URBAN PLANNING STUDIO

• Department: Architecture, Planning and Preservation
• F 1 p.m.-5 p.m.
• 6 points

EMERGING OPTIMISM: RESOURCES + THE FOURT

RESOURCES + 4TH IND REVOL

• Department: Architecture, Planning and Preservation
• M 9 a.m.-11 a.m.
• Instructor: Sean A Gallagher
  Info
• 3 points

TRANSNATIONAL LITIGATION

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

Queer Theory

Recent scholarship in queer theory speaks of “bad education” and “ugly feelings,” “beautiful experiments” and “poor queer studies.” In this survey of mostly recent queer theoretical work we will read a range of texts that debate the use, the abuse and the uselessness of queer theory in an era of anti-intellectual policies aimed at both critical race theory and gender and sexuality studies. While Lee Edelman, in
Bad Education
, insists that queer theory has nothing to teach us, Paul Preciado in
Dysphoria Mundi
proposes that the whole world is ailing from a shared dysphoria. Meanwhile, at the intersections of Afro-Pessimism and queer theory, Calvin Warren proposes that to speak of Black trans identities is impossible given the negative ontologies that pertain to Black personhood. Working through oppositions between optimism and pessimism, utopia and dystopia, good and bad feelings, beauty and ugliness, we will ask: What constitutes the ethical in queer theory and how does queer theory approach the good, the bad and the beautiful? At stake here are questions about aesthetic experimentation and politics and unpredictable links between beauty and power, alternative subjects and domination, and bodies and language.

• Department: English and Comparative Literature
• T 2:10 p.m.-4 p.m.
• Instructor: Jack Halberstam
  Wikipedia Info
• 4 points

THESIS II/CAPSTONE II

• Department: Architecture, Planning and Preservation
• Instructor: Tom Slater
  Info
• 3 points

ADVANCED RESEARCH II

• Department: Architecture, Planning and Preservation
• Instructor: Weiping Wu
  Wikipedia h-index: 27 Info
• 2-3 points

UCL Exchange FT Reg

• Department: Architecture, Planning and Preservation
• Instructor: Danielle S Smoller
  Info
• 15 points

PERSPECTVS ON ECONOMIC STUDIES

Prerequisites: ECON G6412, ECON G6411, ECON G6215, ECON G6211. Corequisites: ECON G6212, ECON G6216, ECON G6412. This course will critically examine mainstream approaches to economic theory and practice, particularly in the areas of macroeconomic stabilization policy, poverty reduction, economic development, environmental sustainability, and racial and gender inequality. Topics will vary from year to year, but may include responses to the credit crisis and Great Recession, global warming and international negotiations, globalization, the measurement of poverty and inequality, different approaches to poverty reduction, AIDS and malaria, mass imprisonment, childrens wellbeing, the IMF and the World Bank, intellectual property in an international context, racial disparities in life expectancy, public pension systems in developed countries, health care, and homelessness. The course will also examine biases in economic discourse, both among policy makers and scholars.

• Department: Economics
• TR 1:10 p.m.-3 p.m.
• 4 points

QUANTITATIVE METHODS

• Department: Architecture, Planning and Preservation
• M 3 p.m.-5 p.m.
• 3 points

ARCHITECTURES OF DISPLAY

• Department: Architecture, Planning and Preservation
• 3 points

OLD BUILDINGS, NEW ENERGY: HISTORY AND C

OLD BLDGS, NEW ENERGY

• Department: Architecture, Planning and Preservation
• W 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
• Instructor: Francoise A Bollack
  Wikipedia Info
• 1.5 points

CITIES AT RISK: CLIMATE ADAPTATION IN A

CLIM ADAPTN IN GLOBAL CON

• Department: Architecture, Planning and Preservation
• T 3 p.m.-5 p.m.
• Instructor: Hugo Sarmiento
  Info
• 3 points

DESIGNING SPACES FOR CHILDREN

• Department: Architecture, Planning and Preservation
• T 9 a.m.-11 a.m.
• Instructor: Anna Knoell
  Info
• 3 points

RAW MATERIAL LIBRARIES AND CATALOGUING T

• Department: Architecture, Planning and Preservation
• W 9 a.m.-11 a.m.
• Instructor: Lola Ben-Alon
  h-index: 5 Info
• 3 points

AGROECOLOGICAL URBANISMS

• Department: Architecture, Planning and Preservation
• R 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
• 3 points

SPATIAL AI

• Department: Architecture, Planning and Preservation
• W 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
• Instructor: William Martin
  Info
• 3 points

ADV V STUDIO CLINIC

• Department: Architecture, Planning and Preservation
• R 1:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m.
• Instructor: Galia Solomonoff
  Wikipedia Info
• 3 points

Waves on Different Shores: France, Japan

In the early 1960s, a number of new film movements in national cinemas around the world. Inevitably called “new waves” or “new cinemas,” these movements, usually made up of young filmmakers, would challenge both the cinematic industrial structures in each of their respective nations, as well propose often radically different approaches to filmmaking and to cinematic storytelling. This course will explore three important examples of this development—the French New Wave, the Japanese New Wave and the Brazilian Cinema Novo—and detail both the commonalities among these movements (aesthetic, social, political) as well those factors which made each unique. A special concern will be the relationship of the “new waves” to simultaneous radical experiments in visual arts, theater, literature and music. The course will begin with a consideration of Roberto Rossellini’s VOYAGE TO ITALY, a watershed work between Neorealism and subsequent cinematic modernism, and will conclude with Andrei Tarkovsky’s MIRROR, described by Andras Balint Kóvacs as “the last modernist film.”

• Department: Film
• Instructor: Richard A Pena
  CULPA: 16 Info
• 3 points

LE CORBUSIER BEYOND EUROPE

• Department: Architecture, Planning and Preservation
• W 4 p.m.-6 p.m.
• Instructor: Mary C McLeod
  Info
• 3 points

PLANS AND SOVIETS: ARCHITECTURE'S HISTOR

ARCH HISTORIES IN EURASIA

• Department: Architecture, Planning and Preservation
• R 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
• 3 points

BUSINESS OF PRESERVATION

• Department: Architecture, Planning and Preservation
• 1.5 points

CLASSICISMS

• Department: Architecture, Planning and Preservation
• T 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
• Instructor: Reinhold Martin
  Wikipedia Info
• 3 points

AESTHETICS OF TRANSGRESSION

• Department: Architecture, Planning and Preservation
• R 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
• Instructor: Mark Wasiuta
  CULPA: 1 Info
• 3 points

TERRITORIAL EMPATHY

• Department: Architecture, Planning and Preservation
• M 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
• 3 points

Advanced Topics in Natural Language Proc

LLM INTERP AND ALIGNMENT

Selected topics in Natural Language Processing (advanced level). Content and prerequisites vary between sections and semesters. May be repeated for credit. Check the "topics courses" webpage on the department website for more information on each section.

