MSFS 5000 Ethical Leadership 3 Credits
This course addresses the ethical dilemmas facing international affairs practitioners, focusing on the ethics involved in every-day decision-making, weighing priorities and tradeoffs. It will review the current literature on international ethics and cover ethical considerations related to key current international affairs issues, the tools available to international practitioners, and the ethics of the international system. Throughout, the course will focus on decision-making processes and case studies, in order to challenge students to understand how decisions are made, as well as engage in their own decision-making processes. The course will review ethical debates related to key foreign policy issues, tools of foreign policy, and finally, the structure of the global system and how it relates to sovereignty. Ethics is required for all MSFS students.
Level: Graduate, Undergraduate
Corequisites:
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a program in Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service or Law/Foreign Service.
MSFS 5001 Intl Relatns Theory Practice 3 Credits
This course is a graduate-level seminar on the theory and practice of international relations. The objectives of this course are (a) to introduce students to the graduate study of English-language theories of international relations; (b) to assess the explanatory power of these theories in the study and practice of international politics; (c) to engage with the most pressing contemporary policy debates in international politics, and (d) to develop the critical analytic, writing, and speaking skills needed for your professional success.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service or Law/Foreign Service.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate or Juris Doctor level students.
MSFS 5002 Globalizatn:Intersocietal Rel 3 Credits
The purpose of this course is to track and understand the evolution of the political, economic, social, and cultural relations of the world's people. The course will examine the establishment of national states in Europe and its subsequent global expansion, and the impact of that expansion on peoples with different political and social traditions. It will also include the impact of the world wars and twentieth-century ideological conflicts on inter- and intra-societal relations; the post-1945 transformation of Latin American, African, and Asian societies and their relations to the international system; the growing influence of a dynamic and pervasive global economy; the expanding roles of regional and transnational organizations and actors; and the rise transnational actors and problems. Extrapolating from past and current trends, the course will conclude with some speculation on the future of international and intersocietal relations.(Not required for MSFS/MA in History majors).
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service or Law/Foreign Service.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate or Juris Doctor level students.
MSFS 5003 Analytical/Statistical Skills 0 or 3 Credits
This course is designed as an introduction to the use of quantitative methods for graduate students. The progression of this course includes the theory and rubric of scientific research designs and the practice in generating, interpreting, and ultimately employing quantitative methods to critically assess empirical works as well as informing one’s own research questions. The goals of this course are to develop statistical literacy coupled with analytical and research abilities. We will cover topics such as descriptive statistics, including measures of central tendency, dispersion, and association; inferential statistics, including probability theory, Normal distributions, and statistical significance; and OLS regression, including the use of dummy variables, interactions, factor analysis, and extensions to regression for categorical and limited dependent variables. The course is designed to enable students to critically assess and contribute to a broad range of quantitative work in the policy setting (e.g. risk assessment, policy analysis), applied fields (e.g. development, political organization), and applied theoretical work in international affairs (e.g. academic and professional works such as Foreign Affairs). The course will include weekly exercises in the discussed analytical techniques (including independent lab work) and three policy papers that include presentations. It will include a final exam and a participation evaluation.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service or Law/Foreign Service.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate or Juris Doctor level students.
MSFS 5005 Int'l Econ: ToolsApplications 0-3 Credits
The course studies different aspects of economic relationships among countries. The first part of the course will focus on international trade. We will explore how trade can be explained by differences in comparative advantage as seen in the well-known Ricardian model and analyze the effects of trade on income distribution as well as see different sources of gains that arise when countries trade with each other. We will also study how trade takes place when two countries differ in resources or factor endowments as seen in the Heckscher-Ohlin model. This will be followed by a discussion on trade policy - the use of tariffs, subsidies and trade quotas by countries and the costs and benefits of using these trade instruments, an analysis of regional trade agreements, as well as a few applications of trade wars. The second part of the course will cover some key concepts and issues in international finance, such as national accounts, balance of payments, exchange rates, fiscal and monetary policies, exchange rate regimes, challenges and crises in countries. Here, we will focus on some pertinent questions such as what causes countries to run trade surpluses or deficits with their trading partners? What are the implications of these imbalances on exchange rates? How are such imbalances resolved over time? What causes banking and currency crises in open economies? What factors are responsible for financial contagion between economies, and how can governments handle international financial instability? In answering all this, we will discuss the role played by exchange rates, and how adopting different exchange rate regimes can fulfil different policy objectives of the countries.
Level: Graduate, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
Students in the MS in Foreign Service department may not enroll.
MSFS 5100 Geoeconomics 3 Credits
Geoeconomics emphasizes the interaction of economics and politics in the international arena. It highlights the intersection of economic and political competition, the use of economic means to achieve geostrategic goals, and the linkage between economic and political strategy. States, firms, and other actors are using geoeconomic strategies in an increasingly wide range of domains today. The study and theory of geoeconomics is evolving from its traditional foci on economic nationalism, economic statecraft, and the weaponization of interdependence within international political economy into a mature field at the intersection of economic policy, statecraft, and the private sector.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
MSFS 5200 Corporate Finance 3 Credits
The course provides an essential minimum grounding in Corporate Finance. The subject matter is therefore universal in application whether one’s ultimate interest is in Government, Not for Profit or the Private Sector. The course is designed to be accessible to students with zero prior corporate finance knowledge and is not quantitatively demanding.
Upon completion of the course students will achieve familiarity with financial statements and the underlying principles and techniques surrounding their preparation. Students will also be able to take a first look at analyzing financial statements and drawing broad conclusions as to the financial characteristics and stability of the subject entities.
As an integral part of understanding the economic substance of Finance, the course will also introduce basic aspects of security valuation – debt, equity including the principles around their appropriate combination.
The course will draw upon an eclectic series of readings involving both theory and practice (the latter commencing in a highly stylized manner but becoming more realistic as skills and confidence increase). Hence, towards the end of the course, more time will be spent reviewing case-study type material and engaging in the study and discussion of relevant contemporary financial news.
The culmination of the above elements will provide students with a basic vocabulary and tool kit in finance that will both be useful in itself and provide an essential knowledge base for other more specialized MSFS Courses.
The book “Accounting Made Simple” by Mike Piper is mandatory pre-reading ahead of the first class.
Level: Graduate, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a program in Global Business Finance, Global Business Finance, Global Business Finance or Global Business Finance.
Enrollment limited to students in the LW-JD-LWFS or MS-FSER programs.
MSFS 5222 Module on Leadership 1.5 Credits
This module provides a focus on leadership for MSFS students.
Level: Graduate, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment limited to students in a Master of Science in Frgn Serv degree.
MSFS 5300 Practice of Policy Tradecraft 3 Credits
Every student in the GPS concentration will need deep expertise in policy tradecraft. The capacity to analyze existing policy, to devise new policy initiatives, to participate in group decision-making, and to develop broad strategies for implementation will prove indispensable in both public and private sector positions. This gateway course will provide that policy expertise in four main tracks: analysis, design, decision-making, and planning. At each step, the work will be practical and applied rather than theoretical and abstract. Students will use a real world practicum project to apply each of these tradecraft competencies to produce concrete proposals. This course will help students answer three critical questions:
First, how did we get here? Students will explore and master the analytical techniques necessary to understand and critique past and present policies by examining the priorities, personalities and decision-making processes that resulted in policy outcomes.
Second, what’s our next step? Students will learn a methodical process for identifying problems and crafting new initiatives to address those problems.
Third, where’s the action plan? Students will be challenged to develop a comprehensive, multi-year strategy linking means and ends to achieve a stated objective and provide recommendations for decision in a group setting.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a program in Global Politics and Security, Global Politics and Security, Global Politics and Security or Global Politics and Security.
Enrollment limited to students in the LW-JD-LWFS or MS-FSER programs.
MSFS 5400 DevPolicy: Market/Gov Failures 3 Credits
This course will analyze public policies in developing countries from the perspective of the market failures they were intended to correct and the government failures created by the interventions. Using cases from education, health, trade, industry, energy, water, sanitation, agriculture, labor, and social protection, the course will examine whether the policies addressed the original market failures; how government failures came about; and possible remedies. Students will write two policy briefs on sectoral policies in a selected country, and one assessment (with recommendations) of a country’s overall development policies. The goal is to equip students with the ability to analyze development policies in terms of market and government failures, and design reforms that balance the two.
Level: Graduate, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
MSFS 5450 Asia-Pacific Policy Lab 1.5 Credits
Why do environmental policies work or not work in practice, and how can reforms improve them? Based out of Georgetown’s new location in Jakarta, Indonesia, the Georgetown Asia-Pacific Environment Policy Lab seeks to answer these questions and equip graduate students with the skills to undertake applied research in environmental policy. This lab is part of a long-term, continuous initiative that will focus on major environmental issues under real-world conditions. The educational approach integrates classroom policy analysis training with practical field research and interactions with policymakers actively involved in these issues.
Students will choose to work on one of two projects related to either critical minerals mining or rainforest biodiversity protection and their intersections with poverty. For the mining project, students will engage in analysis and fieldwork focusing on the economic and social makeup of the mining sector in Indonesia, including how policy can address environmental and social concerns caused by mine closings, poor mining regulation, and the downstream impacts of legal and illegal mining, but also some of the more innovative and creative solutions to Indonesia’s Just Energy Transition Partnership program. For students interested in biodiversity protection, the class will include mentored small group fieldwork intended to sharpen the understanding of topics such as community natural resource management, nature tourism trade-offs, gender and the environment, and whether debt for nature swaps can be made to work. In this early phase of the labs, students will help design the approach, problem statement, and methodology of the labs from the inception of the projects.
The projects may be subject to change based on availability and other considerations. Travel to Indonesia will be required as a condition for joining the course. While travel costs to Jakarta and living expenses will be the responsibility of students, travel expenses to field sites will be covered by the projects. Due to limited resources, interested students must submit an application that will be made available to students via their GSFS program advisors. Enrollment is contingent upon submission of the application and acceptance by the selection committee.
MSFS-5450-01 is the Classroom-based Module 1 Analysis part of the policy lab experience that takes place in Jakarta from January 8 to February 28, 2025. Students enrolled in MSFS-5450-01 must also enroll in MSFS-5450-03: Asia-Pacific Environment Policy Lab: Module 1 Fieldwork, which is the accompanying fieldwork component of the policy lab.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Graduate Foreign Service, Graduate Foreign Service, Graduate Foreign Service or Graduate Foreign Service.
MSFS 5455 Asia Pacific Policy Lab-Hybrid 3 Credits
This course represents a hybrid model for the Asia-Pacific environmental policy lab and takes advantage of students’ split location to include analytic work from the global literature and from interviews in DC-based organizations to strengthen students’ environmental problem statement before their summer fieldwork or internship in Jakarta. Students will have a separate, tailored discussion for the first two or three weeks of the course to help them design their Washington-based research, after which they will join the remote sessions taking place in Module 2. Once arriving in Jakarta, they will join the other groups, adding in a more extended field stay for data gathering. Fieldwork for this group will analyze what accounts for the gap between national policy and actual practice, with a particular focus on community-based natural resource management. The final product is a policy recommendation to the government that shows their understanding of institutional responsibilities for action.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies or Asian Studies.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
Enrollment limited to students in the Global Human Development, MS in Foreign Service or Security Studies departments.
MSFS 5500 Science Policy Matters 0 or 3 Credits
Science Policy Matters - Introduction to the Study of Science, Technology and International Affairs
Course provides an introduction to fundamental concepts of science policy, science diplomacy, and the societal impact of technological changes. Students will examine domestic governance and international relations challenges associated with the evolution of select technologies and scientific problems. Modules will focus on cases which highlight the global commons and natural resources; the role of the market in technological innovation and states’ efforts to shape it; and the role of science and technology as instruments of power and tools of diplomacy for state and non-state actors. MSFS 505 is the gateway course for students choosing to make STIA their MSFS concentration but will be open to all MSFS students.
Level: Graduate, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment limited to students in the following programs:
- LW-JD-LWAS
- LW-JD-LWFS
- LW-JD-LWSS
- MA-ARST
- MA-ASST
- MA-ERES
- MA-GEST
- MA-LAST
- MA-SEST
- MGHD-GHDP
- MS-FSER
Enrollment is limited to Graduate or Juris Doctor level students.
MSFS 5510 Climate Risk Strategy 3 Credits
Global climate change is a defining risk-management challenge of our time. This course examines the strategic dimensions of three interrelated physical climate risks: extreme heat, floods and drought, that are intensifying in severity and frequency. Together, these risks threaten economies, public health, security and development. They also drive opportunities for innovation in science, technology, and business for a range of viable solutions that reduce buyers’ vulnerability. Students will learn the fundamentals of all three, then focus their work in one of three teams—heat, floods, or drought—on a strategic capstone project. Understanding these material risks is increasingly central to public and private strategy and represents a growing opportunity for entrepreneurs and innovative firms.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
MSFS 5520 The Energy Transition 3 Credits
This course examines the key issues and challenges around the most profound transition in global energy use since the Industrial Revolution, amidst global conflicts and tensions, with energy itself at the heart of many of those tensions.
The course will be of interest to those who wish to play a part in government, in multilateral institutions, in the various businesses that together are shaping the transition - or in the civil society groups who try to influence them.. Energy products are among the most traded global commodities. Energy is essential to modern life; yet many of its companies and products are often controversial. Governments regulate the industry with varying – and sometimes contradictory - objectives and varying success; they actively participate in supply chains and product markets; and own electricity, nuclear, renewable or fossil fuel companies.
The course focuses on the global challenge of combining development energy security and environmental progress. It will approach this question through the lens of global participants’ concerns and priorities – particularly those of non-OECD participants.
Students will gain an in-depth understanding of the economic fundamentals of energy and the external environment in which the energy industry operates. The first part of the course explores the structure of today’s energy markets and how their future transition is forecast. It considers the fundamental forces driving the transition – actions to address climate change - and concerns about energy security and prices that create inevitable trade-offs. – as well as the practical factors limiting the speed at which the transition will occur. Finally, we consider the geopolitical implications of recent and prospective changes in energy supply chains, markets and financing.
Financial modeling-based team exercises (using Excel) , structured investigations and classroom sessions explore the uncertainty the transition creates and how that translates into investment decisions, portfolio design, regulatory and tax approaches. The final part of the course will require participants to develop and effectively communicate plausible policy advice for government leaders.
Level: Graduate, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
MSFS 5530 IR, Tech Entrepreneurship 3 Credits
This course will explore the intersection of international relations, technology and entrepreneurship in the 21st century. In a global economy where innovation works across boundaries and borders, how can captains of industry balance geopolitical tensions between their home countries and adversaries. The course will also touch on some new paradigms in the post-Covid international business arena such as EVs, AI and climate change. For example, what solutions are available to companies in the battery technology space to establish a presence in China but be mindful of U.S. laws. Or how does an energy company with interest in the massive natural gas reserves of Iran conduct business with a sanctioned regime, if at all. The class will also examine the central role of ethics and ESG in international relations.
Level: Graduate, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
MSFS 5540 Int Climate Policy Diplomacy 3 Credits
Climate change is a global environmental, social, technological and economic challenge. Responding to this challenge will fundamentally affect energy systems, development strategies, investment patterns, and distributional equity around the world. This course examines the nature of the climate challenge from multiple perspectives in order to frame the climate change policy design process currently being deliberated around the world. We begin by studying the science and impacts of climate change, discerning controversies from uncertainties. We then look to the history of climate diplomacy, followed by an in-depth investigation of the Paris Agreement’s NDC model of climate commitments. Students will prepare briefings for the US government examining opportunities for increasing domestic climate ambition in key countries. Students will receive training in energy and emissions modeling software which is used by countries to set climate goals. Other course topics include the evolution of US climate policy, China’s role in climate change, climate and trade, and lessons from alternative climate treaties and global environmental politics. Guest speakers (climate policy practitioners) will be incorporated throughout the semester. Some students may have the opportunity to attend COP28 in person, and the rest will attend virtually.
Level: Graduate, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Students who are registered in the following programs may not enroll:
- LW-JD-LWAS
- LW-JD-LWFS
- LW-JD-LWSS
- MA-ARST
- MA-ASST
- MA-ERES
- MA-GEST
- MA-LAST
- MA-REES
- MA-SEST
- MGHD-GHDP
- MS-FSER
Graduate or Juris Doctor level students may not enroll.
MSFS 5542 Critical Infrastructure 1.5 Credits
In the modern world, systems that supply electricity, water, mass transit, cargo transportation, financial transactions, medical care, and uninterrupted communication are all regarded as critical infrastructure. So, too, are the satellites, Internet, and computer systems that enable the modern world to function. How do nations set out to resource and to secure the systems that modern societies take for granted, things that are indeed critical? In this modular course, we will explore these systems, how they interconnect, electronic and physical threats to these systems, and measures to enhance resilience and security of critical infrastructure. Cases will include electricity grids, financial communication networks, water management, satellites, industrial control systems, and personal data protection
Level: Graduate, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
MSFS 5550 Transnational Security 3 Credits
This class will provide students with an overview of the actors and phenomena that threaten state sovereignty and human security across geographical, political, and commercial boundaries. These threats are shaped by the consequences of a global pandemic, environmental degradation, and diminished energy security and infrastructure at a time of decreased multilateral cooperation. In this light, the class will review transnational criminal activities including illicit drug trafficking, environmental crime, human trafficking, and the use of technology to facilitate criminal activities and evaluate various approaches and policy options for addressing them.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Equivalent to MSFS 642
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Art, Art, Art, Art, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Security Studies, Security Studies, Security Studies or Security Studies.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate or Juris Doctor level students.
MSFS 5560 Energy Diplomacy 3 Credits
This course will examine a century of diplomatic energy relationships, beginning with the formation of National Oil Companies in the Middle East, Mexico and Venezuela, and moving forward to the energy transition and the race to fuel the world’s growing electric vehicle fleet. Students will study the producer institutions (such as OPEC) as well as consumer institutions (such as International Energy Agency and International Renewable Energy Agency). Cases will include OPEC (its rise, decline, and evolution into OPEC+); the history of Petroleos de Venezuela from its partnership with American and European oil majors to its drastic restructuring under Chavez; the role of Natural Gas and efficiency in European Energy Security; and global efforts to shape the transition of the energy sector; the race for leadership in green hydrogen; and the competition to extract, process and assemble minerals and batteries to fuel the electric vehicle industry.
Level: Graduate, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
MSFS 5565 Data Visualization 1.5 Credits
The course will help students develop the skill of how to create and interpret a wide range of visualizations. Beginning with basic visualizations (such as bar, pie and line charts), students will build their skills towards advanced visualizations such as heat maps, sansky plots and compound plots. The course will provide an overview of how to recognize when visualizations are being manipulated to mislead audiences, how to use common tools including Excel, python and free online platforms to develop visualizations; and how to choose visual products for optimal impact and for accessibility. The course will also provide some exposure to interactive visualizations and how they are developed. Students will be expected to complete a short paper where they analyze how a publication of their choosing uses visualizations to manipulate readers. For the final module deliverable, students will also be expected to create a short presentation on an international affairs-related topic of their choice. They will be responsible for finding and visualizing data related to their chosen topic as well as developing a visualization-based presentation that seeks to convince the audience of a specific argument or view-point
Level: Graduate, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
MSFS 5570 Transboundary Water Disputes 3 Credits
This course examines the historical constructs and currently implemented freshwater resource policy strategies amongst neighboring nation states. Students will examine the domestic and international implications of both water scarcity and water abundance on strategic decision-making. Modules will contrast transboundary water approaches taken amongst varying developing and developed countries, as well as overlay upstream and downstream dynamics. Additionally, modules will introduce remote sensing techniques to forecast and understand water related impacts on governance.
Level: Graduate, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
MSFS 5575 Environmental Policy in Europe 3 Credits
Since the early 1970s, the European Community, the precursor to today’s European Union, has made environmental legislation and regulation central to its mission, establishing environmental policy as fundamental to modern-day Europe’s identity. The consequences of Brussels’s commitment to an increasingly active environmental agenda are felt both among the bloc’s Member States and across the globe.
Beginning with the foundations of EU environmental policymaking and a brief survey of milestones of environmental progress, this course looks critically at the seven stages of the EU environmental policy process using core elements of the European Green Deal and more recent proposed legal acts as the primary objects of study.
Since the second von der Leyen Commission, in January 2024, competitiveness and security concerns have come to dominate the policy debate, resulting in a series of de-regulations (so-called omnibus acts) and delays in implementation timeframes. The question is now where the EU is headed with its environment and climate policy.
Students will develop in-depth knowledge of the EU policymaking process, track the trajectory of process evolutions over the past fifty years, and assess the impacts that environmental policy processes have on policy outcomes. This course is intended to be interdisciplinary, so prior specific knowledge of EU organizational structure or environmental policy is not required.
Students are expected to complete light readings for class, perform independent online research, participate in class discussions, prepare a presentation, conduct a mock parliamentary debate and conclude with an oral exam.
Guest speakers will join regularly during class in person and online to share their insights from directly working on European environmental policy. Guest speakers may be, e.g., staff of EU institutions, former or current European policy makers, stakeholders and civil society representatives. Guest speakers will be announced with advance notice so that students can prepare questions for the experts.
Level: Graduate, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
MSFS 5580 Sci. Diplomacy Global Issues 3 Credits
Global Science Diplomacy has gained significant prominence in recent years, with growing recognition of its pivotal role in achieving foreign policy objectives and addressing urgent global challenges. This course offers a comprehensive examination of the intricate relationship between science diplomacy and diverse domains, including climate change, biotechnology, environment, energy, global health, and international relations. Through a multidisciplinary approach, students will explore the intersections and mutual influences between these areas, gaining a profound understanding of how they collectively shape our interconnected world. By delving into global science diplomacy's connections with environment, energy, biotechnology, and international relations, students will be equipped to actively engage in discussions, employ scientific evidence for informing global policies with a focus on sustainability, all within a collaborative learning framework.
Level: Graduate, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
MSFS 5585 Digital PublicService Delivery 3 Credits
Effective use of technology and design is a core requirement for modern governments worldwide. This course will introduce students to the fundamental technical concepts, processes, and management theories used to manage the technical systems on which modern governments depend. Drawing on case studies from around the world, students will gain an understanding of tactics that have proved to be successful, common failure patterns, and the unique challenges and risks posed by technology that modern government leaders must consider. Concepts such as cloud computing, machine learning, product management, human-centered design, artificial intelligence, and APIs will be illuminated with case studies and hands-on experience from a practitioner perspective.
Restrictions: Level Include Graduate Only
Prerequisites: None
Level: Graduate, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
MSFS 5590 Space Policy Diplomacy 3 Credits
This course provides an overview of key space topics and explores how they intersect with the complex landscape of space policy, diplomacy, and international affairs. This course will examine contemporary civil, commercial, and national security space policy issues. Topics include U.S. space policy, international space law and governance, the role of space in international development, strategic competition in space, diplomacy with emerging and established space nations, space sustainability, and the increasing role of commercial space actors in shaping national and international policy.
