GSPP Courses

This is the first of a two-course sequence in quantitative methods for MDP students. As such, it has two goals. First, we want to train you to think quantitatively and probabilistically - to understand basic terms, to be able to make sense of masses of data, to make informed decisions under uncertainty, and to have a good foundation for thinking intelligently about the two fundamental problems of statistics, the distinction between correlation and causation and the distinction between signal and…

Note: This course has discussion sections. Expand the table below to view all sections.

This is the first of a two-course sequence in quantitative methods for MDP students. As such, it has two goals. First, we want to train you to think quantitatively and probabilistically - to understand basic terms, to be able to make sense of masses of data, to make informed decisions under uncertainty, and to have a good foundation for thinking intelligently about the two fundamental problems of statistics, the distinction between correlation and causation and the distinction between signal and…

Note: This course has discussion sections. Expand the table below to view all sections.

Graduate seminar examining the role of energy science, technology, and policy in international development. The course will look at how changes in the theory and practice of energy systems and of international development have co-evolved over the past half- century, and what opportunities exist going forward. A focus will be on rural and decentralized energy use, and the issues of technology, culture, and politics that are raised by both current trajectories, and potential alternative energy choices. We will explore the…

This course will introduce the basic concepts including economic welfare, externality, public good, global commons, policy approaches for dealing with externality, and techniques for quality analysis. It will include case studies where groups will design economic incentives and policy solutions to major problems. It will have sections on particular problems including climate change, water and air quality, animal waste, toxic contamination, forestry and fishery policy.

Note: This course has discussion sections. Expand the table below to view all sections.

This course will introduce the basic concepts including economic welfare, externality, public good, global commons, policy approaches for dealing with externality, and techniques for quality analysis. It will include case studies where groups will design economic incentives and policy solutions to major problems. It will have sections on particular problems including climate change, water and air quality, animal waste, toxic contamination, forestry and fishery policy.

Note: This course has discussion sections. Expand the table below to view all sections.

The primary objective of the Project Management course is to develop critical skills and the knowledge needed to successfully define, plan, implement and lead projects. Emphasis on this course is positioned on Project Planning. The course may be particularly useful to students who attend experiential learning programs, such as MDP, where teams of students may need to define and plan projects along their semester or the year. Course content includes lecture notes on Project Management theory and tools, Business Cases…

Delve into the triumphs of public policy in the Global South, with a primary emphasis on Latin America. Uncover stories of social welfare programs that lifted millions from poverty, criminal justice reforms that curbed human rights abuses, and transformative voting technologies. Assess the effectiveness of these policies, and explore the political dynamics that facilitated their success. By the end, you'll gain insights into the symbiotic relationship between good policy and good politics in the Global South.

Introduction to Development Practice is a course geared towards first-semester MDP students to provide an introduction, overview, and history of the development field, including a discussion of the emergence of various forms of development institutions and organizations, as well as key policies influencing the emergence and evolution of the field.

This course will focus on the means and methods of finance applied to social, economic, and environmental challenges facing developing economies. It will survey the application of innovative financing emerging through new products and services, new processes and operations and organizational forms in addressing problems as diverse as entrepreneurial finance, renewable energy, environmental finance, global health, accelerating medical solutions, regional development, affordable housing, urban revitalization and infrastructure.