Communications is key for international organizations (IOs) to achieve their mission.
They need to convey their impact to member states to receive funding, they need to contribute to raising awareness for global challenges such as climate change, and they need to respond to the spread of misinformation by communicating with the wider public. The importance of communications for the success of IOs was highlighted by United Nations Secretary-General (UN SG) António Guterres when he addressed the UN’s Security Council in its first high-level debate on this issue: “strategic communications is central to the success of all our work.” IO staff members also contribute to this success in various communications-related functions: the UN’s Department for Global Communications tells “the UN story across multiple platforms … to build support for the aims and work of the United Nations”; UNICEF has a dedicated brand office to support the organization in its fundraising; and NATO has a Public Diplomacy Division that is tasked with overall communications for its member states.
This class equips students with foundational knowledge for analysis and action to support IOs in achieving their mission through effective communications.
Achieving this requires expertise in disciplines from various areas that are not usually taught in one class—this class brings them together. The first area is that of international organizations. International organizations are driven by specific mandates, have distinct structures, and face different constraints than NGOs or for-profit companies. We examine IOs and why, where, and how they engage in communications-related activities. The second area encompasses communications-related fields, including public diplomacy, digital diplomacy, and branding and brand management. A third area relates to IO-specific communication approaches, including celebrity diplomacy, communications in peacekeeping missions, and communication for development (C4D).
By learning about these disciplines and how they relate to IOs, students will develop interdisciplinary expertise on strategic communications in IOs.
They will understand the challenges of IOs and how communication strategies may help overcome those; they will know about disciplines, concepts and principles that are part of these strategies; and they will be able to apply principles and concepts in the context of IOs.
This course will train students to become communications directors and spokespeople for government agencies, for-profit companies, or nonprofit organizations. We will provide a detailed overview of the extensive role that communications play in a given organization. The discussions and exercises in this course use current events to demonstrate how communications interact with and affect every area of business and organizational operations. The daily and weekly assignments are similar to what real communications executives do regularly. We focus on real-world examples to train you to think and react like a communications executive. The course will also invite high-level guest speakers to share their experiences and expertise in different areas of communication. Students who take this course will become familiar with how to work with the press and the nuances of media relations; how to write press releases, speeches, and executive communications; the importance of internal communications and corporate culture in employee acquisition and retention; media training; developing strategic public relations plans for internal and external communications; and how to develop crisis communications strategies. Prior public relations courses and experience are not required; however, exceptional English writing and grammar skills are strongly recommended for students to succeed in this class. Hagar Chemali runs a next-generation news media brand and hosts its weekly world news show on YouTube called Oh My World! She has also advised a range of clients on strategic communications. She worked in the U.S. government for over 12 years in different senior public affairs and policy-making positions in national security.
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 SIPA: Management. SIPA: Electives.
Prerequisites: Instructor-Managed Waitlist & Course Application.
This introductory course for second-year SIPA students covers the fundamentals of persuasive speechwriting for politics, business, and advocacy organizations.
While theory is covered in the first class, emphasis is placed on building practical skills throughout the semester’s remaining six classes. Students will be expected to draft, edit, and deliver their own speeches throughout the semester. Along the way, they’ll develop the research, writing, and editing skills to shape and articulate a compelling message, while collecting techniques to meet deadlines and overcome the dreaded “writer’s block.”
This course addresses practical topics including: Why do some speeches persuade, while others fall flat? How does a writer effectively capture the voice of the person they’re writing for? How are speeches tailored for specific audiences, venues, and occasions? Are there ethical responsibilities when writing speeches that can confirm, change, or create mass behavior? As AI tools become increasingly sophisticated, how should a speechwriter approach questions of sourcing, fact-checking, and fundamentally human aspects of writing such as humor and creativity?
By the end of the semester, students will have three full speeches to use as writing samples.