• Department: Computer Science
• F 12:10 p.m.-2 p.m.
• Instructor: John Hewitt
  Info
• 3 points

MATERIAL DIETS AND THERMAL PERFORMANCE

• Department: Architecture, Planning and Preservation
• R 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
• 3 points

MONUMENT, TESTIMONY, PROTEST

• Department: Architecture, Planning and Preservation
• TR 9 a.m.-11 a.m.
• Instructor: Krzysztof Wodiczko
  Info
• 3 points

PRESERVATION AND SUSTAINABILITY

PRESERVATION & SUSTAINABI

• Department: Architecture, Planning and Preservation
• R 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
• Instructor: Erica C Avrami
  Info
• 3 points

M.A. THESIS RESEARCH

Provides students the opportunity to present work in progress or final drafts to other students and relevant faculty to receive guidance and feedback.

• Department: East Asian Languages and Cultures
• Instructor: Allison E Bernard
  CULPA: 1 Info
• 2 points

HUMAN RIGHTS RESEARCH SEM

HUMAN RIGHTS GRAD RES SEMINAR

• Department: Institute for Study of Human Rights
• R 10:10 a.m.-noon
• Instructor: Shourideh Molavi
  Info
• 3 points

DIRECTED INDIVIDUAL READINGS

MRST Directed Readings, Independent study. Students should meet with the Program Director and Program Manager before registering for this course.

• Department: Medieval and Renaissance Studies
• Instructor: Susan Boynton
  CULPA: 18 Info
• 4 points

M.A. THESIS WRITING

• Department: East Asian Languages and Cultures
• Instructor: Allison E Bernard
  CULPA: 1 Info
• 2 points

TOPICS IN COMPUTER SCIENCE

TPCS GEOMETRY PROCESSING

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.

• Department: Computer Science
• M 4:10 p.m.-6 p.m.
• Instructor: Silvia Sellan
  Info
• 3 points

TOPICS IN COMPUTER SCIENCE

TPCS SCALABLE MATRIX COMP

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.

• Department: Computer Science
• F 12:10 p.m.-2 p.m.
• 3 points

TOPICS IN COMPUTER SCIENCE

HIGH PERF MACH LEARNING

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.

• Department: Computer Science
• M 7 p.m.-9:30 p.m.
• Instructor: Kaoutar El Maghraoui
  Info
• 3 points

TOPICS IN COMPUTER SCIENCE

APPL MACHINE LEARN CLOUD

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.

• Department: Computer Science
• R 4:10 p.m.-6:40 p.m.
• 3 points

TOPICS IN COMPUTER SCIENCE

FINE GRAINED COMPLEXITY

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.

• Department: Computer Science
• T 2:10 p.m.-4 p.m.
• Instructor: Josh Alman
  Info
• 3 points

TOPICS IN COMPUTER SCIENCE

QUANTUM ERROR CORRECTION

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.

• Department: Computer Science
• F 10:10 a.m.-noon
• Instructor: Henry Yuen
  CULPA: 1 Info
• 3 points

TOPICS IN COMPUTER SCIENCE

READINGS COMP ARCH

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.

• Department: Computer Science
• F 10:10 a.m.-noon
• Instructor: Martha A Kim
  CULPA: 40 Info
• 3 points

TOPICS IN COMPUTER SCIENCE

DEEP LEARNING ROBOT MANIP

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.

• Department: Computer Science
• F 10:10 a.m.-noon
• Instructor: Yunzhu Li
  Info
• 3 points

TOPICS IN COMPUTER SCIENCE

COMMUNICATION COMPLEXITY APPS

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.

• Department: Computer Science
• W 1:10 p.m.-3:55 p.m.
• Instructor: Toniann Pitassi
  Wikipedia Info
• 3 points

TOPICS IN COMPUTER SCIENCE

ROBUST CONTROLLABLE ML

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.

• Department: Computer Science
• W 2:10 p.m.-4 p.m.
• Instructor: Richard Zemel
  Wikipedia Info
• 3 points

Graduate Lecture

VICTORIAN POETRY

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.

• Department: English and Comparative Literature
• MW 2:40 p.m.-3:55 p.m.
• Instructor: Erik Gray
  CULPA: 35 Info
• 3 points

Graduate Lecture

AMERICAN MODERNISM

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.

• Department: English and Comparative Literature
• TR 1:10 p.m.-2:25 p.m.
• Instructor: Ross Posnock
  CULPA: 14 Info
• 3 points

MA Thesis I

First part of two-term MA Thesis sequence for MRST MA Students.

• Department: Medieval and Renaissance Studies
• Instructor: Susan Boynton
  CULPA: 18 Info
• 4 points

THESIS RESEARCH-GRADUATE

• Department: African American and African Diaspora
• Instructor: Brandi Summers
  Info
• 4 points

MA THESIS II

Second part of two-term MA Thesis sequence for MRST MA Students.

• Department: Medieval and Renaissance Studies
• Instructor: Susan Boynton
  CULPA: 18 Info
• 4 points

PROFESSIONAL PRESENTATION

• Department: Engineering
• F 1 p.m.-2:40 p.m.
• Instructor: Hyoseon Lee
  Info
• 0 points

Political Development

This course examines the evolution of institutions, social structures, and civic values that shape systems of power in non-Western societies. It explores how political development arises through both long-term transformations, such as colonialism, globalization, and demographic change, and sudden events including conflict, economic crises, and natural disasters. Students will consider key themes such as state formation, democratization, governance, state fragility, identity, and the politics of security. The course draws on historical and social science perspectives to analyze development as both a process of transformation and an area of international policy shaped by global actors. Participants will engage critically with major debates, build familiarity with core theories and concepts, and explore emerging issues such as hybrid political orders and environmental politics.

