Current Affairs
- Taught by Leading Journalists, Historians, and Authors
- Focuses on Issues Behind Today&rsquos News
- Provides a Stimulating Environment for Discussion
If you are interested in current events, these courses will allow you to gain an in-depth and more contextualized understanding of today’s critical issues. This includes historic background, when appropriate, as well as an analysis of the actors and stakeholders affecting outcomes. Join your contemporaries for lively discussion and intellectual stimulation.
This semester, study in-person or from anywhere in the world from the safety and comfort of your home through online or remote instruction.
Background and History of Organized Crime
Register for this Summer 2023 course on the NYU SPS Academy of Lifelong Learning website. This course will look at the organization...
America in the World: Is the US Constitution in Crisis?
Explore how studying other democracies can shed light on the troubled present—and possible future—of American politics and government.
Disaster Preparedness and Humanitarian Assistance
In order to achieve the key UN Sustainable Development goals of "No Poverty, Zero Hunger, Good Health and Wellbeing, Gender Equality, Clean...
Espionage: Fact vs. Fiction
Taught by a veteran intelligence professional, this course separates myth from reality in the field of espionage.
Human Rights and Development
A rights-based approach to development has become increasingly central in explaining and addressing the underlying issues related to economic,...
Critical Issues and Careers in Global Affairs
Apply for this Summer 2023 course here. Thinking about grad school? Considering an impactful career in the global arena? Spend two...
From the Age of Optimism to the Age of Anxiety: Global Insights 1991 to Present
Register for this Spring 2023 course on the new NYU SPS Academy of Lifelong Learning website. In 1991 the world witnessed the...
The President, the Congress, the Courts, and The States: Conflict, Cooperation and 2024
Register for this Spring 2023 course on the new NYU SPS Academy of Lifelong Learning website. The 2022 political dynamic will set...
Voices of the Modern Middle East
Register for this Spring 2023 course on the new NYU SPS Academy of Lifelong Learning website. This course will use the lens of...
An Introduction to the Culture and Structure of the Islamic World
This course will look at Islam’s cultural diversity, touch on its history, and give an overview of Islam today by comparing its main schools.
China and America: A Global Power Struggle
Explore the competition between the US and China, from trade tensions to Beijing's censorship of Hollywood films to the battle for tech dominance.
From Frontline to Headline: The 'War About the War' in Afghanistan
Register for this Spring 2023 course on the NYU SPS Academy of Lifelong Learning website. Multiple frontlines beset contemporary...
Managing Risk and Uncertainty: Assessment, Frameworks, and Strategies
Operating in conditions of uncertainty can be disorienting and bewildering. A risk-informed approach can allow global leaders to make informed...
International Development
Explore the main elements of country development—from economic, political, social, cultural, and environmental perspectives.
International Relations
Gain an in-depth understanding of the post-Cold War world order and the Cold War’s impact on current geopolitical and economic landscapes.
Publishing Op-Eds and Blogposts
Develop a foundation in argumentative, critical, and analytic writing, and sharpen essential editing skills, for use in international affairs.
Education and International Development
According to the World Bank, education is a powerful driver of development and one of the strongest instruments for reducing poverty and...
Shifting Global and Domestic Paradigms and the 2022 Midterms
Register for this Fall 2022 course on the new NYU SPS Academy of Lifelong Learning website. Significant global and domestic...
The US-Latin America Relationship: Past, Present, and Future
The United States’ relationship with Latin America has been and continues to be one of the most important and controversial relationships...
The United States: The World's Liberal Hegemon, But Why?
Register for this Fall 2022 course on the new NYU SPS Academy of Lifelong Learning website. The United States is seen by its...
Health in Developing Countries
The world has made immense strides in improving health outcomes and increasing life-expectancy over the past century in large part due to...
Politics and Development
"Good governance" is an essential condition for growth in low-income countries, and for human development as well. A number of the...
Politics and Leadership in a Changing Middle East
Register for this Fall 2022 course on the new NYU SPS Academy of Lifelong Learning website. This course will look at the historical and...
Economic Growth and Poverty Reduction
This course will examine the economic challenges poor countries face and the strategies proposed to deal with them, beginning with an analysis...