The MPA in Global Leadership (MPA-GL) curriculum covers global issues, leadership skills, and strategic thinking, highlighting complex challenges—in the United States and worldwide—and innovative approaches to tackling them.
The program begins with an intensive summer session specially designed for this program that provides students with the information and analytical frameworks needed for understanding and addressing critical contemporary global policy issues. During the 6-week summer session, students are introduced to global leaders while engaged in cohort-building activities and professionally guided self-assessment exercises to help identify their educational goals for the remaining two semesters. The session also provides refresher workshops in economics and quantitative analysis.
In consultation with the MPA-GL Program Director, students design individualized curricular plans for Fall and Spring semesters – at least 12 credits per semester, drawing from more than 400 existing courses at SIPA and, with approval, elsewhere in the University.
In addition, students are part of a unique 3-credit seminar each semester on policy leadership, with exposure to global leaders in the public and private domains and with class interaction, including student presentations about their areas of expertise and plans for the future.
Students must complete a minimum of 34 points to be considered for graduation:
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6-points of the Leadership and Global Policy Challenges summer class. Organized in five focus areas: i. geopolitical stability; ii. democratic resilience; iii. energy, climate, and sustainable development; iv. inclusive prosperity and macroeconomic stability; and v. technology and innovation. The session includes a week-long training on communication, public speaking, and leadership skills.
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2-points of the economics and quantitative summer bootcamp.
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3-points of the core class. Students select at least one course from one of the following categories: 1) Economics and Quantitative Analysis; 2) Management and Leadership; 3) Policy Foundations.
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6-points of the two seminars on global leadership.
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17-points (minimum) of electives. Students undertake coursework in various disciplines and sectors during the Fall and Spring terms.
Contact Us
Mauricio Cárdenas, Professor of Professional Practice
Director of the MPA in Global Leadership
mc4701@columbia.edu
Priscilla Yuen
Assistant Dean, Specialized Degree Programs
phy2104@columbia.edu
Mauricio Cárdenas, Professor of Professional Practice in International and Public Affairs; Director of the MPA in Global Leadership
Scott Barrett, Lenfest-Earth Institute Professor of Natural Resource Economics
Jason Bordoff, Professor of Professional Practice in International and Public Affairs and Founding Director of the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University SIPA
Thomas Christensen, James T. Shotwell Professor of International Relations
Peter Clement, Visiting Senior Research Scholar in the Arnold A. Saltzman Institute of War and Peace Studies; Adjunct Professor
Lief Doerring, Adjunct Associate Professor of International and Public Affairs
Stephen Friedman, Adjunct Professor of International and Public Affairs
Sarah Holloway, Senior Lecturer in the Discipline of International and Public Affairs; Director, Leadership, Innovation, & Design Specialization; Director, Global Ed Tech Entrepreneurship Program at the Center for Development Economics & Policy
Jacob Lew, Visiting Professor of International and Public Affairs
Chelsea Mauldin, Adjunct Professor of International and Public Affairs
Luisa Palacios, Senior Research Scholar in the Center on Global Energy Policy in the Faculty of International and Public Affairs
Arvind Panagariya, Jagdish N. Bhagwati Professor of Indian Political Economy
Jefrey Pollock, Adjunct Associate Professor of International and Public Affairs
Zaki Raheem, Adjunct Associate Professor of International and Public Affairs
David Sandalow, Inaugural Fellow, Center on Global Energy Policy; Senior Research Scholar; Co-Director, Energy and Environment Concentration
The MPA-GL starts with a six-week immersion that covers global issues, leadership skills, and strategic thinking, highlighting difficult problems—in the United States and worldwide—and innovative approaches to tackling them. The summer program includes two classes:
1. Leadership and Global Policy Challenges (LEAD U6000)
Using a distinctively multidisciplinary approach, this 6-point class will assess each of the selected five global policy challenges with world-class experts and practitioners. Students will familiarize themselves with the most current and relevant literature, participate in group discussions, and prepare presentations. Each topic will be covered in one week
- Geopolitical Stability
- Energy, Climate, and Sustainable Development
- Building Democratic Resilience
- Inclusive Prosperity and Macroeconomic Stability
- Technology and Innovation
Additionally, students will take one week of an actor-training workshop aimed to develop the creative artistry of students as storytellers. This workshop will help them bring their unique personal perspective through their voice and body and move and convince audiences, so that the public hears what they have to say.
