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MPA Core Curriculum
The purpose of the core curriculum is to ensure that every student in the MPA program receives basic, broad-based, interdisciplinary training in public affairs. This includes graduate-level course work in economics, statistics, the politics of policymaking, and management. Students are required to take a two-semester course in economics, one course on politics (Politics of Policymaking), and one-semester courses in statistics, management, and financial management. Politics of Policymaking, Economics. Statistics must be taken during the first year. Other core requirements can be distributed throughout a student’s program of study. Students also are required to complete Professional Development during their first year; this is a three-session course that focuses on career advancement strategies.
Politics of Policymaking
An introduction to political analysis for public policy professionals. Public policymaking of all kinds takes place in a political environment, in which strategic, purposive actors seek to advance their own goals and realize their own visions of how the world ought to be changed for the better. It also takes place within a knowledge environment, in which policy professionals try to bring systematic evidence and scientific knowledge to bear to understand and solve social problems. Ultimately, then, this is a course about strategy. Policy professionals, who understand the political environment, in which they operate and who can integrate political, managerial, and policy analysis, are likely to prove more effective than those who do not and cannot, whether they work in the public, private or nonprofit sector.
Economic Analysis
A year-long course designed to teach students the ideas and skills underlying economic analysis and policymaking and their application to issues and problems in international affairs. Taking an integrated approach to economics, the course introduces students to both the microeconomic foundations of economic thought and the macroeconomic issues facing nations. The International Finance and Economic Policy Concentration and the International Energy Management and Policy Track within the Energy and Environment Concentration require that students successfully complete this course to satisfy their core economics requirement.
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Economics
A year-long course designed to teach students the basic knowledge and skills underlying economic analysis and policymaking. Taking an integrated approach to economics, the course introduces students to both the microeconomic foundations of economic thought and the macroeconomic issues facing nations.
Quantitative Analysis
Familiarizes students with some of the basic statistical techniques used in policy analysis, so that they will be intelligent consumers and producers of analyses. This course covers basic statistical concepts, such as the organization of data and measures of central tendency and dispersion, as well as more advanced techniques of inferential statistics and multivariate regression. It is strongly recommended that students complete this course in the fall semester of their first year; in all cases, it must be completed before the end of the first year. Some policy concentrations require or recommend a second statistics course in addition to the core requirement of economics described above.
Management
A set of course options are available to provide students with concepts and skills in public, non-profit and organizational management. The following courses fulfill this requirement:
Public Management: Power of Social Innovation;
Managing in the Public and Not-For- Profit Sectors: Using Information to Shape Change;
Governance and Public Management in Developing Countries: A Practice Perspective;
Analysis of Public Sector Organizations;
Effective Strategic Management of Public and Not for Profit Organizations;
Effective Management in the Public Service;
Strategic Thinking and Planning for General Managers.
Financial Management
A set of course options designed to provide students with skills in financial management, including but not limited to courses on budgeting, accounting, and the economics of finance.
Workshop
Skills in policy analysis, political analysis, institutional analysis and public management applied to “real-world” client-driven projects. Faculty advisors guide teams of 6 students in this intensive, Capstone experience.
Professional Development
The Professional Development Class is a major part of SIPA's effort to heighten awareness and involvement of students in their own career plan. The mandatory 0.5-credit course is offered by the Office of Career Services and teaches substantive knowledge related to their concentration and skills needed to compete effectively in the international and public affairs job markets. Students are introduced to leaders in their policy concentration. Topics such as resumes, cover letters, job search tactics, successful interviewing, networking and salary negotiation are covered in the course.
Internship
Students are required to complete at least one internship during their period of study. Students are required to earn at least 1.5 points for their internship, with the credit allocation depending on the number of hours completed in the internship. For more information about the internship requirement, please review the Office of Career Services Frequently Asked Questions for Current Students' page.