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The MIA Curriculum at a Glance

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Total Credits: Minimum of 54 Credits

Minimum of 54 credits, 3.0 GPA and 4 full-time residency units.

The MIA Curriculum has four required components:

  1. Core Requirement

    2. The core curriculum accounts for up to 29 of the 54 credits required for comple-tion of the MIA degree.  The remaining credits are comprised of the functional
    or regional concentration requirements, the language proficiency and electives.

    1. U4595 Economics or U4600 Economic Analysis    (Fall & Spr: 6 credits)
    2. U4320 Statistics                                                   (Fall or Spr: 3 credits)

    3.U6800 / U6804 Conceptual Foundations

    		 (Fall: 4 credits)

    4.Interstate Relations                                              

    		(Fall or Spr: 3 credits)
    5.Regional Context                                                  (Fall or Spr: 6 credits)
    6.International Policy Analysis and Management       (Fall or Spr: 3 credits)
    7.U4040 Professional Development                          (Fall: 1 credit)
    8.U9013 Internship                                            (Fall or Spr: 3 or 6 credits)

    Students are required to complete an internship as part of the core curriculum; however, they are not required to register for internship credit.  Students may register for internship credits either in the semester they are completing the internship or anytime after the internship is completed. International students who intend to obtain paid internships must register in the Spring term during or before the internship.  Maximum of 6 credits allowed. Professional Development and internships are handled by the Office of Career Services (420 IAB).

  2. Concentration Requirement: Functional or Regional

    3. Students must complete either a Functional or a Regional concentration by the time that they graduate from the program.  Each concentration has its own requirements of between six to eight courses (consult specific audit form for details). Students can fulfill the requirements of more than one concentration. Please note that the declared concentration does not appear on the diploma.

  3. Foreign Language Proficiency

    4. Proficiency in a language other than English is required for graduation from SIPA.  Proficiency is defined as the ability to read, write and speak the language. This requirement is met in any of three ways:

    1. As a native speaker of a language other than English, who can also read and write that language (demonstrated by proof of higher educational credential in the language or ielts/toefl);
    2. By passing a language proficiency exam (administered by SIPA or individual department by individual arrangement.) These can only be taken once during your program at SIPA;
    3. By achieving a grade of B or better in an Intermediate Level II (4th semester) language course at Columbia.  Students may register for any language course they wish. However, Elementary-level courses cannot count toward the SIPA degree requirements of 54 credits, while Intermediate-level courses will count as elective credits.
  4. Electives

    5. Beyond satisfying core and concentration requirements, students may choose to take other relevant graduate-level courses to meet the SIPA degree requirements of 54 credits; these will be considered as elective credits.  Courses that are not relevant to the curriculum will be considered outside of the 54 curriculum credits.

Quantitative Requirements

  • Six credits of coursework in Economics and Statistics.
  • Students who pursue concentrations in APEA, EPS, IEMP, IEP, IFP or Management must take U4600 Economic Analysis for IA; and must enroll in U4320 Statistics in the first semester.
  • Students in all other concentrations can take either U4595 Economics for IA or U4600 Economic Analysis for IA; also, must enroll U4320 Statistics within the first year (either Fall or Spring).

Advisement and Concentration Audit Forms

  • Students must register for at least 12 credits each semester. Students may check the fulfillment of the core requirements using the Degree Audit Report on Student Services On-Line (SSOL).1
  • Each student will have two advisors, a Dean in the Student Affairs Office and the Concentration Director of your chosen concentration.  The Dean will be responsible for advising students on their core curriculum requirements.  The Concentration Director is responsible for advising students on their concentration requirements.2
  • Students should meet with their Concentration Directors periodically to confirm their plans to complete requirements.  An approved Concentration Audit Form must be submitted in the final semester in order to graduate. 
    Students should:
  1. Complete the Concentration Audit Form2:
    Audit forms are designed to assist students & Concentration Directors in determining if the Functional and/or Regional concentration requirements have been fulfilled.
  2. Meet with the Concentration Director for approval.
  3. Return the signed Audit form to the Student Affairs Office (610 IAB) by the appropriate deadline.

Deadlines for
Concentration Audit Forms

  •   August 1 for October graduation
  •   November 1 for February graduation
  •   February 1 for May graduation