• Department: Development and Governance
• Instructor: Olivier Nay
  Info
• 3 points

Advanced Physiology and Pathophysiology

ADV PHYS & PATHO II

This course is the second of two sequential courses that provide an in-depth exploration of human physiology and pathophysiology, with an emphasis on the relationship between health and the alterations leading to disease. Students will focus on the etiology, pathogenic mechanisms, clinical features, and therapeutic interventions of commonly occurring diseases manifesting in specific physiologic processes or organ systems.

• Department: Nursing
• T 2 p.m.-4:50 p.m.
• Instructor: Sally W Aboelela
  CULPA: 5 Info
• 2 points

Policy Solutions for Online Mis/Disinfor

Policy Solutions-Online I

While 2016 may have been the wake-up call, it is clear that what scholar Joan Donovan calls “the weaponization of the misinformation machine” has only gotten worse since then. The political, social, and psychological damage caused by the intensive dissemination of online mis/disinformation has been profound. However, much has been learned about how to address the problem, so we will emphasize understanding the role of Big Tech in circulating and profiting from online mis/disinformation and what policies/regulations are in play. This semeste,r we are paying particular attention to the aftermath of the 2024 election landscape and the  strange post-truth  environment we find  ourselves  in.  

The first part of this course will focus on understanding mis/disinformation online. What exactly is it? Why should we care? What are the implications for Democracy? Who is the cast of characters creating mis/disinformation online? After we’ve understood  these topics we will examine  the fixes being proposed and tried globally. We will consider both the demand and supply side of the problem  and  national context shapes the solutions  being tried. We will look  at the pros  and   cons  of efforts  to  promote responsible news consumption, enhance media literacy, fact-checking, and new regulations. Along the way, we will also discuss content moderation, platform liability, disclosure requirements for election advertising, and support for journalism.  

 Students who take this class will develop an understanding of:  


The problem of online misinformation and disinformation— who is putting it online and what are their interests?  

Familiarity with the universe of solutions that are being tried and the pros and cons of each approach

• Department: Tech Policy and Innovation
• W 10 a.m.-11:50 a.m.
• 3 points

Health Promotion and Disease Prevention

HLTH PROMOTION/DISEASE PR

This course is designed to provide the student with a systematic approach to the delivery of health promotion and disease prevention in primary health care to individuals, families, communities, and aggregate populations.

• Department: Nursing
• T 4 p.m.-6 p.m.
• Instructor: Lisa Iannacci-Manasia
  Info
• 3 points

Internet Governance and Human Rights

Internet Governance & Rig

Whoever controls the future of the internet controls the future of the world. This course explores the institutions, stakeholder groups, and policy debates that shape how the internet is built, maintained, and governed. It examines the internet’s technical roots and the people and entities—telecom companies and their regulators, technologists and idealists, security forces and hackers—who shape its evolution today.

Students will study the basic workings of internet and mobile networks, the national and global forums where internet policy is made, and how digital regulation affects people, rights, cultures, and economies. Class sessions combine lectures, group discussions, guest speakers, and hands-on simulations to explore real-world tensions between national sovereignty and borderless cyberspace, corporate responsibility and civil liberties, and differing digital norms across regions.

The international human rights framework is presented as a foundation for policymaking in the digital age. Course topics include intermediary liability, domain name systems, surveillance, privacy, net neutrality, AI, disinformation, digital identity, and internet shutdowns. Students will write a reflection paper, a midterm policy memo, and a final policy brief, and participate in a group-led in-class “Event” designed to bring readings to life through role play and stakeholder engagement. Participation is essential.

• Department: Tech Policy and Innovation
• Instructor: Peter Micek
  Info
• 3 points

Persistent Problems in the Global South

Global South Challenges

This course explores persistent policy and governance challenges in the Global South through a comparative lens. Drawing on case studies and empirical research, it examines the politics of poverty, hunger, inequality, corruption, social unrest, and institutional reform. Students will analyze how historical legacies, resource constraints, and diverse political systems shape development outcomes. The course emphasizes critical evaluation of competing theories, the use of the comparative method, and the application of policy analysis skills. Students will develop proficiency in interpreting and presenting evidence-based policy arguments and deepen their understanding of strategies to address entrenched global development challenges.

• Department: Development and Governance
• Instructor: Rumela Sen
  CULPA: 1 Info
• 3 points

Digital Content Provenance: Path to Tran

This course explores one of the most promising responses to the risks posed by Generative AI: digital content provenance. As AI-generated media grows more sophisticated and accessible, questions of transparency and authenticity have become central to the global informational ecosystem. Digital content provenance—an emerging open standard supported by thousands of organizations and recognized in recent policy actions such as the White House Executive Order on AI—offers a potential path to restoring trust in what we see and hear online.

Students will examine the technical foundations of provenance, including concepts such as public key infrastructure (PKI) and certificate authorities, and learn how provenance is being implemented across sectors including government, media, and technology. The course features guest speakers from industry and public service, providing insight into the policy, legal, and operational dimensions of this fast-evolving field.

Through research, writing, and the creation of an original provenance-enabled project, students will develop a strong understanding of how digital content provenance works and its relevance to future regulatory frameworks. This course is designed for those interested in the intersection of AI, digital media, global policy, and emerging technology standards.

• Department: Tech Policy and Innovation
• Instructor: Mounir E Ibrahim
  Info
• 1.5 points

Principles & Practice of Online Trust &

Online Trust & Safety

What rules and expectations should online platforms such as Google, Meta, X, OpenAI, TikTok, or Uber use to govern themselves? How do technology companies mitigate socio-technical harms stemming from their products? And how should they respond to evolving geopolitical conflicts playing out on their services? This course introduces the emerging field of Trust & Safety: the study of how online platforms are abused and how these systems can cause individual and societal harms, as well as the frameworks and tools used to prevent and mitigate those harms.

Still relatively obscure but increasingly central to public policy and technology governance, Trust & Safety now spans issues including content moderation, disinformation, child safety, algorithmic harm, and state-sponsored influence operations. Students will build foundational knowledge of the field through academic texts, practitioner case studies, and engagement with tools, taxonomies, and governance approaches used in industry. Course topics include detection systems, enforcement methods, moderation tradeoffs, transparency frameworks, red teaming, and regulatory perspectives such as the EU Digital Services Act. Case studies will examine harms across the technological stack, from social media to video games, dating apps, and AI models.

