Global Security & Development Program
Courses
Students typically enroll in two evening seminars and complete a full-time internship during the day. Although more challenging to handle with a full-time internship commitment, some students may decide to enroll in three evening seminars.
All courses take place from 6:00-8:40 p.m.
Fall 2021 course schedules and descriptions
Please note that these schedules are tentative and subject to change. Syllabi are posted to the DC Program Blackboard as soon as they are available.
Course Schedules and descriptions
| Date |
Monday
(8/30 - 12/13)
|
Tuesday
(8/31 - 12/14)
|
Wednesday
(9/1- 12/15)
|
Thursday
(9/2 - 12/16)
|
| Topic |
Evolving Global Security Landscape
Sustainable Development, Security and the Frontier of Finance
|
Rising China and Challenges to the Global Order
Global Sustainability and Development
|
From Fragility to Resilience: New Approaches to Global Development
International Trade and Economic Negotiations
|
Strategic Foresight for International Relations
Issues in Public Diplomacy
|
Evolving Global Security Landscape: Robotics, Autonomous Systems and Artificial Intelligence | PAI 715 | James Keagle
Change brings with it challenges—at the
individual, organizational, and systemic levels. It involves behaviors and cultures with often
deep-seated traditions. This course will
explore the scope and magnitude of the transformational forces at work in the
U.S. and to a lesser extent the global security and defense establishments. By
its nature the course will be about peace and war—how the nation goes about the
business of preparing, equipping, and training itself to deter and if necessary
to fight traditional wars and the new kinds of challenges that might lead to
armed conflict as well as shaping the post war environment for an enduring
peace—but do NOT think about this as a linear process. It will also be about sociology, bureaucratic
politics, the role of the media, economics, health care, power…. Most of all this semester it will be about
the transformational nature and effects of robotics, autonomous systems and artificial intelligence (RAS/AI) on security and the budget pressures on the national security/ defense budgets—and where to
consider taking acceptable risks—geographically and functionally and force
posture wise (for example, do we need a $1Trillion nuclear modernization
program; or 2400+ F-35s; or 12 carrier battle groups?). This agenda now is being shaped by governments and the private sector - commonly know at the 3rd offset.
Sustainable Development, Security and the Frontier of Finance | PAI 715 | Bejoy DasGupta
This course examines trends in global economic & financial security and ways to enhance it. The focus is on ways to ensure global monetary and financial stability, including through appropriate regulation to reduce the incidence of financial crises and
asset price bubbles. Other critical issues, including food & energy security and the role of finance in promoting development, are also discussed. Although this is a policy course, students should expect to learn a good deal of economics and finance
in the process of learning about these issues. These will be important intellectual tools as the future policy discussions on economic security and development will likely continue to focus more and more on finance and thus require more knowledge
of finance than in the past. This course will be less narrowly technical, more policy and political economy oriented, but nonetheless appropriate for students concentrating in global markets, development, finance and trade.
Global Sustainability and Development: Evaluating Policy Impact at the National Level | PAI 715 | Melinda Kimble
This course offers an overview of the concept of sustainability and its application in economic, environmental, social and development spheres from the perspective of policy practitioners. It examines the issue through the perspective of three planetary
ecosystems – water, land and air – and explores associated public policy issues – urbanization, globalization, depletion of ocean resources, land-based sources of marine pollution, deforestation, climate change and national security. Drawing on a
policy thinking tool developed for this class, the seminar will assess the evolution of international legal frameworks and related concepts since 1970 and apply the tool to identifying and analyzing current and future policy options at the local,
state, national and global level. This course provides business and finance, economic development, national security as well as environmental majors a command of key concepts, analytic tools, and professional literacy for addressing sustainability
issues across a range of disciplines.
China's Rise and Challenges to the Global Order | PAI 715 | Robert Daly
This master’s seminar focuses on contemporary challenges to
the global order posed by China’s growing economic and political power.
