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...

2023 Summer
1 section

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.

2023 Spring
+ 1 more semester
2 sections

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...

2023 Spring
1 section

Espionage: Fact vs. Fiction

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

2023 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,...

2023 Spring
+ 1 more semester
2 sections

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...

2023 Summer
1 section

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...

2023 Spring
1 section

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...

2023 Spring
1 section

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...

2023 Spring
1 section

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.

2023 Spring
1 section

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.

2023 Spring
1 section

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...

2023 Spring
1 section

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...

2023 Spring
1 section

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...