Students will also engage directly with the tensions and practicalities of operating, regulating, or covering these issues in a policy or product environment. The course prepares students to critically evaluate and help shape interventions aimed at digital safety across sectors.

• Department: Tech Policy and Innovation
• Instructor: Camille M Francois
  Info
• 3 points

INDEPENDENT STUDY

• Department: Engineering
• F 3 p.m.-4:40 p.m.
• Instructor: Hyoseon Lee
  Info
• 0 points

Artificial Intelligence: A Survey for Po

AI for Policymakers

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning have emerged as increasingly ubiquitous technologies in a wide range of areas, such as finance, healthcare, workforce management, and advertising, in addition to several domains in the public sector, including but not limited to criminal justice and law enforcement. In the past several years, ethical questions about how and whether to use AI for particular tasks have become much more prominent, partly due to its widespread use and partly due to publicly documented failures or shortcomings of a number of systems that can negatively impact people in sometimes serious ways.

This course will provide a broad overview of practical, ethical, and governance questions related to AI — such as those related to privacy, cybersecurity, fairness, transparency, and more — with a view towards policymaking. Policymaking will be interpreted broadly, including both the public and private sectors. The course will include a survey of how machine learning works so as to ground the discussion, as well as a wide range of concrete, real-world examples and case studies.

The instructor served as the first Director of AI for New York City and will also draw on this experience, which included collaborations with a number of other city governments internationally. The course will also include several guest speakers who directly engage with significant AI or AI policy projects in various areas.

• Department: Tech Policy and Innovation
• Instructor: Neal P Parikh
  Info
• 3 points

Ethics of Media, Technology, and Design

Ethics-Media, Tech, and D

Each week we will examine a variety of case studies covering topics such as: the ethics of information design, algorithmic bias, deceptive user experience patterns, social media and commodification, safe spaces in virtual environments, the development of autonomous systems and smart cities, the relationships between artificial intelligence and copyright, democracy and media, and media activism and community organizing. Throughout the semester, students will select three ethical problems to research, including two case studies and one essay/ opinion piece. Using primary sources, photo, video, and graphics, students will capture pressing ethical issues. They will learn to navigate frameworks for ethical decision making, ethical management systems, and develop “codes” of ethics, and value statements. Students will also have the opportunity to engage in hands-on “ethical” user experience research during class exercises where they test websites, apps, and products. Finally, guests will be invited to the course to share their experience with developing ethical frameworks as media, design, and technology professionals.

• Department: Tech Policy and Innovation
• Instructor: Laura S Scherling
  Info
• 3 points

Topics in Financial Inclusion: Enhancing

Financial Inclusion Topic

This course provides an applied introduction to financial inclusion, focusing on how financial services can be designed, delivered, and scaled to improve the lives of low-income populations worldwide. Students will examine the evolution of microfinance and the emergence of new models such as digital financial services, fintech platforms, and gender-focused initiatives. Topics include savings and credit, household financial behavior, funding models, climate finance, and business model innovation.

Through interactive lectures, guest speakers, and group projects, students will analyze the constraints that limit financial access, assess approaches to expand inclusion, and develop recommendations for policymakers and practitioners. Assignments include a country-focused consulting project and a blog post competition highlighting current debates in the field. No prerequisites are required.

• Department: Development and Governance
• 1.5 points

International Capital Markets

This course provides a practitioner’s perspective on how global capital markets operate, focusing on the instruments, institutions, and frameworks that channel capital to companies, households, and governments. Students will explore interest rate and FX swaps, derivatives, credit default swaps, asset-backed securities, and structured finance, alongside tools for interpreting yield curves and understanding credit markets. The course integrates current developments, including monetary policy, inflation trends, and systemic risk, with a close look at how financial actors respond. Unlike
Economics of Finance
, which emphasizes theory, this course emphasizes institutional function and market behavior. The course is structured to help students think critically and confidently about real-world financial markets

• Department: International Finance & Economic Policy
• 3 points

Academic-Practice Research Fellowship

PRACTICE RESEARCH FELLOWS

This graduate course is designed to provide the student with the knowledge and skills to facilitate changes in practice delivery using quality improvement strategies. Historical development for total quality management and strategies for implementing process improvement are emphasized. Students will learn how to develop a culture of appreciative inquiry to foster inquisition and innovation. Upon completion of this course, students will design a plan for implementation of a quality improvement project.

• Department: Nursing
• Instructor: Kasey B Jackman
  Info
• 0 points

Data and Conflict

This course equips students for humanitarian, human rights, foreign policy and political risk jobs that require real-time interpretation and analysis of conflict data. The course will introduce students to contemporary open-source data about conflict events, fatalities, forced displacement, human rights violations, settlement patterns in war zones, and much more. Students will learn about how this data is generated, what data reveals, what data obscures, and the choices analysts can make to use conflict data transparently in the face of biases. Then, students will learn introductory skills to visualize a range of conflict data in 
R
 and ArcGIS Pro. The objective is to give students the foundations to go further independently after the course using open-source training material and trouble-shooting portals. Each student will choose a conflict-related policy problem which they will investigate as the course progresses, culminating in a four-page policy brief or an ArcGIS Story Map, along with an explanatory memo.

• Department: International Security & Diplomacy
• Instructor: Sophia Dawkins
  Info
• 3 points

Innovation Driving Development Impact

Innovation & Dev Impact L

This course is the second in a two-course sequence exploring how innovation contributes to development. While the first course focuses on institutional reforms within international development organizations, this course examines innovation in low and middle-income countries. Students will analyze how science, technology, and innovation systems shape development trajectories, and will explore mission-oriented innovation, digital transformation, and strategies to scale proven solutions.

Through a combination of conceptual frameworks, case studies, and practical exercises, students will develop critical perspectives on how innovation policies and programmes can address complex development challenges. Topics include inclusive digital transformation, digital public infrastructure, frugal and locally led innovation, and the design of innovation ecosystems. The course features examples of innovation initiatives led by international organizations, Global South governments, and grassroots innovators.

Students will gain familiarity with key concepts, frameworks, and practices related to scaling innovation, strengthening innovation systems, and advancing mission-driven approaches in development cooperation. While the course builds on foundations from the first course, it stands on its own and may be taken independently.