Students will gain a comprehensive understanding of the key actors, policies, and challenges in the space sector, enabling them to critically analyze current events and contribute to contemporary and future policy discussions. Students will author short policy memos, deliver presentations, and participate in interactive simulations. This course features guest speakers from NASA, the Department of State, the Department of Defense, international space agencies, commercial space companies, and space nonprofits.
Level: Graduate, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
MSFS 5600 Gender, Int'l Sec. Devel. 3 Credits
The ability to understand, analyze and address gender issues is now recognized as a critical skill for policy-makers and international peace, security and development practitioners. A substantial body of research and a series of United Nations Security Council Resolutions underlines the importance of women’s empowerment to peace and prosperity. Over seventy (70) national governments have developed national action plans for implementing and mainstreaming a gender perspective into training for military personnel and development assistance in post-conflict countries. In 2017, the United States passed its own law requiring governmental agencies -- Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security, Department of State, and the US Agency for International Development-- to address women, peace and security issues. Many development and peace organizations are now required to demonstrate proficiency in addressing gender issues to receive funding from member state aid agencies. This gateway course aims to prepare students to work as diplomats, experts in peacebuilding, development, humanitarian relief, displacement, and post-conflict reconstruction, among other fields, with a knowledge of gender issues and the ability to apply a gender lens. The class contextualizes gender issues and asks the question: how would we think about international peace, security and development approaches and design intervention strategies if gender was treated a central consideration in international affairs and peacebuilding programming? To answer this question, the class will explore both conceptual considerations related to gender and its practical application. Focusing on practical skills such as conflict sensitive gender analysis, it will examine how to most effectively mainstream gender into policy making and programming related to international peace, security, and development.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service or Foreign Service.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
MSFS 5605 Foundations of Grand Strategy 3 Credits
This course focuses on the formulation and implementation of grand strategy. It begins with an examination of leading strategic thinkers. It then focuses on the components of imperial power and on the political, economic, and strategic issues entailed in its management and allocation. We will next study in comparative perspective the grand strategies of past great powers. The class will end with an examination of grand strategy for the twenty-first century.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
MSFS 5675 Health Systems and Tech 1.5 Credits
This is a 1.5 module course offered in the second half of the semester. Students will examine the rapidly evolving intersection of global health systems and technological advancements. The course will help students develop a deeper understanding of implications and considerations for different stakeholders and policy actors.
Level: Graduate, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Science, Tech, Int'l Affairs, Science, Tech, Int'l Affairs, Science, Tech, Int'l Affairs or Science, Tech, Int'l Affairs.
MSFS 5705 Diplomatic Communications 1.5 Credits
In this course, students will develop an understanding of, and appreciation for, the fundamentals of speech as a diplomatic speaker, writer, and listener. Through this course, students will build awareness and gain confidence as strategic speechwriters and engaged speakers through a variety of exercises, including a town hall debate, podcasting, impromptu speeches, manuscripting, and other public speaking activities.
Level: Graduate, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
MSFS 5900 Asia-Pacific Independent Study 1.5-3 Credits
Students resident at the Georgetown Asia-Pacific location may take an independent study course supervised by a Georgetown faculty member preparing a final project on topics relevant to the fulfillment of their degree programs. Selected topics include the political economy of Southeast Asia, community development in the Global South, and international higher education in practice, among others. Faculty approval required for independent study topics.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Graduate Foreign Service, Graduate Foreign Service, Graduate Foreign Service or Graduate Foreign Service.
Enrollment limited to students in the Asian Studies, Global Human Development, MS in Foreign Service or Security Studies departments.
MSFS 5925 MSFS Internship 0.25 Credits
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: Pass/Fail Default
MSFS 6001 US-China Tech Competition 3 Credits
This course will examine the evolution and nature of the evolving advanced technology competition between the U.S. and China. It will explore China’s past and current technology-related economic policies, and how they have evolved and currently operate. It will examine a select number of key advanced industries/technologies (such as AI, robotics, biotech, and 5G equipment) where U.S.-China competition is playing out and the implications for America of success or failure. Finally, it will examine U.S. industrial and technology policy related to competitiveness over the past half century, the nature of the current debate and policies, and what the United States should do to assure that it does not fall behind China on key advanced industries.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment limited to students in the MS-FSER or MS-FSST programs.
MSFS 6100 Econ Dev Theory, EvidencePol 3 Credits
This course is geared towards students in the MSFS international development (ID) concentration as well as those with an interest in poor countries and related poverty issues. The principal objective of the course is to familiarize students with the basic tools and theoretical concepts that development economists most frequently use, both to analyze and understand leading economic development issues, and to give relevant policy advice to decision makers in developing countries. Related empirical evidence is also examined with a view to verifying the relevance and utility of the theoretical concepts that are employed. Students are expected to attain a level of proficiency whereby they can hold their own and feel comfortable discussing economic development issues, particularly policy-related issues, with development practitioners and policymakers. The course starts with the basics: the meaning and measurement of development, including how to access and use important databases, particularly the World Development Indicators (WDI), the relationship between economic growth and development, and the overall growth and development experience of countries and regions in the developing world. With this foundation, the course then turns to the major subject areas, including: (i) theories of economic growth and their relevance for developing countries; (ii) growth accounting—how to decompose growth into its component parts and how to use this empirical tool to help identify the proximate causes of economic growth; (iii) the underlying long term determinants of economic growth and development—policies, institutions; human capital, natural resource endowments (geography), etc. (iii) theories of structural change—how rural agrarian societies transition to developed industrial economies and the associated internal migration and settlement issues; (iv) poverty and inequality, the linkages between them and their theoretical and empirical relationships with economic growth and development; (vi) policymaking in developing countries—specifically the role and functions of the state, public goods and externalities, evaluating public investments using tools such as cost-benefit analysis, and macroeconomic management including fiscal policy and the role of central banks and exchange rate regimes as they relate specifically to developing countries; (vi) foreign trade, finance and investment, building on the MSFS foundational course, International Trade and Finance, with specific applications and analysis in the context of developing countries; and (viii) the role and effectiveness of foreign aid and debt relief. The course ends with an overview of the current state and frontiers of development thinking today.
The format of the classes is a mix of lectures, seminar-style discussions, and debates.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a program in International Development, International Development, International Development or International Development.
Enrollment limited to students in the LW-JD-LWFS or MS-FSER programs.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
MSFS 6110 Investment in Emerging Markets 3 Credits
This course will offer a unique investors point of view of Emerging Markets emphasizing different characteristics of frontier, emerging and developed country indices. Analyzing asset allocation decisions within Emerging Market countries will be a key theme of this course. Economic theory and accompanying evidence will be extensively employed to identify and explain sources of relative returns between Emerging Market countries. Relative performance trends within a country, at sector or individual stock level, will also be discussed in detail. Investment vehicles available to today’s global investors will be presented with real live examples including ETFs, Closed End Funds, ADRs or investments in locally listed stocks/bond and OTC derivative instruments.
Limits to market efficiency, restrictive or unpredictable regulatory frameworks, transaction costs and ownership limitations still create headwinds to investors in emerging markets, but improvements in fiscal & monetary policies and relative political stability offer unique investment opportunities for the next decade or the next century for some strong believers of Emerging Markets story. While keeping the main focus on rationale of portfolio investments in emerging markets, the course will also cover theoretical foundations of economic growth, business cycles, and economic policy in Emerging Market economies.
Recommended to: Public officers covering international markets (Treasury, FED, State Department etc..), Consultants, Country Analysts, Portfolio Managers, Traders, Asset Allocators and to anyone who is interested in international finance with Emerging Markets focus.
Course Organization Each participant of the course will be assigned to one emerging market country as a Country Analyst. Country Analysts are responsible to closely follow macroeconomic, political and major market driven events of the country they are covering. Active participation in information sharing between country analysts via group e-mails is required during the course of this class. At the end of the semester, analysts are expected to be able to explain sources of relative performance of the country they covered and also show ability to provide actionable investment ideas utilizing theoretical and practical tools they acquired during the semester.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Security Studies, Security Studies, Security Studies or Security Studies.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
MSFS 6120 Practical Trade Law and Policy 3 Credits
This course (PTLP) offers a foundational understanding of trade theory and disciplines, as well as of the politics and economics of national trade and industrial policymaking. PTLP will examine how the post-World War II consensus on trade liberalization frayed over the years and how the reality of trade policymaking diverges from how it "should" work. Students will learn the history and current state of trade negotiations and the scope and limitations of trade authorities under U.S. law. We will explore the relevance of various policy stakeholders with a view toward gaining practical experience in developing and implementing strategies for addressing market access challenges or investment disputes in an environment where World Trade Organization rules and commitments made in free trade agreements have been weakened. PTLP prepares students for careers in international trade law, trade negotiations, or as a public policy practitioner/analyst in the private sector.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Security Studies, Security Studies, Security Studies or Security Studies.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate or Juris Doctor level students.
MSFS 6130 Impact Analysis 3 Credits
In international affairs, and particularly in the field of international development, many questions on social and economic impact concern us. There are at two sets of questions: The first set concerns the impact of programs and initiatives that have been implemented or at least piloted on a small scale—the impact of conditional cash transfers on education, health and well-being of children , for example, or the impact of financial literacy training on the ability of households to manage their finances. The second set of questions concerns the poverty and social impact of programs, reforms, and even economic shocks that are yet to happen or have not yet taken place. Over the past decade, a large literature on impact evaluations and ex ante impact analysis has emerged to attempt to answer these important questions.
This course exposes the students to key concepts and quantitative tools in impact evaluation and in ex ante poverty and social impact analysis. It will draw examples from studies and evaluations that have been conducted around the world in recent years. It will introduce students to experimental and non-experimental approaches that have been used in impact evaluation and simulation tools that have been used in ex ante analysis. The course includes hands-on Stata exercises in the analysis of data.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a program in Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Security Studies, Security Studies, Security Studies or Security Studies.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
MSFS 6140 Comparative Regional Econ Devt 3 Credits
The main objective of this course is to help develop and hone the skills needed to diagnose a country’s major development constraints or challenges and provide realistic policy advice. The course seeks to achieve this goal by providing students with an international comparative perspective on the key development issues facing countries throughout the developing world. The course is organized around five regional segments or modules corresponding to the world’s major developing areas or regions:
(i) East Asia; (ii) South Asia; (iii) Sub-Saharan Africa; (iv) Latin America; and (v) the Middle East and North Africa. Under each module, a set of two or three leading development issues are analyzed.
These issues are selected with a view to analyzing a particular issue in the context of a region in which that issue is most prominent or challenging. The intention, therefore, is to present each major development issue in stark relief and encourage comparisons and contrasts across regions and countries where appropriate. For example, equity and distributional issues and macroeconomic stabilization are examined against the backdrop of Latin America where these issues have been particularly acute, while economic stagnation, how to initiate and sustain economic growth and aid effectiveness are analyzed in the context of Sub-Saharan Africa. Similarly, how to make growth more pro-poor is studied in South Asia, and the challenges of rebalancing growth, raising productivity and moving up the global value chain are examined in East Asia. Finally, resource management and governance issues related to changing the role and functions of the state are investigated in the oil-rich countries of the Middle East and North Africa.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Security Studies, Security Studies, Security Studies or Security Studies.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate or Juris Doctor level students.
MSFS 6150 Int'l Project Finance 3 Credits
Energy and infrastructure assets drive economic development and human flourishing. This course teaches (1) how these projects are financed and built, particularly in risky environments (2) how participants cooperate despite conflicting incentives; and (3) the central role of a structure called project finance (“PF”) in surmounting associated challenges.
PF teaches important lessons about incentives and the alignment of interests in long-term relationships. You’ll learn a conceptual framework useful not only for analyzing PF but also development and investment broadly, and practical problems in life. You’ll develop skills in analyzing risk, and appreciation for how difficult large projects are.
We’ll begin with the differences between public and private sources of financial capital; debt andequity; and full- and non-recourse lending. We’ll examine why and when PF is useful, and its foundation of risk identification, allocation, and mitigation. Several case studies of classic transactions involving large energy, manufacturing, and transportation assets in developing markets will be instrumental in understanding PF.
After the midterm exam, we’ll study capital structure (why we choose and how we adjust the proportions of debt and equity) and how this capital is gradually returned to its providers: project sponsors, banks, development/multilateral finance institutions, and export credit agencies. We’ll also discuss environmental and social considerations, and the network of legal contracts that mitigate project risk. The final exam will require students to demonstrate mastery of the conceptual PF frameworks and practical applications.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Security Studies, Security Studies, Security Studies or Security Studies.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate or Juris Doctor level students.
MSFS 6160 Asian Economic Development 3 Credits
The principal objectives of this course are twofold: (i) to familiarize students with the most important economic development issues confronting and challenging Asian countries today; and (ii) in the course of doing this, to help students acquire and apply the skills needed both to identify and evaluate a country’s major development constraints and challenges and to offer policymakers effective and realistic policy advice. The Asian region is the largest and one of the most economically diverse regions in the world. It offers a virtual smorgasbord of different growth and development experiences with countries ranging from some of the poorest to some of the most successful in the developing world. The course compares and contrasts these records with a view to explaining the differences and drawing some general lessons. Some of the key topics covered include: the miracle vs. myth controversy surrounding the unprecedented economic performance of the so-called “East Asian Tigers;” the causes and aftermath of the Asian Financial Crisis and the region’s efforts to restructure and reduce its vulnerability to external financial shocks; the promotion of innovation and other productivity-enhancing measures to accelerate economic growth and thereby move from middle income to high income, developed country status; the prospect of the Philippines becoming the next Asian Tiger or remaining an outlier among its more successful neighbors; China’s economic reform, assent and integration within the global economy; the nature, strategy and pace of transition from central planning to a more market-based economic system in the so-called transition economies of Asia (TEAs),---China, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Mongolia and Myanmar; the unfolding human drama in South Asia (Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka) as these countries continue to face enormous development challenges despite considerable progress over the last couple of decades; Japan’s economic stagnation, jagged recovery and future long-term structural challenges; managing macroeconomic stabilization policy during the COVID-19 pandemic; the scope for regional economic cooperation; and the region’s competitiveness and future in the global economy. In addition, the course covers the performance of global capital markets in Asia, and the issues associated with the activities of the world’s multilateral trade, finance, and development institutions (WTO, IMF, World Bank and Asian Development Bank) as they relate specifically to the Asian region.The course format is a combination of seminar-styled class discussions, team debates, and class lectures. Students are expected to do the required readings in advance of class, submit a few short papers, and actively participate in class discussions and debates.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service - STIA, Foreign Service - STIA, Foreign Service - STIA or Foreign Service - STIA.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
MSFS 6170 African Economic Development 3 Credits
Sub-Saharan Africa has been described as the development challenge of the 21st Century. This region comprises over a billion people in some 48 mostly low-income countries where extreme, abject poverty is still a major problem. It is under these conditions that African countries strive to develop their economies and improve standards of living. This most important and urgent work is the subject of this course. The main objectives of the course are to familiarize students with the most important economic development issues confronting and challenging African countries today and to demonstrate how economic analysis may be used to better understand and address these development issues. With this overall focus, the course begins with a brief historical account of the economic impacts of slavery and colonialism in Africa. This is followed by an analysis of Africa’s post-independence development experience, often characterized as a growth tragedy, and the economic policies and other factors that help to explain that performance. The course then turns to its main subject—current African development issues, including: the region’s transition to more market-friendly economies; Africa’s unfinished structural reform agenda, particularly downsizing and changing the role and functions of the state in the economy, including the establishment of new regulatory systems and divestiture and privatization of state-owned enterprises; the goal of macroeconomic stabilization, including expenditure and taxation policies, external debt management, and the role of Africa’s central banks and exchange rate regimes; strengthening health and education programs to shore up human capital development; the role and effectiveness of social safety net programs in directly combating poverty and income inequality; the capacity and quality of public sector institutions and the difficulties of governance and economic policy making in ethnically divided and war-torn African states; Africa’s participation in world trade and access to private capital markets; the challenges of expanding Africa’s physical infrastructure and the scope for public-private partnerships; the task of widening and deepening the financial sector in African countries; the agricultural sector’s potential role in supporting rural development and economic growth more broadly; the effectiveness of official development aid (ODA), including the role of the African Development Bank and other development aid agencies, and finally the scope for regional economic cooperation and integration among African countries, including the potential role of the newly established African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCTA). The classes will comprise both lectures and seminar-style discussions, including several organized class debates, panel discussions and student presentations. Students are expected to prepare for each class by doing the required readings and participating actively in class discussions, presentations and debates.
The main objectives of this course are to familiarize students with the most important economic development issues confronting and challenging African countries today and to demonstrate how economic analysis may be used to better understand and address these development issues. The course begins with a brief historical account of the economic impacts of slavery and colonialism in Africa. This is followed by an analysis of Africa’s post-independence development experience, often characterized as a growth tragedy, and the economic policies and other factors that help to explain that performance. The course then turns to current African development issues, including: the transition to a more market-friendly economies; Africa’s unfinished reform agenda, particularly downsizing and changing the role and functions of the state in the economy, including the establishment of new regulatory systems and divestiture and privatization of state-owned enterprises; macroeconomic stabilization, including expenditure and taxation policies, external debt management, and the role of Africa’s central banks and exchange rate regimes; combating poverty and income inequality in African countries, including the contribution and effectiveness of social protection programs; the capacity and quality of public sector institutions and the difficulties of governance and economic policy making in ethnically divided and war-torn African states; Africa’s marginalization in world trade and limited access to private capital markets; the challenges of expanding Africa’s limited physical infrastructure; the scope for widening and deepening the financial sector in African countries; the agricultural sector’s potential role in supporting broad-based economic growth; the effectiveness of official development aid (ODA), including the role of the African Development Bank, and finally the scope for regional economic cooperation and integration among African countries. The classes will comprise both lectures and seminar-style discussions, including several organized class debates, panel discussions and student presentations. Students are expected to prepare for each class by doing the required readings and participating actively in class discussions, presentations and debates.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
MSFS 6180 Automation, AI and Development 3 Credits
From robots to ChatGPT, the impacts of new technologies are grabbing headlines – and policy makers’ attention. While these technologies can raise productivity and open new opportunities for growth, they can also destroy jobs and risk raising inequality, within and across countries. This course will look at the theory and evidence of the economic impacts of automation and AI, and how they are disrupting traditional models of economic development.
Many of the most successful examples of growth and poverty reduction have been achieved by East Asian countries following a model of manufacturing export-led development. Will industrial robots close off this path for countries that haven’t yet industrialized? Will the spread of digital technologies open other avenues, e.g. will they enable more services to be traded? Will AI put more high skilled jobs at risk? How much are global patterns of production and trade likely to change? And what are the implications for the distribution of income within countries?
The course will examine policy options raised by the spread of these new technologies. The course will look at the cases for and against industrial and trade policies that aim to achieve greater domestic production or even to encourage national champions. It will also look at other policy areas that affect the ability to adopt and use new technologies, from competition policies, skills, financial markets, infrastructure, the protection of data privacy and intellectual property rights.
This course counts as an applied economics class. It will explore more advanced trade models and models of firm behavior. Students will also gain experience using data to conduct analysis.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
MSFS 6190 Sanctions, Tariffs Ind. Pol 3 Credits
For decades, lead economies have been champions of greater economic ties, that expanding trade and capital flows would raise incomes and even foster peace. Yet, in recent years many of the major economies are applying sanctions, raising tariffs and actively pursuing industrial policies. This applied economics class will look at what the economic models say about such policies, and it will examine the evidence on what the costs and benefits are – across and within countries. What are the conditions that are more likely to lead to success or desired outcomes? Is the use of sanctions likely to erode the role of the US dollar? What is evidence on the extent of re-shoring/friend-shoring? Will countries be more or less insulated from shocks? What are the implications for convergence or for lower income countries to catch up? The course will look at specific country examples, including Russia, Iran, South Africa, Cuba, South Korea, Brazil and Rwanda. It will also examine the impacts of US policies such as the IRA and CHIPS and Science Act, and the implications for economic relations with China as well as for other important allies and trade partners such as the EU and Japan. This class aims to provide frameworks, informed by evidence, on how to think about the what is at stake, what is desirable and what is feasible in these important policy debates.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
MSFS 6210 Sustainability Business 1.5 Credits
As we enter the third decade of the 21st century, businesses hold unprecedented control over financial, technological and natural resources, globally. Hence, any effort to make a more sustainable world must be undertaken in cooperation and collaboration with businesses. Businesses, too, face growing demands from an array of stakeholders -- customers, employees, non-profits, shareholders, governments and international organizations to recognize and minimize their negative impacts and to use their strengths to be part of the solution. The course will shine a light on best practices in corporate sustainability while critically examining how businesses need to evolve further to solve the most crucial sustainability issues of the 21st century, including climate change. The course will also examine how other stakeholders such as governments, civil society and multilateral institutions ought to engage with businesses to leverage the best of what they offer while curbing their worst impulses. Course participants will develop an understanding of what it takes to mainstream sustainability in businesses in the 21st century through selected readings, case studies, guest speakers and interactive class sessions.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to Graduate or Juris Doctor level students.
MSFS 6220 Innovative Finance for Impact 3 Credits
This course will equip students to understand and apply innovations in the practice of finance and investment that can accelerate progress towards the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Participants will gain practical insights and learn through real-world examples how to drive significant shifts in strategies, structures, and practices of how to leverage finance and investment as powerful tools for positive change. Designed for both aspiring and current practitioners, the course prepares you to lead with impact in the financial world.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a program in Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Security Studies, Security Studies, Security Studies or Security Studies.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
MSFS 6230 Organizational Behavior 3 Credits
To what extent is career fulfillment and success dependent upon more than specialist skill based around job function? What are the typical issues, transition points and dilemmas that will be experienced in a career - and how can we best prepare for them? How and why can careers “top out” despite the outstanding abilities of those concerned?
In an increasingly flexible, non-hierarchical working world the ability to understand how we and organizations work is increasingly important and can be a distinguishing point with regard to career progression, impact and success.
This course is designed as a “user’s guide” to successfully understanding and navigating the work environment, employing a mix of readings and case studies to simulate real world issues and their resolution. The subject matter has been selected based on a combination of research and experience concerning typical career challenges and their associated learning points.
Beginning with the individual and focusing upon typical work environment issues, the course moves through aspects of management, including self-management, team work, ethics and leadership. Typical issues exacerbated by global operations, for example geographic or time zone non-proximity, language and culture are also explored along with the changing nature of work in an increasingly technology driven world.
Case studies are set both in and outside of the corporate world, with the principles they elucidate being universal and consequently having ready application in the private, non-profit and government sectors.