The course is taught by speechwriter, political strategist, and New York Times bestselling author Lauren Peterson. Lauren spent several years working as a speechwriter to Hillary Clinton, including on her 2016 presidential campaign, and helped the former Secretary of State launch and produce her award-winning podcast, You and Me Both. Previously, she worked as a senior advisor and writer at Planned Parenthood Federation of America, and as a senior writer on President Obama’s 2012 re-election campaign. While Lauren is a fierce believer in the ability of speeches to shape public discourse and move listeners to action, she feels just as strongly that digital tools are essential to reaching audiences in the modern era of communications. A graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Lauren has written about figure skating for The Washington Post, parenthood for Romper, and LGBTQ conception for The Bump. She has appeared on MSNBC and been featured in Cosmopolitan, Teen Vogue, and Fusion’s “30 Women Who Will Change the 2016 Election.&rdqu
The overall goal of this course is to improve the writing skills of international students in the MIA and MPA degree programs. The course requirements will include weekly short exercises (definitions of key terms and abstract concepts, summaries of statistical data, summaries and critiques of seminal concepts and theories, and descriptions of processes and procedures) and longer assignments (an argumentative essay, case study and short research paper). Students will also learn to revise and edit their work as well as to integrate sophisticated rhetorical and syntactic structures. To improve the accuracy and clarity of their writing, the course will review the aspects of grammar that pose particular problems for international students.
Prerequisite Course: SIPAU6500 - Quantitative Analysis I.
In recent years, despite enhanced awareness about the magnitude and multifaceted nature of gender inequalities on the one hand, and the promises of the ‘Data Revolution’ on the other hand, critical gaps remain in both data availability and usage to both fully capture the underlying dynamics, drivers and outcomes of gender inequalities, and to promote gender equality. The goal of this course is to train advanced students on the historical and latest discussions, opportunities, challenges, requirements and limitations of leveraging various types of data to fill ‘gender data gaps’ and promote gender equality. It is designed as an intermediate-level course on the issue that touches on its historical, sociopolitical, cultural and economic dimensions, as well as technical and analytical aspects related to data access, reliability, and the political economy and ethics of collecting, analyzing and using data for social change. It fundamentally seeks to ask and partially address the question of whether and how data, including ‘traditional’ data (such as official statistic and quantitively and qualitative survey data) and non-traditional data (such as social media and online data, telecom operators’ data, satellite imagery) can be leveraged concretely to pursue greater gender equality through analysis, advocacy and policy. It will also discuss risks associated with data collection and analysis and digital technologies more broadly including those related to privacy and safety, biases, harassment, and discrimination. In doing so, it will zoom in on a few sensitive themes, including sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), child marriage and female genital mutilation (FGM), as well as socioeconomic and political empowerment and inclusion, especially although not exclusively in countries and regions of the “Global South” (or “Global Majority”). The curriculum will combine lectures, group discussions, hands-on tutorials, and a group project.
Provides students the opportunity to present work in progress or final drafts to other students and relevant faculty to receive guidance and feedback.
MRST Directed Readings, Independent study. Students should meet with the Program Director and Program Manager before registering for this course.
MRST Directed Readings: Independent study. Students should meet with the Program Director and Program Manager before registering for this course.
MRST Directed Readings: Independent study. Students should meet with the Program Director and Program Manager before registering for this course.
Selected topics in computer science (advanced level). Content and prerequisites vary between sections and semesters. May be repeated for credit. Check “topics course” webpage on the department website for more information on each section.
Selected topics in computer science (advanced level). Content and prerequisites vary between sections and semesters. May be repeated for credit. Check “topics course” webpage on the department website for more information on each section.
Selected topics in computer science (advanced level). Content and prerequisites vary between sections and semesters. May be repeated for credit. Check “topics course” webpage on the department website for more information on each section.
Selected topics in computer science (advanced level). Content and prerequisites vary between sections and semesters. May be repeated for credit. Check “topics course” webpage on the department website for more information on each section.
Selected topics in computer science (advanced level). Content and prerequisites vary between sections and semesters. May be repeated for credit. Check “topics course” webpage on the department website for more information on each section.
