Economic and Political Development (EPD)

Economic and Political Development Curriculum

The Economic and Political Development (EPD) concentration within the MIA/MPA programs at SIPA provides students with a comprehensive understanding of the processes of economic, political, and social change in the developing world. The curriculum emphasizes the global and national commitments reflected in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It is designed to equip students with essential skills in policy analysis, program planning, monitoring and evaluation, and management. Students also gain focused competencies in areas such as financial inclusion, small business and social enterprise development, corporate social responsibility, gender and development, education and health policy, sustainable development, post-conflict reconstruction, and governance.

The EPD program integrates a broad array of disciplines, combining theoretical frameworks with real-world applications to address complex development challenges. Students are encouraged to engage in internships, fieldwork, and capstone projects that provide hands-on experience in the development sector, working with international organizations, NGOs, and government agencies. The program fosters a global perspective, preparing students to understand and address development issues in diverse cultural and political contexts, ensuring that graduates are well-prepared to implement and manage development programs effectively. The emphasis on the Sustainable Development Goals aligns with global efforts to promote economic growth, social inclusion, and environmental sustainability.

Please visit the EPD program page for more information on the Economic and Political Development concentration and the MIA/MPA programs.

Contact Us

José Antonio Ocampo, Professor of Professional Practice in International and Public Affairs
Concentration Co-Director
jao2128@columbia.edu
IAB room 1315

Eugenia McGill, Senior Lecturer in Discipline
Concentration Co-Director; EPD Workshop Director
em419@columbia.edu
IAB room 1305b

Huimin Herling (Vida)
EPD Concentration Manager
hh2655@columbia.edu
IAB room 1305

José Antonio Ocampo, Professor of Professional Practice in International and Public Affairs; Co-Director of the Economic and Political Development Concentration

Eugenia McGill, Senior Lecturer in the Discipline of International and Public Affairs; Co-Director of the Economic and Political Development Concentration

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Gizem Acikgoz, Adjunct Assistant Professor of International and Public Affairs
Lisa Anderson, Dean Emerita and Special Lecturer of International and Public Affairs
Jeffrey Ashe, Adjunct Professor of International and Public Affairs
Savita Bailur, Adjunct Professor of International and Public Affairs
Murillo de Aragao, Adjunct Professor of International and Public Affairs
Nicolas de Roux, Visiting Assistant Professor (part-time) of International and Public Affairs
Lief Doerring, Adjunct Professor of International and Public Affairs
Michael Doyle, University Professor of International and Public Affairs
Kevin Hong, Adjunct Associate Professor of International and Public Affairs
Debra Jones, Adjunct Associate Professor of International and Public Affairs
Radha Kulkarni, Lecturer (part-time) of International and Public Affairs
Benjamin Kumpf, Lecturer (part-time) of International and Public Affairs
Barbara Magnoni, Adjunct Professor of International and Public Affairs
Marcelo Medeiros, Visiting Professor of International and Public Affairs
Timothy Mitchell, Professor of International and Public Affairs
Louise Moretto, Adjunct Assistant Professor of International and Public Affairs
M. Victoria Murillo, Professor of International and Public Affairs
Richard Nephew, Adjunct Professor of International and Public Affairs
Camilla Nestor, Adjunct Associate Professor of International and Public Affairs
Akbar Noman, Adjunct Professor of International and Public Affairs
Jyotsna Puri, Adjunct Professor of International and Public Affairs
Zaki Raheem, Adjunct Associate Professor of International and Public Affairs
Shravanti Reddy, Adjunct Professor of International and Public Affairs
Rumela Sen, Lecturer in Discipline of International and Public Affairs
Andrew Simons, Adjunct Associate Professor of International and Public Affairs
Shawna Wakefield, Adjunct Associate Professor of International and Public Affairs
Maxine Weisgrau, Adjunct Associate Professor of International and Public Affairs

Visit our SIPA Faculty Directory to view bios

The Concentration in Economic and Political Development (EPD) requires 18 credits, consisting of 6 three-point courses: 2 core courses (economic dimensions of sustainable development and political dimensions of sustainable development); 2 sustainable development practice courses (methods, workshop*); and 2 professional focus area courses (both courses must be from ONE of four professional focus areas). *Workshop satisfies the Capstone requirement for MIA and MPA students.

Courses taken to fulfill an EPD course requirement cannot be audited or taken pass/fail.

Language requirement: All EPD students are also required to satisfy the MIA language requirement. Students may fulfill the language requirement for the MIA degree and the MPA/EPD Concentration with any modern language offered by Columbia University language programs or the Language Resource Center: http://www.lrc.columbia.edu/languages/#languageprograms. Information on language proficiency assessment at Columbia University is provided here: http://www.lrc.columbia.edu/proficiency-testing/.

EPD double counting policy

• Except for DAQA specializers, students may double count up to 2 courses (or 6 credits) of EPD courses toward their specialization requirement (if the courses are approved for both EPD and the specialization). However, only one focus area course (up to 3 credits) can have a regional or country focus. 
• Students may double count an EPD course from our approved political dimensions of sustainable development core courses or our political dimensions of sustainable development focus area to satisfy the Interstate Relations (IR) requirement for the MIA degree (if the course is also an approved IR course).
• Students may not double-count an EPD core course towards their chosen professional focus area. However, if they take both economic dimensions of sustainable development core courses (or two different political dimensions of sustainable development core courses), they can count one for their core requirement and the other for the related focus area.

Political Dimensions of Sustainable Development Core Courses

Select one of the following:

Course List

Code	Title	Points
		Points
INAF U6178	Politics of Sustainable Development	3.00
INAF U6189	Political Development	3.00
INAF U6412	State and Society in the Developing World	3.00
INAF U6438	Persistent Problems in the Global South: Policies and Politics for Sustainable Development	3.00
INAF U6538	State Building in the Developing World	3.00
INAF U8258	States and Citizenship	3.00
INAF U8260	Authoritarianism	3.00
Other (requires approval)

Economic Dimensions of Sustainable Development Core Courses

Select one of the following:

Course List

Code	Title	Points
		Points
INAF U6602	Economic Development for International Affairs	3.00
INAF U6641	Economics of Sustainable Development	3.00
INAF U8145	Advanced Economic Development for International Affairs	3.00
Other (requires approval)

Sustainable Development Practice Courses

EPD students must take the following:

Course List

Code	Title	Points
		Points
INAF U6827	Methods for Sustainable Development Practice	3.00
SIPA U9001	Capstone Workshop in Sustainable Development Practice *	3.00

*Fulfills the capstone requirement for students in the MIA and MPA programs

Professional Focus Area Courses

The Professional Focus Area requirement allows EPD students to focus their coursework in one of four substantive areas: Economic Dimensions of Sustainable Development (ECON), Political Dimensions of Sustainable Development (POLI), Social Dimensions of Sustainable Development (SOC), or Environmental Dimensions of Sustainable Development (ENV). Since development is a multidisciplinary field, many EPD courses may straddle two or more professional focus areas (e.g. Global Inequality; Gender, Politics and Development; or Corporations and Human Rights).

Students select courses totaling 6 points in ONE of four professional focus area: Economic, Political, Social, or Environmental Dimensions of Sustainable Development. However, only one focus area course (or up to 3 credits) can be a regional course. To view a complete list of courses, visit the EPD - Professional Focus Area page. 

Degree Audit Report

Matriculated students in this program can view their degree audit report on Stellic.