The course will be highly interactive, requiring class discussion and team based work. Ideally, the course is best taken in the Spring Semester prior to Graduation.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
MSFS 6240 Priv Equity - Frontier Markets 1.5 Credits
This course will provide an in-depth look at emerging markets private equity with an emphasis on market conditions and trends as well as the types of investment entities customarily utilized to make emerging markets private equity investments. The first part of the course will look at key elements of the emerging market business and regulatory environment that factor into successful private equity investment outcomes. The second part of the course will examine the process of structuring, negotiating and forming private equity investment funds with a particular focus on how emerging and frontier market practices differ from those in developed markets. This portion of the course will also address core private equity financial concepts including calculations of carried interest, performance fees and priority returns as well as distribution “waterfalls.” The final segment of the course will involve simulated private equity investment fund negotiations focusing on the differential alignment and goals of emerging market managers/promoters, institutional investors, sovereign wealth funds, development finance institutions, endowments, family offices and high net worth investors. Students will have the opportunity to meet and speak with private equity practitioners during this course.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Security Studies, Security Studies, Security Studies or Security Studies.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
MSFS 6250 Intl Trade Econ Diplomacy 3 Credits
Trade Negotiations and Commercial Diplomacy (TNCD) builds practical analytical and negotiation skills for diplomacy that is aimed at influencing domestic and foreign government policy and at regulatory decisions affecting global trade and investment. Commercial diplomacy is the art of building consensus among domestic and international stakeholders when developing national policies that affect trade and when negotiating and implementing international trade agreements.
Trade negotiations are no longer just about tariffs and quotas. Today’s interdependent world demands skills and knowledge over a wide range of governmental activity affecting international commerce –in areas such as health, safety, and environment standards; consumer protection; competition policy; bribery and corruption laws: agricultural support programs; industrial subsidies; and regulations covering services such as banking, telecommunications and accounting.
TNCD focuses on the analysis, advocacy, and negotiating in a public policy arena. These skills are built in the context of international agreements on investment and trade -related issues: in-depth analysis of the factors that bear on the policy process at home and abroad, political advocacy tools and techniques to assure support for desired outcomes, and the skills needed to complete successful negotiations.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Prerequisites: MSFS 620
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Security Studies, Security Studies, Security Studies or Security Studies.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate or Juris Doctor level students.
MSFS 6260 Supply Chain Risk Policy 3 Credits
This course introduces students to the policy implications of supply chain risk, examining how complex global supply chains support economic prosperity and strategic power amid rising geopolitical competition. The course examines and contrasts corporate strategies to mitigate supply chain risk and build more resilient supply chains. The impact of trade policies implemented by the United States, the European Union, and China on commercial supply chain risk is examined . Using case studies and a simulation exercise, students analyze the effects of strategic trade policy, including key laws and regulations, and assess how government actions influence corporate supply chain risk. The course explores how major corporations employ artificial intelligence and other technologies to identify vulnerabilities and manage geopolitical and economic risk. By the end of the course, students understand why global supply chains are more complex and less controllable than many corporate executives and policymakers assume, how competitive and profit-driven incentives shape corporate behavior, and why geopolitical risk—alongside other supply chain risks—poses a growing challenge for industry and government agencies.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
MSFS 6300 Islam Politics: Middle East 3 Credits
Over the last twenty years, with the War on Terror, the Arab Spring, and the rise of ISIS, there has been an increasingly charged debate over the relevance of religion in explaining developments in the Middle East. How much does Islam really matter? How exactly does religion or religious identity interact with other factors? After considering various theoretical frameworks for understanding the intersection of Islam and politics, the first part of the course will focus on Islamic modernism in the early 20th century, which promoted novel attempts to adapt Islam to the demands of anti-colonialism and the modern nation-state. The second part of the course will consider the sources of religious revival and how this propelled various Islamist movements to the center of Arab politics, as expressed by Muslim Brotherhood and Brotherhood-inspired movements. The Arab Spring allowed several of these groups to try their hand at power, to mixed results, which would lead to reckoning and repression. The course will conclude by exploring U.S., European, and regional responses to the rise of Islamism. What do Islamist groups actually believe, and to what extent do these beliefs conflict with the strategic interests and objectives of external actors?
Level: Graduate, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment limited to students in the following programs:
- LW-JD-LWAS
- LW-JD-LWFS
- LW-JD-LWSS
- MA-ARST
- MA-ERES
- MA-GEST
- MA-LAST
- MA-SEST
- MGHD-GHDP
- MS-FSER
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
MSFS 6301 Transatlant Security in Crisis 3 Credits
This jointly taught in-person course examines the Euro-Atlantic security environment in the wake of the war in Ukraine, a conflict that has triggered profound geopolitical disruption and effectively ended the post-Cold-War peace dividend in Europe. The course focuses on NATO, the European Union, and the evolving state of transatlantic relations against the backdrop of Russia’s aggression and growing strains within the transatlantic partnership. The course begins with a comparative assessment of the Euro-Atlantic security landscape at the end of the Cold War and the current strategic environment, highlighting continuities, ruptures, and missed assumptions. It then turns to an in-depth examination of NATO’s and the EU’s institutional roles, political and military responses, and strategic adaptations, particularly since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Central to the course is an analysis of how these developments are reshaping transatlantic security, including the threat perceptions and policy choices of key actors across NATO and the EU. Internal dynamics within NATO and the EU, as well as the implications of domestic political developments in the United States and major European countries, will be critically assessed to better understand evolving attitudes within the Western security architecture. Coursework includes readings, lectures, and discussions covering: The changing Euro-Atlantic security paradigm; NATO's and the EU’s institutional characteristics; The strategic orientations of key Euro-Atlantic actors; Areas of convergence and tension in US and European threat assessments, and their implications for the future of transatlantic security; and, Deterrence and collective defence in response to traditional and emerging threats. The interplay between U.S. leadership, European strategic autonomy, and intra-European perspectives constitutes a recurring theme. The course includes a simulation/war game based on a scenario involving a Russian invasion of a NATO Ally, exposing students to alliance decision making procedures, escalation risks, and response options under real world political, military, and strategic constraints.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment limited to students in the following programs:
- LW-JD-LWAS
- LW-JD-LWFS
- LW-JD-LWSS
- MA-ARST
- MA-ASST
- MA-ERES
- MA-GEST
- MA-LAST
- MA-REES
- MA-SEST
- MGHD-GHDP
- MS-FSER
Enrollment is limited to Graduate or Juris Doctor level students.
MSFS 6302 Human Rights Policy Lab 3 Credits
In order to effectively promote and protect human rights internationally, governments, non-governmental organizations, and international organizations must advocate for, develop, and/or advance strong and effective human rights policies. Whether a student is interested in working on human rights issues through governmental or intergovernmental policy formulation or non-governmental policy advocacy, it is essential that they understand how policy is made, how various stakeholders interact with each other, and how to adapt policies to different situations.
To be effective in improving human rights conditions globally, human rights professionals are required to analyze policy challenges, develop solutions that are viable, targeted, and creative, and guide the implementation of those solutions. This process requires strategic planning, risk assessment, the cultivation and management of stakeholders and coalitions, and convincing decision-makers to implement proposals. This course will systematically cover this process and include both strategic steps and professional skills necessary for success.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Security Studies, Security Studies, Security Studies or Security Studies.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
MSFS 6303 Hacking for Diplomacy 3 Credits
Hacking for Diplomacy (H4Di) challenges students to tackle emerging foreign policy issues through mission-driven entrepreneurship. In H4Di, students select from a set of carefully curated, complex, real-world problems to solve, sponsored by the US Department of State. Students form teams and learn to apply Lean Innovation frameworks and tools to identify key stakeholders, understand their needs, and develop and test early-stage solutions. Using a "flipped-classroom" approach, the teams brief the teaching team on their progress each week and receive direct coaching from their instructors, mentors, and subject matter experts from across the US Department of State and entrepreneurship ecosystems.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment limited to students in the following programs:
- LW-JD-LWAS
- LW-JD-LWFS
- LW-JD-LWSS
- MA-ARST
- MA-ASST
- MA-ERES
- MA-GEST
- MA-LAST
- MA-SEST
- MGHD-GHDP
- MS-FSER
Enrollment is limited to Graduate or Juris Doctor level students.
MSFS 6304 Statecraft in the Age of AI 3 Credits
Artificial intelligence, or AI, will impact key policy and strategy decisions for nations around the world. We will begin by examining the foundations of this technology. Students will learn about the underlying techniques that make modern AI systems so powerful as well as the ways in which those systems can fail. We will explore the major challenges and opportunities of promoting cooperation between governments, academia, and the private sector. We will then focus on current and potential applications of AI and their implications for geopolitics, including autonomous weapons, intelligence collection and analysis, cybersecurity, disinformation, and technology competition. We will make use of forecasting techniques and open-source methods to consider a range of scenarios for near- and medium-term growth in AI capabilities and the ways in which this technology can be misused. We will also focus on the key levers and policy tools that nations rely on to shape the trajectory of AI, with implications for military strategy and debates around human rights, ethics, and global governance. No technical background is required for this class. Through papers, workshops, simulations, and policy memos, students will learn about the basic concepts and techniques at the heart of modern AI and wrestle with the core policy debates that are driving today’s geopolitics.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment limited to students in the following programs:
- LW-JD-LWAS
- LW-JD-LWFS
- LW-JD-LWSS
- MA-ARST
- MA-ASST
- MA-ERES
- MA-GEST
- MA-LAST
- MA-SEST
- MGHD-GHDP
- MS-FSER
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
MSFS 6305 Global Governance and Rivalry 3 Credits
Global Governance in an Era of Great Power Rivalry. Global governance is the way countries engage with each other to solve big problems collectively that no single state can fix. Against the current backdrop of wars, famine, climate change, pandemics, and other crises, effective systems of global governance – which require cooperation and compromise – have never been more important. Great power rivalry affects global governance acutely. The Biden Administration has committed to “relentless diplomacy” in the multilateral space. China is asserting its interests
abroad with increasing vigor. Russia is embroiled in a UN Charter-busting war with its neighbor. And the European Union is striving to become a geopolitical force. Will these powers’ often contrasting global visions impede collective action to confront the world’s most urgent issues? How do medium-sized and smaller countries fit into the multilateral puzzle? Are current systems of global governance fit for purpose? What could a successful system of global governance look like? The course focuses on the United Nations, which at 77 remains the main multilateral arena where the action of global governance plays out. Through case studies, with particular emphasis on the UN Security Council, it looks in detail at the way the United States, China, Russia, and Europe interact and pursue their interests in the fields of security, development, climate, and human rights policy. The course will also examine other global governance forums, such as the G20, G7, BRICS, and subregional multilateral organizations. Most of the case studies and class content will relate to the real-life professional experiences of the instructor. One of the major learning goals of this course is for students to gain uncommon insights into the mechanisms, tools, and skills of multilateral diplomacy. There will be guest speakers and simulations. This course is taught by Christopher Klein, Senior State Department Fellow with the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy, who is on leave from the Department of State; his most recent position was Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for International Organization Affairs. He has also held other senior positions at the U.S. Mission to the United Nations and in Asia and Washington.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
MSFS 6306 After Atrocities 3 Credits
This seminar course will take an interdisciplinary approach to the exploration of mass atrocities and genocide, their origins and after-effects. We will focus on understanding atrocities in both political and human terms. We will examine historical cases of atrocities as they unfolded, from the point of view of victims, perpetrators, and outsiders. We will explore the legal and political meaning of genocide and its relation to the broader question of atrocities. We will review efforts to hold perpetrators to account in the aftermath of atrocities through legal and other means, including an examination of the International Criminal Court. We will assess approaches to better understanding and trying to heal the deep psychological wounds of survivors of atrocities. We will examine recent efforts to prevent atrocities, such as the UN adoption of the principle of the “responsibility to protect” and the U.S. government establishment of the Atrocities Prevention Board.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
MSFS 6310 The Practice of Political Risk 1.5 Credits
There is a growing realization that politics is at least as important as, if not more important than, economic variables in determining economic outcomes. This course will focus on building a solid understanding of political risk analysis and applying these skills to current, real-world problems. Students will explore key topics in global political risk, but hinge that understanding on a comparative analysis of evolving political systems, such as those in China, Nigeria, and the U.S. Students will develop an appreciation for the different world-views and paradigms that influence how political actors view the world and what interests drive their economic choices. We will also explore theories of political forecasting and practice implementing tools of predictive analysis. By the end of the course, students will have developed a political risk toolkit that they can use to: (1) assess and anticipate the impact of politics on business operations and market outcomes, and (2) gain insight into the drivers of policymaking.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment limited to students in the following programs:
- LW-JD-LWAS
- LW-JD-LWFS
- LW-JD-LWSS
- MA-ARST
- MA-ERES
- MA-GEST
- MA-LAST
- MA-SEST
- MGHD-GHDP
- MS-FSER
Enrollment is limited to Graduate or Juris Doctor level students.
MSFS 6311 Diplomatic Negotiation 1.5 Credits
The notion of international negotiation is first of all frequently equated with that of diplomacy It is at the heart of multilateral diplomacy, whether it takes place within intergovernmental organizations or during major international summits, as well as of preventive diplomacy aimed at avoiding the outbreak of open conflicts
Negotiation is one of the essential functions of diplomacy, especially in a multilateral framework. International organizations are at the same time a framework, an actor, and a stake for negotiation. A real culture of negotiation develops on a daily basis, since their members, whether state or non-state, work out compromises and build reciprocal commitments based on diverse and often divergent interests and points of view.
This course aims to analyze, from a practical perspective, the dynamics and characteristics of international diplomatic negotiation, from the initial developments to the final agreement, with special attention to the techniques that can be used to maximize its influence and results. Specific practical examples of relevant international negotiation processes are analyzed.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
MSFS 6315 NATO: Build Back Better 1.5 Credits
The course examines the current security environment in Europe, with a focus on NATO and trans-Atlantic relations. The coursework includes: readings, lectures and discussion of NATO's political and military structure and goals; collective defense and deterrence posture against new and traditional threats and challenges; and, how American policy deals with Allies and the Alliance. We will present a role-play simulation in the class based on a scenario of a Russian invasion of a NATO Ally and how the U.S. and NATO would/should respond.
Learning Objectives: • Deepen understanding of the interplay between diplomatic and military tools in the Alliance. • Assess what governments are doing to deter and defend against aggression, including by strengthening alliances and partnerships. • Deepen understanding of current regional security challenges in Europe. • Improve analytical skills, both written and verbal, on key strategic issues, including specifically game theory and simulation.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a program in Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Security Studies, Security Studies, Security Studies or Security Studies.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate or Juris Doctor level students.
MSFS 6316 Open Data Investigations 1.5 Credits
This course will will delve into the world of open data and publicly available information (PAI) to explore its impact on various sectors, including government, business, and civil society. Through a multidisciplinary approach, students will examine the ethical and technical aspects of accessing, analyzing, and utilizing PAI for decision-making and policy formulation. They will gain practical skills, as well as learn about emerging trends and challenges in the field. By the end of the course, students will be equipped with the knowledge to harness the power of open data and PAI to drive transparency, accountability, and innovation.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
Enrollment limited to students in the MS in Foreign Service department.
MSFS 6317 Becoming a Democratic Leader 3 Credits
In this leadership class, you will learn how to be a more effective, authentic, and inspiring democratic leader. You will learn how to relate to power, build trust, clarify your purpose, use storytelling for leadership, expand your influence, lead an effective team, read the room (group dynamics), and face your fears to grow as a person and as a leader. This dynamic class is designed for action-learning - workshop style, exercises, simulations (Zombie Apocalypse simulation), and practical assignments. Throughout the class, students will work in teams of 4-5 people, with the opportunity to organize their own events or actions on campus, with the support of the professor. This is a chance for creation & innovation, meaningful impact, exposure, and learning in action. As an activist & practitioner himself, Professor Ilic will use his expense from working with high-level leaders, various organizations, social movements, and campaigns to enhance learning and invite inspiring, proven leaders such as Leopoldo Lopez, Masih Alinejad, JiangLi Yang, and more. The class is anchored in practical, well-researched, and battle-tested frameworks such as Adaptive Leadership, Systems Thinking. Community Organizing, Adult Development & Democratic Leadership. The class has a reasonable workload and is more focused on applying learnings in real life immediately.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
MSFS 6319 Open Data Investigations 3 Credits
This course will will delve into the world of open data and publicly available information (PAI) to explore its impact on various sectors, including government, business, and civil society. Through a multidisciplinary approach, students will examine the ethical and technical aspects of accessing, analyzing, and utilizing PAI for decision-making and policy formulation. They will gain practical skills, as well as learn about emerging trends and challenges in the field. By the end of the course, students will be equipped with the knowledge to harness the power of open data and PAI to drive transparency, accountability, and innovation.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
MSFS 6320 China: Security Competition 3 Credits
The objective of this course is to help you understand China’s approach to security and competition through both traditional elements of security such as military power, leadership dynamics and foreign policy, as well as non-traditional pillars of national power including economics, influence and technology development. This course will use a wide range of texts, multi-media and interactive case studies to go “beyond the headlines” and explore in depth the key historical, social and political events that have shaped current China policies. We will explore how history has shaped China’s approach to security and competition; use real world examples of how China’s policies have either changed, evolved or remained the same; and examine core elements of national competition and how they impact not only specific civilian and military policies, but overall national strategy.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment limited to students in the following programs:
- LW-JD-LWAS
- LW-JD-LWFS
- MA-ARST
- MA-ASST
- MA-ERES
- MA-GEST
- MA-LAST
- MA-SEST
- MGHD-GHDP
- MS-FSER
Enrollment is limited to Graduate or Juris Doctor level students.
MSFS 6321 China Tech Policy 3 Credits
The objective of this course is to help you understand China’s approach to security and competition through both traditional elements of security such as military power, leadership dynamics and foreign policy, as well as non-traditional pillars of national power including economics, influence and technology development. This course will use a wide range of texts, multi-media and interactive case studies to go “beyond the headlines” and explore in depth the key historical, social and political events that have shaped current China policies. We will explore how history has shaped China’s approach to security and competition; use real world examples of how China’s policies have either changed, evolved or remained the same; and examine core elements of national competition and how they impact not only specific civilian and military policies, but overall national strategy.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
MSFS 6325 Political Risk Assessment 1.5 Credits
This course will look at the fundamentals of political risk analysis—the exploration of the impact of politics on economic outcomes—through segments on theory, research and practice. It will investigate multiple levels of risk— from the macro (international, cross-regional, and national) to micro (local), giving students the full overview of the range of political factors that impact business activity. It will focus, however, on macro geopolitical risks—transnational issues—and how they impact economic decision-making. The course will provide an introduction to the practice of political risk assessment, introducing active tools for forecasting, and articulating political risk. The skills gained will be professionally applicable to understanding the challenges facing governments, multilateral organizations, the financial sector, and businesses large and small. Throughout, we will engage the current literature on risk assessment to collectively bridge the gap between theory and practice. Students will be required to write a series of short papers, exploring each level of political risk analysis--transnational, country, and local risk using a case study approach. In-class exercises will include mock client presentations, where the student is the political risk analyst, and a final presentation.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Security Studies, Security Studies, Security Studies or Security Studies.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
MSFS 6330 Intl Mediation: Strat Meth 3 Credits
This course will examine the causes of international conflicts, the appropriate timing to begin a protracted peace process, the nature of mediators and their goals, categories of protagonists and parties who support them, as well as the existence of spoilers, determined to protract the conflict. The study will extend to the nature of settlements and transitional justice. Our discussions will include the challenge of sustaining peace. Theoretical examination is carried out through the study of international cases, starting with the Camp David accords of 1978 and ending with the Venezuelan negotiations of 2021.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service or Law/Foreign Service.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate or Juris Doctor level students.
MSFS 6335 Identity Conflict 3 Credits
This course will introduce students to the concept of identity and its various components – racial, ethnic, religious, and national – and explore how and why issues of identity often are at the core of contemporary international conflicts. We also will investigate the unique challenges that face negotiators and mediators when trying to manage identity-based conflicts.
We will define conflict very broadly, looking not only at the role of identity in violent or potentially violent conflicts (such as the Balkans, India-Pakistan, Cyprus, and Israeli-Palestinian situations) but also in other types of international interaction (such as the debate over Turkey’s accession to the EU, immigration and migration, and even international commercial transactions).
The goal will be for the student to come away with a better understanding of the role that issues of identity play, even if indirectly, in many contemporary international conflicts, and to be better equipped to recognize and assess identity issues when they are present. Although parts of the course will be theoretical, the thrust is practical, reflecting the fact that identity issues are real, volatile, and have a pronounced impact on the way in which international conflicts unfold. The role of identity in international interaction shows no signs of lessening.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Security Studies, Security Studies, Security Studies or Security Studies.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
MSFS 6340 Global Power Gov Disrupted 1.5 Credits
This course offers an analysis of the core principles, elements, and challenges of international affairs, drawn from real-life experience. Introductory sessions will cover a variety of concepts in international relations and global governance, along with the challenges of policy analysis in these domains. Subsequent weeks will apply these ideas to a diverse set of defining tensions in policy-making and analyze the variety of actors present in today’s landscape. Finally, we will assess a sample of the global challenges we are facing today. This course emphasizes skill development, through an array of written and oral exercises.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Security Studies, Security Studies, Security Studies or Security Studies.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
MSFS 6342 Global Governance on the Brink 1.5 Credits
Its a time of uncertainty in international relations, as Russia’s war of attrition grinds on in Ukraine, populist forces consolidate their hold on power in Europe, war rages once again in the Middle East, and the United States struggles to redefine its role – and commitment – on the global stage. In parallel, Beijing looks to remake the world order in its image (with its lesser ally, Moscow), and a complex network takes shape under the broad umbrella of the “Global South”. What are the implications for international affairs? The world is in a period of mutation, for which the war in Ukraine has acted as a catalyst. The foundations of our global system are under attack, and unpredictability is increasingly becoming the norm. This course examines the difficult struggle to sustain global governance as we are faced with the emergence of middle and regional powers with newfound relevance which exploit the fragmentation of the international community, against the backdrop of novel alliances and adversarial competing blocs. We will first address the traditional building blocks of international relations and the categories coined in a European context, from sovereignty to Nation States. Issues to be examined include the post-World War II construction of the multilateral architecture and its slow erosion after 9/11; the evolution of international politics since the demise of the Soviet Union and the ensuing revanchism of Russia; the return of great power competition brought about by China’s emergence; and the opportunistic behavior of middle and regional actors vying for greater sway. Keeping in mind that all aspects of global governance cannot be dealt with in one course, we will highlight key elements of the changing nature of the international system and the attendant obstacles to global governance. Part I of the class looks at the evolution of the liberal international order and the disruption it is undergoing. It also considers the challenges faced by States and their interplay with institutions of global governance. Part II focuses on two areas of particular relevance in the current context of mutation: the Great Power Competition, and the shifting security architecture in Europe, against the backdrop of an increasingly assertive diverse “Global South” along with the global and regional challenges underpinning Part III considers particular governance issues – traditional and novel security threats and the energy dilemma – considering existing international responses and possible ways forward. The course is taught from a practitioner’s perspective, drawing on the experience of conducting the foreign affairs of the Kingdom of Spain, participating on the front lines of European construction, navigating the shallow waters of the World Bank Group as its General Counsel, confronting the challenges of a major energy multinational from its Executive Committee, and practicing public and private international law.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
MSFS 6345 Congress and Foreign Affairs 3 Credits
This course examines the role of Congress in legislation, appropriations, shaping policy, and oversight of the Executive Branch in the areas of foreign policy and national security. The authorities, tools, and processes Congress uses are examined, along with the opportunities, constraints, and external pressures Congress faces in asserting its preferences and prerogatives. Students gain insight into managing the complex dynamics between the Legislative and Executive Branches with respect to their individual and shared functions, challenges, and responsibilities.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment limited to students in the following programs:
- LW-JD-LWAS
- LW-JD-LWFS
- LW-JD-LWSS
- MA-ARST
- MA-ERES
- MA-GEST
- MA-LAST
- MA-SEST
- MGHD-GHDP
- MS-FSER
Enrollment is limited to Graduate or Juris Doctor level students.