• Department: Development and Governance
• Instructor: Benjamin Kumpf
  Info
• 1.5 points

Financing and Investing in Sustainable D

Finance for Sustainable D

This course provides students with a comprehensive understanding of the global financial system through the lens of sustainable development. Rather than focusing on ESG or impact investing, the course examines the structures, incentives, and decision-making processes of key financial actors, including public finance institutions, development banks, asset owners, central banks, and private capital markets, and how they can be mobilized to support the goals of sustainable development.

Through lectures, guest speakers, and case studies, students will explore topics such as carbon markets, infrastructure finance, industrial policy, China's international finance strategy, and degrowth economics. The course also addresses the skills and frameworks needed to engage professionally in sustainable finance across sectors.

• Department: MPA-DEVELOPMENT PRACTICE
• Instructor: Aniket A Shah
  Info
• 3 points

Migration and Economic Development

Economics of Migration

This course equips students with economic tools to analyze the impacts of international migration on destination and origin countries. Emphasizing migration between low-, middle-, and high-income economies, it explores the effects of migration restrictions, remittances, diaspora networks, and labor market outcomes. Students will review key economic models, assess policy debates, and engage with empirical research. The course combines lectures, case discussions, and applied assignments to strengthen analytical skills and inform policy recommendations in migration and development.

• Department: Development and Governance
• 1.5 points

Impact Evaluations in Practice

This course will be useful for students who would like to participate in evaluations of development projects. At the end of the course, students will know how to plan an impact evaluation, how to manage one, and how to recognize and differentiate a good impact evaluation from a badly conducted one. Students should also come with one case study that they have been involved in and that would lend itself to an impact evaluation. Previous experience in implementing a development project is desirable.

• Department: Development and Governance
• Instructor: Jyotsna Puri
  Info
• 1.5 points

Climate Change Policy and Diplomacy

This course examines the central challenges of climate change policy and diplomacy through three core questions: What should the world do about climate change? Why have past efforts largely failed? How can more effective strategies be developed? Drawing on perspectives from science, economics, ethics, international law, and game theory, students will explore both normative and practical dimensions of global climate action.

The course reviews the scientific basis and projected impacts of climate change, evaluates technological and economic options for reducing emissions, and analyzes the history and design of international agreements from the Framework Convention to the Paris Agreement. Students will consider issues such as policy coordination, compliance incentives, trade linkages, and the role of unilateral measures and geoengineering.

• Department: Climate, Energy, & Environment
• W 1:10 p.m.-3 p.m.
• M noon-1:05 p.m.
• M 1:15 p.m.-2:20 p.m.
• Instructor: Scott Barrett
  Wikipedia Info
• 3 points

Applying Machine Learning

The widespread adoption of information technology has resulted in the generation of vast amounts of data on human behavior. This course explores ways to use this data to better understand and improve the societies in which we live. The course weaves together methods from machine learning (OLS, LASSO, trees) and social science (theory, reduced-form causal inference, structural modeling) to address real-world problems. We will use these problems as a backdrop to weigh the importance of causality, precision, and computational efficiency.

Prerequisites:
Students are expected to have completed coursework equivalent to Quantitative Analysis II or Statistics (e.g., SIPA U6501), Microeconomics (e.g., SIPA U6300/50 or U6400), and an introductory Computer Science course (e.g., INAF U6006). Familiarity with econometrics and programming is assumed.

• Department: Data Science for Policy
• Instructor: Daniel C Bjorkegren
  Info
• 3 points

Emerging Capital Markets: Theory & Pract

This course examines the evolution of capital markets in emerging economies and the forces shaping their current and future trajectories. Through a combination of case studies, financial theory, and practitioner insights, students will explore sovereign defaults, financial crises, policy responses, and structural reforms across Latin America, Asia, and beyond. Key topics include the influence of global liquidity cycles, the rise of China, ESG investment trends, and the implications of new technologies such as generative AI.

• Department: International Finance & Economic Policy
• Instructor: Alejo E Czerwonko Pupi
  Info
• 3 points

Emerging AI and MERL: Responsible Use of

This seven-week course examines the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI) and monitoring, evaluation, research and learning (MERL) in international development and humanitarian contexts. Students will explore two critical dimensions: using MERL approaches to assess AI systems (MERL of AI) and leveraging AI tools to conduct MERL activities (AI for MERL). The course situates AI technologies within current US and global geopolitical contexts, emphasizing both practical applications and ethical challenges that influence decisions about AI use in different development and humanitarian contexts.

Through a combination of theoretical frameworks, case studies, discussions, and hands-on exercises, students will develop knowledge and competencies in evaluating AI tools, understanding their limitations and biases, and making informed decisions about their appropriate use in development and humanitarian settings. The course addresses key ethical concepts (including data privacy, bias and inclusion, climate impacts), and helps students build their practical technical skills in AI for MERL. It also supports managerial level skills such as assessing AI vendors and developing AI policies. Special attention is given to critical perspectives on both AI and MERL, examining how power dynamics and resource inequities affect AI development and deployment in low and middle-income countries.

Students will engage with practical AI tools throughout the course, developing skills in critical assessment while maintaining awareness of ethical boundaries and professional responsibilities. The course culminates in students developing an AI use policy, integrating technical knowledge with ethical frameworks and contextual considerations relevant to their future work in international development or humanitarian assistance. This course does not have prerequisites, but you will benefit more (as well as contribute more to discussions with your colleagues) if you have at least 2 years of professional experience in international development or humanitarian aid, or if you have taken Methods for Sustainable Development Practice (DVGO8000I), Evaluation in International Organizations (DVGO7092), Impact Measurement and Evaluation for Sustainable Development (TPIN7315), or a comparable course.

• Department: Development and Governance
• Instructor: Kevin C Hong
  Info
• 1.5 points

Green Transition in Emerging Markets

Greening Emerging Markets

The transition to a net-zero economy is of particular relevance to Emerging and Developing economies, which are both the most vulnerable to climate change and also the largest emitters of greenhouse gases.

The transition is creating considerable challenges but also opening up significant opportunities: over $200 trillion of investments will be needed in order to ensure that global temperatures stay well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels, with most to be invested in the infrastructure sector of emerging and developing economies.

The class will explore the challenges of the transition to a low-carbon economy. It will also examine the new mechanisms that are being put in place to channel finance toward the greening of emerging and developing countries.

