MPA in Global Leadership

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:

  • 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.

  • 2-points of the economics and quantitative summer bootcamp.

  • 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.

  • 6-points of the two seminars on global leadership.

  • 17-points (minimum) of electives. Students undertake coursework in various disciplines and sectors during the Fall and Spring terms.

Contact Us

Mauricio CárdenasProfessor of Professional Practice
Director of the MPA in Global Leadership
mc4701@columbia.edu

Sreenidhi Rao
Assistant Director of the MPA in Global Leadership
sr3754@sipa.columbia.edu