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SIPA Video Response

• video essay
• application

By kamilas October 15, 2016 in Government Affairs Forum

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Hello world! Has anyone done the video response as part of SIPA's admissions package? I know it's being implemented as of 2017 application cycle, so I am wondering if there are any Spring 2017 candidates that have already done it. Helpful tips, feedback, etc. would be much appreciated!

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January 30, 2017

I wouldn't lose too much sleep over the video, even if you "bombed" it. It's not even the fourth-most important aspect of the application. They won't reject someone they would ordinarily accept becaus

October 15, 2016

Hello world! Has anyone done the video response as part of SIPA's admissions package? I know it's being implemented as of 2017 application cycle, so I am wondering if there are any Spring 2017 candida

January 3, 2017

I just did mine - the question was "What do you think the "ideal" SIPA student is?" (or something close to that, don't remember the exact wording). I was very frustrated that I couldn't find any sampl

Also interested in hearing people's thoughts on this as a fellow applicant!

Hey @kamilas and @matt99 ,

Columbia SIPA's admissions blog has a few tips on how to handle the video essay. You can access it here . One tip I want to impress upon you and other applicants is to make sure you have good lighting. Your light source should be facing your face and behind your camera. So you should be facing a window or desk lamp, not sitting with your back to a window or your light source. If you sit with your back to the window, your face will be a dark silhouette. Look out for any distracting things in the background--like an overflowing laundry hamper or a poster in the background that has text that is almost legible but just not quite.

Hopefully my team and I can pump out a blog post with more tips for you all before it's too late!

Best of luck!

To those who've applied for Spring 2017 - can anyone please share some of the expected policy prompts?

  @farheen , @kamilas , @matt99 - Hey guys! 

Have you any of submitted the applications already, and can give an idea of the expected policy prompts for the video essay? Helpful tips, feedback would be much appreciated! 

• 2 weeks later...

Any help on the video response policy? Any sample prompts here ? Thanks much in advance. 

I just did mine - the question was "What do you think the "ideal" SIPA student is?" (or something close to that, don't remember the exact wording). I was very frustrated that I couldn't find any sample questions online to prepare with, so hopefully this is helpful to people! I was definitely expecting something more related to actual policy...

Good luck! 

Thank you so much for this prompt. It's annoying to not see any of those sample prompts here. I'll be doing mine just in a few hours. 

15 hours ago, R Sood said: Any help on the video response policy? Any sample prompts here ? Thanks much in advance.  Thank you so much for this prompt. It's annoying to not see any of those sample prompts here. I'll be doing mine just in a few hours.    Cheers

Hi RSood, Have you completed the video response and might you be willing to share your prompt? Thanks!

Mine was- how do you think your academic experience has prepared you for SIPA. Good luck !!

Mine was tell us about a favorite childhood memory. I don't think I did so hot with it. I was more expecting an interview type question and the minute prep doesn't give you much time to sift through memories to find a good one.

Good luck to everyone else!

thanks for the tips! mine was about what I was most excited about at SIPA

Just submitted RD- mine was something like "What is a major trend you see in your chosen field/area of study?"

Looking at the other prompts above I don't think anyone needs to worry about getting a real policy question.  60 seconds to prepare and 60 seconds to speak isn't nearly enough time. Despite practicing multiple times I still got horribly flustered watching the red timer tick down. I was accepted last year and my CV has only improved since then but I'm now seriously worried I've ruined my chances this round with my sub-par performance. :/

I wouldn't lose too much sleep over the video, even if you "bombed" it. It's not even the fourth-most important aspect of the application. They won't reject someone they would ordinarily accept because of the video alone.

• Dias and cstrawd
• 11 months later...

just did mine - the question was "what local development had an impact on a country's foreign policy?' think i 'bombed' it ^ as worded in baysbar94's 

Mine was "How do you handle multi-tasking?" I bumbled through something about how it's required in my field and legit ended with an "ummmm.....yeah." when I saw I was out of time. Nevertheless, I got in EA! So don't worry too much guys.

Mine was something like "what course did you enjoy the most as an undergraduate student".

2018Hopeful

Mine was something like: "What fundamental knowledge have you learned at Elementary School?" 

Just did mine and it was: "Describe your morning routine"... I was not expecting something so... "simple"? So I got kind of got nervous and did it kind of fast... I spent the last 3 seconds just staring at the webcam because I had already finished telling my (far from extraordinary) morning routine, hahaha.

Just did mine, it was: Do you have any talents?

And I barely finished my last sentence as timer counted down, the final video didn't capture my last word (where's the laugh-cry emoji when you need it)

Mine was "how has the unstable global climate affected you"? I didn't realise the video was going to start IMMEDIATELY after my 60-sec preparation (despite reading the instructions and practicing!) so they caught me saying, "oh! It's started!" and laughing kinda awkwardly.

wittgensteinsbladder

On 1/7/2018 at 7:17 AM, jxw said: Mine was "how has the unstable global climate affected you"? 

Are you MPA or MIA candidate? Have any MPAs gotten these types of questions?

Mine was: Which newspapers do you read?

On 1/8/2018 at 4:32 PM, wittgensteinsbladder said: Are you MPA or MIA candidate? Have any MPAs gotten these types of questions?

I was an MIA candidate.

Mine was something along the lines of "Do you think international organizations are effective?" I think I talked about including diverse voices in issues that affect us on a global scale or something. Honestly I was so nervous that it all came and went in a blur haha.

For reference I applied to the MPA-ESP program

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The Art of Applying®

MBA Admissions Consulting | MPP & MPA Admissions Consulting | Harvard Application Advice

Tips for Writing Columbia SIPA's Personal Statement

posted on July 30, 2015

Columbia SIPA’s Personal Statement prompt reads: “Please elaborate on why you have chosen to apply to the MIA/MPA program. How will this program enable you to achieve your career goals? Describe your academic and research interests and career objectives.” (400 words maximum) Assuming you have at least the minimum qualifications for acceptance to the program, this part of the application is undoubtedly the most important component of your submission materials, so let’s take some time to go over the key must-haves so you nail this part! This is the place where you become a real person to the admissions committee, not just another set of GRE scores, undergraduate grades and a resume that quite honestly looks like every other resume they’ve seen. Rest assured you are not the only person who has started an NGO in a foreign country, worked on the Hill, volunteered with the Peace Corps, and written impressive articles published in major papers. You need to show them something more. And if you are at all concerned that your other materials (resume and all) are not that impressive, this portion is ever more critical. The first thing to remember: follow the instructions. Stay within the word limit. In general it’s best to be concise wherever possible. This may sound like I’m saying to write as short an essay as possible, but what you want to do is aim for roughly just under the word limit. Don’t fill your personal statement with superfluous details, but also don’t undercut yourself by turning in a statement that is only 400 words if the limit is 1000. I find most people have more trouble cutting their essays down, so think hard about what you want the key take-away of your statement to be. Get clear on your key take-away. Give yourself an internal heading like “Heidi is a talented go-getter with formative experience from her time spent working with youth in Ecuador, deep passion for promoting human rights in post-conflict settings, and a motivation that began when she founded a young women’s group in college.” Yours might be “Mike is a former marine looking to leverage his critical thinking skills and experience with the military in Iraq and Afghanistan, and his undergraduate degree in business, to dive into a career in management of large scale refugee camps, after a transformational interaction with a Kurdish refugee last year.” You’ll need to figure out the heading that works for you. Make sure it is impressive and tells the story that will make you a contender for the program. You’ll never actually use the heading, but the idea is to make sure someone reading your essay leaves with this key take-away. Avoid quotes! Especially Gandhi. I was a student reviewer for applications (SIPA asks selected 2nd year students to review incoming applications) and it was a joke shared between student reviewers and deans alike to say “I’ve got another one!” (meaning another “Gandhi-quoter”.) It’s unoriginal and only shows you know how to look up quotes. You want to set yourself apart, not sound like everyone else. The reviewers want to hear your voice, not Gandhi’s, no matter how impressive a prospective student he might make. Show that you have something to offer. SIPA and many other graduate schools have a huge teamwork component and students are asked to complete work in groups for almost every course. Additionally, you’ve probably heard the comment “half the benefit of grad school are the connections you make to your fellow students.” It’s true, and student reviewers are instructed to judge applications under the rubric of “Would you want this applicant in a group with you? Do you want this person as your peer?” This means demonstrating that you’re smart, interesting, have great experience to draw on and that you’re a team player.  If you sound too pompous, that’s not likely to earn you any brownie points. But don’t sell yourself short. It’s all about striking a balance in the personal statement. Don’t just restate your resume. The same goes for mentioning where you went to school. They will have your resume and transcript sitting right in front of them and don’t need a summary. You can reference experiences in your resume and expand on them, but focus on using the personal statement to round out your resume and help you jump off the page.  Think about what makes you special, what motivates you, what someone wouldn’t know from looking at your resume. Make clear ‘why SIPA’. I remember one application that was rejected because the person couldn’t articulate why SIPA was the next step. He had a stellar resume and already had a graduate degree from a top notch university and I expect would have no trouble getting in the door for job interviews. Experience aside, his personal statement couldn’t articulate what SIPA could offer him. It’s about showing why you’re good for SIPA, and why SIPA is good for you. Read it over. Then read it over again. Then get your friend to read it (or an Art of Applying coach!) There is no excuse for typos, for misspellings, for sloppy wording. Admissions staff read a lot of applications and if they are down to you and someone else just as good, you don’t want those two typos in the first paragraph to give them a reason to toss your application to the side. It also makes you look like you couldn’t be bothered to proofread, and just don’t care enough. Now get writing!  