MSFS 6350 Global Institutions:UN Beyond 3 Credits
Multilateral institutions remain central to global politics, security, development, finance and commerce. They face heightened challenges like no time since 1945 from great powers, global South nations’ and groupings’ rise, resurgent sovereignty claims, budgetary squeezes, reform demands, climate change and the instructor’s specialties of health security, migration as well as backsliding democracy and human rights.
As any international affairs professional must understand a broad array of institutions, their dynamics and issue areas, the course treats: (1) the beleaguered yet impactful United Nations as starting point for evolving multilateralism for half the course; (2) other inter-governmental institutions such as multilateral banks (e.g., World Bank, Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank) and regional organizations (e.g. EU, NATO, African Union, OAS, ASEAN); and (3) vital multi-stakeholder bodies of states, private sector and civil society in global health, cyberspace and climate governance.
The course treats above all the politics of (a) the states and stakeholders in institutions, and (b) bureaucracies. Mastery of how the game is played and is changing is valuable to careers in these institutions, governments, business and NGOs. Allowing choice of issue interests, two brief prescriptive memos and oral defenses of them sharpen skills for various career settings. A takehome final requires analysis of varied types of texts (e.g., documents, leaders’ statements, journalistic and academic) exposed in diverse course readings. Pluralism of guest lecturers, ethical and explanatory perspectives and in-class dialogue are integral to the course.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Security Studies, Security Studies, Security Studies or Security Studies.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate or Juris Doctor level students.
MSFS 6351 Red Teaming 3 Credits
Red Teaming is the practice of thinking like your adversary. This course incorporates a practical, hands-on approach through exercises and case studies to master skills required to effectively identify vulnerabilities and weaknesses, challenge assumptions, and anticipate potential threats across the government and business domains. We will examine the process of planning and decision-making to continuously question plans, policies, concepts, and organizations, providing independent courses of action to improve performance and to avoid the status quo.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
MSFS 6352 Crit Minerals Resource Curse 3 Credits
Let’s hope they don’t discover oil here. Then we’d have real problems.” So says a stunned survivor from a destroyed village in the movie Blood Diamond. Natural resources have been at the root of human conflict for millennia, and for much of that time, the main response to resources-driven conflict was more conflict. Like the villagers in the movie, many have come to view the discovery and exploitation of natural resources as a curse that ultimately leads to corruption, bloodshed, and environmental degradation.
In recent decades, however, the United States, the broader international community, and the private sector have developed a range of legal, policy, and regulatory approaches to curb resource-focused conflict and corruption, seeking to turn the curses into blessings. These range from certification systems (such as the Kimberley Process for conflict diamonds), reporting mechanisms (Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative), due diligence standards (OECD Due Diligence Guidance), industry standards (Responsible Jewelry Council) and economic sanctions (import prohibitions and specific, targeted sanctions). In this course, we will examine these recent approaches through specific case studies and interrogate whether they can "work" through the lenses of governments (both Western and non-Western), industry, civil society, and local communities.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
MSFS 6355 Chllng in Natl Sec Decisionmkg 3 Credits
With an eye toward contemporary issues in US national security and foreign policy and rooted in case studies, this course will explore the nexus between analyst and policy maker, the challenges associated with making good decisions, and the art of transforming research methods, research designs and academic writing into executive style outputs. This course will change how you think about decision making, with implications not only for national security but also in your personal lives. Students will prepare analyses in long and short written form employing the bottom line up front technique as well as verbally present and defend their work. Students will explore the likelihood of future developments and implications for the United States, as well as work in teams throughout the semester, mimicking the day-to-day collaboration that exists in today’s workplace. Students will also peer review each others work along the way offering constructive comments for consideration.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a program in Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Security Studies, Security Studies, Security Studies or Security Studies.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
MSFS 6360 Power, Conflict, and Strategy 3 Credits
This course is designed to provide you with a broad introduction to the conditions and motivations behind the use of military force in the contemporary political world. Traditionally, this subfield in international relations has focused on how states use or threaten to use violence to preserve their sovereignty and resolve political conflicts with other states. We will begin by examining how the anarchical structure of the international system constrains a state’s ability to meet these responsibilities. This discussion will then lead to an examination of the origins of war between states and nuclear deterrence theory. After these sections, we will explore whether the task of protecting national security has changed in the post-Cold War and post-9/11 worlds.
Drawing on a variety of theoretical approaches, we will explore such questions as: Why do states go to war? Does nuclear proliferation enhance or diminish international stability? Under what conditions do civil wars occur? Does terrorism provide a unique challenge to sovereign states? Does globalization enhance or diminish national security? What strategies should the United States adopt to cope with traditional and emerging threats to its political interests?
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Security Studies, Security Studies, Security Studies or Security Studies.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
MSFS 6363 US Refugee Policy: FactsMyths 3 Credits
This course analyzes the development and implementation of US policies toward refugees, including assistance to refugees overseas and those who are resettled to the United States. We will examine how US refugee policy has evolved since World War II and the many actors involved in developing and implementing this policy, from the State Department to other federal and state level government agencies to multilateral and non-governmental organizations. We will discuss the ways in which both foreign and domestic interests have shaped US policies toward refugees and consider the key roles of diplomacy, international law and multilateral organizations in shaping US refugee policy. The course will include lectures, class discussions, case studies, and student presentations. The instructor, currently a Senior Fellow at the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy, is a Senior Foreign Service officer at the U.S. Department of State with an expertise in humanitarian and refugee policy and leadership of large-scale crisis operations.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
MSFS 6365 Strat Forecasting Pol Risk 3 Credits
This course will provide graduate students with an overview in strategic forecasting and planning methods for policy making. It will equip students with a structured approach to understand how key trends and uncertainties likely will shape future strategic contexts to create political risks and opportunities. Although the primary focus will be on how global trends and uncertainties shape the future of international relations, the course will expose students to basic principles of strategic risk identification and management through specific contingencies anticipated by leading foresight and planning efforts by the public, private, and non-profit sectors. Finally, the course will address a range of futures and forecasting methodologies and how they can be applied to develop and test strategy and policy, research design and methods for developing and integrating multidisciplinary research in forecasts, estimative writing, and the importance of analytic and normative (policy) distinctions in the forecasting and planning process.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a program in Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Security Studies, Security Studies, Security Studies or Security Studies.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
MSFS 6370 Nuclear Weapons Intl/Reg Sec 3 Credits
The purpose of the course is to explore the impact of nuclear weapons on international and regional security. The first part of the course deals with the design and development of nuclear weapons, the connections between nuclear power programs and nuclear weapons, the causes and consequences of nuclear proliferation, and concepts of deterrence and stability. The second part addresses specific countries in the context of their regional setting, Northeast and South Asia, the Middle-East, US-Russian security relations, and nuclear terrorism.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Security Studies, Security Studies, Security Studies or Security Studies.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
MSFS 6375 Democracy in the World 3 Credits
Since the first major wave of democratization in the 1960s and 70s, the world has seen many transitions to democratic governance on all continents. Following the end of the Cold War, the pace of democratic transition increased and the world saw an unprecedented number of democracies around the world. More recently, scholars and policy makers have sounded alarm bells about the state of democracy and democratization globally, noting the recession of democracy on every continent. The rise of populist leaders in Europe and the United States, the rise of authoritarian leaders in Latin America, Asia and Africa, and the increased skepticism about democracy among publics throughout the world have raised significant concern. Likewise, on a global stage, scholars have raised questions about the future of the liberal world order, including the democratic values and principles that underpin this system.
Students will examine what democracy is, what its relevance to foreign policy is, whether democracy globally is eroding and in recession, the impact of the current state of global democracy, and whether this matters to the global landscape. Students will look at the structure of democratic systems, threats to the governing system and other factors that cause erosion, and the state of democracy on all continents. We will also explore what methods are used and effective in building, strengthening, and restoring democratic institutions and values.
As a final practical projects, students will work with a partner on a client project to analyze and make policy recommendations to address a current practical challenge.
The course will have a significant professional skills development component in which students will learn, review, and practice key skills¸ such as impromptu and prepared oral briefings, and memo writing.
Level: Graduate, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a program in Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, Global Health, Global Health, Global Health, Global Health, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies or Law/Security Studies.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
MSFS 6380 Corruption v. Good Governance 3 Credits
Corruption is roundly recognized as a major impediment to democracy, sustainable economic development, human rights, and the rule of law. In June 2021, the fight against corruption was even pronounced as a core American national security interest. Understanding the obstacles to good governance—and the role that corruption plays—is thus an important topic for political and economic practitioners. This class begins by examining what governments are expected to provide their citizens today to better understand where corruption leads to governance failures. It surveys various definitions of corruption and controversies over how to measure and evaluate it. The course then explores different theories and typologies of governance and corruption, examining why various scholars consider some states to exhibit more corruption than others and the ramifications for state development. Questions over how corruption affects gender, religion, and culture—as well as how corruption is affected by these human facets—are also assessed. The course will analyze the effects of poor governance on economic development, international security, checks and balances, and the private sector. Illicit financial flows and money laundering will also be considered. Additionally, a variety of international, state, sub-state, and individual efforts to counter corruption will be assessed.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
MSFS 6383 Environmental CrimeCorruption 1.5 Credits
In today’s interconnected world, the challenges of environmental conservation, biodiversity preservation, and natural resource management are inextricably linked with the pervasive threats of transnational crime and corruption. This course delves into that critical intersection, exploring how corrupt practices at the local and global levels enable and exacerbate a range of environmental crimes, from illegal logging, wildlife trafficking, and mining to the insidious effects of pollution. We will examine how corruption undermines conservation efforts, distorts resource allocation, and accelerates environmental degradation, threatening the well-being of communities and the planet. A key focus will be on how corruption and related crime impact responses to the climate crisis, including climate mitigation and adaptation and the development of new "green" technologies. Using case studies, we will investigate the diverse actors and schemes involved in environmental crime and corruption, the systems and networks that facilitate these activities, and their complex interplay across local, national, and transnational levels. Finally, the course will analyze global strategies and frameworks designed to counter environmental crime and corruption, culminating in student teams designing and presenting innovative anti-corruption initiatives to address these issues in a localized context. This is a modular (7-week) course designed to cut across all four MSFS concentrations, including Global Politics and Security (GPS); Global Business, Finance, and Society (GBFS); International Development (IDEV); and Science, Technology and International Affairs (STIA).
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
MSFS 6385 IntelligenceNational Security 3 Credits
This course examines the conceptual, historical, ethical, legal, policy, and operational foundations of national intelligence and the organizational structures and functions of the US Intelligence Community. Executive Branch management and congressional oversight of intelligence are examined in the context of balancing the requirement for secrecy in intelligence with the desire for transparency and the need for oversight and accountability in democratic society. The functions and missions of intelligence collection and analysis, counterintelligence, and covert action are examined, and contemporary intelligence failures and associated reforms are assessed. This course is suitable for students seeking to improve their understanding of the role of intelligence in national and international security and of particular interest to students considering careers in these fields. The course is conducted as an interactive graduate seminar.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a program in Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Security Studies, Security Studies, Security Studies or Security Studies.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
MSFS 6386 Conflict and Peace in Eurasia 3 Credits
This course examines the conflicts of Europe-Eurasia in a case study-based illustration of the various forms of conflict prevention, peacekeeping, peacebuilding, reconciliation and negotiation. The causes of the conflicts and the role played by nationalism, the basic theory of conflict resolution, and basic negotiation is integrated with the context of the many variegated conflicts of this sprawling region from Bosnia to Tajikistan. There will be several guest speakers including former diplomats, peacekeepers, NGO peacebuilders, and journalists, who have been involved in these conflicts. Part of the grade will be a “shark-tank” like simulation where students learn how to create and frame a peace-building program pitch from a panel that includes professionals who have won hundreds of millions in grants from USAID and others. The region possesses a unique set of circumstances. The collapse of the Socialist states of Europe and Eurasia between 1989-1991 marked seminal shift in the international system that re-awakened longstanding ethnic and religious conflicts and generated new inter-state tensions. Moscow has exacerbated most of these conflicts in an attempt to undermine the status-quo and support its revanchist aspirations. We have thirty years of lessons learned to review and will also take stock of what may come in Ukraine and what latent or potential conflicts may disturb the region in the near future.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
MSFS 6390 Public Diplomacy 3 Credits
Public diplomacy is an instrument used by states and non-state actors to understand others' cultures, attitudes, and behavior; build and manage relationships; and influence thoughts and actions to advance their interests and values. Drawing on the experiences of diplomats and a growing body of literature, we will explore what this means for the changing actors, issues, methods, and environments of diplomacy in the 21st century. The course will focus on six themes:
• Perspectives on public diplomacy and related concepts: public affairs, public relations, strategic communication, soft power, information operations, psychological operations, and propaganda; • The practices of public diplomacy: listening, advocacy, cultural and exchange diplomacy, and international broadcasting; • Public diplomacy’s context: networks, globalization, non-state actors, and social media; • Comparative public diplomacy: large and small states, regional entities; • Organizational considerations for public diplomacy: the trajectory of U.S. public diplomacy up to the present; the “whole of government” environment; how other nations organize for public diplomacy; and • The future of public diplomacy: critical issues in study and practice.
Graded exercises will center around an embassy selected by the student and include: an oral presentation on the embassy’s public diplomacy efforts; a policy speech for a senior embassy official to a designated foreign audience; the development of a (broadcast and social) media strategy for a newly-arrived Ambassador; and the development of a public diplomacy strategy, from mission statement to tactics. Credits: 3 Prerequisites: None
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Security Studies, Security Studies, Security Studies or Security Studies.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate or Juris Doctor level students.
MSFS 6393 Public Diplomacy 3.0 3 Credits
Public Diplomacy 3.0: Diplomacy’s Public Dimension in the Digital Age Responding to the rise of geostrategic competition in a media saturated age, increasingly disruptive transformations in communications technologies, and the emergence of a new “networked” or socialized diplomacy, this course examines the practice of diplomacy's public dimension in the digital age. It focuses specifically on efforts to inform and influence public perceptions in support of national policies, interests, and values in complex information environments. This course relies on historical and contemporary case studies to assess the use of public diplomacy as a tool of statecraft. This course is relevant for students with an interest in government or private sector engagement in global affairs, to include public diplomacy and strategic communications.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
MSFS 6395 ChinaUS: StrategicCompetition 3 Credits
"This course will examine the strategic imperatives and ambitions driving decision making in Washington and Beijing, including assessing the risks of conflict in the era of Xi Jinping and Donald Trump. Analytic processes utilized in the U.S. intelligence community will be incorporated into the course. This course will be future oriented. It will emphasize asking the right questions, identifying and testing assumptions, weighing evidence, being rigorous in analysis, and being alert to the possibilities for discontinuous change, strategic surprise, and alternative futures."
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a program in Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Security Studies, Security Studies, Security Studies or Security Studies.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
MSFS 6410 Post-Conflict Sec GovInvstmnt 1.5 Credits
At present, over fifty civil wars, conflicts, and insurgencies are underway – mostly in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. What can domestic and international actors do to break the cycle of violence, deescalate, and build confidence, while providing citizens the security, governance, and jobs needed to sustain peace? Through panel and case discussions, students will develop their understanding of critical success factors for counterinsurgency, peacekeeping, and peacebuilding; alternatives for administering transitional justice and public finances to enhance government
legitimacy; issues and alternatives for public and private investment in healthcare, infrastructure, enterprises, and financial services; and how donors might best interact with each other and recipient governments for efficient delivery of needed assistance. Grades are based on following: an individual paper of 13-15 pages that presents a development strategy for a country now in conflict (45%); participation in two student panels, one on a security topic and one on a governance topic (35%); and participation in case discussions (20%). This 7-week course is recommended for any student who make work as a government official, an investor, a military staff engaged in stabilization operations, or an aid professional in a conflict or post-
conflict country.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a program in Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Security Studies, Security Studies, Security Studies or Security Studies.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
MSFS 6420 Future of Financial Inclusion 3 Credits
A significant portion of the population in developing countries lacks access to formal financial services, such as banking, credit, insurance, and savings. This is often referred to as "financial inclusion." Many people in these regions are considered "unbanked" or "underbanked." According to data from the World Bank's Global Findex database about 1.7 billion adults worldwide are unbanked, a majority of which are in developing countries. Efforts have been made by governments, international organizations, and the private sector to improve financial inclusion and provide access to financial services that meet the needs of low-income individuals in developing countries. These efforts include mobile money solutions, microfinance institutions, and new digital business models including fintechs, platforms, and digital banks to bridge the gap.
The rapid digitization of the past few years, which accelerated during the COVID-19 pandemic, has presented new financial solutions that can bring many poor people into the formal financial sector. As different crises unfold worldwide, including climate change, political instability and the food crisis, these new digital financial services (DFS) will be crucial for consumers in building resilience and a better future. The services, including digital savings, credit, payments, insurance or investment products, unlock life-changing opportunities for low-income consumers by helping them save, borrow, and receive remittances. At the same time, recent analysis of the global evolution of DFS shows that consumer risks are evolving and the scale of risks is sometimes growing faster than the opportunities that the services create. These consumer risks can cause direct financial losses and other damages that erode trust among customers and their confidence in the way they use DFS, while discouraging potential users from embracing DFS.
The course covers the following areas among others: 1) a focus on the people who are financially excluded or underbanked to understand their needs and the complex financial lives they lead; 2) compares and contrasts a broad range of financial service providers offering products and services to low-income customers; and 3) key components of a responsible digital finance ecosystem and actions regulators can take to stimulate innovation and prevent risks.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
MSFS 6422 Development Impact Evaluation 3 Credits
Evaluation of Development Impact
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
MSFS 6430 Econometrics for Policy-Makers 3 Credits
Econometrics is typically defined as the application of mathematical and statistical tools to economic data. This course is geared toward practitioners and policymakers who need to develop analytical skills and empirical tools in policy analysis and design. The skills developed in this course will allow students and professionals in international relations, international business, and international development to engage in empirical analysis, understand the analytical process that underpins policy formulation and become critical consumers of policy research.
The course requires basic familiarity with descriptive statistics, probability theory, random variables and probability distributions and inference statistics both in a univariate and multivariate setting. The course has a practical, rather than a theoretical, orientation and consists of a series of sessions featuring specific econometric approaches, policy applications, and hands-on exercises. A large part of the course will focus on the analysis of cross-sectional data, though the latter part of the course will introduce the students to panel data (or longitudinal data) as well as time series data. The course will require extensive use of Stata, though no prior familiarity is required.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Security Studies, Security Studies, Security Studies or Security Studies.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
MSFS 6440 Fragility, Conflict Violence 3 Credits
By 2030, about half the world’s extreme poor will be living in fragile or conflict-affected countries. The only countries where poverty is increasing are fragile states. Furthermore, conflicts in one country or region have spillover effects (refugees, terrorism) on neighboring countries or even distant ones. In short, tackling fragility, conflict and violence is one of the biggest challenges facing the global community. This course will first define, measure, and identify the distinguishing characteristics of fragile states. Next, we will examine the causes and consequences of conflict and violence. Finally, we will discuss strategies for addressing fragility, conflict and violence in specific countries and regions, including Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America. Students will prepare two thematic policy briefs on specific countries or regions, and a broad-based strategy for addressing fragility, conflict and violence in a given country.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Security Studies, Security Studies, Security Studies or Security Studies.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate or Juris Doctor level students.
MSFS 6445 Technology Human Rights 1.5 Credits
Students will learn about technology and human rights from a practitioner's perspective, with a focus on business and human rights, including the history of the field and today's most pressing issues: AI governance, mis- and disinformation, algorithmic bias, censorship, surveillance, hate speech, internet shutdowns, encryption, content moderation, and digital inclusion. We'll cover international human rights law and norms and explore how they apply to global technology companies. We'll look at how technology products intersect with rights like privacy, free speech, and non-discrimination. We'll take an in-depth look at practical steps tech companies can take to make responsible decisions on human rights issues, including how they structure teams, create rights-based policies, engage key stakeholders, run impact assessments, and hold themselves accountable. We'll also look at regulatory environments that support a free, open, secure, and interoperable internet. In each class, we'll reserve time to discuss the latest technology and human rights news. We'll also hear in person from 2-3 technology and human rights practitioners from companies, civil society, and government.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
MSFS 6450 Financial Crisis and Reform 3 Credits
Financial markets have grown in size and sophistication over the last decade in the developing, newly industrializing, and post-Communist world. Financial liberalization in these countries has often involved contrasting polices. On the one hand, governments in capital-scarce economies have retreated from direct involvement in the allocation of financial resources. On the other hand, government authorities have also intervened in financial markets to protect consumers and investors, to promote fairness and transparency in financial transactions, and to maintain stability. Financial crises in emerging markets throughout the 1990s, however, raise several questions regarding the effectiveness of the financial reforms undertaken in those countries. Meanwhile, more recent challenges to the global financial system have required governments and international financial institutions to rethink regulatory standards.
This seminar explores how and why governments intervene in financial markets. Four questions are of special importance:
(1) What impact do financial markets have on the economic performance of developing countries? (2) What are the main dimensions along which financial systems vary across countries, and how do these differences matter? (3) Why are financial systems “fragile” and what can governments do to ensure their stability? (4) How do financial markets recover, and what can governments do to speed restructuring?
These questions are explored through a number of articles, books, reports, and case studies taken from different disciplines—finance, economics, public policy, and administrative studies—and from different international settings.
Level: Graduate, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Security Studies, Security Studies, Security Studies or Security Studies.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate or Juris Doctor level students.