Selected topics in computer science (advanced level). Content and prerequisites vary between sections and semesters. May be repeated for credit. Check “topics course” webpage on the department website for more information on each section.
Selected topics in computer science (advanced level). Content and prerequisites vary between sections and semesters. May be repeated for credit. Check “topics course” webpage on the department website for more information on each section.
Selected topics in computer science (advanced level). Content and prerequisites vary between sections and semesters. May be repeated for credit. Check “topics course” webpage on the department website for more information on each section.
Selected topics in computer science (advanced level). Content and prerequisites vary between sections and semesters. May be repeated for credit. Check “topics course” webpage on the department website for more information on each section.
Selected topics in computer science (advanced level). Content and prerequisites vary between sections and semesters. May be repeated for credit. Check “topics course” webpage on the department website for more information on each section.
Selected topics in computer science (advanced level). Content and prerequisites vary between sections and semesters. May be repeated for credit. Check “topics course” webpage on the department website for more information on each section.
Selected topics in computer science (advanced level). Content and prerequisites vary between sections and semesters. May be repeated for credit. Check “topics course” webpage on the department website for more information on each section.
Selected topics in computer science (advanced level). Content and prerequisites vary between sections and semesters. May be repeated for credit. Check “topics course” webpage on the department website for more information on each section.
Selected topics in computer science (advanced level). Content and prerequisites vary between sections and semesters. May be repeated for credit. Check “topics course” webpage on the department website for more information on each section.
Selected topics in computer science (advanced level). Content and prerequisites vary between sections and semesters. May be repeated for credit. Check “topics course” webpage on the department website for more information on each section.
Selected topics in computer science (advanced level). Content and prerequisites vary between sections and semesters. May be repeated for credit. Check “topics course” webpage on the department website for more information on each section.
Selected topics in computer science (advanced level). Content and prerequisites vary between sections and semesters. May be repeated for credit. Check “topics course” webpage on the department website for more information on each section.
Selected topics in computer science (advanced level). Content and prerequisites vary between sections and semesters. May be repeated for credit. Check “topics course” webpage on the department website for more information on each section.
Selected topics in computer science (advanced level). Content and prerequisites vary between sections and semesters. May be repeated for credit. Check “topics course” webpage on the department website for more information on each section.
Selected topics in computer science (advanced level). Content and prerequisites vary between sections and semesters. May be repeated for credit. Check “topics course” webpage on the department website for more information on each section.
ENGL 6998 GR is a twin listings of an undergraduate English lecture provided to graduate students for graduate credit. If a graduate student enrolls, she/he/they attends the same class as the undergraduate students (unless otherwise directed by the instructor). Each instructor determines additional work for graduate students to complete in order to receive graduate credit for the course. Please refer to the notes section in SSOL for the corresponding (twin) undergraduate 1000 or 2000 level course and follow that course's meeting day & time and assigned classroom. Instructor permission is required to join.
ENGL 6998 GR is a twin listings of an undergraduate English lecture provided to graduate students for graduate credit. If a graduate student enrolls, she/he/they attends the same class as the undergraduate students (unless otherwise directed by the instructor). Each instructor determines additional work for graduate students to complete in order to receive graduate credit for the course. Please refer to the notes section in SSOL for the corresponding (twin) undergraduate 1000 or 2000 level course and follow that course's meeting day & time and assigned classroom. Instructor permission is required to join.
ENGL 6998 GR is a twin listings of an undergraduate English lecture provided to graduate students for graduate credit. If a graduate student enrolls, she/he/they attends the same class as the undergraduate students (unless otherwise directed by the instructor). Each instructor determines additional work for graduate students to complete in order to receive graduate credit for the course. Please refer to the notes section in SSOL for the corresponding (twin) undergraduate 1000 or 2000 level course and follow that course's meeting day & time and assigned classroom. Instructor permission is required to join.