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Omsk: Western Siberia's hidden gem

A city view of Omsk. Source: Dmitry Feoktistov

Omsk was founded in 1716 when a wooden fort was constructed to house a Cossack unit in the area to protect the expanding Russian frontier from Central Asian nomadic incursions. It served various administrative functions throughout the 1800s and became infamous as a place of exile and incarceration. The city was rundown when selected as a hub for the Trans-Siberian railway in the 1890s. Many international trade companies and foreign consulates relocated here and the remnants of their offices can still be found in the city today.

The mystery of Kolchak’s gold

Omsk became the headquarters of the anti-Bolshevik white army led by Admiral Aleksandr Kolchak in 1918. In late 1918 there was a revolt in the city initiated by a leftist faction (Socialist Revolutionary Party or SPs) with 500 rebel deaths at the hands of Cossacks and Czechoslovak soldiers, a major factor in convincing the SPs to join the Bolsheviks. There is a large Soviet-era monument to the uprising at the corner of Lenina street and Broz Tito street.  

Kolchak was entrusted with a large portion of the Tsarist’s gold reserves, yet amazingly lost much of it. Supposedly 250 million rubles were lost (about $8 million at the time). Legend has it that they were buried near the village of Taiga, yet numerous excavations have turned up nothing. The area still attracts the occasional fortune seeker.

Kolchak’s headquarters are located at what is today the  Omsk Regional Archives  at Broz Tito St., 3. Nothing shows how much times have changed as the imposing Kolchak statue that was unveiled in 2012 around the corner. The statue guards  Kolchak restaurant , a four-story culinary complex featuring a steak house, an Irish pub, a Central Asian café and an Italian eatery.  For more details on where and how to dig Kolchak's gold, see  Top Ten Mysterious Lost Treasures of Russia

Dostoevsky and the Tsar

At 1.15 million people Omsk dwarfs the region’s second largest city, Tara (population 28,000). The city is split by the River Irtysh into two sections (all places of interest are on the right bank) with downtown emanating from the River Om.

Most foreigners have heard of Omsk via writer Fyodor Dostoevsky who spent four years here as a prisoner (1849-1853). He spent most of his time in Omsk in squalor and chains and with no books besides the Bible, however, it left an indelible mark on his memory and influenced his future literary output. There is a statue of the writer in chains grasping a Bible at the corner of Partizanskaya and Spartakovskaya streets, where Dostoevsky undoubtedly stepped many times. A  museum dedicated to the author's time in Omsk  is located nearby at Dostoevskogo St. 1. The local university is also named for him.

A view of the Assumption Cathedral, Omsk. Source: Lori/Legion-Media

Tarskaya Street is one of the city’s oldest thoroughfares. It features a monument to victims of Stalinist repressions and the Tara gates, originally built in 1792 as one of the four entrances to the Omsk fort. Nearby stands the Assumption Cathedral, one of the largest churches in Siberia. Future Tsar Nicholas II laid the first stone here in 1891 when making his way back to St. Petersburg after his Eastern journey.

In Omsk you are never more than a few steps from the village, made clear when one exits the center to the north, where most houses are wooden and roads unpaved. Stroll along Bulatova and Rabinovicha streets, a well-preserved ensemble of wooden architecture.

Omsk’s cultural heritage 

The Pushkin State Library is worth a look with busts of Russian literary figures adorning the front side of the building. At the corner under the big “M” is one of several stations of the never completed Omsk metro. Construction began in 1992, but as of 2014 the project is again dormant due to financing problems.

One of Omsk’s most famous sons is Symbolist painter Mikhail Vrubel (1856-1910). Vrubel ignored contemporary trends and focused on themes from fairy tales, demons and religious subjects and also designed a majolica frieze for the Metropol Hotel in Moscow. Omsk’s Fine Arts Museum is named for him and features a number of  his works .

Milhail Vrubel's painting 'Demon Seated in a Garden' (1890)

Over the years a number of tourists have tripped over the monument to Stepanych. This bust of a plumber rising from a sewer was the idea of Omsk’s former mayor after a trip to Slovakia in the 1990s. Stepanych has become one of the symbols of the city.

Omsk is a hockey town, with one of the major teams,  Avangard , in the KHL, Russia’s premiere professional league. Russian champions on several occasions, check out a match at Omsk Arena. But if you can’t catch a game there’s a large kiosk featuring the team’s merchandise at the airport.

Siberian   punk, jazz and the classics

While Omsk may not be on everyone’s radar musically, it does host a  musical theater  built just after the war. The building on 10 Let Oktyabrya Street is in the form of an enormous sloping grand piano.

A monument to Stepanych, Lenina Street, Omsk. Photo credit: RIA Novosti/Pavel Lisitsyn 

Perhaps Russia’s most famous punk band,  Grazhdanskaya oborona  (Civil Defence), was formed here in 1982. The band was active until 2008 when lead singer Yegor Letov died of heart failure at age 43. Letov is buried at the Staro-Vostochnoe cemetery. A sprawling graveyard with thousands of graves, fans should stop at the administration for help in locating his grave.

In Russia, Omsk is known among the younger, tech-savvy generation primarily because of the “Omsk bird,” also known as Winged Doom. The origin of what became one of Russia’s most ubiquitous memes comes from a painting by German artist Heiko  Müller. One day in 2009 an Internet user posted this painting with the line, “Welcome to Omsk,” at the top. Additional versions menace viewers stating, “Don't try to leave Omsk,” and “Omsk is closer than you think.” Like many popular memes on the Internet, this one went viral and has become something like an unofficial symbol of the city.

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Omsk Oblast, Russia

The capital city of Omsk oblast: Omsk .

Omsk Oblast - Overview

Omsk Oblast is a federal subject of Russia located in the south-eastern part of Siberia, in the Siberian Federal District. Omsk is the capital city of the region.

The population of Omsk Oblast is about 1,879,500 (2022), the area - 141,140 sq. km.

Omsk oblast flag

Omsk oblast coat of arms.

Omsk oblast map, Russia

Omsk oblast latest news and posts from our blog:.

10 November, 2019 / Tomsk - the view from above .

3 July, 2016 / Omsk - the view from above .

20 October, 2012 / The bear at the gate .

2 August, 2012 / Omsk city from bird's eye view .

14 December, 2011 / Time-lapse video of Omsk city .

More posts..

History of Omsk Oblast

Ancient people began to settle in the area of the middle reaches of the Irtysh River about 45,000 years ago. This region became the place of numerous migrations of different peoples, of interpenetration of forest and steppe cultures. In the Middle Ages, the territory of the present Omsk region was part of the Western Turkic Khanate and the Siberian Khanate. As a result, an ethnic group of the Siberian Tatars was formed. This region was also inhabited by Kazakhs and other peoples.

The history of the development of the Irtysh by Russians is connected first of all with the legendary Yermak. Although even before him, in the 15th century, Russian merchants from the Urals visited the Siberian Khanate.

In the early 18th century, major reforms carried out by Peter the Great required large expenses. The first Russian emperor turned his attention to the east. He sent a detachment of Cossacks under the command of the lieutenant-colonel I.D.Bukhgolts from the town of Tobolsk up the Irtysh River in search of gold deposits.

More Historical Facts…

The expedition failed because of resistance from the nomads Dzhungars. Russians were forced to take a step back. In 1716, they founded a fortress at the mouth of the Om River - future Omsk. Russian peasants began to settle in the land around the fortress. To the south of Omsk, a line of outposts was constructed for protection from the nomads.

In 1782, the fortress became a town. Omsk district was formed on the basis of the southern part of Tarsky district and, in 1785, the town of Omsk was given a coat of arms. Omsk became an important center for the study of Siberia and Central Asia. This region like other parts of Siberia was used as a place for political exile.

In the 19th century, the people exiled to Siberia were the Decembrists, Petrashevts, Narodniki, representatives of other revolutionary parties and organizations, participants of the Polish national movement. These people had a major cultural impact on the local population. The great Russian writer F.M.Dostoyevsky was one of the prisoners of the Omsk jail.