2. Econ ＆ Quant Methods Bootcamp (LEAD U6500)
Data analysis is necessary for effective leadership and decision-making based on evidence. The Economics and Quantitative Bootcamp is a 2-point course will help students revive and sharpen their skillset to better use information on current economic trends, socioeconomic conditions, and policy evaluations.
The Bootcamp will review basic economic concepts, including the welfare effects of different policy measures, as well as simple statistical methods to analyze data. Many SIPA courses during the Fall and Spring semesters require a basic understanding of the concepts that will be reviewed during the Summer bootcamp. This optional component will help students succeed in their studies and make the most of their classes. Students can take an exam in order to assess the need to strengthen their quantitative skills.
Students must select at least one course from one of the following categories:
Economics and Quantitative Analysis
Course List
| Code |
Title |
Points |
| Points |
| EMPA U8213 | Microeconomics and Policy Analysis I | 3.00 |
| INAF U6016 | Cost-Benefit Analysis | 3.00 |
| INAF U6022 | Economics of Finance | 3.00 |
| INAF U6039 | International Banking: Workings, Trends and Challenges | 3.00 |
| INAF U6301 | Corporate Finance | 3.00 |
| INAF U6359 | Global Economic Governance | 3.00 |
| INAF U6508 | Using Big Data to Develop Public Policy | 3.00 |
| INAF U6599 | Quant III: Labor Economics For Policy Students | 3.00 |
| INAF U6602 | Economic Development for International Affairs | 3.00 |
| INAF U6771 | Economic Inequality and Its Policy Implications | 3.00 |
| INAF U6820 | Theory of International Political Economy | 3.00 |
| INAF U6889 | Impact Measurement ＆ Evaluation for Sustainable Development | 3.00 |
| INAF U6085 | Economic Development in Latin America | 3.00 |
| INAF U6604 | Applied Econometrics | 3.00 |
| INAF U6608 | Economics of Education Policy | 3.00 |
| INAF U6068 | Environmental Economics | 3.00 |
| PUAF U6251 | Urban Economics | 3.00 |
| SIPA U6500 | Quantitative Analysis I for International and Public Affairs | 3.00 |
| SIPA U6501 | Quantitative Analysis II for International and Public Affairs | 3.00 |
| SIPA U8500 | Quantitative Methods in Program Evaluation and Policy Research | 3.00 |
Management and Leadership
Course List
| Code |
Title |
Points |
| Points |
| INAF U6016 | Cost-Benefit Analysis | 3.00 |
| INAF U6762 | Risk Management for UN Crisis ＆ Post-crisis Responses | 3.00 |
| INAF U6041 | Corporations and Human Rights | 3.00 |
| INAF U6085 | Economic Development in Latin America | 3.00 |
| INAF U6186 | Community Economic Development | 3.00 |
| INAF U6226 | Leadership ＆ Innovative Policy Making | 3.00 |
| INAF U6372 | Women and Leadership: Designing Policy for Gender Equity | 1.50 |
| INAF U8690 | Managing Humanitarian Emergencies | 3.00 |
| PUAF U6228 | Comparative Social Welfare Policy | 3.00 |
| PUAF U8248 | Leadership ＆ Urban Transformation | 3.00 |
| SIPA U6003 | Analysis of Public Sector Organizations | 3.00 |
| SIPA U6005 | Effective Management in the Public Service | 3.00 |
| SIPA U6014 | Strategic and Entrepreneurial Management | 3.00 |
| SIPA U6016 | Leading ＆ Managing in Moments of Adversity ＆ Opportunity | 3.00 |
| SIPA U6017 | Effective Management in the Public Service | 3.00 |
Policy Foundations
Course List
| Code |
Title |
Points |
| Points |
| INAF U6061 | Global Energy Policy | 3.00 |
| INAF U6089 | Environmental Justice and Climate Resiliency | 3.00 |
