Degree Program Curricula

The curricula of SIPA's eight degree programs all combine training in analytical methods and practical management skills to ensure that graduates are prepared to understand problems and implement solutions. Students combine these core skills with a focus on a policy area of their choice, and they typically engage in a practice-oriented capstone or workshop experience toward the end of their studies. 

MASTER OF INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

The MIA develops international affairs professionals who understand the increasingly complex issues that transcend national boundaries. Learn more

MASTER OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION

The MPA curriculum emphasizes applying analytic tools to real-world issues and qualifies graduates for positions requiring management skills and depth in an analytic or substantive policy area. This curriculum draws on the vast international resources of SIPA to address a wide variety of local and national-level policy issues in a comparative and international context. The curriculum has four components: the core curriculum includes a Capstone project; a concentration; elective coursework; and a summer internship. Learn more

EXECUTIVE MASTER OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION

The Executive Master of Public Administration (EMPA) program is designed for the experienced and ambitious professional looking for a superior and practical graduate program but cannot take the time to pursue full-time study. The program trains professionals to be competent and sophisticated public managers by incorporating broad questions of public affairs and the specific analytical, managerial, and communication skills of management and policy analysis into its curriculum. Our graduates are equipped to pursue careers in local, state, and federal government, nonprofit organizations, and private corporations and banks that deal with today's public policy issues. Learn more

MPA IN DEVELOPMENT PRACTICE

The twenty-two-month MPA degree in Development Practice is designed to train aspiring practitioners to understand and manage approaches to sustainable development challenges. This rigorous cross-disciplinary academic program emphasizes the development of critical knowledge, skills, and attributes of an effective professional in developing societies. Learn more

MPA IN ECONOMIC POLICY MANAGEMENT

The MPA in Economic Policy Management (MPA-EPM) is a 12-month master's degree program that provides promising mid-career policymakers with the skills to effectively design and implement economic policy in market economies, with a strong emphasis on the economic problems of developing countries. The program is designed to convey the practical lessons of economics, finance, and management science through an intensive study of real policy successes and failures. Students who complete all requirements of the program will be awarded the degree of Master of Public Administration (MPA). Learn more

MPA IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLICY

The MPA in Environmental Science and Policy combines Columbia University's hands-on approach to teaching public policy and administration with pioneering thinking about the environment. Graduates of the program are prepared for leadership positions in local, state, and federal government agencies, as well as in nonprofit organizations and the environmental divisions of private corporations. They are well suited for the roles of analyst, manager, and translator of scientific knowledge and for designing cost-effective programs and implementing policies. Learn more

MPA IN GLOBAL LEADERSHIP

The Master of Public Administration (MPA) in Global Leadership helps prepare experienced professionals to tackle global challenges and make a difference. It's a 10-month, full-time program for leaders with more than ten years of experience who seek the skills to keep growing in their careers, enhance their leadership capacity, and create a more significant impact. Learn more

PH.D. IN SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

The purpose of the Ph.D. in Sustainable Development is to create a generation of scholars and professionals equipped to deal with some of the most crucial problems in the world today. By combining elements of traditional graduate education in social science, particularly economics, with a significant component of training in the natural sciences, the program's graduates will be uniquely situated to undertake serious research and policy assessments with the goal of sustainable development. The program includes a set of rigorous core requirements but also allows students to pursue in-depth research in a wide variety of critical policy issue areas. Learn more