In the late 19th and early 20th century, Siberia experienced significant changes. Large-scale migration of peasants led to the rapid growth of the local economy, especially agriculture. Due to its favorable economic and geographical location, at the intersection of the Trans-Siberian Railway and the Irtysh River, Omsk rapidly turned into a large transport, trade and industrial center of Western Siberia, the largest city in Siberia.

During the Second World War, about 100 industrial plants were evacuated from the European part of the USSR to Omsk. They became the basis of the local engineering industry. In 1949, the first refinery in Siberia was constructed in Omsk. In 1954-1956, during development of virgin lands, several large agricultural enterprises were built in the southern part of Omsk Oblast. In the 1970s, Omsk oblast became one of the most economically developed regions of Siberia.

Pictures of Omsk Oblast

Wooden chapel in Omsk Oblast

Author: Sedov Artem

Country house in Omsk Oblast

Author: Heinrich Jena

Provincial life in the Omsk region

Author: Baranov Pavel

Omsk Oblast - Features

Omsk Oblast is located in the south of the West Siberian Plain, in the middle reaches of the Irtysh River, with steppes in the south, which turn into forest steppes, forests and marshy tundra in the north. The territory of the region stretches for about 600 km from north to south and 300 km from west to east. In the south, Omsk Oblast borders with Kazakhstan.

The largest cities and towns of Omsk Oblast are Omsk (1,126,000), Tara (28,500), Kalachinsk (21,900), Isylkul (21,700). The main river is the Irtysh with its tributaries (the Ishim, Om, Osha, and Tara). The Trans-Siberian Railway is an important traffic artery. There is an international airport in Omsk.

The climate is continental and sharply continental. The average temperature in January is minus 19-20 degrees Celsius, in July - plus 17-18 degrees Celsius in the northern part and plus 19 degrees Celsius in the south.

Omsk Oblast has such natural resources as oil, natural gas, brown coal, iron ore, various construction materials. Main manufacturing, construction and trade are carried out in Omsk. Industrial sector is represented by military, aerospace and agricultural engineering, petrochemical, light and food industries.

Agriculture is represented by crops, dairy and beef cattle, pig and poultry farming. Cereals (wheat, rye, oats, barley), potatoes, vegetables, sunflower, and other crops are cultivated.

Attractions of Omsk Oblast

A lot of sights can be found in Omsk. The most interesting places located outside the city are:

• Achairsky Convent in the upper reaches of the Irtysh River, 50 km from Omsk;
• St. Nicholas Monastery in the village of Bolshekulache, 20 km from Omsk;
• Nature reserve “Bairovsky” created for the preservation and reproduction of rare and valuable species of birds and animals;
• Batakovo tract - a natural and archaeological park on the left bank of the Irtysh River, 150 km north of Omsk, in Bolsherechensky district;
• Znamenskiy museum of local lore dedicated to the history and nature of Omsk oblast, located in one of the oldest settlements of the region - in the village of Znamenskoye;
• Chudskaya mountain on the left bank of the Irtysh River, 3 km north of Znamenskoye;
• Lake Ulzhay - a relict water reservoir in the northwest of Kurumbelskaya steppe, in Cherlaksky district, 160 km from Omsk;
• Lake Ebeyty in the southwest of the region;
• Lake Platovskoye located to the north-east of the village of Platovo in Polstavskiy district;
• “Bird’s Haven” - a natural park located in Omsk;
• “Devil’s finger” - a rock on the right bank of the Irtysh, 2 km from the village of Serebryanoye, on the territory of Gorky district.

Omsk oblast of Russia photos

Nature of omsk oblast.

Omsk Oblast landscape

Author: Vitali Ellert

Omsk Oblast scenery

Author: Yury Ermakov

Small river in Omsk Oblast

Author: Andrey Genze

Wooden house in the Omsk region

Winter in Omsk Oblast

Wooden church in Omsk Oblast

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Technology, Media, and Communications

The TMaC specialization equips students for careers in today’s digital workplace. We believe that understanding the policy implications of digital technology and having practical skills are essential. Digital technologies have transformed all the areas that SIPA students care about: development, advocacy, policy making, media, human rights, business, and government, so we offer courses that cut across disciplines.

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Laura Dankowski Mercado  Specializations Coordinator [email protected]

Anya Schiffrin , Senior Lecturer in Discipline of International and Public Affairs; Director of Technology, Media, and Communications Specialization

Karen Attiah , Lecturer (part-time) of International and Public Affairs Erica Berenstein , Adjunct Assistant Professor of International and Public Affairs Liba Beyer , Adjunct Associate Professor of International and Public Affairs Christopher Booker , Lecturer (part-time) of International and Public Affairs Athanasios Thanassis Cambanis , Adjunct Professor of International and Public Affairs N. Jamiyla Chisholm , Adjunct Associate Professor of International and Public Affairs Liza Featherstone , Adjunct Professor of International and Public Affairs Camille Francois , Associate Profesor of Practice of International and Public Affairs Hagar Hajjar Chemali , Adjunct Associate Professor of International and Public Affairs Annel Hernandez , Lecturer (part-time) of International and Public Affairs James Holtje , Adjunct Professor of International and Public Affairs Mounir Ibrahim , Lecturer (part-time) of International and Public Affairs Adam Met , Adjunct Associate Professor of International and Public Affairs Peter Micek , Adjunct Associate Professor of International and Public Affairs Neal Parikh , Adjunct Associate Professor of International and Public Affairs Maria Ressa , Professor of International and Public Affairs Mila Rosenthal , Adjunct Professor of International and Public Affairs Laura Scherling , Lecturer (part-time) of International and Public Affairs Mark Steitz , Adjunct Professor of International and Public Affairs Jacob Templin , Adjunct Assistant Professor of International and Public Affairs Haley Van Dyck , Lecturer (part-time) of International and Public Affairs Douglas Williamson , Adjunct Associate Professor of International and Public Affairs Mary 'Minky' Worden , Adjunct Associate Professor of International and Public Affairs Ben Yuhas , Adjunct Associate Professor of International and Public Affairs

Visit our SIPA Faculty Directory to view bios

Technology, Media, and Communications Requirements

The Technology, Media, and Communications Specialization (TMaC) requires  9 points .

Degree Audit Report

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

Technology, Media, and Communications Courses

INAF U6046 Global Media: Policy Lab and Innovation. 3.00 Points.

This course looks at media around the world and some of the difficulties that journalists face, as well as solutions. We will look at a bit of history and theory in order to understand the role the media plays and how it can be supported. We will focus on a few basic interrelated themes: media innovation, media sustainability, investigative reporting, and the more recent problem of online disinformation and how generative AI may upend journalism. Guest lectures will be given by people at the cutting edge of media innovation and investigative journalism in both profit and non-profit organizations. Some of your work will be read by organizations working on media policy. We have a track record of helping them with our research. Practical questions will be essential to this course: How do you build a media outlet that can be sustained financially? What is the evolving role of the donor community and media philanthropy? Who are the innovators in the quality media landscape around the world, and what does it take for them to succeed? What policies can be adopted by governments and donors to support public service media? We start from the position that media freedom of expression and safety of journalists are essential, and we will consider both the soft and hard pressures on journalists and the effect that financial upheaval and digital technology are having on free expression. We will also look at current threats to journalism, questions of viability and sustainability, and how AI could upend media ecosystems. This course is more relevant and urgent than ever. Because of the rise of “democratators” around the world and the ongoing repression of the media, we will necessarily discuss the role of demagogues, the need for regulation of the tech giants, and how to support the media as a Fourth Estate. The financial crisis faced by the media has worsened since the COVID-19 pandemic, but this means the search for solutions has become more intense and the field is awash with big ideas and creative thinking. It’s an exciting time to think about why journalism matters and what policies will help preserve it.

INAF U6089 Environmental Justice and Climate Resiliency. 3.00 Points.

This course will examine the intersections of race, equity, and the environment – focusing on the growing role and impact of the environmental justice movement. Environmental Justice embeds various disciplines into its analytical framework ranging from political science to urban ecology, economics, sociology, environmental science, community organizing, and more. Drawing from these disciplines, as well as from recent climate laws, policies, advocacy, and regulations, students will develop a deep understanding of climate, equity, and environmental justice in New York City. Building on the concept of integrated climate resiliency, this course will introduce students to the policies, stakeholders, research, and advocacy involved in the development and implementation of environmental laws, energy policies, nature-based solutions, and sustainable infrastructure. Throughout the course, we will review the impact and implications of particular policies, as well assess case studies of particular communities. The course will also invite guest speakers currently working in the field to share their views and expertise.

INAF U6120 Visual Storytelling. 3.00 Points.