MSFS 6460 Game Theory for Policymakers 3 Credits
Making decisions often means more than choosing among a set of alternatives. It also entails taking into account the possible counter-actions of other decision-makers, who might be pursuing common, different or conflicting objectives. In other words, it means thinking strategically. Game Theory is the discipline studying this strategic interaction between different actors. It is a powerful tool for analyzing a multiplicity of issues, including diplomatic bargaining, trade policies, environmental agreements, competition among firms, and contract design. The goal of this course is to familiarize students with some basic principles of game theory and its applications. By the end of the course, students will not only understand the behavior of actors in different game-like settings, but also how to devise better decision-making strategies in these situations. This course is accessible to any student with a minimum knowledge of mathematics and some elementary notions of probability.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Security Studies, Security Studies, Security Studies or Security Studies.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
MSFS 6463 Pol Reform in Int'l Devlpmnt 1.5 Credits
This course will consider the roles of politics, governance and institutional reform in the field of international development.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
MSFS 6477 PoliticalEconomyofSouthAsia 3 Credits
The South Asian region has evolved from being one defined by abject poverty, stagnating incomes, and low productivity, to a region that is now seen as having strong growth fundamentals, which if combined with effective policies and technology can be the cornerstone of the mid-21st century world order. This course will be divided into parts. In the first part, we will discuss historical episodes of growth after the South Asian economies became independent. Here will analyze disaggregated country-specific data to understand what factors and policies led or did not lead to growth. This will be followed by discussion and debate on certain pertinent issues such as the role of government policies in alleviating poverty and enhancing livelihoods, the evolving nature of industrialization, health, education, the demographic transition, institutional policies, and reform. In the final part of the course, we will examine the changing degree of integration of these economies with the rest of the world. In particular, we will cover how important these economies have become for global trade, the challenges remaining as well as the changing landscape of trade and industrial policies in these countries.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
MSFS 6510 Governing Digital Content 1.5 Credits
Information communication technologies (ICTs) have facilitated an incredible expansion of the "velocity, virality, and volume" of communication. This is accelerating and expanding innovation, education, and opportunity, as well as consolidation, disinformation, and radicalization. This course will examine the impacts of ICTs, as well as what companies, governments, and civil society are doing to address the perceived harms of the digital age, while preserving its perceived benefits. It will begin with an overview of the technical infrastructure (equipment, protocols, standards) of ICTs, including the Internet, and surveying some of the communications-facilitating services that have evolved and are evolving on top of it. We will then look at a range of case studies that illustrate the variety of benefits and harms that have been tied to the expanded use of ICTs, before examining some of the company-led efforts, government regulations, and multilateral/multistakeholder collaborations that attempt to address them.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment limited to students in the following programs:
- LW-JD-LWAS
- LW-JD-LWFS
- LW-JD-LWSS
- MA-ARST
- MA-ASST
- MA-ERES
- MA-GEST
- MA-LAST
- MA-REES
- MA-SEST
- MGHD-GHDP
- MS-FSER
Enrollment is limited to Graduate or Juris Doctor level students.
MSFS 6520 The Energy Transition 3 Credits
This course examines the key issues and challenges around the most profound transition in global energy use since the Industrial Revolution. The course will be of interest to those who wish to play a part in governments, multilateral institutions, or the various businesses that will ultimately shape the transition - or the civil society groups who try to influence them. The energy industry is arguably the most genuinely global in operation today. Energy products are among the most traded commodities. Players in the industry span the full range, from ‘national champion’ state owned companies and the largest multinationals to tiny independents and start-up companies. The businesses range from fossil fuels to nuclear power to solar, wind and hydroelectricity. Many of the industry’s proponents argue, rightly, that its products are essential to modern life; yet its companies and products are also taken for granted, often controversial and, at times, despised. Governments regulate the industry with varying – and sometimes contradictory - objectives and varying degrees of success; they actively participate in the raw material and product markets; and many own electricity, nuclear, renewable or fossil fuel companies. The course will deal with the overall challenge of combining development with energy security and environmental progress. It will approach this question through the lens of the global participants’ concerns and priorities including non-OECD participants. Students will gain an in depth understanding of the economic fundamentals of energy and evolving approaches to investment, portfolio design and risk management, as well as the external environment in which the energy industry writ large operates.
The first part of the course will explore the origins of the structure of energy markets and how their future transition is forecast. It will consider the fundamental forces driving the transition – policies to address climate change and concerns about energy security and pricing – as well as the practical factors limiting the speed at which the transition will occur. Finally, the course will consider the geopolitical implications of recent and prospective changes in energy markets and financing. Team-based exercises, structured investigations and classroom sessions will explore the uncertainty the transition creates for all players, and how that uncertainty translates into investment decisions, portfolio design, regulatory and tax approaches. The final part of the course will require participants to develop and effectively communicate plausible policy advice for government leaders.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service or Foreign Service.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate or Juris Doctor level students.
MSFS 6521 Space Society 1.5 Credits
This course provides an overview of key space services and explores how they intersect with the complex landscape of space policy, diplomacy, and international affairs. This course will examine contemporary civil, commercial, and national security space policy issues. Topics include U.S. space policy, international space law and governance, the role of space in international development, strategic competition in space, space alliances, diplomacy with emerging space nations, space sustainability, and the increasing role of commercial space actors in shaping national and international policy.
Students will gain a comprehensive understanding of the key actors, policies, and challenges in the space sector, enabling them to critically analyze current events and contribute to future policy discussions. The course will feature guest lecturers from NASA, the Department of State, the Department of Defense, the Intelligence Community, commercial space companies, and space nonprofits.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
MSFS 6525 Python for Policymakers 3 Credits
This course is an introduction to computer programming in Python developed for the policy-minded student. Assuming no prior computer programming experience, we will build from the basics of the Python language up to intermediate topics such as data wrangling, web scraping, and interfacing with the operating system. Example problems and readings throughout the course will be used to introduce policy areas with a programming nexus, including secure software development, open-source software, internet architecture, and machine learning. The goals of the course are to equip students with the skills necessary to use simple scripting in their next job, lay a foundation for further study of computer science, and introduce policy areas relevant to their new skills. For students in the MSFS-STIA concentration, this course may be used to fulfill the technical/science course requirement.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
Enrollment limited to students in the MS in Foreign Service department.
MSFS 6530 Cybersecurity: Bus/Gov/Int Com 3 Credits
Cyber Security: Business, Government, and the International Community
The course will combine the study of both policy and practice in relation to cyber threats facing Business, Government, and the International Community.
The class will consist of a mix of lectures and discussions and will make use of occasional guest speakers. The course is appropriate for students who are interested in careers at government agencies that are involved in cybersecurity policy or have a role in protecting government networks or for students who may go on to management or technology-focused positions in the private sector.
Students are not required to have a technical background to undertake the course.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Security Studies, Security Studies, Security Studies or Security Studies.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
MSFS 6535 Securing Computer Systems 1.5 Credits
This course aims to be a non-technical discussion that explores the forces that have prevented the widespread use of secure computer systems. Traditional economic theories suggest that poor computer security should be a self-correcting problem, with various actors in a free market vying to introduce new products that are progressively safer, cheaper, and easier to use. Certainly products have become more capable while simultaneously becoming less expensive, but every day we learn of devastating new attacks and compromises on computer systems. We know how to write secure code – when was the last time you heard of an airplane falling out of the sky because of a computer hack – and we know how to create secure computer systems. Why aren’t secure systems more widely available, and when they are available, why aren’t they used? The course will examine the forces that tip the scales away from safety to convenience, and explore what can be done to address the problem.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a program in E, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Security Studies, Security Studies, Security Studies, Security Studies, Security Studies, Security Studies, Security Studies or Security Studies.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
MSFS 6536 Managing Cybersecurity Risk 1.5 Credits
Cybersecurity incidents can be costly for businesses, draining to economies, and damaging to national security. Nevertheless, eliminating the possibility of these incidents entirely is — generally speaking — an impractical option. How, then, do leaders make smart choices to keep businesses and governments moving forward without leaving customers, citizens, and other stakeholders vulnerable? Where does it make sense to expend resources to reduce cybersecurity risks, and when are those risks acceptable? This class will present tools to help future decision makers manage the risks inherent in increased dependence on digital systems. Assignments will prompt students to practice risk management in formats that simulate the communication and requirements of professional life. Course material will focus on cybersecurity risks and mitigations that impact business, policy, and international relations.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
MSFS 6540 Climate Policy Diplomacy 3 Credits
Climate change is a global environmental, social, technological and economic challenge. Responding to this challenge will fundamentally affect energy systems, development strategies, investment patterns, and distributional equity around the world. This course examines the nature of the climate challenge from multiple perspectives in order to investigate the climate change technology, policy and diplomacy solutions currently being deliberated around the world. Specific cases examined change each semester and have included global carbon markets, alternative climate treaties, subnational solutions, and green industrial policy. We will conclude the semester with a real-time examination of the international climate change regime and the issues under negotiation in the UNFCCC. Students will be expected to engage with the science and technology behind the climate challenge as well as the diplomatic and policy tools. During past semesters the course has included a Climate Diplomacy Lab run in collaboration with the US State Department.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a program in Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Security Studies, Security Studies, Security Studies or Security Studies.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
MSFS 6542 Critical Infrastructure 1.5 Credits
In the modern world, systems that supply electricity, water, mass transit, cargo transportation, financial transactions, medical care, and uninterrupted communication are all regarded as critical infrastructure. So, too, are the satellites, Internet, and computer systems that enable the modern world to function. How do nations set out to resource and to secure the systems that modern societies take for granted, things that are indeed critical? In this modular course, we will explore these systems, how they interconnect, electronic and physical threats to these systems, and measures to enhance resilience and security of critical infrastructure. Cases will include electricity grids, financial communication networks, water management, satellites, industrial control systems, and personal data protection.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
MSFS 6550 Geographic Information Systems 3 Credits
Geospatial technologies include a suite of inter-connected technologies, such as geographic information systems (GIS) and remote sensing technologies (e.g. satellite imagery). These technologies have emerged in recent decades as cross-cutting, enabling, and prevalent in all aspects of life. This course primarily focuses on illustrating how GIS is enabling decision-makers and professionals in understanding the needs of our rapidly changing, extremely diverse, yet ever more interconnected world. This course is designed primarily for graduate students who aspire to be leaders in the public, private, and non-profit sectors of international affairs and global development. Graduate students interested in international development, global politics and security, global human development, reducing poverty, global public health, and humanitarian/crisis management are welcome to join this course. Special attention will be put on the importance of ethics and best practices in applying GIS and other related technologies in these fields.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Security Studies, Security Studies, Security Studies or Security Studies.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
MSFS 6554 From Cartels to Frackers 1.5 Credits
This module looks at the geopolitical shifts that fracking for natural gas and oil are unleashing for global energy security, transatlantic and Indo-Pacific trade relationships, and the transition to cleaner sources of electric power. The module opens by analyzing producer restraint mechanisms, from the Texas Railroad Commission to oil cartels, and consumer country responses such as the International Energy Agency and the International Renewable Energy Agency. The module analyzes the role of supply response, from ultra deep water oil plays to the unprecedented fracking revolution in the United States.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
MSFS 6555 Electric Power Systems 1.5 Credits
Electrical power systems are crucial for advanced economies: they are essential for supporting economic, social, cultural, and political aspirations. Their interconnectedness fosters international alliances, supports free markets, and boosts development. In order to function, electrical power systems rely on security support and firm legal systems. Due to their extensive scale of operations, they also have significant impact on the environment. This course investigates the main technical components of these electrical power systems, so that decision-makers in politics, business, security, and ecology understand their functionalities, their technical limitations, and the potential of emerging technologies, which can support transitions and modifications of these electrical energy systems, in order to achieve not only environmental or business objectives but also enhance soft power through a re-designing of these systems. Case studies give concrete examples of failed and successful transitions of these systems within an international context of Europe, Middle East, India, and Asia.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
MSFS 6560 Scenario Planning 3 Credits
This course will explore the challenges posed by uncertainty and strategic surprise. It will use scenario planning techniques for sensing strategic surprise and developing alternative futures to aid decision-making in the face of uncertainty. The course will not focus on forecasting and prediction. Instead, it will enable students to practice the art of identifying and analyzing major forces of change with a view towards developing alternative futures analyses to inform decision-making. Scenario planning is widely recognized as a useful tool to help practitioners question their assumptions and identify underlying trends in current events.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment limited to students in the following programs:
- LW-JD-LWAS
- LW-JD-LWFS
- LW-JD-LWSS
- MA-ARST
- MA-ASST
- MA-ERES
- MA-GEST
- MA-LAST
- MA-SEST
- MGHD-GHDP
- MS-FSER
Enrollment is limited to Graduate or Juris Doctor level students.
MSFS 6570 China: Sci, Innv Nat'l Power 3 Credits
China: Science, Innovation and National Power" is a graduate-level seminar on China’s S&T development strategy and the implications of that strategy. The objective of this course is to help you understand China’s S&T development and its impact on national security and competition. This course will use a wide range of texts, multi-media and interactive case studies to explore what makes up the national innovation base, conduct deep dives into specific technology areas that will shape society in the future and whether innovation matters. It will explore in depth the key historical, social and political events that have shaped China’s S&T development. We will explore how China has gone from a tech backwater to a leading power; use real world examples of how China’s policies have either changed, evolved or remained the same; and examine core elements of China’s S&T development and how they fit into their overall strategic goals. The exercises will enable you to use, and critique, current literature that explores these topics and to analyze our most pressing contemporary policy debates, as well as develop the critical analytic, writing, and speaking skills needed for your professional success.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment limited to students in the following programs:
- LW-JD-LWAS
- LW-JD-LWFS
- LW-JD-LWSS
- MA-ARST
- MA-ERES
- MA-GEST
- MA-LAST
- MA-SEST
- MGHD-GHDP
- MS-FSER
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
MSFS 6580 Evolving Homeland Security 3 Credits
Threats to the Homeland--foreign and domestic terrorism, cyber-attacks, foreign influence operations, transnational crime, economic threats, and natural disasters--continue to evolve. Sophisticated technologies enable homeland security actors to protect against, prevent, and in some cases respond to these attacks must keep up with that change. This course will examine the US approach to Homeland Security, and where useful, compare it to other countries’ approaches. We will examine current and developing technologies that underpin core security capabilities of intelligence analysis; identity verification; threat interdiction and disruption; screening, search and detection; and forensics and attribution. Special attention will be paid to: 1) technology to detect and warn of WMD attacks, 2) cybersecurity of federal government and critical infrastructure networks, and 3) ensuring a protected and resilient electric grid. Finally, we will examine advances in two core capabilities that led to failures during the 9/11 attacks: information sharing and warning; and operational coordination.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment limited to students in the following programs:
- LW-JD-LWAS
- LW-JD-LWFS
- LW-JD-LWSS
- MA-ARST
- MA-ERES
- MA-GEST
- MA-LAST
- MA-SEST
- MGHD-GHDP
- MS-FSER
Enrollment is limited to Graduate or Juris Doctor level students.
MSFS 6585 Introduction to Data Analytics 3 Credits
This course is designed to offer students a general introduction to the world of data analytics. What is data? How is data collected, stored, analyzed, and then used? Perhaps more personally, what do you think the world knows about you? How is your data used to inform algorithms and train machine learning models? The principal goal of the course is to provide students with a foundation that would allow students to pursue more advanced studies in data science, and arm students with the basic knowledge to succeed in roles relating to data analytics in either the private or public sector. The course will aim to provide students with working knowledge of languages such as SQL and Python, and data analysis/visualization tools such as Excel and Tableau. Given this is an introductory course, students are not expected to have any prior knowledge on data analytics or data science.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
MSFS 6588 Wargame Design Practice 3 Credits
Why do Generals roll dice? Wargaming has evolved from its origins as a tool for military education to a multi-faceted field exploring climate change adaptation, IUU Fishing, AI competition, international migration, and much more, alongside its use in National Security contexts. Come learn about the modern world of wargaming. Play the games Leaders, Statesmen and Generals use to better understand the present and future. No previous gaming experience necessary! This course aims to equip students to understand the abilities and limitations of wargaming and prepare them to design professional games themselves on a topic of their choosing. With rising uncertainty and rapid technological progress around the world, both civilian and military continue to turn to Wargaming to inform decision-making across the US Government. From RAND's nuclear wargames underpinning Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD) to the 2020 Pandemic response, this course will cover wargaming’s history and modern applications. This course will cover the philosophy and practice of designing professional wargames for policy or military audiences and lead students through taking a game from a sponsor request to a functional prototype. In-class lectures and facilitation of different professional and commercial games will prepare students for the semester-long project of designing a playable wargaming prototype.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
MSFS 6590 AI International Policy 3 Credits
Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming global competition, reshaping economies, military strategy, intelligence operations, and international governance. This course takes a phased approach: first building a foundational understanding of AI and its capabilities, then analyzing its impact on international policy, and finally exploring policy prescriptions for managing its risks and maximizing its benefits. Students will examine AI’s role in economic growth, military power, intelligence collection, and the spread of misinformation, as well as the challenges of AI adoption, including bias, data limitations, and regulatory gaps. Throughout, we’ll consider the multilateral dimensions of AI governance—how nations collaborate (or clash) on AI safety, regulation, and strategic advantage. With real-world case studies, debates on democracy versus authoritarianism, and discussions on everything from the future of work to lethal autonomous weapon systems, this course offers a dynamic and forward-looking take on AI in global affairs.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Security Studies, Security Studies, Security Studies or Security Studies.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
MSFS 6600 Women Empowerm't in Glob South 3 Credits
Advancing women’s empowerment is key to effective foreign policy. Research shows that countries are more peaceful and stable when women are empowered. Models for advancing the status of women and girls have been developed by governmental agencies, multilateral institutions, development banks, civil society and the private sector. Over the past 20 years, mainstreaming a gender perspective into policy and programming has become a central focus of work for international organizations such as the United Nations and World Bank. Women’s empowerment is also a core dimension of the Women, Peace and Security Agenda – a key international policy framework that calls for the meaningful participation of women in all aspects of conflict resolution and peacebuilding.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment limited to students in the following programs:
- LW-JD-LWAS
- LW-JD-LWFS
- LW-JD-LWSS
- MA-ARST
- MA-ASST
- MA-ERES
- MA-GEST
- MA-LAST
- MA-REES
- MA-SEST
- MGHD-GHDP
- MS-FSER
Enrollment is limited to Graduate or Juris Doctor level students.
MSFS 6610 Forgotten Women in Mass Crimes 3 Credits
Why is violence against women and girls are so frequently forgotten or "silenced" in mass crimes and genocide? Why are acts of violence against women and girls so frequently obliterated from the Holocaust narrative? From the Roma genocide narrative? From Guatemala's mass violence history? From ISIS' terrorist narrative before the courts of law? From news emerging from Ukraine? Do ground investigations have the capacity to reveal the crimes against women, or are they choosing not to? This course will investigate these questions, especially taking into account the field investigations of Fr. Patrick Desbois and his team. Students will learn how to conduct forensic investigations of violence against women in the scope of genocide and mass crimes.The course is co-taught by Fr. Desbois, a forensic anthropologist and author of The Holocaust by Bullets and The Terrorist Factory and Dr. Andrej Umansky, a historian and lawyer will teach during this class. It will include mid-term and final exams. Class participation and preparation are essential.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
MSFS 6620 Global Crises and Identity 1.5 Credits
Do identity and exclusion shape and drive contemporary global crises and events? This class will analyze and deepen understanding of contemporary global affairs. Through reading, discussion and analysis, the course will look at under-explored dimensions of the war in Ukraine and other global conflicts; the pro-democracy movements in Iran and elsewhere; the COVID pandemic and other global health challenges; the climate crisis; and rising inequality and its consequences. The class will consider whether, why and how international security and stability are shaped in unexpected ways by gender inequality, racial inequity, and other dimensions of marginalization and vulnerability.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
MSFS 6630 Strategizing Gender Justice 3 Credits
Course Description: In this class, students will examine the formal and informal structures and rules that influence gender justice efforts across domestic and international institutions. Students will become familiar with feminist institutionalism theories and frameworks for analyzing changes in gender equality policies and outcomes. They will use this theoretical understanding to frame a case study of gender justice policy change (success or failure) as tied to the efforts of a local gender justice advocacy coalition. This course will be valuable for students seeking to understand the logic of progress on gender equality and how to further transformational change through institutions across the foreign policy and development sectors.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
MSFS 6640 Leadership, Gender Int'l Pol 3 Credits
Politicians seek to be elected, appointed, or promoted to leadership positions to change the world or gain fame. Recent trends have emphasized servant and authentic leadership to inspire honesty and service. But at least 65% of Americans believe politicians run for office to serve their interests instead. What does it mean to be a global leader? And what traits must one possess? When we think of politics, we think of authority, influence, and power. Social movements teach us that power is manifested differently in contentious politics than in conventional politics. For instance, movements like # MeToo and #BLM transcended national boundaries as they resonated with people across many cultures. Likewise, social media gave a platform for the youth to express their voice and counter the dominant narrative of governments and traditional media. At the intersection of leadership and politics is gender. In this course, we look at the role of gender in effective leadership beyond the question of women’s presence or absence. Instead, we ask, how does identity politics influence the mainstream? Throughout the course, students will develop their perspectives on leadership, gender, and politics by analyzing how local, national, and international leaders use their gender, perception of self, power, and network to govern, allocate resources, and mitigate crises. Students will evaluate gender norms from global perspectives to examine how our automatic thought process can be disrupted or reinforced. Students will also explore how gender and power intersect in international politics looking through a gender lens at global models of leadership.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
MSFS 6650 Tech, Security, and Identity 3 Credits
Digital transformation is having a wide range of broader societal impacts. The rise of AI, social media, and big data introduce new risks and complexities, including digital discrimination, online harassment, and the manipulation of vulnerable communities. These all pose significant threats to peace, democracy, and security, particularly for marginalized groups based on gender, race, and identity. This course examines technology's intersection with societal frameworks, norms, and power structures. This course empowers students with a critical and inclusive lens for examining the implications of technology for societies. Students will explore how technological solutions interact with and reshape the societal challenges of our time, ranging from algorithmic biases to the global digital divide. By understanding the multifaceted ways technology intersects with societal norms, students will learn to craft gender and identity-sensitive, technology-based strategies for promoting equity, democracy, human rights, and ecological responsibility. Through theoretical instruction, real-life case studies, hands-on experiences, and in-depth discussions, students will investigate how data analysis, AI, and social media can be leveraged for greater security and equity. The goal is to develop innovative and inclusive strategies that resonate with principles of justice, human dignity, and ecological prudence.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
MSFS 6655 Social Movements in Action 3 Credits
Empowerment and resistance are powerful forces that have shaped social and political change throughout history. Marginalized communities—including women, racial and ethnic minorities, indigenous peoples, and LGBTQ+ groups—have long organized to challenge systems of oppression and fight for justice, equity, and representation. While research shows that peace and stability thrive when marginalized voices are included in decision-making, persistent challenges such as political polarization, rising authoritarianism, and colonial legacies continue to obstruct meaningful progress.
Empowerment and Resistance: Social Movements in Action delves into these dynamics, exploring how social movements have emerged as transformative agents in resisting oppression and advancing rights. By examining both historical and contemporary movements, this course highlights the strategies, setbacks, and triumphs of resistance efforts across diverse cultural and political contexts. Students will gain a deeper understanding of the intersectional forces that shape social movements and develop practical skills to support justice and equity in an era of mounting anti-democratic pressures.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
MSFS 6660 Power, Culture and Gender 3 Credits
Gender equality and empowerment are key to effective foreign policy and global stability. Effective approaches to foreign and domestic policy—including those addressing the defining challenges of our time such as climate change, technological transformation, migration, and human rights—require a nuanced grasp of how gender and culture shape access to power, opportunity, and decision-making. Yet, across the world, we are also witnessing growing pushback against gender equality, as conservative, nationalist, and religious movements seek to reassert patriarchal norms and restrict women’s and gender-diverse people’s rights. This course explores the intersections of power, culture, and gender in shaping local and global realities, as well as the sources and manifestations of gender backlash. Drawing on feminist, postcolonial, and intersectional frameworks, students will explore how systems of domination—patriarchy, colonialism, capitalism, and nationalism—structure inequalities and how individuals and communities resist and transform them. Through global and regional case studies, the course analyzes both the sources of gendered power and the contemporary pushback against it.Students will gain conceptual and practical tools to design gender-responsive and culturally grounded strategies for policymaking, peacebuilding, and development—equipping them to address power and gender dynamics in today’s complex international environment.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
MSFS 6670 The Queering of Int'l Develpmt 1.5 Credits
How do we address social and economic exclusion and leave no one behind? This module will discuss the well-being of LGBTQ+ people around the world and strategies and approaches for promoting their inclusion. Despite some legal and social advances in the past two decades for segments of the broader lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) community, many LGBTQ+ people continue to face widespread poverty, discrimination and violence in many countries around the world. Tackling these issues is challenging but the Sustainable Development Goals’s principle of ‘leaving no one behind’ and WBG Twin Goals of promoting shared prosperity and ending extreme poverty offer a path for action.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
MSFS 7100 Illicit Finance 3 Credits
Illicit Finance: Impacts on corruption, national security, and development
The IMF estimates that money laundering comprises roughly 2 to 5 percent of the world’s GDP each year ($1.74 trillion to $4.35 trillion). Much of this illicit money originates in the developing world and finds a convenient hiding place in the financial centers of the developed world. The negative impacts of illicit financial flows (IFFs) strike not only at the heart of a country’s economy but also increase the threats of instability, violence, and political and human insecurity, for not just the country in question but also for other countries in the region.
