You’re invited to visit a SIPA class

We welcome you to experience being a student at SIPA with a class visit. Until late April 2020, you have the opportunity to meet SIPA faculty and current students in their natural habitat – the classroom. 

If you’re in NYC or planning a visit, please register for a class at least one week before. Prospective students may attend a maximum of one class by two different professors (two classes total) so choose wisely. You can use the Course Curricula to find out more about each class and you can use the SIPA Faculty Directory to learn more about the professors. 

Here’s a list of classes I recommend but you should look through the calendar and see what interests you most.

The Core: Economics and Budgeting

If you’re interested in finding out more about the core economics curriculum or you’re a potential International Finance and Economic Policy (IFEP) student, Professor Andrea Bubula teaches Macroeconomic Analysis for International & Public Affairs Monday through Thursday morning. This class is one of the two macroeconomics courses that are part of SIPA’s core curriculum (this class has more calculus). Professor Bubula is an exceptional teacher and he also serves as the IFEP Concentration Executive Director.

You can join me and Professor John Liu in Budgeting and Financial Management for Government on Thursday afternoons. This is one of the options to complete the management/financial management curriculum (requirements are different for MIA and MPA candidates). Professor Liu is a New York State Senator and previously served as the Comptroller of the City of New York from 2010-2013. This is a great class to discuss the politics of government spending, and to hone your Microsoft Excel skills to analyze budgetary data.

Concentration: Urban and Social Policy (USP)

I spend my Wednesday evenings studying Urban Social Policy with Professor Yumiko Shimabukuro, who is my favorite professor at SIPA. As a student of social policy, I took her Comparative Social Welfare Policy class in my first semester and she made an indelible impression on me. In this class, we’re learning about social issues in urban settings like educational inequality, child abuse, and other obstacles to greater inclusion.

Professor Christina Greer is at SIPA on Thursdays to lead students in examining Race Policy & American Politics. This class is a highlight of my time at SIPA and helped me to better understand American history, politics, and society. Professor Greer has phenomenal political nous and I learned so much from her, particularly in our class discussions of current events.

Specialization: Technology, Media and Communications (TMaC)

On Tuesdays, you can learn the Art of Creating Social Impact Campaigns from Professor Stephen Friedman. Professor Friedman is an Emmy-award winning creator of social impact campaigns and was the President of MTV for seven years. He is incredibly generous with his time and insights, and in 2018 a student campaign on maternal mortality developed in this class was picked up by MTV.

Specialization: US Regional

The US Role In World Affairs with Professor Stephen R Sestanovich is the second installment of the International Fellows Program (IFP) curriculum. Professor Sestanovich is the IFP director and has had an impressive career, including as an ambassador-at-large. He is the George F. Kennan Senior Fellow in Russian and Eurasian Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations and serves on the Board of Directors of the National Endowment for Democracy. He also teaches Contemporary Diplomacy on Thursdays.

While you’re on Columbia’s campus, you might enjoy the Guided Historic tour to learn more about the history, architecture, and sculpture of Columbia’s Morningside Heights campus. There’s also a self-guided walking tour and, for those who can’t make it onto campus, there’s also the option of a virtual tour.

You are always welcome to drop by the office, Monday- Friday, 9:00 AM-5:00 PM (excluding holidays) and you don’t need an appointment. We would be happy to share more information with you about SIPA and you can speak to one of the current students, like me, who are working as Program Assistants this year. Directions and travel information may be found on the SIPA page. You can always call our office or email us should you have questions before your arrival on campus.