Taught by PBS NewsHour Weekend producer/correspondent Christopher Booker, Multi-Platform Storytelling will teach students some of the tricks, turns and pitfalls of the 21st digital story. With an emphasis on video storytelling, the course will be dedicated largely to technical production of videos and interactive content, but will also be an exploration into some of the current thinking behind editorial video development, production and distribution. Students will use photographs, audio, video and data to tell compelling stories and create comprehensive outreach strategies, but will also be asked to contemplate, as well as justify, the usage, delivery and goal of their work. Students will work with digital cameras, Adobe Premiere, smartphones, Timeline JS and Google Fusion Tables.

INAF U6122 Viral Videos, Generative AI ＆ Geopolitics in a Changing World. 3.00 Points.

In the era of generative AI, deepfakes and disinformation, visual media have become an essential but perilous tool for human rights organizations, civil society, governments, media outlets, industry and our daily lives. Over the past decade, digital sleuths and journalists have developed methodologies and toolkits to analyze videos and photographs that prove chemical weapons use in Syria, help track human rights abuses in Ukraine, and document police brutality in the United States. And bystander videos continue to spark worldwide protests, as with the killing of George Floyd in 2020. But bad actors are increasingly using fake, distorted and synthetic media to influence narratives, deceive people, business and governments, and sow confusion and conflict in the international community. So how should stakeholders navigate the world of viral media when almost everyone has a camera in their pocket, and can easily and cheaply access image generators? This course will dive into the tools that can help you discover, debunk, verify and use viral videos, user generated content and synthetic media. The course takes advantage of guest speakers to have the most current takes on these issues, and so we will talk to leaders in the emerging industry that will dictate the future of our information ecosystem. Students pursuing journalism may want to tell compelling and trusted stories, while those on a policy track can focus on how to use this kind of media to inform or influence decision makers and the public. Others interested in government or the private sector will also need to address this rapidly changing environment to make critical decisions off of digital content. Through case studies and compelling guest speakers, we will analyze social, business, and geopolitical impacts of this exploding world of visual content, and look at emerging technologies that are helping or hurting people’s ability to trust what they see.

INAF U6123 Storytelling for Social Change: Skills and Narratives. 3.00 Points.

The person who tells the story can shape the narrative and wield power. Politicians have traditionally practiced narrative-building — by telling stories that draw people in, sharing examples from lived experiences, and using emotive language — as a way to control or manage their image, message, and the events that created their personal history. They use story and narrative to create public policy and to establish political agendas around healthcare, housing, crime, education, and more. And it's not just politicians who depend on storytelling. Activist organizations, such as the Movement 4 Black Lives, the me too. Movement, and the American Civil Liberties Union increased visibility for their messages by participating in interviews, publishing op-eds, and proposing legislative policy to galvanize the public in support of social justice. Their efforts led to a reexamination of the concept of systemic racism and the need for expanded gender equality and justice, inside and outside of academic circles, to create more realistic understandings of the U.S.’s imbalanced economic, educational, and healthcare systems. Within pop culture and the discussion around gun control, the debate over mental health has forced some to consider the topic for the first time. Storytelling is a communicative, educational, and entertaining device that is required in most fields, such as policy making, NGO and non-profit work, broadcast and print journalism, theater and film, books and podcasts, litigations, and court cases, and much more. This course will explore various social movements and the different modes of storytelling that have created successful narrative change to give students the skills needed to excel in any industry.

INAF U6144 Campaigning for Change through Media, Mobilization ＆ the Power of Persuasion. 3.00 Points.

This course will examine the full spectrum of strategies and skills for executing a successful campaign. We will focus on the role of traditional media, digital mobilization, and strategic communications intersect to raise awareness and move policy on human rights issues. By the end of the course, you will have built your own advocacy campaign, from developing the change theory to constructing a media plan to envisioning creative concepts to engage the public. We will also exercise the skills of advocacy letter and op-ed writing to influence change.

INAF U6198 Technology for Intl Crisis Response ＆ Good Governance. 1.50 Point.

The advent of new technologies has fundamentally changed the capacity for processing and exchanging information. NGOs, governments, and companies alike are just beginning to understand the potential that these tools and systems can have in analyzing and addressing a range of social problems. This course will explore how technology is being used to respond to international crises, create early warning mechanisms, monitor elections, provide banking services, ensure effective governance, and much more. It will also take a critical approach and consider key challenges related to access, privacy, implementation, scale, and evaluation based on evidence that working with technology presents. The course is designed for graduate students to assist them in developing strategies and technological skills to work amid this rapidly evolving landscape. Students can expect a hands-on and interactive learning environment with a variety of examples from organizations working in the field.

INAF U6202 Internet Governance and Human Rights. 3.00 Points.

Whoever controls the future of the internet, controls the future of the world. We'll look at the technical roots of the internet, and the people and entities -- telecom companies and their regulators, technologists and idealists, security forces and hackers -- shaping it today. Each group faces challenges. Policymakers have reached consensus that human rights apply online, but need to update and replace laws, regulations, and norms for the digital age. Companies have responsibilities to law and policy, but vary widely in their respect for users and governments. The UN Sustainable Development Goals identify internet access as essential to development, but policy environments fail to extend connectivity to vulnerable or marginalized communities. And the cat-and-mouse game between cyber offense and defense continues, leaving many less-resourced groups -- and the right to privacy -- lagging behind. Will national sovereignty reassert itself, breaking the internet, or will the vision of a borderless cyberspace prevail? Will the European approach to data protection set global standards? Does network neutrality function amidst the internet of everything? To find the answers, we nimbly role-play, enjoy small group activities, welcome guest experts, and hone tech policy skills under time pressure. Expect to participate frequently, and learn to navigate the most pressing issues facing companies, governments, and technologists today.

INAF U6394 Writing About War: Seeking Narratives in Conflict. 3.00 Points.

This intensive writing seminar explores the special challenges of creating narrative and assessing truth claims in the context of violent conflict. In this course, you will grow as a writer through extensive practice reporting, writing, revising your work, and editing your peers. We will engage with a pressing matter of our age: how to evaluate facts and context and create compelling and precise narratives from the fog of war. A growing swathe of the world, including many countries that are nominally not at war, are currently experiencing pre- or post-conflict conditions. Through discussions, reading, and writing, seminar participants will learn the mechanics of covering conflict and the politics of war- and peace-making. We will read accounts produced in journalism, policy analysis, advocacy, literature, and philosophy. Students will produce original reported narrative writing about conflict, which they may try to place for publication. Students will have to write or revise an original piece almost every week. The skill set cultivated by this class will help anyone write about violent conflict (which includes its prelude and aftermath), whether they plan to do so for a reporting-driven NGO, as a policy analyst, or as a journalist. This course emphasizes good writing and critical thinking; grades will reflect participation, effort, clarity of thought, originality of reporting, and successful narrative craft. Students can draw on their own experiences and contacts – as well as the great wealth of resources in New York City – for story ideas and sources

INAF U6511 Intro to Infographics and Data Visualization. 1.50 Point.

Priority Reg: DAQA and TMaC Specializations. This is a seven-week course that introduces students to design principles and techniques for effective data visualization. Visualizations graphically depict data to foster communication, improve comprehension and enhance decision-making. This course aims to help students: understand how visual representations can improve data comprehension, master techniques to facilitate the creation of visualizations as well as begin using widely available software and web-based, open-source frameworks.

INAF U6512 Data Driven Approaches for Campaigns and Advocacy. 3.00 Points.

It is strongly recommended that students have completed Quantitative Analysis before taking this course. This class will focus on properly understanding a wide range of tools and techniques involving data and analytics in campaigns. We will study evolutions and revolutions in data-driven politics, including micro-targeting, random controlled trials, and the application of insights from behavioral science, as well as more current approaches using modern statistical techniques, machine learning/AI, and natural language processing/large language models. Our primary focus will be on developments in US political and advocacy campaigns, but we will also examine the uses of these tools in development and other areas. The course is designed to provide an informative but critical overview of an area where it is often difficult to separate hype from expertise. The purpose of the course is to prepare students to understand the strengths and limitations of Big Data and analytics, and to provide concrete and practical knowledge of some of the key tools in use in campaigns and advocacy. Students will be expected to examine the use of data in practical case studies and distinguish between proper and improper uses. The course includes a track to analyze data and will spend more time giving students practical experience with current data and analytic approaches. Sample code will be provided, and students will be asked to execute and make minor revisions to the code to gain familiarity. Sample R projects will include reading and analyzing polling data, developing predictive models of voter behavior, and analyzing data from social media. Students will leave with a set of applications that can be customized to work on new data sets.