| INAF U6042 | Energy, Enterprise and Development | 3.00 |
| INAF U6284 | The Politics of Defense in the United States | 3.00 |
| INAF U6405 | Human Rights and the Politics of Inequality | 3.00 |
| INAF U6508 | Using Big Data to Develop Public Policy | 3.00 |
| INAF U6538 | State Building in the Developing World | 3.00 |
| INAF U6771 | Economic Inequality and Its Policy Implications | 3.00 |
| INAF U6792 | Foreign Policy Crisis Decision-Making | 3.00 |
| INAF U6798 | Central Issues in American Foreign Policy | 3.00 |
| INAF U6858 | Economics of US Social Policy | 1.50 |
| INAF U8142 | Intelligence ＆ US Foreign Policy | 3.00 |
| INAF U6041 | Corporations and Human Rights | 3.00 |
| INAF U6226 | Leadership ＆ Innovative Policy Making | 3.00 |
| INAF U8812 | Seminar on International Strategy | 3.00 |
| PUAF U6228 | Comparative Social Welfare Policy | 3.00 |
| PUAF U6325 | Critical Issues in Urban Public Policy | 3.00 |
| SIPA U6003 | Analysis of Public Sector Organizations | 3.00 |
| SIPA U6005 | Effective Management in the Public Service | 3.00 |
| SIPA U6016 | Leading ＆ Managing in Moments of Adversity ＆ Opportunity | 3.00 |
| PUAF U6100 | Politics of Policymaking: Global Perspectives on Policy Analysis ＆ Design | 4.00 |
| PUAF U6110 | Politics of Policymaking: American Institutions in Comparative Perspective | 4.00 |
| PUAF U6120 | Politics of Policymaking: Developing Countries in Comparative Perspective | 4.00 |
Global Leadership Seminar I (LEAD U6101) and Global Leadership Seminar II (LEAD U6102) will provide students with leadership frameworks and the tools to apply them into their careers, including exposure to real-life leadership case studies across a variety of sectors and geographies. They will learn first-hand from some of the world’s most influential leaders who will shed light on their leadership evolution and share relevant professional development tools. All of these will be complemented by a diagnostic assessment of the students' leadership style at the beginning and end of the degree to allow them to see their progress as a leader and work on the areas for improvement.
Students enjoy the flexibility to design 75 percent of the curriculum, consulting individually with the program director and the most relevant faculty before choosing among 400 courses to tailor the program to their individual needs.
Columbia University is a dynamic institution, attracting new faculty and introducing new courses every year. As a result, the electives curriculum may vary slightly from year to year.
Graduation Requirements Overview
Students must meet the following requirements to be approved for graduation:
- Complete 34 credits in residence at SIPA.
- Complete all core requirements, including 6 points for the Leadership and Global Policy Challenges Summer Class, 2 points for the Economics & Quantitative Methods Bootcamp, 3 for the core class, 6 for the Seminar, and 17 for electives.
- Have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above.
- Have no pending grades. All grades must be final. Any notations indicating a pending grade must be converted to a final grade before graduating. These include “IN” (incomplete), “CP” (credit pending), and “YC” (year-long course).
- Complete and submit the Application for Degree or Certificate by the appropriate deadline.
In addition to the above, grade changes cannot be made post-graduation.
Tracking MPA-GL Requirements
Students use Stellic to track and monitor their academic and degree progress.