the application of AI and analytics to large databases. With the increasing availability of broad and deep sources of information—often referred to as "Big Data"—business analytics is becoming an even more essential capability for enterprises of all types and sizes.
AI is starting to influence every dimension of business and society. In many industries, being literate in AI is becoming a prerequisite for successful business leadership. The Business Analytics sequence is designed to prepare you to take an active role in shaping the future of AI and business. You will develop a critical understanding of modern analytics methodologies, exploring their foundations, potential applications, and—perhaps most importantly—their limitations.
This course explores how subnational governments, states, cities, and local jurisdictions are shaping climate policy and leading efforts to transition toward a clean energy economy. While national governments often receive the spotlight, much of the practical, political, and technical work happens closer to the ground.
Students will examine how subnationals regulate utilities, shape building codes, implement clean energy programs, and navigate complex federal dynamics. Topics include emissions reduction, climate resilience, environmental justice, clean energy finance, and political feasibility. The course is structured around real-world case studies, guest insights, and policy exercises that prepare students to develop actionable, context-sensitive climate strategies.
The course encourages practical thinking about political trade-offs, limited resources, and institutional constraints. It is ideal for students interested in public policy, sustainability, and climate leadership at all levels of government. Familiarity with the energy sector is helpful but not required.
More than 80 percent of the U.S. population lives in urban areas, which generate nearly 90 percent of the nation’s GDP. This course introduces the field of urban economics, which explores why cities exist, how they grow, and the economic forces that shape them.
The course begins by examining the distribution of people and firms across space and the incentives behind urban location decisions. It then turns to how housing and production activities are arranged within cities, how land is valued, and how it is allocated. The course also addresses the role of local government, including the provision of services, regulation, and municipal finance.
Selected topics such as housing, transportation, income inequality, segregation, and urban sustainability help students apply theoretical and empirical models to real policy challenges. By the end of the course, students will be able to interpret urban economic models, evaluate policies using efficiency and equity frameworks, and apply their knowledge to a specific issue in urban policy.
Studying not just global cities such as New York, London, and Tokyo, but especially developing global cities like Rio de Janeiro, Cairo, Jakarta, Dubai, Shanghai, and Mumbai, has never been more important. Over half of the world’s population is now urban, and twelve of the world’s sixteen largest cities are outside of the “affluent core” (i.e. Western Europe, the U.S., Canada, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand). As developing cities continue to expand, we must acknowledge the critical role that they play as sociocultural centers and as nodes in the world economy. We should also recognize that, in spite of these cities’ conspicuous differences, many of them share a set of challenges including: sprawl, poor sanitation, poverty, inequality, pollution, corruption, and crime. This course in comparative urban policy will help you develop a keener understanding of these challenges while also introducing you to some innovative solutions.
Our focus will be on how academics and analysts study and debate urban policy. Global developing cities will serve as the central geopolitical context for our discussion on governance strategies. We will explore questions such as: What political strategies do citizens have available to influence their city governments? Are the structures of governance in developing cities designed to respond to citizens’ needs? How do governments redistribute resources and responsibilities from federal to regional and local institutions to balance urban growth and social equity? How do governments and the private sector respond to the need for infrastructure and social services? What are the problems with publicly vs. privately operated infrastructure and services? What is the role of local institutions and civil society in addressing problems of the slums and housing crises caused by heightened urban growth? How do urban governments and private actors prevent center city decay? Who benefits from mega-projects? What sort of innovations can help improve service delivery, ensure environmental sustainability, and promote orderly growth in developing cities? How do governments, international organizations, and social movements impact urban policies to resolve problems of segregation, displacement, and economic inequality?
Students learn to think and practice as advanced generalist social work practitioners. Emphasis is placed on helping students to develop a conceptual framework with which they can differentially assess the multiple, interrelated interventions needed to respond to clients' issues. The course focuses on advanced direct practice; assessment of the service needs of individuals, families, client populations, and neighborhoods; case management; and community social work with vulnerable populations.
No business and no government can ignore China. The People's Republic of China is the world's second-largest economy and is on track to surpass the US economyin the future. China represents enormous opportunities for businesses and public policies, but it also presents a set of tough challenges. This course is designed to provide a framework for understanding these issues. As several other emerging market economies hope to follow China's footsteps, the conceptual framework in the course should help one appreciate the risks and rewards in these economies better as well. In this course, we will discuss what motivates the Chinese as savers, consumers, workers, and entrepreneurs. We will examine both the people factor and the government factor that underpin China's growth story. We will not be satisfied with simply repeating the conventional wisdoms, but will probe deeper than what we often read or hear. We will also combine conceptual knowledge with practical insight by inviting distinguished speakers with rich business or government experience to share their perspectives on China's business environment and other related topics.
All public policy occurs within a political context. The purpose of this seminar is to examine how politics impacts policy in America’s large cities. While we rely on case material from American cities, the theoretical frameworks, problems, and policy solutions we consider are relevant to understanding public policy in any global city.