INAF U6545 AI: A Survey for Policymakers. 3.00 Points.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning have emerged as ubiquitous technologies in a wide range of areas, such as finance, healthcare, consumer internet platforms, and advertising, in addition to several domains in the public sector, including but not limited to law enforcement. In the past several years, ethical questions about how and whether to use AI for particular tasks have become much more prominent, partly due to its widespread use and partly due to publicly documented failures or shortcomings of a number of systems that can negatively impact people in sometimes serious ways. This course will provide a broad overview of practical and ethical questions related to AI — such as those related to privacy, cybersecurity, fairness, transparency, and more — with a view towards policymaking. Policymaking will be interpreted broadly, including both the public and private sectors. The course will include a survey of how machine learning works so as to ground the discussion. The instructor recently served as the first Director of AI for New York City and will draw on this experience, which included collaborations with a number of other city governments internationally. The course will discuss and highlight a range of topics in urban policy and urban affairs, using concrete examples and case studies. There will also be opportunities for students to apply the material to areas in the Global South and other areas of interest.

INAF U6897 Writing on Policy. 3.00 Points.

“Writing About Policy” gives you the journalistic tools to intervene in public policy debates. You will learn to translate the expertise you’re gaining – as policy professionals and as SIPA students –for the rest of the public, whether in op eds, review essays or blogs. You will also report and write feature stories. This class is a workshop, as well as a seminar, and there will be writing assignments due almost every week. Students will publish their work in SIPAs student publications, as well as in media outlets reaching far beyond the IAB.

INAF U6905 Fundamentals of Podcast Interviews. 1.50 Point.

The course is designed to give students real-world experience in podcast interviews and development. Students will leave with an understanding the workflow of podcast production as well as how to interview, edit, and produce their own interviews with audacity. In the first weeks of class, students will learn how to structure a podcast interview and how to use Audacity as well as additional basics of audio production. Students will also learn how to edit transcripts and are strongly encouraged to interview subjects who correlate to work they are doing for other classes/areas of interest. In the last weeks of the class, students will focus on the presentation and hosting aspects of their interviews. Students will learn to package and pitch their interview, taking their product from idea to final pitch. Each week, students will listen to and reflect on popular podcast interviews to get a range of inspiration, interview style, subject matter, and editorial design.

INAF U6906 Policy Solutions for Online Mis/Disinformation. 3.00 Points.

This course is part of a five-school course which operates under different course names at different schools and includes students from NYU, Cornell Tech, and Columbia Journalism School. The entire five-school group meets most Mondays on Zoom for 90 minutes and then the SIPA cohort will meet with Dr. Schiffrin on Wednesdays at SIPA

INAF U6912 Messaging Policy in the Digital Age. 1.50 Point.

Not offered during 2023-2024 academic year.

Blogs, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and other social media platforms engage millions of users globally and while it’s tempting to dismiss social media, the reality is that it fundamentally changed strategic communication. Using social media, employees acting on behalf of governments, corporations and nonprofits incite people to take action, or support causes. Social media can also taint reputations and impede messaging . Today, no sector is free from the pressure of using and reacting to social media. Over the seven-week course, students will be expected to critically assess scholarly work and develop informed opinions on messaging in the digital age. As well as developing a theoretical understanding of social media, students will use various social media applications like Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat to analyze, evaluate, and develop social media campaigns as part of a portfolio project. In this class we’ll look back -- to look forward. We’ll look to what Aristotle can teach us about Snapchat, if one is to convey a message with a :30 second video, where do ethos, pathos and logos fit in? What can Alexis de Tocqueville teach us about twitter and the participatory nature of citizenship? This is a course for students pursuing careers in the public or private sector and it is suitable for anyone who will be involved in the decision process of where social media fits into a strategic communication plan. Practical topics we will discuss: What are the implications of new digital communication technologies for organizations? For individuals? What are the incentives for participating? How do you define success of a social media campaign? Student who take this course will become familiar with: Changes in strategic communication brought about by new digital technologies; Methods to effectively craft, deliver and amplify social media messages to key audiences; Research approaches that can be applied to implementing and evaluating social media based strategic communication; Ethical questions related to social media-based strategic communication; The ability to assess and use communication strategies to address diverse audiences that inform and influence individuals, organizations and community.

INAF U6914 Policies and Practices in Human-Centered Digital Development. 3.00 Points.

The course takes a theoretical and critical look at the field from the instructor’s many years of experience working in technology and development, from organizations as diverse as Microsoft Research India to UN Women. ICTs have the power to fundamentally transform the lives of billions. Yet technological solutions are often offered as a “silver bullet”, not grounded in broader socio-economic networks. The course will discuss several case-studies in order to ground theory in practice, and will introduce students to several initiatives which have enabled “development” through ICTs, such as India’s Aadhaar, Kenya’s M-Pesa and others. We will also have participation from invited guest speakers. Through a group assignment, students will apply the principles and good practices explored in the course to develop a concrete digital development proposal. Students who are interested in careers in international development with a focus on technology will find this course a useful foundation.

INAF U6918 Digital Service Delivery for Leaders and Policy Makers. 3.00 Points.

Our most important public institutions—from the US Government to multilateral NGOs—are struggling to keep pace with technological change. This challenge is creating a crisis of confidence in large institutions and hampering the implementation of policies we need to move our world forward. This course will attempt to equip the next generation of leaders and public policy officials with tools to reform our institutions and deliver policy and digital services that improve outcomes, increase program efficiency, and delight the people that have to use them in the process. No tech background? No problem. We will cover the fundamentals of digital service design and unpack important concepts like agile development, user-centered design, and iterative testing and learn how to incorporate them into policy work. We will also focus on developing practical skills for creating change in large organizations and tactics to navigate bureaucracy. Our projects will focus on real-world digital services and ways to improve them. While we will focus most of our analysis on government and large public institutions, the strategies and skills you will learn in this class can be applied to any organization or company in need of change. During the semester you will have an opportunity to learn from and engage with some of the industry’s top leaders and change agents during our case studies and lectures, including several of the authors from the course readings

INAF U6922 Race and Western Journalism. 1.50 Point.

The politics of race and identity are intertwined This course will examine the history of race, colonialism, national identity and its intersection with mass media in today's multi-racial democracies. Students will gain knowledge of the current debates about racial equity in Europe and America, and how people of color are beginning to challenge the journalism status quo—and the dominant narratives about the world. By the end of this course, students will gain a deeper media literacy around race and national politics.

INAF U6926 Speech, Democracy, and the Internet. 3.00 Points.

This course offers an overview of foundational law and policy concepts related to information technologies and freedom of expression, and major policy debates about the role and regulation of information intermediaries in democracies. While U.S. law and policy will be the main focus of our discussions, we will also consider approaches to regulation taken by other global power centers, including the European Union

INAF U6932 Ethics of Media, Technology, and Design. 3.00 Points.

Each week we will examine a variety of case studies covering topics such as: the ethics of information design, algorithmic bias, deceptive user experience patterns, social media and commodification, safe spaces in virtual environments, the development of autonomous systems and smart cities, the relationships between artificial intelligence and copyright, democracy and media, and media activism and community organizing. Throughout the semester, students will select three ethical problems to research, including two case studies and one essay/ opinion piece. Using primary sources, photo, video, and graphics, students will capture pressing ethical issues. They will learn to navigate frameworks for ethical decision making, ethical management systems, and develop “codes” of ethics, and value statements. Students will also have the opportunity to engage in hands-on “ethical” user experience research during class exercises where they test websites, apps, and products. Finally, guests will be invited to the course to share their experience with developing ethical frameworks as media, design, and technology professionals

INAF U6935 Communications for the Public, Private, and Non-Profit Sectors. 3.00 Points.

This course will train students to become communications directors and spokespeople for government agencies, for-profit companies, or nonprofit organizations. We will provide a detailed overview of the extensive role that communications play in a given organization. The discussions and exercises in this course use current events to demonstrate how communications interact with and affect every area of business and organizational operations. The daily and weekly assignments are similar to what real communications executives do regularly. We focus on real-world examples to train you to think and react like a communications executive. The course will also invite high-level guest speakers to share their experiences and expertise in different areas of communication. Students who take this course will become familiar with how to work with the press and the nuances of media relations; how to write press releases, speeches, and executive communications; the importance of internal communications and corporate culture in employee acquisition and retention; media training; developing strategic public relations plans for internal and external communications; and how to develop crisis communications strategies. Prior public relations courses and experience are not required; however, exceptional English writing and grammar skills are strongly recommended for students to succeed in this class. Hagar Chemali runs a next-generation news media brand and hosts its weekly world news show on YouTube called Oh My World! She has also advised a range of clients on strategic communications. She worked in the U.S. government for over 12 years in different senior public affairs and policy-making positions in national security.

INAF U6946 Writing and Delivering Speeches. 1.50 Point.

