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International Finance and Economic Policy (IFEP)
The International Finance & Economic Policy Concentration (IFEP) equips students to pursue careers in the international economy in the public or private sectors. The concentration consists of an international finance track and an international economic policy track. The international finance track prepares students for careers that require knowledge of capital markets, banking and public policy. The international economic policy track prepares students for careers related to international trade or international monetary policy.
Both tracks share a required course, International Finance and Monetary Policy. Required courses for the finance track are Economics of Finance, International Banking and International Capital Markets. Required courses for the economic policy track are International Trade, Theory of International Political Economy, and Quantitative Analysis II for International and Public Affairs (or comparable).
Previous graduates from these concentrations have pursued a wide variety of public and private sector careers. About half the students in each track joins central banks, ministries of finance or treasuries, government agencies responsible for domestic and international economic matters or international organizations such as the World Bank, the IMF and the World Trade Organization. The other half finds jobs in private firms including rating agencies, investment banks, commercial banks, hedge funds, private equity funds, research institutions and consulting firms. The recent credit crisis, however, is profoundly changing the world's financial landscape, and many traditional Wall Street jobs may become less readily available. IEFP students will be well-equipped to work in the public and private sectors; their SIPA education will prepare them to build new types of financial institutions or bring fresh thinking to regulatory policy.