ENGL 6998 GR is a twin listings of an undergraduate English lecture provided to graduate students for graduate credit. If a graduate student enrolls, she/he/they attends the same class as the undergraduate students (unless otherwise directed by the instructor). Each instructor determines additional work for graduate students to complete in order to receive graduate credit for the course. Please refer to the notes section in SSOL for the corresponding (twin) undergraduate 1000 or 2000 level course and follow that course's meeting day & time and assigned classroom. Instructor permission is required to join.
ENGL 6998 GR is a twin listings of an undergraduate English lecture provided to graduate students for graduate credit. If a graduate student enrolls, she/he/they attends the same class as the undergraduate students (unless otherwise directed by the instructor). Each instructor determines additional work for graduate students to complete in order to receive graduate credit for the course. Please refer to the notes section in SSOL for the corresponding (twin) undergraduate 1000 or 2000 level course and follow that course's meeting day & time and assigned classroom. Instructor permission is required to join.
ENGL 6998 GR is a twin listings of an undergraduate English lecture provided to graduate students for graduate credit. If a graduate student enrolls, she/he/they attends the same class as the undergraduate students (unless otherwise directed by the instructor). Each instructor determines additional work for graduate students to complete in order to receive graduate credit for the course. Please refer to the notes section in SSOL for the corresponding (twin) undergraduate 1000 or 2000 level course and follow that course's meeting day & time and assigned classroom. Instructor permission is required to join.
ENGL 6998 GR is a twin listings of an undergraduate English lecture provided to graduate students for graduate credit. If a graduate student enrolls, she/he/they attends the same class as the undergraduate students (unless otherwise directed by the instructor). Each instructor determines additional work for graduate students to complete in order to receive graduate credit for the course. Please refer to the notes section in SSOL for the corresponding (twin) undergraduate 1000 or 2000 level course and follow that course's meeting day & time and assigned classroom. Instructor permission is required to join.
ENGL 6998 GR is a twin listings of an undergraduate English lecture provided to graduate students for graduate credit. If a graduate student enrolls, she/he/they attends the same class as the undergraduate students (unless otherwise directed by the instructor). Each instructor determines additional work for graduate students to complete in order to receive graduate credit for the course. Please refer to the notes section in SSOL for the corresponding (twin) undergraduate 1000 or 2000 level course and follow that course's meeting day & time and assigned classroom. Instructor permission is required to join.
HIST 6998 GR is a twin listings of an undergraduate History lecture provided to graduate students for graduate credit. If a graduate student enrolls, she/he/they attends the same class as the undergraduate students (unless otherwise directed by the instructor). Each instructor determines additional work for graduate students to complete in order to receive graduate credit for the course. Please refer to the notes section in SSOL for the corresponding (twin) undergraduate 1000 or 2000 level course and follow that course's meeting day & time and assigned classroom. Instructor permission is required to join.
HIST 6998 GR is a twin listings of an undergraduate History lecture provided to graduate students for graduate credit. If a graduate student enrolls, she/he/they attends the same class as the undergraduate students (unless otherwise directed by the instructor). Each instructor determines additional work for graduate students to complete in order to receive graduate credit for the course. Please refer to the notes section in SSOL for the corresponding (twin) undergraduate 1000 or 2000 level course and follow that course's meeting day & time and assigned classroom. Instructor permission is required to join.
HIST 6998 GR is a twin listings of an undergraduate History lecture provided to graduate students for graduate credit. If a graduate student enrolls, she/he/they attends the same class as the undergraduate students (unless otherwise directed by the instructor). Each instructor determines additional work for graduate students to complete in order to receive graduate credit for the course. Please refer to the notes section in SSOL for the corresponding (twin) undergraduate 1000 or 2000 level course and follow that course's meeting day & time and assigned classroom. Instructor permission is required to join.
First part of two-term MA Thesis sequence for MRST MA Students.
M.A. Thesis Course for MARS-REERS program.
May be repeated for credit, but no more than 3 total points may be used for degree credit. Only for electrical engineering and computer engineering graduate students who include relevant off-campus work experience as part of their approved program of study. Final report required. May not be taken for pass/fail credit or audited.