The course charts China’s reform and opening, its development and integration
into the global economy, and the challenges created for Western economic and
security institutions and alliances. Specific topic areas covered include
China’s non-market status and trade conflict, competition for technological
leadership, ICT governance and standard setting, the Belt and Road Initiative,
and the implications of China’s South China Sea activity. The course will
combine extensive background readings, lectures, and discussion. Students
will benefit from frequent guest lectures and discussions with experts from the
Center for Strategic and International Studies.
From Fragility to Resilience: New Approaches to Global Development | PAI 715 | Erol Yayboke and Sara Reckless
While some countries move up the development ladder on the way to greater economic growth and
stability, others struggle with cyclical fragility and the negative repercussions that come with it. The path
from fragility to resilience is rarely linear, requiring a mix of security, stabilization, humanitarian aid, and
development assistance. This course will look at causes of fragility and examine the non-kinetic tools
deployed in fragile states, especially their utility and effectiveness in specific country and regional cases.
Primarily discussion-based, the course will also include regular guest speakers who are regional experts
and/or practitioners.
International Trade & Economic Negotiation | PAI 715 | Bennett Caplan and Paul Fekete
This course looks at a variety of different types of negotiations concerning economic issues, including multilateral trade and investment negotiations, bi- and pluri- lateral trade negotiations, and negotiations aimed at the settlement of specific disputes.
We will discuss the influence of domestic politics, and the role of international organizations and non-governmental stakeholders such as NGOs, labor, multinational corporations, and domestic interest groups. The course is particularly useful for
those considering careers in international trade, business, markets and finance.
Strategic Foresight
for International Relations | PAI 715 | Samuel Brannen
This course will provide graduate students
with a structured approach to thinking about the future of the international
environment. It is a foundation in qualitative foresight methodologies with
direct application to national or organizational strategic planning. It also
provides a tour du horizon of the global trends shaping the world 10-20 years
into the future and beyond. Through real-world case studies and classroom
exercises, the course exposes students to the practical application of
foresight methodologies to policymaking and resource decision-making. These
methodologies are routinely used by strategic planners in leading global
intelligence organizations, national security ministries, multinational
corporations, and non-governmental organizations. Strategic foresight is an
under-appreciated “hard” international relations skillset, particularly useful
in navigating the profound global transitions underway that affect risk and
competitiveness for countries, companies, and individuals.
Issues in Public Diplomacy | PAI 715 | Shawn Powers
This course will provide a deep dive into the origins of information statecraft and explore case studies to provide a detailed understanding of the scope, sophistication, and significance of the geopolitics of information. Building on key theoretical models, including markets for loyalties, networks, and game theory, this course will provide an analytic framework for understanding the range of information statecraft activities, as well as the key variables likely to influence the success or failure of a public diplomacy campaign or program. Monitoring and evaluation techniques and best practices will also be covered, as well as the foundations of digital analytics and metrics. Classes will feature occasional guest speakers from the State Department, the Department of Defense, and the NGO community. At the end of the course, students will be subject matter experts on public diplomacy and global media strategy, the information statecraft toolkit, and the significance of these tools and tactics in international affairs.
For Maxwell Students Only:
US Intelligence Community: Governance and Practice | PAI 738 | Robert Murrett
This course meets Monday and Wednesday morning on SU's main campus and is only available in DC online
This course examines the evolution of the US Intelligence Community since its inception in 1947 through the present day. Key phases and specific events will be explored, including efforts during the Cold War, the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Vietnam Conflict, the Church Committee, the Balkans Conflict, pre- and post-9/11 operations, the 9/11 and WMD Commissions and the legislative overhaul mandated by Congress in 2004. The course also will review governance and oversight of the intelligence community by the executive, legislative, and judicial branches, and students will study the functional elements of intelligence tradecraft (human intelligence, signals intelligence, imagery analysis, etc.), and engagement with international counterparts. The class will participate in case studies that students will evaluate, provide briefings for, and make recommendations in regard to, both in terms of analysis- and intelligence-driven decision-making on policy and operations.
Professor Robert Murrett instructs this course.
Washington Internship | PAI 715 | Mark Jacobson
Students can earn up to three credits working (usually unpaid) as an intern for an agency or organization that focuses on issues of global development or global security.
View Internship Evaluation Guidelines