Specialized Professional Knowledge

The following courses provide students with practical and technical knowledge about the way particular agencies or industries work. Understanding these sector-specific policies and processes are highly prized in the professional world.

Congress & U.S. Foreign Policy
The class will examine the relationship between Congress and the Executive branch and the shaping of U.S. foreign and national security policy. The class will consider more practical details like how Congress works, and how the Executive branch tries to build Congressional support for its policies, as well as how Congress tries to shape the Administration policies. (Fall)

Corporate Government Relations
Course will provide an overview of the strengths and limitations of the various tools used to influence public policy. Primary focus will be on how the Washington lobbyist influences policy by managing and integrating various governmental affairs assets including Washington representation, media, hard money, grassroots/grasstops, advertising, validators and CEO involvement. Several public policy campaigns affecting international affairs including various Free Trade Campaigns, Steel Protection, and the USA*Engage Sanctions Reform Efforts will be examined in depth. (Spring)

The NSC and the Interagency Process
This course focuses on the nation's most important institution for the making of U.S. foreign and defense policy, the National Security Council (NSC), and how that policy is developed, through the interagency process. (Fall)

Understanding the U.S. Federal Budget
This brief course will cover the politics and processes of budgeting in the U.S. Federal Government. It will describe how budgeting works at each stage of the executive and legislative process-from preparation of the president's budget, through the authorization, appropriation, apportionment, and audit of government funds. (Fall)

Analyzing Conflict: Environmental Case Studies
This class will examine the major issues associated with election administration, including systems of representation, electoral management bodies, observation, and regulation of political parties, media, and other actors. Using comparative examples, the class will draw out differences between elections in transitional and established democracies. In addition, the class will address the major current challenges in election administration, such as electronic and postal voting. (Spring)

Alternative Analysis: The Red Team Approach
Alternative Analysis is often referred to as "red cell" or "red teaming." AA uses analytical methodologies not often used by mainline analysts. Following the 9/11 Commission Report and the Iraqi WMD Report, various U.S. government officials expressed concerns that the U.S. intelligence community lacks imagination, does not "think outside the box," or challenge prevailing assumptions. This is exactly what AA does. AA uses methodologies like key assumptions check, adversary emulation, devil's advocacy, team A/team B analysis, and a number of other approaches to complement traditional analysis, providing a more robust view of threats and vulnerabilities for policy and decision makers. AA is becoming an ever more important tool in the intelligence, military, law enforcement, and even business communities. (Fall, Spring, Summer)

Cyber Threats to National Security
This course provides an analytical framework for assessing policy options for dealing with cyber threats. Students will develop an understanding of cyber threats to U.S. national security and the range of policy options to deal with these threats. (Fall)

Designing Conflict Resolution Workshops
This innovative workshop is aimed at giving participants an "insider view" of a conflict while combining experiential and interactive learning with appropriate academic material and the application of conflict-related theories and models. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict will be used as a case study. (Fall)

Fundamentals of Science and Technology Public Policy-Making
Science and technology-based innovation is now seen to be connected to economic growth and its corresponding ability to generate societal wellbeing. This course will examine the public policy behind, and the federal government's role in, the science and technology innovation system. Additionally, this seminar will aim to equip those planning careers in and around science and technology with the basic background for involvement in science policymaking. (Fall)

Fundraising for Non-Profit Organizations
This course provides a basic overview of various methods of fundraising from non-governmental sources. Topics covered include the various methods for raising money, regulations, the philanthropic climate, donor motivations, working with the Board of Directors, and components of a fundraising program. (Fall)

Grant Proposal Writing
This course is designed to give students a "hands-on" experience of the process of seeking funds from private foundations and corporations. (Spring)

Micro-Enterprise Lending
The purpose of this bottom-up, client-focused class is to give the student an overview of the key issues involved in the design, management and evaluation of microfinance programs that target low-income clients. (Fall)

The Role of an Embassy
This course is designed to familiarize students with the structure of the embassy, its authorities both formal and informal, and its activities in support of U.S. interests. (Fall)