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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.

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.

2024 Spring
+ 1 more semester
2 sections

Human Rights and Development

A rights-based approach to development has become increasingly central in explaining and addressing the underlying issues related to economic,...

2024 Summer
1 section

A Holistic Look at Iran: Economics, Religion, Politics, and More

Take a holistic look at the various aspects of Iran: environment, ethnolinguistic composition, religious proclivities, economics, and politics.

2024 Summer
1 section

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...

2024 Summer
1 section

Countdown to November: Primaries, Policies, and Politics in Real Time

Register for this course on the NYU SPS Academy of Lifelong Learning website. The course will follow real-time national, state, and...

2024 Spring
1 section

Global Health and Development

The world has made immense strides in improving health outcomes and increasing life-expectancy over the past century in large part due to...

2024 Spring
1 section

The Crisis of Security: Global Politics from the End of the Cold War to the Present

Register for this course on the new NYU SPS Academy of Lifelong Learning website. In 1991 the world witnessed the triumph of...

2024 Spring
1 section

Politics and Leadership in a Changing Middle East

Register for this course on the new NYU SPS Academy of Lifelong Learning website. This course will look at the historical and ideological...

2024 Spring
1 section

The Global Economy and Financial Markets: Making Sense of News Headlines

Register for this course on the NYU SPS Academy of Lifelong Learning website. Deciphering economic and financial terminology can be...

2024 Spring
1 section

Espionage: Fact vs. Fiction

Taught by a veteran intelligence professional, this course separates myth from reality in the field of espionage.

2024 Spring
1 section

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...

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.

BRICS: The Rise of Geopolitical and Economic Influencers

Register for this Fall 2023 course on the NYU SPS Academy of Lifelong Learning website. In 2001, an investment banker coined the...

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.

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...

What to Watch for 2024: The Politics, the Issues, the Players

Register for this Fall 2023 course on the NYU SPS Academy of Lifelong Learning website. As the 2024 election process begins, the...

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...