This course will focus on developing an understanding of IFFs as a many-faceted problem with countries both rich and poor culpable in different ways. To delve into this problem, the course will utilize real-world case examples to understand the complementary roles that source, transit, and destination countries play. More specifically, the course will help students think critically about industries that act as easy sources of illicit capital, legal environments that protect individual property rights without asking probing questions about the sources of wealth, the methods to move these ill-gotten gains, and ongoing US policy mechanisms to highlight the full scope of this issue.
This course straddles the study of law, economics, political science, and human rights.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment limited to students in the following programs:
- LW-JD-LWAS
- LW-JD-LWFS
- LW-JD-LWSS
- MA-ARST
- MA-ASST
- MA-ERES
- MA-GEST
- MA-LAST
- MA-REES
- MA-SEST
- MGHD-GHDP
- MS-FSER
Enrollment is limited to Graduate or Juris Doctor level students.
MSFS 7110 Economic Growth and Crisis 3 Credits
This course explores the stages of economic growth and development and the challenges faced by countries in this process. While economic growth is usually accompanied by all kinds of challenges-political, economic and social, we will focus on the economic side and in particular, on episodes of financial crisis. We will look at some evidence such as -balance of payments, stock market and exchange rate data to understand the warning signs and determinants of a crisis. Thereafter, we will discuss some key features of crisis and what role did policy play in mitigating these effects.
This course will be divided into three parts- the first part will focus on contemporary advanced economies – in Europe, North America and East Asia, and look at the stylized facts of the stages of economic growth in these countries. In particular, we will look at the empirical facts to understand how productivity, GDP and GDP per capita and other variables changed as these countries started growing rapidly. This will be followed by a discussion on some of the problems seen in these countries. Finally, we will discuss episodes of financial and economic crisis in these nations. The second part of the course will cover the emerging markets economies and we will examine the rapid economic development in some popular big economies such as China, India, Brazil and Mexico. We will focus on the current economic challenges confronting these countries, such as, political economy, human capital, inequality, and then turn towards discussing incidents of economic and financial crisis over their growth period. The last part of the course will focus on “frontier markets” which is a term coined for countries that are not as well established as the emerging market economies but show great potential for economic growth. Here, we will look at the evidence to see what potential hurdles these countries will have to overcome to rise in the development ladder.
Level: Graduate, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Students who are registered in the following programs may not enroll:
- LW-JD-LWAS
- LW-JD-LWFS
- LW-JD-LWSS
- MA-ARST
- MA-ASST
- MA-ERES
- MA-GEST
- MA-LAST
- MA-SEST
- MGHD-GHDP
- MS-FSER
Enrollment is limited to Graduate or Juris Doctor level students.
MSFS 7115 Sustainable Infrastructure 3 Credits
Infrastructure is critical to economic growth and delivery of services. It contributes to and is susceptible to climate change. Given its scale and scope, infrastructure involves both the public and private sectors in most countries. The course will discuss a variety of approaches, frameworks, and tools for analyzing infrastructure systems and services, from regional infrastructure corridors to national plans to individual projects, and will use a wide range of case studies from rich and poor countries. Topics covered will include digital infrastructure, energy, transport, municipal services; different planning models (EU, US, Singapore, China); infrastructure and regional and urban development, mega projects, regional integration; project appraisal; tariffs and other infrastructure policies; making infrastructure sustainable; infrastructure and climate change, financing, public-private partnerships; and coping with radical uncertainties.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
MSFS 7120 Debt Development 3 Credits
Debt and Development: The Promise, Perils, Policies, and Practices of a Double-Edged Instrument
This course provides an “advanced introduction” to debt policy and debt management in developing countries. While the main focus will be on public debt, it will also explain the implications of borrowing by sub-nationals, corporations, and households. The approach will be comprehensive—conceptually, institutionally, geographically, and thematically. The idea is to help students understand how debt works; who borrows and who lends and why; what various good and bad country experiences have taught us; and what the current and forthcoming policy issues around debt financing are. So coverage will span from the macroeconomic drivers of debt and the ways to know whether debt is sustainable, down to the legal and institutional underpinnings of public borrowing. We will delve into evolving issues like debt defaults and debt relief, contingent liabilities, and lending for infrastructure. And we will explain the new generation of financing instruments, notably thematic bonds (green, blue, gender, SDG, sukuk, etc.) and fiscal insurance (against, say, natural disasters and commodity price volatility).
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment limited to students in the following programs:
- LW-JD-LWAS
- LW-JD-LWSS
- MA-ARST
- MA-ASST
- MA-ERES
- MA-GEST
- MA-LAST
- MA-REES
- MA-SEST
- MGHD-GHDP
- MS-FSER
Enrollment is limited to Graduate or Juris Doctor level students.
MSFS 7125 Geodynamics of Devt Finance 3 Credits
With the post-war system of financing development in profound transition, students will learn about the strategic forces shaping development finance over the next quarter century. The course will cover: (i) mega trends in the current state of development finance (fragmentation of projects, proliferation of donor agencies, extra-budgetary aid, and limited leverage) and their implication for bilateral v. multilateral aid; (ii) how is aid perceived by the recipient country?; (iii) the politics of aid--why do donors give aid, and why are some turning away?; (iv) how are China and other non-traditional donors changing the landscape? (v) the role of philanthropic aid, such as the Gates Foundation; (vi) can private capital replace official capital? and (vii) how can developing country governments manage development finance?
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
MSFS 7130 Inequality DevelopmentPolicy 3 Credits
This course will analyze the theory and practice of development policies in emerging markets in terms of their distributional impacts. This course will focus on within-country inequality (as opposed to between-country inequality) using multidimensional measures of inequality. Evidence suggests that high levels of inequality within countries continues to dampen growth, lower the growth-poverty elasticity, and fuel social and political discontent. The course would comprise of 2 introductory lectures followed by a set of 8 lectures on different development policies as follows: (i) and (ii) Introduction: Why Does Inequality Matter (definitions, evidence from emerging markets, implications); (iii) Trade and Exchange Rate; (iv) Monetary; (v) Taxation; (vi) Infrastructure, (vii) Health, (viii) Education, (ix) Social Protection (incl energy subsidies), and (x) Urban Development.
The course will examine the theory behind the development policies, their actual versus expected impacts, and corrective policy measures to improve distributional outcomes. The course will promote an understanding of different aspects of inequality. It will provide students with analytical tools for analyzing impacts of selected development policy interventions on inequality of outcomes. It will draw upon international literature and country experiences including from the COVID-19 pandemic. The course would use interactive pedagogical methods requiring students to engage in classroom discussion and debates, mock negotiations with country authorities, and/or Ted-style talks and presentations. Students will also be expected to write two papers. These could be in the form of a memo for a senior policymaker (President, Prime Minister, Finance Minister or Economy Minister) making the case for specific policy reforms to obtain improved inequality of outcomes. The paper could also be in the form of a speech for the senior policymaker announcing a major policy initiative to the population.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment limited to students in the following programs:
- LW-JD-LWAS
- LW-JD-LWFS
- LW-JD-LWSS
- MA-ARST
- MA-ERES
- MA-GEST
- MA-LAST
- MA-SEST
- MGHD-GHDP
- MS-FSER
Enrollment is limited to Graduate or Juris Doctor level students.
MSFS 7140 Macroeconomics for Development 3 Credits
This course provides an “advanced introduction” to macroeconomic management in emerging and developing countries. We build a simple conceptual model that we use throughout the course to study those countries’ typical macroeconomic problems, the policy solutions available to their governments, and what has happened in practice. We start with the all-important foreign exchange market and its relationship with capital mobility, interest rates, and the money supply. We then examine how monetary, fiscal, foreign exchange, structural, and communication policies affect (or don’t affect) the real economy, in both the short- and long-run. From there, we move to how governments in the developing world can manage shocks—from sudden capital flight to COVID-19 to banking crises—and whether international financial arrangements like currency unions, global bank regulation, and the IMF help or hinder their efforts. Finally, we discuss the long list of macro-financial crises that middle- income and poor countries have suffered during the past three decades and how they tried to overcome them; this discussion is based on student-led presentations of specific country cases. As a key component of the instruction, in this course students will also learn to read the latest macroeconomic data of actual emerging and developing economies—their “vital signs”. During the last half-hour of each class, they will be given a wide-ranging compilation of statistics—from monetary, fiscal, and financial to sectoral, social, and demographic. They will use that information to distill and articulate, in just a few minutes, the macroeconomic “storyline” of the country in question. Towards the end of the semester, the process is reversed: from the vital signs and storyline of an “incognito” case, students will be asked to identify the country in question. Our overall goal is to make students able to engage professionally in macro-financial policy discussions within the context of emerging and developing nations, and to produce a reasoned assessment of why their economic and financial variables react the way they do to government decisions and to events that governments do not control. Those discussions, policies and events can range widely, from “What would happen to the Mexican peso if the US Congress decided to spend an extra trillion dollars in infrastructure?” and “Why did my late Argentine mother, a brilliant macroeconomist who never went to college, keep her life-saving in US dollars inside a shoe-box hidden under her bed?”, to “How come Saudi Arabia can keep its exchange rate fixed while running a huge fiscal deficit, but Egypt can’t?” and “Why couldn’t the government of Maldives respond to the COVID-19 shock with the same kind of fiscal stimulus that India deployed?”
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment limited to students in the following programs:
- LW-JD-LWAS
- LW-JD-LWFS
- LW-JD-LWSS
- MA-ARST
- MA-ASST
- MA-ERES
- MA-GEST
- MA-LAST
- MA-SEST
- MGHD-GHDP
- MS-FSER
Enrollment is limited to Graduate or Juris Doctor level students.
MSFS 7150 Economics of the Environment 3 Credits
Former Title: Planetary Economics: Prosperity and Sustainability in a Full World
Economists have repeatedly shown how to do more with less by aligning personal incentives with common objectives. In doing so, they have had an instrumental role in the tremendous advancements of humanity and society. But many challenges to improving the human condition do not yield easily to the finely honed tools of economics. Interrelated issues of environment, resources, population, poverty, pestilence, governance, and international affairs may evolve from one crisis to another precisely because an economist’s tools for measuring and adjusting don’t fit neatly into the junctions between human aspirations and a world immovably governed by the rules of biology, chemistry, and physics. In this course, we probe, review, critique, and extend efforts to grapple with these most intractable and largest of issues. In this context, students will complete the course with a perspective on what to do when all the experts hit the limits of their expertise.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment limited to students in the following programs:
- LW-JD-LWAS
- LW-JD-LWFS
- LW-JD-LWSS
- MA-ARST
- MA-ASST
- MA-ERES
- MA-GEST
- MA-LAST
- MA-REES
- MA-SEST
- MGHD-GHDP
- MS-FSER
Enrollment is limited to Graduate or Juris Doctor level students.
MSFS 7160 The Global Financial System 3 Credits
The evolution of the global financial system can be understood as a series of regime changes that have profoundly changed the global economy. In this class we will study these regime changes, beginning with the post-WW2 establishment of the Bretton Woods system that enshrined the US dollar as the world's global reserve currency. We will study the historical evolution of the global financial system passing through the following regimes and the crisis that led to their transformations. The high inflation period of the late 60's/70s that led to the depegging of USD from gold and the end of Bretton Woods system. The financial globalization of the 1990's, leading to a period of financial crisis in emerging market economies, and the period of "global imbalances". The rise of China as a financial superpower, leading to the world-wide credit and real estate bubbles that led to the Great Financial Crisis of 2008. The "secular stagnation" post-crisis period of low inflation/growth/interest rates with rising inequality, partially caused by a combination of fiscal austerity with monetary heterodoxy. The post-pandemic surge in global inflation in a period of deglobalization, geopolitical uncertainty and China-US competition. The class will have a specific China-centered module looking at the functioning of the Chinese economy since the start of the reform period in 1978. Another parallel theme is the evolving role of the USD as the global reserve currency and how US monetary policy impacts the global economy. Students will develop a detailed knowledge of the policy and financial characteristics of the global financial system, especially how the rise of China is challenging global US financial hegemony since the 2008 crisis. Students will have the option of writing a term paper or a midterm exam, alongside a final class exam.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
MSFS 7200 Strategy, Finance Valuation 3 Credits
What is strategy and what are some of the main concepts, tools and techniques to assist in strategic analysis? What are the relationships between strategy and financial statements? Does strategy drive the numbers or do numbers drive the strategy? Finally, how does the integration of strategy and finance generate value and how might we try to measure this?
The course is split into 4 sections:
o Strategy – an introduction to strategy with case led application o Finance - a case led refresher of key financial tools and metrics including financial modelling o Valuation – an introduction to valuation o Case led integration of the above
Using a mix of theory, news events, blogs and research reports the course will draw upon current events to illustrate and analyze key principles.
Learning Objectives & Pedagogy
The key learning objective is for participants to gain the theoretical and practical expertise necessary to understand, analyze and debate the relationships between strategy, finance and value. In particular, the end-game is to be able to integrate the three “knowledge silos” of strategy, finance and valuation.
Class discussion and homework assignments, both individual and team based, will grow the ability to analyze and fluently present insightful integration of the above.
Whilst MSFS 515 is not a pre-requisite some base level of financial knowledge is required. Those who have not taken a finance course must read Financial Intelligence – “A Managers Guide to Knowing what the Numbers Really Mean” in advance of starting the course.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service or Foreign Service.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate or Juris Doctor level students.
MSFS 7210 Global Government Relations 3 Credits
Global Government Relations: Linking Policy and Business
This course will explore the role of global government relations in supporting global business opportunities and managing risks. Businesses are increasingly confronted with global political and policy issues and are often expected to engage in public policy debates. At the same time, customer, shareholder, employee and external interest groups often have divergent positions and priorities. In addition, many growth markets require government relations strategies and tactics to partner with governments and mitigate market-access challenges, while upholding ethical and corporate social responsibilities. Navigating these challenges requires strategic issues management, timely identification of emerging trends and risks, purposeful corporate policy engagement, and collaboration across internal and external stakeholders. Done effectively, global government relations can expand business opportunities while managing geopolitical risks. Throughout the course, we will explore effective issues identification and communication, global issues management and the critical importance of aligned strategies, geopolitical risk monitoring and quantification, and the changing role of government relations. We will utilize current political and business case studies for discussion and analysis. Course deliverables will include strategy memos and briefing materials for corporate audiences.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a program in Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Security Studies, Security Studies, Security Studies or Security Studies.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
MSFS 7211 Sustainability Finance 1.5 Credits
Sustainability & Finance is a 7 week course designed to provide students with a firm understanding of the financial, institutional and market-structure elements of Sustainable Finance (SF). It is a companion course to the 7 week Business & Sustainability course offered in the Spring of 2024. By examining the relationship between finance, business growth and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), students will gain a comprehensive understanding of the role finance can play in shaping a more sustainable future. The Sustainability & Finance course will consist of two parts. The first part, Introduction to the Sustainable Financing Landscape, will start with the building blocks of the financial sector, including an introduction/refresher on the key concepts in finance and how these concepts are relevant to SF. We will explore how companies and governments in the developing world are financed today via both public and private sector financial flows. We will also examine the key players in financial markets (lenders, investors, regulators, civil society actors, governments, advisors, etc) and how these various actors engage to create an ecosystem supporting financial flows to emerging markets. The second part of the course, Emerging Themes in Sustainable Finance, will present recent and emerging innovations in the financial sector designed to better address the challenges of sustainable development. We will analyze gaps in the current financial architecture related to the SDGs and examine how private investors and lenders are beginning to address those shortcomings. We will use a series of case studies to focus on sustainability-related innovations in finance, including in: (i) project finance for large scale investments (infrastructure, energy, agriculture, etc), (ii) corporate-level debt and equity financing (green bonds, social bonds, impact investing, etc) and (iii) emerging areas including SME financing, climate-related insurance products, carbon markets and debt-for-nature swaps. In each of these areas, we will look at real world examples of how new products and markets are being developed with the expressed purpose of supporting the SDGs, and how the various players in the market are responding.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
MSFS 7230 Business, Government Society 3 Credits
This course aims to strengthen students' understanding of the complex but crucial trisector relationship between business, government, and civil society - and to develop the practical skills and capabilities to operate effectively at that intersection.
In terms of contextual understanding, we will ask a series of interrelated questions. What is and should be the role of business in society and how can it be analyzed using proven conceptual frameworks? How can and should private sector companies help solve some of the most chronic and vexing problems that are beyond the reach of governments alone? How is the role of business affected by the different economic, social, and political systems around the world?
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment limited to students in the following programs:
- LW-JD-LWAS
- LW-JD-LWFS
- LW-JD-LWSS
- MA-ARST
- MA-ASST
- MA-ERES
- MA-GEST
- MA-LAST
- MA-REES
- MA-SEST
- MGHD-GHDP
- MS-FSER
Enrollment is limited to Graduate or Juris Doctor level students.
MSFS 7235 Classroom to Career 3 Credits
Classroom to Career: Leading in Organizations
This 3-Credit Course aims to equip students for career success in two ways:
· to lead students through a structured process to better devise and articulate their individual narrative – what is your competitive advantage in the job market and how should you frame and position this?
· to learn, understand and practice career relevant skills in the work place eg leadership, working in teams, handling conflict and change management. Many consider that distinctive competence in these areas is at least as determinative to career success as traditional “smarts”
The combination of both parts will assist students in finding, planning and thinking about their individual careers as well as helping maximize their performance within their chosen field.
The course is sector agnostic and equally useful across public, private or NGO careers.
Learning will include study of relevant academic and popular literature, combined with multiple case studies and role play. The class will be highly interactive and will feature occasional guest speakers including alums.
The course benefits from the experience of helping multiple MSFS cohorts find and begin to carve out their own careers, aside from experiences gained in a global business career.
The course is eligible for the purposes of the MSFS Leadership Requirement.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
MSFS 7240 Corporate Diplomacy 3 Credits
Overview of the Course
Growing income inequality, underperforming educational systems, unequal access to affordable healthcare, decaying infrastructure, increasing environmental degradation and climate change – these and other “grand challenges” are imposing stresses and strains on political systems around the world and challenging the credibility of leading institutions in government, business and wider society. Now, more than ever, we need thoughtful and purposeful public policy, underpinned by strong social support and active engagement with business.
To make this happen – to strengthen our ability to tackle society’s most vexing problems – we need skillful corporate and public-sector diplomats who can move adeptly among the business, government and social sectors around the world. We need such people – whom we call “tri-sector leaders” – to face and resolve tensions between the three sectors, and to apply sophisticated diplomatic skills including network-building, empathy and creativity. We need them to exhibit superior cognitive diversity and perspective – an ability to draw upon knowledge and insight from people with different backgrounds, experiences and traditions. Finally, we need them to engage actively, creatively and persistently in collaborative leadership and governance across and between the sectors.
Regrettably, such tri-sector leaders are few and far between. Most of today’s leaders in each sector have a narrower conception of their roles – a consequence of the increasingly specialized, fragmented and siloed approaches to professional education and career development. All too many people have responded to our ever more complex and interconnected world by trying to master one small sliver of it, hoping that rest will be taken care of by somebody else. Consequently, they can lack the capabilities to tackle the increasingly interdisciplinary challenges of our time, or even to act as truly responsible leaders – preferring rather to pursue narrower sectional interests.
This course sets out to address these shortcomings by creating an understanding and hypothesis about the way in which the different sectors have operated, are operating, and could feasibly operate to the benefit of society. It draws upon extensive research into the ways in which tri-sector leaders can address complex problems, applying a sophisticated mix of leadership and diplomatic skills – illustrating these capabilities through a series of readings and case studies. It addresses the complex challenge of operating in an increasingly non-coherent world where pressures for apparent global uniformity compete with the divergent forces of nationalism, workforce insecurity, technological advance, income inequality and social fragmentation.
The course should be of particular interest to students who wish to understand how best to operate at the intersections of government, business and social activism, and who therefore require an understanding of the major underlying issues and challenges, as well as the diplomatic skills and leadership attributes needed to succeed in a tri-sector world.
Arc of the Course
We begin the course by introducing the core thesis of corporate and public diplomacy – outlining a foundational framework for tri-sector leadership at the intersection of government, business and society. We then explore this framework in three sequential sections, exploring (i) why this has been such an important aspiration throughout history – and is especially so today; (ii) why it is currently proving so difficult to turn this aspiration into reality; and (iii) what we can each of us do to develop the necessary skills and experience.
In the first section of the course, we underpin our core framework with an historic and contemporary examination of models of political and economic organization. We explore how society has viewed the principal objectives of business, government and social enterprise; the ways in which they have co-existed, interacted and often clashed within a capitalist system; and the current pressures to revise and refine the operational relationship between the three sectors. This examination helps us to understand why this is such an important challenge for society and for each of us as individuals.
In the second section, we explore in more detail why this is currently proving such a difficult challenge. We examine the intrinsic pressures within each sector – examining, for instance, the contest around whether profit maximization and shareholder value should the sole or dominant corporate objectives; comparable arguments around the scope and reach of the public sector’s traditional role as “system guardian” incorporating regulatory and redistribution objectives; and the growing scale and significance of social activism, advocacy and enterprise as “forces for change” in society’s around the world. A key emerging theme will be the constantly evolving nature of these relationships and the likely need for integrative solutions.
