line drawing of a globe

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 6:00-8:45 p.m.

Fall 2018 course schedules and descriptions

Please note that these schedules are tentative and subject to change. Updates and new syllabi will be posted as soon as they are available.

Course Schedules and descriptions
Date

Monday
(8/27 - 12/10)

 Tuesday
(8/28 - 12/11)

Wednesday
(8/29 - 12/12)

Thursday
(8/30 - 12/13)
Topic

Evolving Global Security Landscape


Issues in Global
Economic and Financial Security


Rising China and Challenges to the Global Order


Conflict and Security in Cyber Space

Global Sustainability and Development


International Trade and Economic Negotiations

Statecraft and Smart Power in the Digital Era
                                      
Development in Africa: Challenges, Constraints, and Strategies 

Evolving Global Security Landscape: Robotics, Autonomous Systems and Artificial Intelligence

PAI 715 Section M006

Professor Keagle's 2018 Syllabus

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.  

This course maps to the following MAIR Career Track: Peace, Security & Conflict; Foreign Policy

Professor James Keagle instructs this course.  

Issues in Global Economic and Financial Security

PAI 715 Section M001

Professor Das Gupta's 2017 Syllabus

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.

This course maps to the following MAIR Career Track: International Economics, Finance & Trade

Professor Bejoy Das Gupta instructs this course.

Conflict and Security in Cyberspace

PAI 715 Section M003

Professor Lewis' 2018 Syllabus

Cyber conflict is a new and complicated strategic problem that engages the international community at many different levels.  The cyber environment challenges traditional strategic thinking, and developing effective policies to manage cyber conflict and reduce risks to national and economic security remains difficult.  Many traditional security concepts will need to be adjusted for the cyber environment and much of the received wisdom on cybersecurity may need to be discarded.  This class will look at both the national and international dimensions of cyber conflict in the larger international security context.

Professor James Lewis instructs this course.

Global Sustainability and Development: Evaluating Policy Impact at the National Level

PAI 715 Section M009

Professor Kimble's 2017 Syllabus

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.

Taught by Melinda Kimble, Senior Vice President at the UN Foundation in DC, this seminar will bring in practitioners, policy makers and foundation/NGO/IGO experts to meet with the students, and include a mix of team and individual projects to help build professional skills. This course would be valuable to those interested in the so-called global issues, including environment, public health and population, conflict resolution, and the role of IGOs and NGOs.

As a Foreign Service Officer and senior official in the Department of State and in her current role at the Foundation, Ms. Kimble has dealt with this mix of concerns in diverse ways.She has practical and policy experience, and in-depth knowledge of the roles and relations of the UN, its independent agencies, related NGOs, foundations and the U.S. Government.

This course maps to the following MAIR Career Tracks: Democracy, Development & Humanitarian Assistance; Governance, Diplomacy & International Organizations

Professor Melinda Kimble instructs this course.

Rising China and Challenges to the Global Order

PAI 715 Section M005

Syllabus - Coming Soon!

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.

Professor Mary Lovely instructs this course.

International Trade & Economic Negotiation

PAI 715 Section M002 

2017 Syllabus for Professors Caplan and 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.

This course maps to the following MAIR Career Track: International Economics, Finance & Trade

Professors Bennett Caplan and Paul Fekete instruct this course. 

Statecraft and Smart Power in the Digital Era

PAI 715 Section M007 

Professor Green's 2017 Syllabus 

This course examines new approaches to the practice of statecraft in an era of rapid global change. Globalization, including accelerating digital communication, is upsetting traditional international order and institutions, and changing the pace and intensity of decision making. Nation-state governments, while still the primary actors, must adjust to new sub-national, regional and transitional forces and players in a far more complex global arena.  As digital communication brings publics into politics and policy far more than ever before, this course helps participants better understand and prepare for these and other current challenges for smart power. Features guided classroom discussion, presentations by officials and outside experts, and in-class exercises such as a resource allocation/strategic planning session (somewhat akin to one of the major elements of the PMF and FSO oral exams) as well as policy simulations. The course's emphasis on policy, institutional and professional concerns, will be particularly relevant to those seeking wemployment in public service, NGOs, public policy think tanks and consulting firms.

This course maps to the following MAIR Career Tracks: Governance, Diplomacy & International Organizations; Peace, Security & Conflict

Professor Shannon Green instructs this course.  

Development in Africa: Challenges, Constraints and Strategies

PAI 702 Section M001

Professor Freeman's 2018 Syllabus - Coming Soon!

As the Developed World falters over its financial difficulties, many eyes are turning to the third world for resources, markets and solutions. In a real sense, Africa is the "last frontier." With this in mind, this seminar provides an overview of Africa and Development through the eyes of practitioners and scholars from the US and Africa who have devoted considerable effort to trying to affect development on the continent and speculating on what more it will take to make Africa prosperous.

Beginning with an overview, the course proceeds through traditional development sectors (agriculture, health and education), newer perspectives and drivers (private sector, ICTs, democratization and China), and the three "C" barriers (corruption, conflict and climate change). Lively exchanges over the role of outsiders and the efficacy of aid as well as Africa's growing role in the outside world, balance more traditional development perspectives.

This course maps to the following MAIR Career Tracks: Democracy, Development & Humanitarian Assistance; Peace, Security & Conflict; Regional Concentration

Professor Constance Freeman instructs this course.  

Washington Internship

PAI 715 Section M004

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.

The Global Internship requires consent of the Public Admistration and International Affairs Department.

View Internship Evaluation Guidelines

This course maps to all MAIR Career Tracks, depending on the content of the internship.

Professor Ryan Williams instructs this course and serves as sponsor for the internship.