• Department: International Finance & Economic Policy
• Instructor: Christian Deseglise
  Wikipedia Info
• 1.5 points

Operations Strategy

A firm's operations encompass all the activities that are performed in order to produce and deliver a product or a service. An operations strategy refers to a set of operational decisions that a firm makes to achieve a long-term competitive advantage. These decisions may be about the firms facilities, its technology/process choices, its relationships with both upstream and downstream business partners etc. The goal of this course is to provide students with an understanding of how and why operational decisions are integral to a firms success. The course builds on concepts from the core Operations Management course and the core Strategy Formulation course. It is highly relevant to anyone whose work requires the strategic analysis of a firms operations, including those interested in consulting, entrepreneurship, mergers and acquisitions, private equity, investment analysis, and general management. The course consists of four modules. The first module, Strategic Alignment," explores the question of how a firms operations should be structured so as to be consistent with the firms chosen way to compete. The second module, "Firm Boundaries," considers the question of what operational activities should remain in house and what should be done by a business partner and the long-term implications of these decisions on competitive advantage. This module also addresses the issue of managing the business relationships with supply chain partners. The third module, "Internal Operations," considers key decision categories in operations, e.g., capacity decisions, process choices, IT implementation, and managing networks, and shows how these decisions can lead to distinctive capabilities. The final module, "New Challenges," is set aside to address new topics that reflect the current trends in the business environment."

• Department: Decision, Risk and Operations
• S 3:45 p.m.-6:45 p.m.
• Instructor: Medini Singh
  Info
• 3 points

Intelligence and US Foreign Policy

Intelligence & US Foreign

This seminar explores the role of intelligence in U.S. national security and foreign policy, focusing on both historic and contemporary controversies. Topics include intelligence failures such as 9/11 and Iraq’s WMDs, challenges in cyber and surveillance, and debates about covert action and interrogation practices. The course also considers the Intelligence Community’s (IC) relationship with policymakers, particularly during election cycles and presidential transitions. Recent failures in Russia and Israel will prompt discussion on whether intelligence failures are inevitable and how success or failure should be defined. Students will examine the core functions of intelligence—collection (human, technical, cyber), analysis, and covert action—and their place in a democratic society. Readings focus on the post-WWII period to the present, with an emphasis on reform efforts. Guest speakers and a crisis simulation will provide practical insight into intelligence work, including real-world pressures faced by analysts and decision-makers.

• Department: International Security & Diplomacy
• Instructor: Peter Clement
  Info
• 3 points

Emerging Digital Tech for Impact

Emerging Digital Tech-Imp

This course examines the promises and complexities of emerging digital technologies—Artificial Intelligence, Generative AI, Blockchain, and the Internet of Things (IoT)—in advancing sustainable development. Designed for development practitioners and policymakers, it provides a practical framework to assess how these tools can be responsibly scaled to generate positive social and environmental impact.

Through critical readings, expert guest speakers, and applied case studies, students will analyze both historical lessons and current implementation challenges. The course emphasizes the importance of infrastructure, ecosystem readiness, ethical design, and inclusive access, especially in under-resourced settings. Topics include digital equity, environmental sustainability, and the enabling conditions for scaling innovation.

• Department: MPA-DEVELOPMENT PRACTICE
• Instructor: Mariela J Machado
  Info
• 3 points

Data Science and Public Policy

Pre-req: SIPA IA6501 - Quant II
or equivalent quantitative methods course. This course bridges the gap between data science and public policy by bringing together students from diverse academic backgrounds to address contemporary policy challenges using large-scale data. With the rapid growth of digital information and the increasing influence of machine learning and AI on public life, the ability to work across disciplines is becoming essential.

Students will examine real-world datasets on topics such as disinformation campaigns, privacy and surveillance, crime and recidivism, natural disasters, and the impact of generative AI. Through weekly presentations and a semester-long team project, students will gain practical experience applying data science methods to pressing policy issues while learning how to collaborate across fields.

• Department: Data Science for Policy
• Instructor: Tamar Mitts
  h-index: 5 Info
• 3 points

Emerging Financial Systems: Brazil, Indi

Fin Systems: BR, IN, ID,

This course examines the workings of a select group of emerging economies’ financial systems, providing students with the tools to assess the efficacy of the financial system as a key pillar for a country’s sustained economic development and growth. Characteristics to be analyzed and compared include the roles of domestic private, public sector, and foreign banks; impact of fintech developments on competition between incumbents and challengers; business strategy and market valuation; systemic resilience and regulation; breadth and depth of domestic capital markets; access to foreign capital; climate change and sustainable finance; and potential for advancement by current leading emerging economies’ banks.

• Department: International Finance & Economic Policy
• Instructor: Fernando Sotelino
  Info
• 3 points

Text as Data

Pre-req: SIPA IA6500 - Quant I, and prior experience with R are required.
 This course introduces students to the quantitative analysis of text, an increasingly important method in the social sciences and public policy. With vast amounts of textual information now available from sources such as social media, news articles, political speeches, and government documents, the ability to analyze text systematically is essential. Students will learn how to collect, process, and analyze text data to answer meaningful research questions.

The course covers a range of methods including dictionary-based approaches, supervised classification, topic modeling, word embeddings, and emerging applications of Large Language Models. Emphasis is placed on practical application through hands-on exercises using the R programming language. By the end of the semester, students will develop an original research project using text as data.

• Department: Data Science for Policy
• Instructor: Tamar Mitts
  h-index: 5 Info
• 3 points

Terrorism and Counterterrorism

This course examines the origins and development of modern terrorism, the challenges it poses to states and the international system, and the strategies employed to confront it. The course explores a wide range of terrorist groups, assessing the psychological, political, socioeconomic, and religious factors that contribute to terrorist violence. Students will also evaluate the effectiveness and ethical implications of various counterterrorism approaches. The course is structured in two parts. Part I addresses the nature, causes, tactics, and objectives of terrorism and terrorist organizations. Part II focuses on counterterrorism, including U.S. policy responses, international strategies, and the tension between security and democratic values.

• Department: International Security & Diplomacy
• Instructor: Stuart M Gottlieb
  CULPA: 12 Info
• 3 points

Seminar in Urban Politics and Policy

S. Urban Politics and Pol

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?

• Department: Urban and Social Policy
• Instructor: Patricia A Kirkland
  Info
• 3 points

Environmental Justice and Climate Resili

Env Justice & Climate Act

This course examines the intersections of race, equity, and environmental policy, focusing on the principles and practice of environmental justice and climate resiliency. Environmental justice asserts that all people have the right to live and work in healthy communities, free from environmental harm. The course explores how structural racism and historic policy decisions have contributed to disproportionate environmental burdens in communities of color and low-income neighborhoods, while also examining how climate change further exacerbates these inequities.