In the third and final section of the course, we explore how each of us can address this need and opportunity in our own lives and careers. We aim to define how prospective tri-sector leaders can develop a practical toolkit of corporate and public diplomacy – including an enhanced sense of moral purpose, superior contextual intelligence, and extended networks. We conclude by demonstrating in tangible terms how such multi-dimensional skills and experiences can help us to address and resolve some of the most pressing challenges of today’s world, rather than just sustaining the narrow sectional interests of business, government and social enterprise alone.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Security Studies, Security Studies, Security Studies or Security Studies.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
MSFS 7310 Diplomatic/Military Statecraft 3 Credits
The course will examine the tough questions and dilemmas in the practice of contemporary statecraft and diplomacy. It will use a series of readings and case studies to explore how states have successfully built integrated strategies to achieve their objectives and where and why they have failed. It will focus in particular on the changing nature of the tools available to states and the context in which they are used. The instructor, a recently retired senior US diplomat who served as Ambassador to Lebanon and Coordinator for Counterterrorism, will bring in current and former diplomats and military officers and draw from their recent experience to explore the real world challenges of modern statecraft and diplomacy.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Security Studies, Security Studies, Security Studies or Security Studies.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
MSFS 7311 Nonviolent Collective Action 3 Credits
Citizens are drivers of positive change. From Africa to the Americas, Asia to Eastern Europe, regular people are actively tackling corruption, human rights abuses, and unaccountable rule. Social movements and other forms of nonviolent collective action have dismantled authoritarian regimes, impacted graft, and advanced democracy, accountability, peacebuilding, political, social and economic rights, and constructive citizen-state relations. On the ground, civic initiatives, campaigns, and social movements approach social change through an integrated lens rather than narrow silos. While this phenomenon is gaining more and more attention, it’s often not well understood among policy makers, donors, development and peacebuilding practitioners, the legal community, mainstream media, and even formal civil society. This course will examine the many forms of power in societies, the processes, skills, and methods of nonviolent action as well as its track record, misconceptions, outcomes, setbacks, and emergent challenges, such as democratic erosion, shrinking civil society, and climate change. We will examine policy and practical implications for international stakeholders, limitations of conventional civil society assistance, and constructive international support approaches to enable citizen agency and mobilization at the nexus of anti-corruption, human rights and democracy. Students will assess and synthesize research and theoretical concepts for practical application in the international arena, including their future professional pursuits, through individual and group analysis, assignments, and projects. Students will have access to the insights of civic leaders around the world and gain a deep understanding of why bottom-up pressure is necessary and often complementary to top-down, elite-led efforts.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a program in Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service or Foreign Service.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
MSFS 7315 The Rise of Autocracies 3 Credits
Despite the optimism of modernization theory and the “third wave” of democratization, about 40% of the world’s countries are autocracies. Moreover, Freedom House in its 2017 report found that global political rights and civil liberties have declined for 11 consecutive years—the longest downward slide since the watchdog organization began measuring these trends over forty years ago. The pervasiveness and persistence of autocratic government underscores the importance of better understanding the political dynamics at play in these regimes. Why have these regimes remained so resilient? What affects the stability of these regimes? What are the implications of their rise in number and influence? How can the West encourage more democratic governance?
Until recently, our thinking about autocracies—how they govern and behave—has not included notions of adaptation or progress. Our perceptions have remained anchored by vivid anecdotes and mental images of history’s most infamous and eccentric leaders. When we hear the word, “dictator,” our minds tend to default to the Joseph Stalins, the Idi Amins, and the Mao Zedongs of the world. The leaders of this era seized power violently, ruled through the use of mass arrests, firing squads and other forms of brutal intimidation, and faced little opposition from those they ruled. But are these conceptions valid and useful models for understanding 21st century autocracies?
This course will address these issues. We will take an in-depth look at: how we can disaggregate autocracies and how differences in "type" affect regime behavior; the strategies authoritarian leaders use to stay in power; the consequences of authoritarianism for outcomes such as economic growth and human development; and factors that affect the democratization of these regimes. We will also analyze how a widespread resurgence of authoritarianism would affect global governance and the ability of the US to achieve its interests abroad. We draw both on theories of politics in authoritarian regimes as well as in-depth discussions of the politics of some of the world’s most consequential regimes, including Russia, China, North Korea, Turkey, and Iran.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to Graduate or Juris Doctor level students.
MSFS 7316 Russia in Asia 3 Credits
"Russia in Asia” will examine Russia’s struggle to define its relationship as an Asian power and attempt to identify how Moscow might operate in a geopolitical environment that centers on the Indo-Pacific. Following the dramatic reaction of the West to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Russian leaders appear to be calculating that a re-alignment to the “East” is economically and politically necessary. To what extent is this policy likely to succeed? We will begin by examining this idea “the East” in Russian history and foreign policy. The people and strategic assets of Russian Asia are the foundation of Moscow’s profile as a global actor. Russia and China are neighbors who may profess the closest of economic and political relations, but their history is one of strategic rivalry, punctuated by fleeting periods of cooperation. Japan and Russia have never proven able to reconcile; why not? Central Asia was ruled directly by Moscow for over a century, and the legacy of colonialism remains a powerful factor in their relations. How did democratic India develop such a strong security connection to the Soviet Union/Russian Federation, and is that relationship likely to survive, or even thrive, in the years to come? Is rogue state North Korea Russia’s ally of last resort?
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
MSFS 7320 Intrnl Negotiation 3 Credits
The objectives of this workshop course are to explore and discuss the various theories of and approaches to negotiation analysis and to assess how these theories are revealed in real world cases and in our own class negotiation simulation. We will read various theories about the many factors that influence the international negotiation process -- including power, the nature of the bargaining interaction, domestic politics, personality, and culture. The in-class negotiation simulation is a primary component of the course and will extend over much of the semester. The ultimate aim of the course is to enhance our ability to understand the factors that affect the process and outcome of international negotiations, and thereby enhance our ability to identify conflicts that are ripe for negotiation (and those that are not) as well as assess the dynamics and prospects of on-going negotiations. A better understanding of the negotiation process and the factors that determine outcomes may even make us more effective negotiators.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a program in E, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service or Foreign Service.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate or Juris Doctor level students.
MSFS 7325 Natl Sec Foreign Investment 3 Credits
This course examines the relationship between foreign investment and national security in the context of great power competition. It focuses on the key benefits and risks of foreign investment, and their implications for national security and strategy. It will examine how understandings of national security in relation to foreign investment have evolved over the last 20 years with fundamental changes in patterns of foreign investment, technological advancements (like big data, AI, and 5G), the environment, strategic relationships, and shifts in global power. The course will do so by looking at national approaches to this issue taken by the US and her allies (such as the UK, Europe, Australia, and Canada), as well as the approaches taken by Russia and China. We will also look at international efforts in this area intended to dampen the impact on globalization. No background in finance or law is required for this course, but case studies will look at different foreign investment domestic laws/regulations, and examples of proposed foreign investment deals that have been blocked, mitigated, or reviewed and cleared. Knowledge of basic international relations theory will be helpful.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment limited to students in the following programs:
- LW-JD-LWAS
- LW-JD-LWFS
- LW-JD-LWSS
- MA-ARST
- MA-ERES
- MA-GEST
- MA-LAST
- MA-SEST
- MGHD-GHDP
- MS-FSER
Enrollment is limited to Graduate or Juris Doctor level students.
MSFS 7330 Conflict Mgmt Intrl Security 3 Credits
This seminar will examine the sources of conflict and causes of war as global systemic structures change. Why are certain conflicts intractable and can democratization provide resolution? Economic sources and drivers of conflict are examined through distinct theoretical models. What tools exist to manage great power conflict and internationalized civil wars, as well as techniques for managing collapsing and fragile states? Political and diplomatic approaches to conflict management are analyzed, as well as different forms of coercion. We examine the strengths and weaknesses of collective security, the role and capabilities of selected regional institutions, and ask what norms & rules should be applied to manage conflict.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service or Law/Foreign Service.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate or Juris Doctor level students.
MSFS 7335 Crisis Diplomacy 1.5 Credits
The end of the Cold War that dominated the second half of the twentieth century tore apart longstanding patterns of global politics. Some former objects of the great powers became players on the global stage, sometimes important, sometimes bit actors, but always aspiring for a role in shaping events. Many great powers of the 19th and early 20th centuries became less consequential. Long-suppressed grievances arose among those on the rise and those in decline. The rise of China, the Arab Spring and Winter, and the financial crises in Europe, Japan, and the United States reinforce these tendencies. Now Putin’s Russia is reasserting itself and the refugee flow from the Middle East and the rise of populist rightest parties threaten European stability.
This course will explore some of these momentous changes through selected international crises, related events, and looming future threats, and how America may deal with them. Attention will focus on Cold War and post-Cold War Europe, on Iran and the Middle East, on East Asia and globalization, and their historical contexts. We will explore and discuss the implications of these changes for United States interests and for American foreign policy. Each class will consist of a lecture covering the subject of the week to be followed by class discussion and Socratic questioning designed to deepen students' understanding of the trade-offs inherent in the issues and skill in analyzing them. Students will be expected to attend classes and to participate actively, and thoughtfully, in these discussions.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
MSFS 7345 Media World Affairs 3 Credits
This course examines the relationship between the media and the conduct of international relations, beginning with Julius Caesar's self-serving account of the Gallic Wars and continuing through the media coverage of the Bush administration's case for pre-emptive war on Iraq, the global financial crisis and environmental issues. It also traces the evolution of the American news media from two developments in the 15th and 16th Centuries: the invention of moveable type and the translation of the Bible into English and German. The course includes a number of weekly writing assignments, and it places a heavy emphasis on the distillation and organization of large amounts of material into clear, concise prose, the kind that's valued not only in journalism, but also in industry, government and NGOs. In addition, there is a final paper of 2,000-2,500 words on a topic to be chosen by the student and approved by the professor.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Security Studies, Security Studies, Security Studies or Security Studies.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate or Juris Doctor level students.
MSFS 7350 International Law 3 Credits
This course will provide a detailed examination of the fundamentals of public international law. Taking a case-method approach, the course will discuss the sources of international law, the relationship of international law to domestic law, international personality, jurisdiction under international law-- including general principles of jurisdiction, extradition, immunity from jurisdiction, state responsibility for injury to aliens, international human rights law, the law relating to the recourse to force, the law concerning the conduct of hostilities, international criminal law and international environmental law. The primary text of the course will be: *International Law: Cases and Materials, 5th ed. 2009*, by Lori Damrosch, et al. Students will be evaluated based on class participation and three short legal memoranda.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a program in E, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service or Foreign Service.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate or Juris Doctor level students.
MSFS 7351 International Legal Philosophy 3 Credits
This course explores and critiques the most significant international legal theories and approaches and equips students to apply those theories to contemporary problems.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
MSFS 7355 Russian Influence in Europe 3 Credits
This course explores both historical and current Russian influence activities in Europe and how they impact U.S. interests. Given the significant impact of recent Russian influence campaigns throughout the West—especially the 2016 reverberations within the United States—this course is particularly timely for graduate students hoping to understand 1) past and present Russian goals within Western democracies; 2) the political, economic, security, and social implications of these Russian activities; and 3) how present challenges in confronting Russian malign influence compare with those during the Cold War.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment limited to students in the MS-FSER program.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
MSFS 7356 Europe the World Order 1.5 Credits
The course aims at providing an understanding of the EU as an actor in the foreign, security and defense policy fields. This course will focus on the European Union’s approach to global order. It will start by defining what the “liberal international order” is and how it is gradually giving way to a multipolar world or to a “post-multilateralist” world order. It will then focus on “the geopolitical identity” of the European Union, which is the new grammar of the EU in a changing world. The course will apply this framework to various policies that have dominated the recent EU external action. Topics like defense and security, energy, trade, human rights and democracy, will be addressed to illustrate the new trends of the European foreign policy. The course will also look at challenges facing Europe in its “near abroad”, i.e. the Middle-East and North Africa and Russia-Ukraine. The aim of the course is to give students a thorough overview of contemporary security issues and the ability of European states and security.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
MSFS 7360 Public Comm Natl Security 1.5 Credits
This course will examine the importance of public communications to national security, with a special focus on the degree to which communications strategy not only shapes national security strategy but under-girds its actual success. Through case-study analysis -- bolstered by relevant guest speakers, readings, media consumption and in-class discussion -- students will examine real-world events and policies that shaped public perception and were shaped by that same perception in return. We will explore the use of public communications and influence in intelligence and military communities in terms of specific strategies, effects, and issues. And we will also study the importance of public diplomacy in the digital age, the effect that social media has played on the execution of policy, the role of leadership and inter agency coordination, as well as the impact of propaganda and fake news on government credibility. Students will be expected to complete written and oral assignments commensurate with a practical understanding of how communications strategy and tactics are applied in the policy-making process.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a program in Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service or Foreign Service.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
MSFS 7365 US Decision Making 3 Credits
This course will examine U.S. leadership decision-making in global, regional, bilateral, and multilateral contexts. It will explore interagency, intra-Departmental, and intra-Embassy foreign policy leadership challenges; as well as the skills and judgment required to lead policy and people during sudden political change in the country and in the United States, while confronting an insurgency and/or failed state, dealing with dictators, devising national security strategy, wartime and hostage situations, and other high-security threat environments. Consideration will also be given to differing perspectives of political and career service officials which often factor into decision-making and result in divergent policy outcomes. The instructors of this course will provide these contrasting views based on their respective careers. If you are interested in serving in the U.S. government, or in another government or institutional setting interacting with it, this course will provide you with an excellent foundation in and understanding of the myriad of challenges in decision-making and the broad range of policy instruments to tackle them. Focusing on techniques and the art of practice, some of the graded exercises in this course will include policy memoranda, briefings, oral presentations, team projects, and taking responsibility for consulting with current and recent government officials on a discrete project in global issues.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Security Studies, Security Studies, Security Studies or Security Studies.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate or Juris Doctor level students.
MSFS 7370 Emotional Intelligence 1.5 Credits
“National Interests” are at the center and focus of the study and practice of International Relations, yet they only tell part of the story. Emotional Intelligence (EQ), human connections, and empathy are key, yet largely ignored, in our decision-making process, leading to mismatched policies and approaches. EQ is defined as one’s ability to recognize and understand emotions in yourself and others, and your ability to use this awareness to manage your behavior and relationships.
“National Interests” are at the center and focus of the study and practice of International Relations, yet they only tell part of the story. Emotional Intelligence (EQ), human connections, and empathy are key, yet largely ignored, in our decision-making process, leading to mismatched policies and approaches. EQ is defined as one’s ability to recognize and understand emotions in yourself and others, and your ability to use this awareness to manage your behavior and relationships. The objective of this seminar is to get students to understand the under-estimated role personal relations and emotional intelligence play in some of the biggest stories of international politics, war and peace; and to do so through two main planes: First, practical strategies to improve one’s EQ; and second, developing tangible tools to integrate EQ into strategy development and policy. The seminar will include short analytical writings, simulations, and other written and oral exercises.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a program in Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Security Studies, Security Studies, Security Studies or Security Studies.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
MSFS 7371 Scenarios and Strategy 1.5 Credits
Policy makers must continually grapple with uncertainty about the future and face bad policy options in constructing national security strategies. President Lyndon Johnson chose to escalate the war in Viet Nam in early 1965. George W. Bush ordered the invasion of Iraq in 2003. Both had seasoned advisors urging action. Arguably, in both cases presidential decisions had disastrous consequences for US interests. In both cases there were advisors urging caution— Vice President Hubert Humphrey in the case of Johnson and Secretary of State Colin Powell in the case of Bush. Both men were sidelined. What then do decision makers need before taking momentous decisions?
One answer offered by James Steinberg, who held senior policy positions in government, and Francis J. Gavin, a respected academic, is that “what policy makers crave is help imagining alternative scenarios and multiple outlooks, while developing strategies to mitigate the downside risks and maximize upside benefits as they jump into an unknowable future.”
This course is designed to address this “craving.” It is intended to be practical and “hands on” as well as to expose students to best practices on scenario building. (Note: the use of scenarios was pioneered by Royal Dutch Shell in the 1970s and since then have been utilized by governments and businesses to think rigorously about possible future contingencies.)
The class will be divided into teams of two to four students with each team charged with preparing four scenarios either on a given country’s future (e.g. China in 2026) or on the potential consequences of a policy decision (e.g. bombing Iran). Teams and topics will be selected in the first class based on student interests and expertise and on pressing issues on the policy agenda in the fall of 2023.
Students will be introduced to the methodology of scenario building and will have their scenarios subjected to peer and expert review. They will be asked to make policy recommendations based on their scenarios either to limit bad outcomes or maximize potential positive opportunities.
Professor Yost has taught in the MSFS program off and on since the 1990s. He has focused, in his courses, on Sino-US relations and on intelligence community support to policy making. He served as director of the Strategic Futures Group on the National Intelligence Council from 2009-2013.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
MSFS 7375 The Future of Diplomacy 3 Credits
Tomorrow Now: The Future of Diplomacy in a Disrupted World
A student driven, applied learning seminar limited to 2nd year graduate students, this course will address four main questions:
1. What in the world is happening? Tapping on various resources, we will explore the range of global trends currently underway, identify those likely to have the most significant impact, and critique the diplomatic tools to address them. 2. Is strategic forecasting fate or folly? Conducting an analysis of the principal methodologies employed in strategic forecasting, we will examine the extent to which projections are analytically sound and subsequently validated, or ignored by policy makers and prone to cognitive bias. 3. Is diplomacy on life-support? In light of the dramatic disruptions currently underway, has traditional diplomacy become obsolete? If so, what will take its place and how might this have its own impact on trends underway? 4. Are technological advances in communications upending or replacing traditional public diplomacy? We will focus on the impact of social media and other burgeoning forms of communication on the global trends underway and the diplomacy to address them.
Each student will select one trend and one region of the world to focus on for the semester. Student projects will include the following: - Interview of two practitioners and a two-page summary of the student's conclusions based on the interviews. - An Op-Ed that meets the Washington Post guidelines for publication. - Each week a pre-assigned group of students will kick off the seminar discussion by identifying the key questions emerging from the readings. - Capstone team presentation that advocates approach to an emerging trend including a communications strategy to advance the chosen approach.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a program in Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service or Law/Foreign Service.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate or Juris Doctor level students.
MSFS 7379 Justice and War 3 Credits
War is hell—but it is also, sometimes, necessary and even just. This course examines the ethical implications of political violence, asking: When is it just to fight war? What does it look like to fight justly? How do we foster peace and justice in the aftermath of war? Using a historical case study approach, we examine specific wars and military dilemmas, including: preemptive warfare and the Six Day War; casus belli and the American Civil War; international legal norms and World War I and the Iraq War; humanitarian war and Kosovo; proportionality and the atomic bombing of Hiroshima; discrimination and counterinsurgency; and more. Students will be asked to read a significant amount of historical material, participate in class discussion, and take positions and defend them in discussion. The premise of the course is that war is a morally serious act that needs special justification—but also that some circumstances give that justification. When is war just? What does justice require?
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
MSFS 7380 Economics and Diplomacy 3 Credits
Economic Tools of Diplomacy - Promotion of Commercial and Strategic Interests
As global economic integration deepened after the Second World War, economics took on a greater role in international diplomacy. This course will examine the institutions of economic diplomacy such as the IMF and World Bank. It will also consider trade diplomacy and significant international trade agreements and organizations, as well as the role of diplomacy in export promotion and its contribution to domestic economic well-being. The course will also look at the coercive elements of economic diplomacy, such as the use of sanctions and tariffs to pursue broader foreign policy goals.
The instructor is an active duty senior US diplomat -- currently at the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy -- who has served for over thirty years as an economic specialist and most recently served as Ambassador to Algeria and prior to that Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment limited to students in the following programs:
- LW-JD-LWAS
- LW-JD-LWFS
- LW-JD-LWSS
- MA-ARST
- MA-ASST
- MA-ERES
- MA-GEST
- MA-LAST
- MA-SEST
- MGHD-GHDP
- MS-FSER
Enrollment is limited to Graduate or Juris Doctor level students.
MSFS 7381 StblztnRcnstrctn of Afghanstn 3 Credits
Stabilization and Reconstruction of Afghanistan (2001-2021) Introduces international intervention and nation-building (state-building) theories and practice in International Relations. Draws on such successful American-led state-building experiences in the post-WWII Germany, Japan, and later South Korea. Then discusses the post-9/11 American intervention in Afghanistan to highlight what lessons from the aforementioned cases could have been applied to ensure nation-building success in the country, but why this didn’t materialize. Concludes with lessons to be learned from America’s nation-building failures in Afghanistan both for future re-engagement in the country, as well as for US-led international interventions elsewhere. Students will engage in Socratic dialogue to discuss assigned readings, ask critical questions, present their research findings, and write policy memos and research papers.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
Enrollment limited to students in the School of Foreign Service department.
MSFS 7385 Data Visualization:Art/Science 1.5 Credits
According to Google Trends, interest in data visualization has quadrupled in the past decade, due in part to a growing abundance of user-friendly tools to make sense of and visualize quantitative and qualitative data. How can we navigate this increasingly congested space to use the right tool for different purposes? What visuals are best for which types of data? What skills do we need to turn raw data into actionable insights? This course equips students with the resources they need to perform meaningful and even beautiful data visualization in business policy, research, or even personal environments—including skills like defining problems, selecting data, and communicating about data visuals. It includes an introduction to theories of leading information designers, practical strategies and techniques, an overview of data viz platforms, hands-on exercises to build concrete familiarity with some specific tools, and examples of data viz applied in the field of international relations and development.
This course will be taught over two weekends through immersive and stimulating workshops designed to facilitate project-based learning. Students will develop a specific project driven by data visuals, such as a presentation or blog post, and present not only about their final output but also about the decisions they went through as information designers to develop that final product.
Students will gain experience with specific free online tools that they can immediately apply to their school and work, likely including Google Data Studio, PowerBI, Infogram, Flourish, and Kumu. Students should have some familiarity with data preparation and cleaning tools like Excel. Programming tools like R or Python will not be covered.
Level: Graduate, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a program in Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Security Studies, Security Studies, Security Studies or Security Studies.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
MSFS 7390 US Diplomacy Natl Security 3 Credits
This seminar addresses issues in American diplomacy and national security from the perspective of a former practitioner. Class discussions will focus on functional and country/regional issues that are the subject of attention by the current US administration, Congress and the media. Cross-cutting issues will include such topics as global health, current intelligence challenges, polar issues, economic diplomacy and environmental negotiations. We will also address country/regional issues related to Russia, China, the Middle East, Latin America, South Asia, Africa and the United Nations. The goal of the course is to impart the centrality of the Presidency in the day-to-day conduct of our national security policy, the political and budgetary constraints on its conduct, and the almost incessant intervention of unexpected events shaping policies
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment limited to students in the following programs:
- LW-JD-LWAS
- LW-JD-LWFS
- LW-JD-LWSS
- MA-ARST
- MA-ERES
- MA-GEST
- MA-LAST
- MA-SEST
- MGHD-GHDP
- MS-FSER
Enrollment is limited to Graduate or Juris Doctor level students.
MSFS 7395 Incl Negotiations Mediation 1.5 Credits
New research finds that inclusive negotiations that bring in a wider range of stakeholders, including women and civil society, can lead to enhanced outcomes--but how can this finding inform practice? This module will investigate how the diverse identities and interests of mediators, negotiators, and citizens affect the process and outcome of negotiations. It will discuss strategies and approaches to broadening participation in talks and also address difficulties broadening the range of stakeholders at the table. The module will particularly focus on exploring case studies of peace negotiations from around the world, but it will also touch on trade negotiations; labor negotiations; and negotiations within organizations. Students will develop skills including setting up and structuring talks, building diverse teams, engaging stakeholders, and negotiating across cultures.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Security Studies, Security Studies, Security Studies or Security Studies.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
MSFS 7420 Pvt Capital Flows into African 1.5 Credits
"Investing on the Frontier: Module on Private Capital Flows into African Markets"
A graduate-level practitioner-led module on capital flows into African markets and investing in opportunities on the continent. Africa business expert Aubrey Hruby will teach the course integrating guest practitioners and working with advisor Jake Bright.
