Julien J. Studley Graduate Programs in International Affairs

Practice Curriculum

Practicum Capstone Option

All GPIA students fulfill a two-course Capstone requirement: Thesis, Research Portfolio, or Practicum. The Practicum provides an applied experience working with a client organization on an assigned project. 

In the first of two semesters students choose a client project and begin to work on it in either prerequisite courses Project Cycle Management; or Critiquing, Negotiating and Advocating Policy. Student teams undertake Terms of Reference, and conduct research, data collection and analysis. In the second semester students work on implementing a project, producing the client-requested deliverables. Finally, the team makes a formal presentation to the client and university community. 

The client role and interaction with students is an integral element of the learning process, with the ups and downs of a student’s work differing with each client.  Ideally we seek – and often have – very-engaged clients, however the reality is also very-busy clients with limited time, who can be unresponsive, with vague and/or late feedback, lack of direction and sometimes even mis-direction. Students thereby learn flexibility, and adjustment to a fluid, sometimes slow and then fast-paced environment. 

Through the Practicum, students, besides becoming expert on their specific project topic, problem and sector, students develop professional and consulting skills, including understanding client objectives, using a Terms of Reference, managing appropriate client communication and reporting, and turning in high-quality work on deadline. They also learn teamwork skills, including managing schedules, roles and responsibilities; and troubleshooting relationships among members to produce optimal results. 

Finally, as a capstone approaching graduation into the working world, they have gained understanding of how organizations work, and expanded their professional network. 

Past practicum projects include:

2024

2023

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

Click here to see more past Practicum deliverables.

International Field Program

Since its inception in 2002, hundreds of students have participated in our signature International Field Program (IFP) in more than 30 countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Europe. The IFP is a platform for emerging practitioners and researchers to gain experience in the field in an academic environment. The IFP’s extended field stays are unique among international affairs programs in the United States. In the course of nine weeks, students work and conduct research with community-based organizations, NGOs, international organizations, and governmental agencies. The topics covered range from community development, policy advocacy, citizen journalism, and post-conflict state-building to urban planning and long-term monitoring and evaluation. Learn more.

Students in Thessaloniki during the International Field Program

United Nations Summer Study

The United Nations Summer Study (UNSS) program provides graduate and undergraduate students and continuing education professionals from all fields and areas of study with knowledge and skills for understanding the United Nations system, and offers preparation for international careers. Unlike other UN study programs, UNSS takes you beyond a narrow focus on security and diplomacy to investigate development, human rights, humanitarian action, peacekeeping and peacebuilding, and environmental and reform issues. UNSS’s online coursework prepares you to analyze and engage with contemporary issues, policies, and debates in international affairs. UNSS practicums, not found in any other UN summer program, enable you to gain hands-on experience through remote consultancy work with the UN system. Learn more.

Contact Us

Julien J. Studley Graduate Programs in International Affairs
72 Fifth Avenue, 7th floor
New York, NY 10011
212.206.3542
intaffairs@newschool.edu

International Affairs Advising
gpiaadvising@newschool.edu

If you would like to contact a specific faculty or staff member, please refer to the University Directory.

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