Prerequisites: Instructor-Managed Waitlist ＆ Course Application. This introductory course for second-year SIPA students covers the fundamentals of persuasive speechwriting for politics, business, and advocacy organizations. While theory is covered in the first class, emphasis is placed on building practical skills throughout the semester’s remaining six classes. Students will be expected to draft, edit, and deliver their own speeches throughout the semester. Along the way, they’ll develop the research, writing, and editing skills to shape and articulate a compelling message, while collecting techniques to meet deadlines and overcome the dreaded “writer’s block.” This course addresses practical topics including: Why do some speeches persuade, while others fall flat? How does a writer effectively capture the voice of the person they’re writing for? How are speeches tailored for specific audiences, venues, and occasions? Are there ethical responsibilities when writing speeches that can confirm, change, or create mass behavior? As AI tools become increasingly sophisticated, how should a speechwriter approach questions of sourcing, fact-checking, and fundamentally human aspects of writing such as humor and creativity? By the end of the semester, students will have three full speeches to use as writing samples. The course is taught by speechwriter, political strategist, and New York Times bestselling author Lauren Peterson. Lauren spent several years working as a speechwriter to Hillary Clinton, including on her 2016 presidential campaign, and helped the former Secretary of State launch and produce her award-winning podcast, You and Me Both. Previously, she worked as a senior advisor and writer at Planned Parenthood Federation of America, and as a senior writer on President Obama’s 2012 re-election campaign. While Lauren is a fierce believer in the ability of speeches to shape public discourse and move listeners to action, she feels just as strongly that digital tools are essential to reaching audiences in the modern era of communications. A graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Lauren has written about figure skating for The Washington Post, parenthood for Romper, and LGBTQ conception for The Bump. She has appeared on MSNBC and been featured in Cosmopolitan, Teen Vogue, and Fusion’s “30 Women Who Will Change the 2016 Election.” She advises a wide range of clients including leaders at the highest levels of politics, business, health care, advocacy, academia, and the arts.

INAF U6979 Online Trust ＆ Safety. 1.50 Point.

What rules and expectations should online platforms such as Google, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Uber use to govern themselves? How do technology companies work to mitigate socio-technical harms arising from their products? How do geopolitical questions and conflicts manifest on online platforms—for instance, how should social media platforms handle gruesome images and unverified information emerging from the war in Ukraine? One discipline is at the core of these questions: Trust ＆ Safety, which is the study of how online services are abused and/or cause societal and individual harms, and the potential responses to mitigate these harms. Still relatively obscure but of increasing centrality to almost every matter of public importance that has an online component, the Trust and Safety field has exploded in the last two decades to encompass areas of policies ranging from online violent extremism to child safety and disinformation. This course provides students with the foundational knowledge to understand the key methods, approaches and underlying technologies in T＆S and content moderation, and to navigate the current debates in the field. Over seven sessions, students will engage with essential academic texts on content moderation, disinformation, online harms and the regulation of technology. They will also learn from practitioners, getting an unique and valuable perspective on how to build and operate content moderation systems, and on how to detect information operations unfolding in social networks. This course engages deeply with the merits and flaws of current systems to address socio-technical harms within the technology sector, and prepares students to operate, regulate or cover these issues in their careers. This is an accelerated, seven- session course, aiming to rapidly give students familiarity and sophistication with the field and topics of Trust ＆ Safety and its fundamental dynamics.

INAF U8183 Tools for Advocacy. 3.00 Points.

Tools for Advocacy: Understanding How the Media Works and How to Use it to Promote a Cause or Institution provides students of international affairs and public policy with a set of practical communications skills for use in their everyday work. Students will learn how to function effectively in our fast-changing contemporary media environment. Students will learn how to craft powerful messages, create compelling material for the media and refine their presentations techniques for interviews. They learn how to use the media to deliver messages to key audiences and how to conceive and execute an advocacy campaign as part of an organizational mission. Communications professionals from a variety of fields visit the class during the course of the semester. Students produce advocacy materials including an a press release, an op-ed and some form Internet content

PUAF U6135 Civic Innovation ＆ Designing for People. 1.50 Point.

Governments worldwide are looking for innovative ways to better serve the public and provide services more efficiently and effectively. This course uses examples from current and recent innovation efforts to investigate what ‘innovation’ means in government. In particular, the course will introduce how the Agile and human-centered methodologies used to design and build successful consumer products are applied in government to design more effective policies, programs, and services. The course aims to show students how they can work creatively in policy environments to develop new people-centered solutions to complex social problems. To this end, the course takes a blended approach to learning, combining hands-on design studios that teach actionable methods with readings and lectures on analytical frameworks for developing new approaches to serving people.

PUAF U6145 Civic Innovation: Design in Practice ＆ Imagination. 3.00 Points.

Priority Reg: LID or TMaC Specializations. Civic Innovation: Design in Practice ＆ Imagination is an introduction to how human-centered design methodologies are being used in government contexts and to the human questions that preoccupy designers working to innovate around policy and service delivery. The course explores the utility of design methods for addressing current-day public-sector and social challenges – and for inventing the policy and social solutions of the future. This new seminar course brings together readings in social theory, applied methods from design-driven innovation practice, and student-led case studies in current and future civic innovation efforts. Its particular focus is on broadening students' understanding of results-oriented civic innovation tactics to encompass ongoing debates around power, data, embodiment, community, craft, and meaning.

PUAF U6314 Climate Campaigning Reimagined: Communications and Mobilization. 1.50 Point.

Plenty of people wonder, “What can I do?” about the planetary climate change crisis and environmental destruction. Reimagining the traditional strategies, this course teaches how campaigners can turn “What can I do” into “What can we do?” and ultimately, “What can we do that will make the biggest change?”. By examining different advocacy approaches, students will gain experience in analyzing climate campaign strategies, development, and implementation and practicing the concrete skills of communications for climate advocacy. The course challenges students to consider contradictions and dilemmas in climate campaigns, including debates about pragmatic vs. ambitious goals; working with like-minded allies vs. defusing or engaging opponents; “inside” vs. “outside” strategies; the relationship between organizations and social movements; risk and stakes in different political environments; and how to confront power. For their assignments, students choose a current campaign on an issue in climate, environment, and/or biodiversity. Over the seven weeks, they will create assets and propose new approaches to supplement the campaign, including messages, speeches, social media posts, and spokespeople. The professors are the co-founders of the climate justice campaigning organization Planet Reimagined, which leverages the celebrity platform and reach of musician Adam Met (of 7x platinum music group AJR) and the human rights and climate advocacy experience of nonprofit executive Mila Rosenthal (of leadership roles at Amnesty International and the UN). Their organization translates research into action, bringing advocacy to life through partners in media, entertainment, politics, business, and nonprofits, bringing together the private, public, and social sectors annually, reaching over 100 million hearts and minds.

Other SIPA Courses

EMPA U6426 Digital Case Study Projects. 3.00 Points.

This semester-long SIPA class is a project-based course designed to help introduce students to documentary film technique, and help student teams produce documentaries on local issues. The course offers rich custom-produced guides to smart phone filming, interviewing technique, field production and editing, as well as small group mentoring sessions and workshops. Teams will receive gear, training, and funds for local filming costs. All films will participate in an end-of-semester film festival, together with other partner institutions. This class is open to all SIPA Students. Cases created will be shared on platforms such as SIPA’s Public Policy Case Collection. Students will have opportunities to interact with guest speakers from Discovery Channel, PBS and National Geographic, as well as with other cohorts of this class being offered across the world as part of the Open Society University Network. This class and training allow students to use gear and seek funding for MPA-DP summer placement projects in the Capstone video projects in the spring and summer of 2025. It is taught by Emmy Award winning documentary filmmaker Adam Stepan, PhD, author of the 2023 Columbia University Press book Leveling the Learning Curve. More info at www.digitalcases.org

INAF U6006 Computing in Context. 3.00 Points.

This introductory course will explore computing concepts and coding in the context of solving policy problems. Such problems might include troubleshooting sources of environmental pollution, evaluating the effectiveness of public housing policy or determining the impact that local financial markets have on international healthcare or education. Using policy scenarios as examples, students will be exposed to topics including: requirements gathering, data collection, data cleansing, writing pseudocode and code, using Python packages to help solve policy problems, presenting technical solutions and the constraints of computing. The hands-on nature of the class will help students to develop a strong, transferable skill-set that could be applied to both current coursework and future employment. Between the computer science and policy context lectures, students will see how computer science will become a fundamental component of their policy analysis education.

INAF U6129 Storytelling and The Art of Creating Social Impact Campaigns. 3.00 Points.