Students will gain a deep understanding of New York City and New York State climate policies, with connections to federal and international frameworks. Drawing on case studies, policy analysis, and community-led research, the course equips students to engage in efforts that address cumulative environmental hazards, promote equitable climate adaptation, and strengthen community resilience. Coursework integrates diverse disciplines including political science, urban ecology, economics, and sociology, as well as the perspectives of practitioners and advocates through guest lectures and applied assignments.

• Department: Climate, Energy, & Environment
• Instructor: Annel M Hernandez
  Info
• 3 points

Advanced Computing for Policy

Pre-req: DSPC IA6000 - Computing in Context, 
or see option for testing out
. 
 In Computing in Context, students “explored computing concepts and coding in the context of solving policy problems.” Building off that foundation of Python fundamentals and data analysis, Advanced Computing for Policy goes both deeper and broader. The course covers computer science concepts like data structures and algorithms, as well as supporting systems like databases, cloud services, and collaboration tools. Over the semester, students will build a complex end-to-end data system. This course prepares students for more advanced data science coursework at SIPA, and equips them to do sophisticated data ingestion, analysis, and presentation in research/industry.

• Department: Data Science for Policy
• F 3:10 p.m.-5 p.m.
• F 1:10 p.m.-3 p.m.
• Instructor: Aidan Feldman
  Info
• 3 points

Our AI Future

AI Institutions

(Formerly 
AI Institutions
) 
AI is rewriting the rules of society. This course invites you to understand and shape what comes next. We begin by turning the classroom into a living experiment on how AI could change education, then examine how abundant intelligence could reshape work, governance, and transportation. In a field often dominated by speculation, we will ground our discussions in evidence and theory. Together, we’ll explore what institutions are needed for a world transformed by intelligence.

• Department: Data Science for Policy
• Instructor: Daniel C Bjorkegren
  Info
• 3 points

Critical Issues in Urban Public Policy

This course is designed to prepare future policymakers to critically analyze and evaluate key urban policy issues in US cities. It is unique in offering exposure to both practical leadership experience and urban policy scholarship that will equip students to meet the challenges that face urban areas. Students are responsible for all the required readings and they will hear from an exciting array of guest lecturers from the governmental, not for-profit, and private sectors. Drawing from my experiences as former Mayor of Philadelphia, I will lay out fundamental issues of urban governance and policymaking, emphasizing the challenges and opportunities cities are now facing.

• Department: Urban and Social Policy
• W 10 a.m.-11:50 a.m.
• Instructor: Michael A Nutter
  Info
• 3 points

International Trade

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.

• Department: International Finance & Economic Policy
• Instructor: Arvind Panagariya
  Wikipedia Info
• 3 points

Conduct of War

The conduct of war is central to international security policy. Even when unused, the ability to wage war effectively underpins deterrence and shapes foreign policy. Military organization, training, and strategy are built around this capacity, and the institutions that support it exist largely to ensure effectiveness in conflict. A strong grasp of modern warfare theory and practice is essential for anyone pursuing a career in security policy. This course provides a foundation in the conduct of war, preparing students for professional roles in government agencies, legislative offices, think tanks, and international organizations. It focuses on developing the analytical skills and conceptual tools needed for early-career success and long-term growth in the defense policy field. While the course includes critical thinking and key concepts, it is intended as targeted professional preparation rather than general education. The course complements ISDI IA6000: Foundations of International Security Policy, ISDI IA7250: Military Technology Assessment, and ISDI IA7275: Methods for Defense Analysis. While these courses may be taken independently, this course does not address topics such as war’s causes, ethics, or technology evaluation, which are covered elsewhere. Instead, it concentrates on the theory and practice of how wars are conducted.

• Department: International Security & Diplomacy
• 3 points

Emergency Medicine Clerkship

• Department: Medicine
• 0 points

Design for Social Innovation

This project-based course equips students with the tools of human-centered design to address real-world challenges in the social sector. Working in interdisciplinary teams, students act as “intrapreneurs,” designing solutions on behalf of nonprofit, government, and social enterprise clients. Through a structured 12-week innovation cycle, students move through four design phases:
Explore
(stakeholder research and mapping),
Reframe
(synthesis and insight development),
Generate
(ideation and concept creation), and
Prototype
(building and testing solutions).

Students develop key competencies in design thinking, project and client management, stakeholder interviewing, problem framing, prototyping, and storytelling. The course culminates in a final presentation and deliverables that include an implementation blueprint and pitch materials for client use.

Client organizations span sectors such as education, food systems, sustainability, and civic engagement. Class meetings include workshops, presentations, feedback sessions, and one-on-one team advising. Deliverables are team-based, and participation is evaluated through both class engagement and weekly reflections.

This course is designed for students seeking hands-on experience in social innovation and a creative, collaborative approach to systems-level change.

• Department: Tech Policy and Innovation
• Instructor: Sarah M Holloway
  CULPA: 1 Info
• 3 points

The Politics of Defense in the United St

Politics of U.S. Defense

This course examines how national security and defense policy are developed and implemented in the U.S., focusing on political processes and institutional dynamics. Topics include military strategy, budgeting, force structure, acquisition, personnel policy, and the use of force. Students explore five key dimensions: partisan politics, Congress–Executive relations, civil-military relations, inter-service dynamics, and coordination across federal agencies. While grounded in U.S. policy, the course addresses global contexts and current debates, including defense reform, great-power competition, and the sustainability of the all-volunteer force. Readings span historical and contemporary sources.

• Department: International Security & Diplomacy
• Instructor: Michael O'Hanlon
  Wikipedia Info
• 3 points

Human Rights Skills and Advocacy

Human Rights Skills & Adv

This course equips students with practical skills for designing and implementing human rights advocacy strategies. Through a mix of case studies, simulations, and applied writing assignments, students will learn how to identify advocacy goals, analyze targets and power structures, and select effective tactics. The course explores advocacy with governments, legislatures, and UN bodies, as well as the use of media, digital tools, and coalition-building to advance human rights.

