MPA-DP - Getting Started

Before the SIPA orientation, MPA-DP students participate in a week-long intensive program called Getting Started. The program introduces students to the MPA-DP program, including skills and resources that lay the foundation for a successful graduate learning experience.

• Instructor: Shiv Someshwar
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• 0 points

Sustainable Development Policy and Pract

This required overview course for MPA-DP students examines the evolving concept of sustainable development and its implications for policy and practice. Drawing from social, economic, political, and environmental frameworks, the course explores the tensions and synergies inherent in achieving economic prosperity, social inclusion, and environmental sustainability.

Students will engage with current global milestones such as the 2030 Agenda, the Paris Climate Agreement, and the forthcoming Pact for the Future, while also reflecting on the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on inequality and development trajectories. The course provides both foundational theory and applied perspectives, with particular attention to transformational ideas and real-world challenges facing sustainable development today.

In the latter part of the semester, development practitioners introduce case studies from specific countries and regions to highlight practical applications. Through lectures, discussions, guest speakers, and debates, students will build analytical and communication skills essential for professional work in sustainable development.

• Instructor: Shiv Someshwar
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• 3 points

Emerging Tech for Impact

Unlike typical “Ethical AI” or “Technology for Development” courses that debate whether technologies are good or bad or focus on isolated deployments, this course is designed for non-technical students who want to truly understand both the technologies themselves and the environments they operate in for current and future applications. It offers an accessible introduction to the core technology concepts behind emerging digital tools like AI, Generative AI, Blockchain, and IoT alongside a deep dive into what history and case studies reveal about the enabling environment required for these tools to succeed: infrastructure, policy, funding, localization, and more. It equips students with the foundational understanding and critical lens to ask better questions, increase their digital literacy, recognize patterns, and contribute to sustainable development. Through this course, students will be able to understand what readiness might look like and discover the role they can play in shaping a future where tech serves humanity more effectively. This course is designed for individuals without a technical background who want to engage productively with the growing world of digital technologies for social and environmental impact. Whether you're considering a career shift, seeking to better understand emerging tools like AI, Generative AI, Blockchain, and IoT, or looking to contribute more effectively within your current role, this course will help you build both the technical foundations and the critical insight to do so. It is especially valuable for those who are curious about how these technologies can support sustainable development and who want to explore what it takes to make real impact possible.

• Instructor: Mariela J Machado
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• 3 points

Global Health and Public Policy

Global Health & Public Po

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.

• 3 points

Development Practitioner s Lab (DP-Lab

DP-Lab II

DP-Lab II builds on the foundations of the Development Practitioner’s Lab I and equips students with practical skills for effective and inclusive organizational leadership and management. Drawing on students’ summer field experiences, the course introduces core competencies in three interconnected units: strategy development, systems management, and leadership. The course emphasizes systems thinking, real-world application, and iterative learning.

Through applied assignments, students will act as strategy advisors for real or simulated organizations, developing mission-driven recommendations grounded in organizational analysis, management design, and leadership frameworks.

• Instructor: Samantha M McCann
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• 3 points

MPA-DP: Field Study

Field Study (1.5 credits)

This course supports the required field placement for MPA-DP students, providing academic credit for the application of classroom learning to professional practice in a development setting. Students must register for a total of 3 credits across one or two semesters, selecting from six registration options that accommodate varying academic schedules and visa requirements.

Registration Options:


3 credits in the Spring semester*

1.5 credits in the Spring and 1.5 credits in the Fall*

3 credits in the Fall semester

3 credits in the Spring semester

1.5 credits in the Fall and 1.5 credits in the Spring

1.5 credits in the Spring and 1.5 credits in the Spring


*International students on F-1 visas conducting their summer field placement in the U.S. and securing Curricular Practical Training (CPT) must select one of the two asterisked options to remain in compliance with immigration regulations. All six options are available to J-1 students using Academic Training (AT).

The course requires submission of a placement proposal, faculty oversight, and post-placement deliverables.

• 1.5 points

MPA-DP: Field Study

Field Study (3 credits)

This course supports the required field placement for MPA-DP students, providing academic credit for the application of classroom learning to professional practice in a development setting. Students must register for a total of 3 credits across one or two semesters, selecting from six registration options that accommodate varying academic schedules and visa requirements.

Registration Options:


3 credits in the Spring semester*

1.5 credits in the Spring and 1.5 credits in the Fall*

3 credits in the Fall semester

3 credits in the Spring semester

1.5 credits in the Fall and 1.5 credits in the Spring

1.5 credits in the Spring and 1.5 credits in the Spring


*International students on F-1 visas conducting their summer field placement in the U.S. and securing Curricular Practical Training (CPT) must select one of the two asterisked options to remain in compliance with immigration regulations. All six options are available to J-1 students using Academic Training (AT).

The course requires submission of a placement proposal, faculty oversight, and post-placement deliverables.

• 3 points