Pre-requisites: Instructor-Managed Waitlist ＆ Course Application. Priority Reg: LID and TMaC Specializations. Was the pro-life narrative strategy a decisive factor in overturning Roe v. Wade? After countless videos of police brutality, why did the video of George Floyd’s murder dramatically accelerate the pace of cultural and policy change? After years of campaigns to reduce teen pregnancy, how was it that a TV show became one of the main drivers of reducing teen pregnancy to the lowest point in recorded history? After losing 31 state referendums, why did a new narrative approach enable the gay marriage campaign to start winning nationwide? These questions and storytelling examples are part of broader social impact campaigns which combined the right mix of strategy and narrative to create change. A social impact campaign is one that creates a significant change that addresses a pressing social issue. Often, there is too little focus on the power of narrative to change behavior and drive action. This class will explore all aspects of social impact campaigns that harness the power of “effective” stories to engage audiences and prompt action. Additionally, we will investigate how corporations and brands develop campaigns and how they partner with the government, foundations and NGOs. Students will have the chance to question some of the leading creators/practitioners as they create their own social impact campaigns.

INAF U6383 Foundations of Cyber Conflict. 3.00 Points.

This class examines the dynamics of cyber conflict. We will focus less on the technology of cyberspace than the national security threats, challenges, and policy responses including lessons from history and other kinds of conflict. After taking this course, you will understand about the Internet and Internet-based attacks; how cyber conflicts unfold at the tactical and strategic levels; how cyber conflicts and cyber power are different or similar to conflict and power in other domains; the evolution of US cyber policies and organizations; as well as legal issues and the policies and organizations of other nations. The centerpiece of the course is an exercise to reinforce the fundamentals of national security response to a major cyber incident. Accordingly, you will demonstrate the ability to formulate policy recommendations in the face of the uncertainties of an unfolding cyber conflict.

INAF U6386 Policy Dilemmas in Cybersecurity. 3 Points.

This class examines the challenges that policymakers must face as they grapple with the changing landscape of cybersecurity, from online crime and cyber conflict, to seemingly ubiquitous surveillance. There will be an introduction to the basics of the technology but much more on the difficulties pressing policymakers and businesses today. This course is intended to be an introduction to cybersecurity and is thus suitable for complete newcomers to the area. It is a big field, with a lot to cover; however this should get students familiar with all of the basics.  The semester is divided up into three sections: (1) a technical overview of cyberspace, attack and defense measures; (2) a detailed look at the various state and non-state threat actors; (3) a detailed look at defense in the public and private sectors and their political and economic underpinnings.

INAF U6502 Into to Text Analysis in Python. 3.00 Points.

Priority Reg: DAQA and TMaC Specializations. This introductory course will explore a variety of approaches to studying text-as-data, collected from newspapers, social media, websites, and any other kind of text data source using th programming language Python. Designed for beginners with no prior coding experience, students will leave this course with beginner-to-intermediate Python programming abilities and the tools to continue building their skills beyond the classroom. Students will learn the fundamentals of the data process in addition to gaining hands-on experience with methods for data collection (e.g., web scraping and working with APIs) and text analysis (e.g., sentiment analysis, topic modeling, and more). Practical in nature, the course will culminate in a final project that will ask students to explore a research question of their choice using the various methods for data collection and analysis learned across the semester, which students can then share as public scholarship and/or with prospective employers. The course content is geared towards students interested in pursuing careers in journalism, marketing, social media strategy, policy analysis, financial analysis, and tech.

INAF U6504 Python for Public Policy. 1.50 Point.

This 7-week mini course exposes the students to the application and use of Python for data analytics in public policy setting. The course teaches introductory technical programming skills that allow students to learn Python and apply code on pertinent public policy data. The majority of the class content will utilize the New York City 311 Service Requests dataset. It’s a rich dataset that can be explored from many angles relevant to real-world public policy and program management responsibilities.

INAF U6509 Basics of Cybersecurity. 1.50 Point.

The purpose of this half-semester course is to familiarize SIPA students with how the internet and cybersecurity work, to provide a foundation of knowledge for later courses, and to familiarize with the terms used to describe devices, protocols, and functions of the internet.  This course is not intended to be a computer science course but to provide the student with the lexicon of cyberspace, the understanding of the components, and how they fit together to create the internet experience. It is a broader course meant to complement Cyber Risks and Vulnerabilities, which is more focused on specific vulnerabilities. This course is intended to be an introduction to cybersecurity and is thus suitable for complete newcomers to the area. 

INAF U6518 Cybersecurity: Technology, Policy, ＆ Law. 3.00 Points.

Prerequisites: Instructor-Managed Waitlist ＆ Course Application. This course will bring together professors and select students from technology, policy, and law to discuss how different disciplines solve cybersecurity issues. Classes will cover the technical underpinnings of the Internet and computer security, the novel legal aspects of technology, crime, and national security, and the various policy problems and solutions involved in this new field. This course will be organized around four of the “great hacks”: SolarWinds (and the supply chain in general), NotPetya (and state-based disruptions), Colonial Pipeline (and ransomware), and the intrusion into Sony Pictures Entertainment (and major corporate intrusions). The core of the class is a group project combining the problems identified with the Great Hacks with the solutions suggested in the U.S. National Cybersecurity Strategy. Students will work in teams to examine what went wrong in each of these incidents and what can be done to mitigate them in the future.

INAF U6523 Cyber Risks ＆ Vulnerabilities. 1.50 Point.

The purpose of this course is to familiarize SIPA students with the protocols and devices used in the function of the internet while focusing on the flaws and vulnerabilities. This course will approach each session in the following manner: discussion of the topic to include what the topic is and how it is used, vulnerabilities and specifically, and example, and will follow up with a video or other demonstration of a common hacker technique or tool to illustrate the problem so the students can better understand the impact. This course is intended to complement Basics of Cybersecurity with a tighter focus on specific vulnerabilities and how these can be exploited by hackers, criminals, spies, or militaries. This course is intended to be an introduction to cybersecurity and is thus suitable for complete newcomers to the area. It is a big field, with a lot to cover; however this should get students familiar with all of the basics. The class is divided into seven topics; the first five iteratively build on each other. Session six will look to future technologies. Session seven will challenge students to understand the authorities encountered and the friction between the authorities and agencies in responding to a cyber incident. Many cyber jobs are opening up with companies that need international affairs analysts who, while not cybersecurity experts, understand the topic well enough to write policy recommendations or intelligence briefs. Even if you don’t intend your career to focus on cyber issues, having some exposure will deepen your understanding of the dynamics of many other international and public policy issues.

INAF U6524 Cybersecurity ＆ Business Risk. 3.00 Points.

This course will examine cybersecurity and threats in cyberspace as a business risk: that is, the potential and consequent magnitude of loss or liability arising from conducting business connected to the Internet. Many organizations have traditionally viewed cybersecurity as a technology problem, “owned” by the Information Technology department. However, doing business connected to the Internet can create non-technical problems: legal, regulatory, financial, logistical, brand or reputational, even health or public safety problems. Increasingly, organizations are treating cybersecurity and cyber threats in a broader manner, viewing cyber as a risk to be managed, and owned ultimately by the most senior ranks of corporate governance. An example might be a bank managing cyber operational risk similarly to managing credit and market risk. However, organizations continue to face challenges as they try to translate, measure, manage, and report a risk that is highly technical, and still somewhat foreign to most risk managers. The objective of this course will be to introduce you to basic concepts of cybersecurity and threats in cyberspace, and enable you to apply them to tools, techniques, and processes for business risk management. It assumes no technical knowledge of cybersecurity, nor a deep understanding of risk management. Students will learn about the basic principles of cybersecurity, the main actors in the business and regulatory spheres, and approaches to business risk management: how to understand, describe, measure, and report risk in a cybersecurity context. Students will also understand different models and approaches used by leading institutions in various industries, including the financial services sector, critical infrastructure providers, high-technology companies, and governments.

INAF U6525 Social Innovation, Technology, ＆ Public Policy in the Global South. 1.50 Point.

In this course, students will analyze the following tools and their role in social innovation and policy change: artificial intelligence and machine learning, chatbots, social networks, online petitions, direct digital pressure, crowdfunding, crowdsourcing, e-participation, multi-agent systems, and digitally-driven phone-banking and blast-messaging. The focus will be via study of case-studies and stories of best practices, mainly from the Global South. The analysis of tools and case studies will be complemented by brief lectures from practitioners, followed by a dialogue between the instructor and the students on the current academic debate around these issues. The course will consist of seven sessions, divided into three overarching themes: Social Innovation as a replacement of government: how to adapt service provision to the digital age; Social Innovation as a collaboration with government: how to enhance civic participation through new methodologies and technologies; Social Innovation as a counter-power to government: how to use coordinated action to stop abuse of power. The purpose of the course is to help future policy makers, entrepreneurs, civic leaders, and designers understand how public policy can learn from new and effective examples of social innovation. In the process, students will be exposed to transdisciplinary concepts touching on the subjects of political science, sociology of science and technology, political philosophy, philosophy of information and technology. Theory will be balanced with practice and students will be provided a methodology for strategic thinking that combines a mix of design thinking, product development and start-up planning and iteration techniques.

INAF U6529 Cyberspace in Strategy and Grand Strategy. 3.00 Points.