Cities are not legal entities defined in the American Constitution. Yet, historically, they have developed a politics and policymaking process that at once seems archetypically American and strangely foreign. We will consider who has power in cities and how that impacts policy priorities; whether America’s traditional institutions of representation “work” for urban America; how the city functions within our federal system; and whether neighborhood democracy is a meaningful construct. We will also consider the impact of politics on urban policymaking. Can cities solve the myriad problems of their populations under existing institutional arrangements? How are cities being affected by the post-pandemic work-from-home economy? Do the economic and social factors that impact urban politics and policy limit a city’s capacity to find and implement solutions to urban problems? How has increasing income inequality and persistent racial discrimination impacted urban governance and policy making? Does political protest result in changes in urban policy? Finally, can urban politics be restructured to better address problems of inequity and racial justice. Do cities have a viable economic future in post-pandemic America?
Threat Financing and Anti-Money Laundering
is a class that provides an overview of the world of money laundering, terrorist financing, and sanctions. It delves into how these areas are handled by governments around the world, especially focusing on the United States and its reach overseas. The class does a deep dive into the realm of compliance programs and the regulations and laws that apply to financial institutions, such as banks, brokerage firms, and investment advisers; to money services businesses, including money transmitters and the hawala system; and to gambling entities, including those that are online as well as casinos. Fines issued to various entities will be analyzed, such as the $3 billion fine imposed upon TD Bank in the fall of 2024, as well as criminal penalties that have been imposed on individuals and entities.
A review of how funds are moved, such as via the transfer of real estate, art, and jewelry, will be conducted. Some guest speakers who handle such issues on a daily basis will be brought in to provide their analysis. In this class, the perspective of law enforcement, regulators, and compliance personnel will be presented.
Cities can and do develop innovative policies to address problems and respond to residents. Recent examples include ordinances involving workers’ rights, LGBTQ rights, and environmental regulation. However, local policies are regularly overturned by state legislatures and courts. Cities are constrained by state and federal policies and laws, as well as by local voters and taxpayers.
This course explores the ways in which the dynamics of American federalism influence public policy and policymaking in U.S. cities. We will review how cities fit into the U.S. federal system and examine both city-state and city-federal relations. To better understand the real-world impact of federalism, we will focus on specific policy domains, including fiscal policy and budgeting, zoning and land use, employment, the environment, and drug addiction.
This course examines the relationship between human well-being and the natural environment through the lens of economics and policy analysis. Students will explore the causes and consequences of environmental degradation, the behaviors that drive it, and the policy tools available to address it. The course introduces a conceptual framework grounded in economics, while drawing from environmental science, ethics, political science, law, and game theory to address questions of efficiency, equity, incidence, and institutional design. The course will include externalities, public goods, common property resources, regulatory instruments, environmental justice, climate change, biodiversity, ecosystem services, and global environmental cooperation. The course emphasizes the importance of both positive and normative economics in policy analysis and encourages critical thinking about how societies identify, assess, and pursue sustainable outcomes.
This course provides a comprehensive introduction to the major global health challenges facing low- and middle-income countries and their implications for sustainable development. Organized into thematic modules, the course covers foundational topics in global health, key disease burdens such as HIV, TB, and malaria, maternal and child health, nutrition, epidemic preparedness, and the evolving role of technologies and financing in global health systems.
Instruction integrates expert guest lectures, case studies, and policy discussions to examine effective health interventions and implementation barriers. Students will critically assess global health strategies, analyze policy responses, and engage with real-world applications.
This course explores both the theory and policy of international trade. In the first half, students will learn why countries trade, what determines trade patterns, and how trade affects prices, welfare, and income distribution. Key models covered include the Ricardian, Specific Factors, and Heckscher-Ohlin models, along with extensions on migration and offshoring. In the second half, the course focuses on trade policy instruments such as tariffs, quotas, and subsidies, examining their effects under different market structures. Topics include the political economy of trade, strategic trade policy, climate and agricultural subsidies, and international trade agreements. Prior coursework in microeconomics is required. Students will develop both analytical and applied understanding of global trade issues.
This workshop-style course introduces students to the principles of social entrepreneurship and human-centered design. Working in teams, students will identify pressing social or environmental challenges, conduct stakeholder research, and develop new venture ideas through iterative prototyping, budgeting, and pitching. The course emphasizes design thinking methodologies and includes instruction in customer discovery, solution testing, and storytelling for social impact.
Through hands-on collaboration and expert feedback, students will build a viable social enterprise plan—nonprofit, for-profit, or hybrid—and present their venture to potential partners and funders. Ideal for students who want to develop an idea, contribute to a team, or explore the tools and mindset needed to launch a mission-driven venture.
This course introduces the major theoretical approaches and substantive issues in international political economy (IPE). Students will explore realist, liberal, and critical perspectives while engaging with topics such as trade, finance, monetary systems, sovereign debt, economic crises, and development. Through close examination of historical and contemporary case studies, the course considers the interplay of power, institutions, and markets in shaping global economic outcomes. Special attention is paid to the post-Bretton Woods monetary order, capital account liberalization, IMF policies, and the transition from globalization to geo-economic competition.
Enrollment in this course is restricted to students who have officially declared the IFEP concentration, as reflected in their Stellic profile. If space allows, enrollment may be extended to additional students at a later date.