SIPA: School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University

Laura
Second-Year MIA Student – Environmental Policy Concentrator

A second-year student comments on the challenges faced during the first-year of study.

(text interview)

Aaron
Second-year International and Media Communications Concentrator

A second-year MIA student comments on changing careers and the preparation SIPA provides.

(text interview)

Caroline
Second year International Security Policy Concentrator

A second-year student from Virginia concentrating in International Security Policy (ISP) talks about what she enjoys about SIPA, her thoughts about the faculty, and about the core curriculum.

(Windows Media Player)

First-year Management and Institutional Analysis Concentrator

A first-year MIA student comments on choosing her concentration, what she plans to do after graduating, and attending SIPA events.

(text interview)

Chinonso
Second year International Energy Management and Policy Concentrator

A second-year student from Nigeria concentrating in International Energy Management and Policy (IEMP) talks about his concentration and the ways in which SIPA has prepared him for a career in the energy sector.

(Windows Media Player)

David
Second-year International Media and Communications Concentrator

As second-year MIA student talks about why he chose SIPA and what the most challenging part of his experience has been.

(text interview)

Francisco
Second-year Economic and Political Development and Urban Policy dual Concentrator

A second-year MPA dual concentrator talks about core requirements, obtaining a Teacher Assistant position, and choosing two concentrations.

(text interview)

Gauhar, Paul, and Stephen
Economic and Political Development Concentrators

Three Economic and Political Development Concentrators talk about the workshop projects they participated in at SIPA.  Faculty member Jacqueline Klopp also provides a glimpse at the Economic and Political Development Concentration.

(text interview)

Second-year International Finance Policy Concentrator

A second-year MPA student talks about attending events at SIPA and taking classes at other Columbia University Schools.

(text interview)

Jia
Second year International Finance Policy Concentrator

A second-year student in the MPA degree program with a concentration in International Finance Policy (IFP) talks about her concentration and the ways in which SIPA has prepared her for a career.

(text interview)

Second-year Management and Institutional Analysis Concentrator

A second-year MIA student talks about her internship and how she spent the summer between academic years.

(text interview)

Second-year Human Rights Concentrator with a focus on labor rights Concentrator

A second-year MIA student comments on what drew her to SIPA and how she has taken advantage of her time in the program.

(text interview)

Madeline
Second year Human Rights Concentrator

A second-year student concentrating in Human Rights (HRP) talks about her concentration and the ways in which SIPA has prepared her for a career.

(text interview)

Matteen
Second-year Middle East Concentrator

A second-year MIA student talks about why he chose his concentration and the best part of his SIPA experience.

(text interview)

Shravya
Second year Environmental  Policy Studies Concentrator

A second-year student from India concentrating in Environmental  Policy Studies (EPS) talks about her favorite environmental classes, the  diversity of her peer group, and gives advice to prospective students.

(Windows Media Player)

Barkan, Elazar

Elazar Barkan, Co-Director of the Human Rights concentration, gives an  overview of the concentration, explains its core requirements, the  diversity of students within the concentration, the type of  organizations that HR concentrators generally work for upon  graduation, and how SIPA is unique in the human rights field.

(Windows Media Player)

Betts, Richard

Richard Betts is director of the International Security Policy (ISP) concentration and the Saltzman Institute of War and Peace Studies. He talks here about the ISP concentration requirements, the typical ISP concentrator, gives details about the popular ISP-sponsored field trips, explains how ISP concentrators use their degree after graduation, and talks about how SIPA's security policy program is unique.

(Windows Media Player)

Civico, Aldo

Aldo Civico, Director of the Center for International Conflict  Resolution (CICR) and the International Conflict Resolution Program  (ICRP), talks about the mission of CICR and how that mission relates  to graduate students at SIPA, discusses the Conflict Resolution  Program in detail as well as the classes associated with it, gives  examples of organizations hiring graduates of the program, explains  the internship process and gives some helpful tips to potential  students.

(Windows Media Player)

Cohen, Steven

Steven Cohen, director of the Master of Public Administration Program  in Environmental Science and Policy and director of the environmental  policy studies concentration at SIPA talks about the EPS  concentration, the kind of students attracted to that concentration,  details of EPS-related courses, the EPS internship experience, and  gives advice to prospective students.

(Windows Media Player)

Lindenmayer, Elizabeth

Elizabeth Lindenmayer, Director of the UN Studies program, explains  what the UN Studies Program is about, how it integrates academics with  UN practitioners, and talks about opportunities for interning at the UN.

(Windows Media Player)

Janow, Merit E.

Merit E. Janow is the the director of the International Economic  Policy (IEP) concentration at SIPA (since 1998) and codirector of  Columbia's APEC Study Center (since 1994). Professor Janow explains  how the IEP concentration is slightly more structured than other  concentrations, careers IEP concentrators generally end up pursuing,  whether IEP is only for students with economics backgrounds and the  general strengths of the SIPA program.

(Windows Media Player)

Salomons, Dirk

Dirk Salomons, Director of the Program for Humanitarian Affairs at 
SIPA, explains the uniqueness of the Humanitarian Affairs Program, 
explains some characteristics of SIPA professors, talks about the 
courses available at SIPA related to Humanitarian Affairs, and delves 
into the characteristics of what makes a successful SIPA student.

(Windows Media Player)

Esther
2007 MIA Graduate with a concentration in Human Rights / Humanitarian Affairs

A 2007 graduate talks about her career development at SIPA and gives advice to students currently enrolled in the program.

(text interview)

Mary Beth
2000 MPA Graduate with a concentration in Non-Profit Management

A 2000 MPA Graduate with a concentration in Non-Profit Management talks about the marketability of a SIPA degree. 

(text interview)

Philippe
2007 MIA Graduate with a concentration in International Finance and Business

A 2007 MIA Graduate with a concentration in International Finance and Business talks about his background, SIPA’s reputation in professional settings, and his current job in Dubai, UAE.

(text interview)

Richard
2004 MPA Graduate with a concentration in Social Policy/Nonprofit Management

A 2004 MPA graduate talks about what he is doing now and how SIPA is viewed in the professional community.

(text interview)

Sherif
2006 MIA Graduate with a concentration in Economic and Political Development

Sherif graduated from SIPA in May of 2006 with a concentration in Economic and Political Development.  He talks about his experience at SIPA and the reputation of the school in the professional world. 

(text interview)