Debates over grand strategy have taken on renewed importance as the United States has shifted away from a predominant focus on counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency toward a new era of great power competition. Questions over things like military deployments, the utility of force, the purpose of alliances, the value of free trade, and the role of international institutions are informed to a large degree about how states conceive of their role in the world and how policymakers believe they can best cause security for their countries; in other words, much of it boils down to grand strategy. Despite the importance of grand strategy in contemporary discussions about international security dynamics and foreign policy, the role that cyberspace plays in these debates has largely been neglected. Yet, cyberspace has unique implications for grand strategy—it affects nearly every aspect of contemporary strategy, from the employment of military power and alliances to diplomacy and economic statecraft. This course will explore the intersection of cyberspace in strategy and grand strategy, with a focus on the United States, although we will also examine other non-U.S. critical cases throughout the semester. We will evaluate how existing theories and concepts extend to cyberspace, as well as how cyberspace is shaping the development and conduct of strategy. The course is largely organized around the different instruments of national power and their application to cyberspace, with a focus on critical use cases. We will address questions such as, what is the nature of cyber power and how do states use cyberspace for strategic ends? How do states use cyberspace as a military tool and what are the implications for international stability? What are the prospects for cyber diplomacy and international cooperation? The goal of this course is to bridge theory and policy—to explore how esoteric concepts like deterrence apply (or don’t) to the reality of state behavior in cyberspace. Throughout the semester, we will hear from guest lecturers with both practical and academic experiences to enhance our discussions.

INAF U6531 Cyber Conflict and Cybersecurity in the Indo-Pacific. 3.00 Points.

This class will study the dynamics of cyber conflict and cybersecurity in the Indo-Pacific. Students will examine cybersecurity threats across the region; compare policies, actors, and institutions across countries; and analyze competition within the region and with other major cyber actors such as the United States, Russia, and the European Union. Topics will include: development of cyber strategies; regional approaches to cyber norms, confidence building measures, and capacity building; information operations; and crime and non-state actors. Prior knowledge of cybersecurity and/or Indo-Pacific security is not necessary, but is useful.

INAF U6546 Artificial Intelligence and Conflict Prevention: Practical, Policy, and Ethical Dimensions. 3.00 Points.

Category: EPD:Political, ICR, ISP, TMAC

In this course, we will review several case studies in which AI technologies have been (and are being) developed with the express purpose of better predicting and understanding human conflict dynamics. The course instructor will draw on his own experience developing AI tools for multilateral organizations, as well as on a wide range of literature from both academia and policy research. Ultimately, the course is designed to further students' overall understanding of the practical, policy, and ethical aspects of the introduction of AI technologies in international peacekeeping and peacebuilding efforts (in particular, the UN conflict prevention/response architecture).

INAF U6614 Data Analysis for Policy Research Using R. 3.00 Points.

Priority Reg: DAQA Specialization. Prerequisites: Instructor-Managed Waitlist, Course Application, and SIPAU6501 - Quantitative Analysis II. This course will develop the skills to prepare, analyze, and present data for policy analysis and program evaluation using R. In Quant I and II, students are introduced to probability and statistics, regression analysis and causal inference. In this course we focus on the practical application of these skills to explore data and policy questions on your own. The goal is to help students become effective analysts and policy researchers: given available data, what sort of analysis would best inform our policy questions? How do we prepare data and implement statistical methods using R? How can we begin to draw conclusions about the causal effects of policies, not just correlation? We’ll learn these skills by exploring data on a range of policy topics: COVID-19 cases; racial bias in NYPD subway fare evasion enforcement; the distribution of Village Fund grants in Indonesia; US police shootings; wage gaps by gender/race; and student projects on topics of your choosing.

INAF U8180 Human Rights Skills ＆ Advocacy. 3.00 Points.

This course is designed to develop practical advocacy skills to protect and promote human rights. A focus will be developing an advocacy strategy on a current human rights issue, including the identification of goals and objectives, appropriate advocacy targets and strategies, and the development of an appropriate research methodology. Students will explore broad-based human rights campaigns, use of the media, and advocacy with UN and legislative bodies. Over the course of the semester, students will become familiar with a variety of tools to apply to a human rights issue of their choosing. Case studies will illustrate successful advocacy campaigns on a range of human rights issues.

PUAF U6312 Campaign Management. 3.00 Points.

Together we are going to learn how to plan, manage, and execute the major elements of a modern American campaign using skills that can be applied to all levels of the electoral process. What are the elements of a modern political campaign? How are those pieces executed? How do we get the people elected (or un-elected) which impacts Public Policy for decades? If you are interested in political campaigns, this is your chance to learn directly from top experts in the field about the various tools and strategies used in all aspects of American politics and campaigns today. Although this is a course focusing on practical competence, empirical political theory and relevant political science will be applied to our work. Guest lecturers, simulations, and additional materials such as videos and handouts will augment the course. When we are done, you will know what you need to do, and where you need to turn, in order to effectively organize an election campaign. The curriculum is ambitious, specialized, and task-specific. This is not a course in political science, but rather a hands-on, intensive training seminar in campaign skills. By May, you will be able to write a campaign plan, structure a fundraising effort, hire and work with consultants, plan a media campaign (both paid and unpaid), research and target a district, structure individual voter contact, use polling data, understand the utility of focus groups, write press releases, conduct advance work on behalf of your candidate, manage crises, hire and fire your staff, and tell your candidate when he or she is wrong. Our aim is to make you competent and eminently employable in the modern era of advanced campaign technology. For the purposes of this class, you will design a campaign plan for a political race. To make this more interesting (and realistic), you will be provided with information and situations throughout the semester that will require you to plan, anticipate, and adapt your campaign plan to the changing realities inherent to every campaign. The course will be co-taught by Jefrey Pollock, the Founding Partner and President of Global Strategy Group, a premier strategic research and communications firm, who has advised numerous local and national political candidates and organizations; as well as, Camille Rivera, Partner at New Deal Strategies, an experienced policy and political legislative director with a demonstrated history of working in the non-profit organization management industry.

REGN U8753 Propaganda, Russia, ＆ The World Information War. 3.00 Points.

Category: Regional, TMAC

Prerequisite: Instructor-Managed Waitlist. Propaganda, Russia and the World Information War is a highly current guide to propaganda and disinformation, the geopolitical impact of information, and how false, weaponized narratives threaten the world's news and information environment. The course teaches how propaganda and disinformation work, the most effective ways to counter them, and the effects of artificial intelligence. The course draws many of its examples from information operations by Russia, but also considers disinformation by state and private actors worldwide. This includes covert information operations by Western governments, including in the current Ukraine war. The course also discusses information at a more philosophical and sociological level. How do we receive and process information? Can there actually be more than one truth? We also consider how even well-intentioned media, academics, and government officials can unwittingly be sources of misinformation by falling into common analytical traps. The course is aimed at students building skills in geopolitical analysis, Russian affairs or public persuasion; those who expect to be called on to counteract propaganda and disinformation; and those who will need to produce consistently reliable information and analysis for governments, militaries, news organizations, NGOs or businesses

SIPA U6700 Inside the Situation Room. 0.00 Points.

Prerequisite: Course Application. In an era increasingly defined by geopolitical competition, it is more important than ever for future policymakers to understand why and how foreign policy decisions are made. Inside the Situation Room, co-taught by Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton and Dean Keren Yarhi-Milo, employs insights from diverse academic fields—including political psychology, domestic politics, and international relations—and the direct experience of high-level principals in the room to understand the key factors which underpin a nation’s most crucial decisions. This course allows students to engage with a range of case studies and examine decision-making in a variety of historical and contemporary contexts, from the search for Osama bin Laden, to the “red line” in Syria, to negotiating with Iran. Students will be taught how to analyze and understand the complex interplay between individual psychology, domestic politics, public opinion, bureaucracy, the international environment, and other factors which feed into decisions about foreign policy—from crisis diplomacy to the use of force, signaling and perception, intelligence and its analysis, the deployment of other instruments of statecraft, and more. Through this course, students will think carefully and analytically about how leaders and other actors view the world, how they arrive at their decisions, and how various social, political, and psychological factors shape the policies they devise to promote their interests abroad. For more information, visit: https://www.sipa.columbia.edu/situationroom

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Expect that some knowledge of Russian will greatly assist you in your travels here.

Omsk is a major stop (and indeed, one of the best stops) on the Trans-Siberian Railway . This capital city is also the "terminus" for the Trans-Siberian Railway's South Ural branch.

Omsk Tsentralny Airport ( OMS   IATA ), serviced by flights from Moscow , Saint Petersburg , Krasnoyarsk , and Andijan , Uzbekistan .

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The next major stops on the Trans-Siberian Railway are Tyumen to the west and Novosibirsk to the east. The first major stop to the west along the South Ural Branch of the Trans-Siberian Railway is Petropavlovsk , Kazakhstan .

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