The module will cover 1) the core principles of African business, economic, financial, and technology developments of the last 5-10 years, with a special focus on the 5 largest markets; 2) FDI; 3) Public and private equity; 4) Venture capital; and 5) Local resource mobilization.
Requirements: a basic understanding of the political and economic history of pre and post-independence Africa and a focus on modern African markets.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Security Studies, Security Studies, Security Studies or Security Studies.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
MSFS 7430 Behavioral Sci in PublicPolicy 3 Credits
Governments are embracing the application of behavioral science in public policy. But is this agenda relevant in a development context? In this course students will learn the core principles of behavioral science and how they are relevant for public policy in developing countries. They will also explore developing country case studies and through them the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead for this agenda. The objectives of this course are to develop a familiarity with the behavioral approach to policy-making and gain an understanding of the importance of problem definition, diagnostics, and design in elaborating policy interventions in a development context. By the end of the course students are expected to be able to examine problems through a behavioral lens and identify potential entry points.
This course will help students develop analytical skills and critical thinking, underscoring the importance of implicit assumptions, rigorous testing, and adaptive learning. Students are also expected to interact in class and collect real world examples that they will also be asked to present in class.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a program in Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Security Studies, Security Studies, Security Studies or Security Studies.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate or Juris Doctor level students.
MSFS 7440 Jobs, Workers and Development 1.5-3 Credits
Jobs are the key to economic and social progress everywhere. For most people, and especially in poor countries, jobs are their main source of income. People work their way out of poverty through better and more productive jobs. However, the nature of jobs varies hugely across countries. In high-income economies, jobs will typically have a contractual nature and be associated with a steady pay. In poor countries, jobs are more likely to be associated with self-employment and be more volatile in terms of earnings. The process of development changes the nature of jobs and the conditions of work. At the same time, the types of jobs and employment an economy generates can have spillover effects on the development process itself. Some jobs have a bigger development impact than others. In this course, we will think about jobs, workers and labor markets in the context of economic development. We will examine the following questions: How do jobs change with the development process? Are some jobs better for development? What are the barriers that get in the way of the creation of jobs and the matching of jobs and workers? What is the role of government in addressing those barriers? Do labor markets match workers and jobs in a fair way? What types of inequalities arise in the labor market? What should governments do about them? What kinds of policies can help marginalized groups, youth and women? We will also look at how trade and capital flows, technology and migration transform labor markets, and will discuss how government policies may help address the challenges brought about by these trends. This is a seven-week course. Each week will focus on a core topic and cover the analytical framework; relevant empirical evidence and country examples; and policy solutions and interventions. Classes will be highly interactive and require substantial preparation on the part of students. Topics will include:
1) Jobs, poverty and development 2) Unemployment, underemployment and informality 3) Women and work 4) The challenge of youth employment 5) Globalization, technology and jobs 6) Cross-border migration and refugees 7) Rethinking policies through the jobs lens
Pre-requisite: The focus of the course is on policies. However, a good understanding of core economic concepts is necessary. The course will not focus on overly technical tools and methodologies, but will cover some basic analytical frameworks for thinking about labor markets and will use materials that may require a basic understanding of statistical and econometric tools.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies or Law/Security Studies.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
MSFS 7450 Lean Tech Design for Int'l Dev 1.5 Credits
As new information and communication technologies (ICTs) create opportunities to reach a wider and deeper audience, global development practitioners are adopting lean and agile design methodologies, popularized by Silicon Valley tech firms, to improve the reach and impact of development programming. These approaches draw on social and applied sciences such as ethnography and empirical experimentation, as well international relations theory and practice
With more attention to how technologies are applied instead of what technologies are applied, it is more important than ever that development practitioners have a basis in these methods when designing programs that address economic growth, good governance, civic engagement, and environmental issues for marginalized populations around the world.
This course will: equip students with a framework to approach development challenges; provide experience in the application of user-centered design methods to global development; and give students an entry point into the global digital development community through academic study, prepared debate, applied experience, and professional connections via guest speakers and local professional events.
Classes will include lecture, open discussion, debates about tensions that practitioners face, targeted readings, and the development of a final project presentation. This will be an unconventionally interactive course; students will drive discussion through facilitated workshops and reading reflections.
This course complements MSFS-709 Tech4Development, which introduces technologies in the context of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Students are welcome in MSFS 745 regardless of whether they have taken MSFS 709, although they will get the most from this course if they have some previous experience in global development or the technology sector.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
MSFS 7460 Business of Development 3 Credits
This course focuses on practical skills relevant to the roles and job responsibilities of most development professionals - whether they work for multilateral organizations, government agencies, private sector firms, or NGOs. The course is designed to build knowledge and skills that match the complex, interdisciplinary reality of development management. Successful development practice depends on the capacity of program and project managers to integrate different disciplines and interact effectively with numerous stakeholders, both inside and outside their own organization. This capacity is likely to become more important, and more highly valued, as the global development ecosystem continues to evolve and the concept of “Development 2.0” moves from rhetoric to reality. The course blends training in core skills and practices with exposure to the functions and characteristics of key actors in the ecosystem.
The course is divided into three modules featuring exercises and presentations by student teams, and concludes with an individual project assignment that integrates material learned during the course. Module 1 will begin with an overview of the global development ecosystem, focusing on the major donor agencies and newer, nontraditional actors who are introducing important changes to the way that development projects are designed, financed, and implemented. Module 2 will examine the different types of organizations in the private and NGO sectors that implement development projects on behalf of project sponsors and funding agencies. Module 3 will focus on the skills and tools necessary to launch and implement a project, once a contract or grant agreement has been negotiated with the donor agency.
The course will close with an individual written assignment. Students will respond to a case with a scenario describing a development problem in need of resolution, and will be asked to prepare a plan of action in response to this case.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Security Studies, Security Studies, Security Studies or Security Studies.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate or Juris Doctor level students.
MSFS 7470 Climate Change Adaptation 3 Credits
This course will build on Course GHDP6036 (Climate Change and Development) and deepen the theory and practice of climate adaptation policies, institutions, and programs by diverse stakeholders in low- and middle-income countries. With the rapidly increasing impacts of climate change, LMICs cannot afford to miss adaptation in their development policies and programs. Communities, cities, and private and social enterprises also have vital roles in strengthening the adaptation and resilience of LMICs. The course will provide students with practical tools and frameworks, and review the latest practices in adaptation and resilience in a wide range of economies – from large economies like Brazil, India, and China, to small island developing states, and fragile and conflict-affected states. The course will also review areas of active research and practice in the rapidly evolving field of climate adaptation.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
MSFS 74949 MSFS Tutorial 0-3 Credits
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
MSFS 7510 US-China Tech Competition 3 Credits
This course will examine the evolution and nature of the evolving advanced technology competition between the U.S. and China. It will explore China’s past and current technology-related economic policies and how they have evolved and currently operate. It will examine a select number of key advanced industries/technologies (such as AI, robotics, biotech, and 5G equipment) where U.S.-China competition is playing out and the implications for America of success or failure. Finally, it will examine U.S. industrial and technology policy related to competitiveness over the past half century, the nature of the current debate and policies, and what the United States should do to assure that it does not fall behind China on key advanced industries.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment limited to students in the following programs:
- LW-JD-LWAS
- LW-JD-LWFS
- LW-JD-LWSS
- MA-ARST
- MA-ASST
- MA-ERES
- MA-GEST
- MA-LAST
- MA-REES
- MA-SEST
- MGHD-GHDP
- MS-FSER
Enrollment is limited to Graduate or Juris Doctor level students.
MSFS 7515 Cyber Policy Strategy 3 Credits
This course provides value to both students with previous cyber knowledge and students who are wading in cyber waters for the first time. There are no cyber prerequisites, but the course allows students that have taken previous cyber courses to operationalize their knowledge in the policy domain. The cyberspace policy domain is unique as it transcends both the domestic and international policy landscape. This course explores both. You will apply domestic and international policy tools to achieve the overarching policy goal of an open, free, global, interoperable, reliable, and secure cyberspace. Through study of key doctrine, case studies, and active policy development exercises, course participants will uncover answers to questions such as: How does the National Security Council interagency process coordinate efforts in response to nationally significant cyber incidents? How does operational collaboration between the public and private sector enhance domestic and international cybersecurity? How does the State Department and the Department of Defense synchronize offensive cyber efforts to maximize the effectiveness of doctrines such as defend forward? What types of cyber operations are outside of international norms and are these in violation of international law? What is the impact of the on – going international debate about internet governance? Previous course participants achieved accolades such as the 5th ranked overall team and the best policy decision document in the Atlantic Council’s Cyber 9/12 Strategy Challenge https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/programs/digital-forensic-research-lab/cyber-statecraft-initiative/cyber-912/
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
MSFS 7520 Data and Diplomacy 3 Credits
Data and Diplomacy: Public Diplomacy in the Digital Age Responding to the rise of geostrategic competition in a media saturated age, increasingly disruptive transformations in communications technologies, and the emergence of a new “networked” or socialized diplomacy, this course examines the practice of diplomacy's public dimension in the digital age. It focuses specifically on efforts to inform and influence public perceptions in support of national policies, interests, and values in complex information environments. "Data and Diplomacy" relies on historical and contemporary case studies to assess the use of public diplomacy as a tool of diplomatic statecraft. This course is relevant for students with an interest in government or private sector engagement in global affairs, to include public diplomacy and strategic communications.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment limited to students in the following programs:
- LW-JD-LWAS
- LW-JD-LWFS
- LW-JD-LWSS
- MA-ARST
- MA-ASST
- MA-ERES
- MA-GEST
- MA-LAST
- MA-SEST
- MGHD-GHDP
- MS-FSER
Enrollment is limited to Graduate or Juris Doctor level students.
MSFS 7530 Sustainability,InnovationTech 1.5 Credits
Course Title: Tech4Development: Applying Technology to Sustainability Challenges
Context: This class combines two of the most significant and transformational themes of our time: exponential technological advancement and global sustainability. Technology is disrupting every component of our lives: every business, every government, every investor. Environmental Social and Governance (ESG) issues, and broad-based Sustainability challenges are now being discussed at the highest level - from the cabinet table to the boardroom. Consumers, citizens, and investors alike are increasingly demanding “sustainable” behavior in ways the world has never seen. Regardless of the direction of your life and career aspirations, these two horizontal themes will disrupt your world and our planet.
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) - from water and health to the environment and education - are bold in their ambition, sweeping in their breadth and gargantuan in their price tag. The only chance the world has of achieving the sustainability targets imbedded in the SDGs will be to aggressively apply technological solutions to solve problems. Technological advancements such as AI, blockchain, biometrics, API, AR-VR, alternative payment models, micro-grids and advances in connectivity, including 5G) represent an extraordinary tool kit, exponentially more powerful when combined. This promise will only be realized if technology is applied and deployed against the world’s sustainability challenges; success will come by piloting, funding and scaling these solutions, and from businesses implementing “do-good, do-well” models.
Course Description: The first phase of the course will help you develop a foundational knowledge of critical and emerging technologies. If you are new to tech, this course will leap you forward into the disrupted digital world. If you are well versed in tech, this course will help push you deeper into their applications and inter-related tech solutions. Either way you will leave the course with a comprehensive tech vocabulary, and enough knowledge to conceptually apply solutions.
The second phase of the course will explore concrete ways that technology can be applied to sustainability challenges. We will look at real-life applications, with a special focus on private sector , tech-driven solutions.
Finally, the course will examine how developmental entities and NGOs are grappling with deploying new technological solutions and recipes for success. Approach and Methodology: The syllabus is online. Students will be given core reading on transformational technologies and tested on each. Class lectures and discussion will be re-enforced with video content and special guests from the private-tech sector and from the policy developmental community (quizzes and participation will be part of the grade). At the beginning of the course, each student will select one SDG and conduct research on how technologies can be applied to achieve it. This project will culminate in a paper/memo and a presentation to the class. The work of A students will be given to leaders in the development community.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Security Studies, Security Studies, Security Studies or Security Studies.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate or Juris Doctor level students.
MSFS 7540 Navigating a Climate of Change 3 Credits
Thirty years of multilateral negotiations, institution building, improvements in energy efficiency and extensive research have failed to slow the growth of global greenhouse gases (GHGs) in the Earth’s atmosphere. Consequently, the risks generated by global climate change are escalating and climate change is now a recognized risk multiplier in national security and development planning. Effective institutions, or rules of the game, are needed to apportion access to the atmospheric commons. New and disruptive technologies and incentives are also necessary to foster innovation and channel finance into carbon neutral solutions and business models. Beginning with the latest scientific consensus on climate, the course explores several themes, including (i) various framings of this intergenerational challenge, (ii) the prospects for effective multilateral agreements such as the Paris Agreement, (ii) policy instruments such as carbon markets, “cap and trade,” and carbon taxes, (iii) emerging climate-climate-related technologies, including geoengineering schemes, (iv) climate-related market opportunities and business models, (v) climate change and the potential for regional conflict, (vi) climate impact on international issues including public health and migration. Individual assignments provide students with the scope to pursue areas of personal interest, such as in international development, ethics and climate justice, migration, and productive sectors such as agriculture and forestry, the built environment (including infrastructure) among several other issues.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to Graduate or Juris Doctor level students.
MSFS 7542 The Diplomat's Pen 1.5 Credits
Effective writing is key to successful diplomacy. "The Diplomat’s Pen" is designed for aspiring diplomats and foreign policy professionals who wish to master the art of precise and impactful communication in the global affairs arena. Its layered focus on writing, editing, and critical thinking will serve students across the spectrum of foreign affairs concentrations. Participants in this course will develop skills in drafting reports, briefing materials, scene setters, analytical assessments and recommendations, public statements and press releases. Students will also learn to be more effective readers and editors of diplomatic communications.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
MSFS 7545 The Future at Risk 3 Credits
This course explores how our understanding of international security must evolve in response to the threats of the twenty-first century. Traditional conceptions of national defense have long focused on the risk of war between states, and these concerns persist as the possibility of major power conflict grows. However, the threats that have most profoundly destabilized societies in recent decades have been strategic surprises, the consequences of which few anticipated, including the terrorist attacks of 9/11, the 2008 global financial crisis, and the COVID-19 pandemic. Each of these crises revealed the vulnerabilities intrinsic to global interdependence and the speed with which emerging risks can cascade across borders, destroying lives and undermining livelihoods worldwide. Building on the lessons from these events, this course examines the likelihood of systemic risks arising from renewed great power rivalry, accelerating climate change, antimicrobial resistance and novel disease vectors, unregulated artificial intelligence, transformative advances in biotechnology, and/or emerging dilemmas in the cyber and space domains. Students will learn to analyze these challenges not as isolated threats but as interconnected risks that demand innovative assessment methods, cross-cutting policy approaches, and new strategies to build societal resilience in an era when global security has come to be defined by the unexpected.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
MSFS 7550 New World Borders/Internet Gov 1.5 Credits
In this course, we will explore theories for understanding the digital space, survey the key actors who exercise power over it, and study some of the key bodies and processes that are attempting to govern it. Students will learn about how Internet-enabled technologies are challenging traditional understandings of concepts of sovereignty and jurisdiction, and impacting free expression, privacy, law enforcement cooperation, and intellectual property protection. Understanding how digital technologies are impacting international relations will help students engage in contemporary international diplomacy, business, and advocacy. It will also help them understand how to anticipate and address subsequent iterations of technologically-driven disruption.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Security Studies, Security Studies, Security Studies or Security Studies.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
MSFS 7560 Nuclear Security and Strategy 3 Credits
This course examines the historical, political, and technical contexts in which nuclear security has been conceived. We’ll cover various framings of nuclear dangers and strategies to mitigate them; the roles of nuclear infrastructures in international politics; great-power nuclear rivalries between the U.S., Russia and China; nuclear weapons effects; the intersections of technological developments with discourses of nuclear deterrence; international regimes of arms control and their future prospects. Basic introduction to nuclear technologies will be woven into qualitative discussion of historical developments and political challenges. The course serves as a survey of nuclear security issues for future analysts, policy makers and concerned citizens who wish to approach nuclear technology from a variety of disciplinary and cultural vantage points.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment limited to students in the following programs:
- LW-JD-LWAS
- LW-JD-LWFS
- LW-JD-LWSS
- MA-ARST
- MA-ERES
- MA-GEST
- MA-LAST
- MA-SEST
- MGHD-GHDP
- MS-FSER
Enrollment is limited to Graduate or Juris Doctor level students.
MSFS 7565 The Earth's Atmosphere 3 Credits
In this course we mine Earth’s geological record for the evidence that allows us to understand the links among the evolution of Earth’s oceans, lithosphere, cryosphere, and atmosphere. We will employ and extend concepts in physics, chemistry, biology, and system dynamics to understand the composition of the atmosphere and related climate at several stages in geologic time, including the present. Students will complete the course with a firm grasp of the forcings, feedbacks, and impacts of climate change. The principles in science and system dynamics that we will develop in the course have applications across a broad suite of issues in science and policy. Learning Goals: • Develop an understanding of the fundamental Earth processes that occur within and between the crust of the earth, the ocean, the atmosphere, and ice. • Develop an understanding of how biological, chemical, and physical phenomena recorded in Earth’s geologic record have led to stable climates or slow evolution of climates through geologic time. • Understand how anthropogenic activities have altered the global landscape, the composition of the atmosphere, the composition of the oceans, and the global distribution of ice, and how current changes are both causes and impacts of the warming of the earth. • Understand and explain how and why the warming is not uniform, and how the overall warming creates greater extremes of temperature and precipitation in the troposphere, on the surface, and in the ocean. • Be able to develop, express, and explain these processes and relationships in a system dynamics context. • Recommend and defend appropriate actions to reduce anthropogenic warming.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
MSFS 7570 Forecasting Policy Making 1.5 Credits
This course provides graduate students with an overview of forecasting - the process of evaluating the likelihood of events occurring in the future using past and current information. It will equip students with a structured approach to understand how trends will likely shape future strategic contexts and how to use that process to inform the development of foreign affairs or national security policies.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment limited to students in the following programs:
- LW-JD-LWAS
- LW-JD-LWFS
- LW-JD-LWSS
- MA-ARST
- MA-ASST
- MA-ERES
- MA-GEST
- MA-LAST
- MA-SEST
- MGHD-GHDP
- MS-FSER
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
MSFS 7580 Emerging Tech Policy 1.5 Credits
The course will investigate the role of emerging and converging technologies as they affect international security, diplomacy, development and economics. Special attention will be paid to the role of different sectors and how emerging and converging technology affects or impacts their operations
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Security Studies, Security Studies, Security Studies or Security Studies.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
MSFS 7600 Gender in Foreign Policy 1.5 Credits
Women are no longer "hidden figures" in foreign policy. New laws, including in the US, require that defense, diplomacy, and development efforts include a gender lens. We will begin this module by exploring the under-examined roles of women in the US, from World Wars to present day. We will also assess the development of feminist foreign policy by Sweden and Canada, as well as trends towards gender sensitive foreign policy around the world. Throughout the module, we will challenge conventional notions of women’s roles and explore how masculinity and femininity pervade foreign policy decision-making.
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Security Studies, Security Studies, Security Studies or Security Studies.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
MSFS 7610 Gender Security Toolbox 3 Credits
Advancing Gender in Security and Development: Skills and ToolsMany development and peace organizations are now required to have a gender-sensitive approach in order to receive funding from agencies such as USAID, DfiD, and OECD. Graduates who have a robust understanding of these issues may be more desirable applicants for future positions in security, diplomacy, or development both abroad and in the United States. This advanced seminar will teach you concrete skills for ensuring gender is considered in peacebuilding, security, and development fields. The course will explore critical skills - from gender mainstreaming and gender analysis to gender-sensitive budgeting, research, monitoring & evaluation, and advocacy. The course will enable students to capably serve as gender focal points and learn how practitioners have successfully advanced gender in their diplomacy, development, and defense work.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Russian East European Stud, Security Studies, Security Studies, Security Studies or Security Studies.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
MSFS 7620 Diversity Inclusion in CR/Dev 3 Credits
While "DEI" is sometimes vilified as a political agenda, addressing issues of marginalization and exclusion have long been considered central to advancing security, development and diplomacy. Globally, national and international laws, resolutions and plans mandate attention to women, ethnic and religious minorities, youth, members of the LGBT+ community, people with disabilities, as well as socio-economically marginalized groups. Nonetheless, realization of commitments to diversity, equity and inclusion sorely lags. This class considers how diversity and inclusion are important to peace and prosperity, discusses progress advancing the agenda, and considers contemporary debates and backlash. While considering state of the art debates, students will learn an array of practical tools for advancing work in the field.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Arab Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Asian Studies, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, Eurasian, Russian, E Euro Stud, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, German and European Studies, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Global Human Development, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Latin American Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Arab Studies, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies, Law/Security Studies or Law/Security Studies.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate or Juris Doctor level students.
MSFS 7630 Great Power Comp in South Asia 3 Credits
Great Power Competition in South Asia: How India, the PRC, and U.S. compete for
influence, resources, and military access
India has been the dominant power in South Asia for centuries. Today, the PRC is
using the Belt and Road Initiative as well as its considerable naval resources to seek
influence and exert pressure on South Asian counties. The United States is actively
working with India, Japan, and Australia to provide an alternative to PRC debt and
military influence. This course will examine the evolution of this Great Power
competition and the policy alternatives available to the United States as it navigates this
dynamic security and economic environment in the most populous region in the world.
The instructor is currently a Senior State Department Fellow at the SFS Institute for the
Study of Diplomacy. A career senior foreign service officer, he served as Assistant
Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs from 2021-25 and U.S.
Ambassador to the Kyrgyz Republic from 2018 to 2021.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
MSFS 7900 MSFS Skills Clinic
All MSFS students are expected to take this skills clinic before graduation. Students will gain awareness of university policies and procedures and connect with various university resources. Its purpose is to help students make the most of their time at Georgetown, and develop the life skills that will prepare them for their careers as world leaders.
Level: Graduate
Grading: Pass/Fail Default
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service - STIA, Foreign Service - STIA, Foreign Service - STIA or Foreign Service - STIA.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
MSFS 7949 Tutorial: MSFS 0-3 Credits
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor, Undergraduate
Grading: Main Campus (UGrad, Grad)
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service or Foreign Service.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate or Juris Doctor level students.
MSFS 9991 Continuous Registration
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: No Grade
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service or Law/Foreign Service.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate or Juris Doctor level students.
MSFS 9992 Continuous Registration
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: No Grade
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service, Law/Foreign Service or Law/Foreign Service.
Enrollment is limited to Graduate or Juris Doctor level students.
MSFS 9993 Continuous Registration
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: No Grade
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
MSFS 9994 Continuous Registration
Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor
Grading: No Grade
Course registration restrictions: Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