Students will develop and refine an advocacy strategy on a current human rights issue of their choosing, supported by assignments such as op-eds, advocacy letters, and submissions to UN mechanisms. Emphasis is placed on ethical research methods, effective messaging, and impact evaluation. Class sessions are interactive and include mock advocacy meetings, guest speakers, and structured feedback on peer work.

Taught by two experienced human rights advocates, the course draws on real-world campaigns and encourages critical reflection on challenges to human rights work in restrictive and high-risk environments.

• Department: Human Rights, Gender, and Equity
• 3 points

Climate Tech & Regenerative Entrepreneur

Clim Tech & Regen Enterpr

The course will focus on the knowledge and skills required to research, ideate, thoughtfully plan, and pitch a new business aimed at mitigating climate-related challenges. The course will serve as a laboratory for students to sharpen their entrepreneurial abilities and deepen their understanding of climate change and related challenges, and how to meaningfully address them. Teams will work on challenges addressing vital systems (food, water, energy), built systems (buildings, mobility, cities), care systems (health, mental health/climate grief, etc) and aimed at sharpening their entrepreneurial abilities and deepening their understanding of climate change and related challenges, and how to meaningfully address them to support a just transition to a regenerative future. Class process will include: 1) identifying and defining a climate challenge they want to solve; 2) engaging in research, need finding, customer discovery and development; 3) ideation for mitigation and adaptation solutions; 4) Prototyping for customer/expert feedback; 5) Creations viable implementation plans & budgets; and 6) practiing pitching to potential partners and investors.

• Department: Tech Policy and Innovation
• 3 points

Scale Up Ventures: Growing a Business Ou

Scale-Up Ventures & Polic

This course explores the strategies, tools, and policy environments required to scale ventures beyond the startup phase, particularly in regions outside traditional tech hubs such as Silicon Valley. Students examine the entrepreneurial journey from early traction to sustained growth, considering both bottom-up approaches focused on talent, capital, and customer acquisition, and top-down approaches focused on policy and ecosystem design. Emphasis is placed on high-impact sectors including AI, blockchain, fintech, and edtech, as well as opportunities in underserved markets. Through guest lectures, written assignments, and a team-based final project, students gain practical insight into entrepreneurship, venture capital, and leadership strategies that support scale. The course is designed for students interested in launching ventures, supporting innovation ecosystems, or shaping policies that foster economic growth.

• Department: Tech Policy and Innovation
• Instructor: Fernando Fabre
  Info
• 3 points

Building & Scaling Social Impact Program

Build/Scale Social Impact

This course examines how public, private, and nonprofit organizations attempt to address complex social problems through programs, partnerships, and philanthropic investment. The first half explores historical and contemporary interventions across sectors, with attention to trade-offs, incentives, and consequences. Through case studies and critical readings, students analyze how trust, governance, and accountability shape outcomes. The second half focuses on the practice of designing and scaling social impact programs, emphasizing theory of change, evaluation, and strategic alignment. Assignments include strategy and fundraising memos, a final impact plan, and a presentation. This seminar equips students with analytical, writing, and communication skills relevant to leadership roles in the social impact field.

• Department: Tech Policy and Innovation
• Instructor: Thomas Ogletree
  Info
• 3 points

Economics of Strategic Behavio

This course examines the underlying economics of successful business strategy: the strategic imperatives of competitive markets, the sources and dynamics of competitive advantage, managing competitive interactions, and the organizational implementation of business strategy.The course combines case discussion and analysis (approximately two thirds) with lectures (one third). The emphasis is on the ability to apply a small number of principles effectively and creatively, not the mastery of detailed aspects of the theory. Grading is based on class participation and online case quizzes (35%), two case write-ups (20%) and a final group paper (45%). The course offers excellent background for all consultants, managers and corporate finance generalists.

• Department: Business Economics
• MTWRU 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
• Instructor: Wouter Dessein
  h-index: 16 Info
• 3 points

Storytelling and The Art of Creating Soc

Storytelling & Social Imp

This seminar explores the strategy and storytelling behind effective social impact campaigns. Through case studies on topics such as reproductive rights, racial justice, teen pregnancy, and climate change, students will examine why certain narratives succeed in shifting public opinion and policy. The course draws on theories of moral psychology, values-based messaging, and campaign strategy to analyze how leaders and organizations mobilize audiences, engage diverse stakeholders, and measure impact.

Students will study high-profile campaigns, meet with leading practitioners, and develop their own group-based social impact campaign project. Emphasis is placed on applying narrative frameworks to real-world advocacy, understanding audience motivations, and crafting media strategies across platforms.

• Department: Tech Policy and Innovation
• Instructor: Stephen Friedman
  Wikipedia Info
• 3 points

Human Rights and the Politics of Inequal

Human Rights & Inequality

This course examines the intersection of human rights and economic inequality, exploring how political and economic governance influence access to rights and justice. Students will assess how human rights principles are integrated into economic policy frameworks, including trade, labor, development, and environmental regulation, and how these frameworks shape both public accountability and corporate responsibility.

Through case studies and policy analysis, the course introduces practical tools for advancing human rights in multilateral institutions, national governments, and private-sector operations. Topics include the role of grievance mechanisms tied to trade agreements and development finance, global supply chains, labor standards, and the impact of environmental policy on marginalized populations. Students will analyze pathways to embed human rights criteria into decision-making, and consider the limits and opportunities of current governance structures in addressing inequality.

• Department: Human Rights, Gender, and Equity
• 3 points

Rethinking Human Rights and Humanitarian

Rethinking Rights & Aid

This advanced seminar critically examines the evolving challenges, limitations, and potential of human rights and humanitarianism as frameworks for justice and global governance. Centering human rights discourse, the course invites students to examine foundational concepts such as universality, accountability, sovereignty, and identity, while addressing complex topics and challenging cases. Through case studies, normative debates, and applied advocacy tools, students explore the responsibilities of state and non-state actors, the contested definition of the “human” in rights claims, and strategies for persuasion, enforcement, and reform in both policy and practice. Course themes include: The political limits and promise of human rights in global and national contexts; Accountability gaps across governments, corporations, and armed groups; The status of refugees, displaced persons, and marginalized groups; Humanitarian dilemmas, transitional justice, and foreign policy advocacy; The rise and fall of doctrines such as Responsibility to Protect (R2P); and Pragmatism, realism, and human rights under states of exception.

• Department: Human Rights, Gender, and Equity
• Instructor: Andrew C Heinrich
  Info
• 3 points