29/04/2009 | Newsletter, International Affairs

View from the Top : Meet the dean of SIPA, professor John H Coatsworth

By: Tim Rogers

International affairs and issues of public policy dominate the world’s headlines on a daily basis. So, has there ever been a better time to consider a graduate program in one of these specialized, yet highly interdisciplinary, academic subjects?

Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) is one of the most prestigious and highly sought after institutions offering masters and PhD programs in the field. QS Topgradschool.com speaks to the Dean of SIPA, Professor John Coatsworth.

Dean Coatsworth’s academic resume is impressive. He received his bachelors degree from Wesleyan University in History, his masters and PhD degrees from the University of Wisconsin and after teaching economic history and international affairs at the University of Chicago, joined the faculty of Harvard University in 1992 as the Monroe Gutman Professor of Latin America Affairs. It was here that he also served as the founding director of the David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies. He moved to Columbia’s SIPA in 2006 and in 2008 was appointed Dean of the School.

The author or editor of seven books and countless scholarly articles, Coatsworth’s research focus is economic history, with a particular specialism in Mexico and broader Latin American affairs. His position as Dean has driven something of a review of the academic curriculum of the School, ensuring both research and teaching are conducted in line with the current global demands of the discipline.
“Many of the faculty, staff, students and alumni have worked over the past year on a comprehensive review of the curriculum to be implemented a year from now,” he says.
“The new curriculum provides a better focus for SIPA, enabling the School to concentrate its energies to improve the education we offer our students, guide the recruitment of outstanding new faculty and enhance SIPA’s research profile as well as its service to the local, national and international communities.”

In addition, the School offers innovative joint masters and executive programs delivered with diverse partners.

From the inception of Columbia’s first School of International Affairs in 1946, academic programs in the field have highlighted both a global and a regional approach. With one of the world’s first masters degrees in Public Administration (MPA) – founded in 1977 – the renaming of the School to the present SIPA in 1981 has brought about a renewed interest on the development of highly relevant graduate programs in fields as diverse as sustainable development, environmental science and policy and economic policy management. In addition, the School offers innovative joint masters and executive programs delivered with diverse partners such as the London School of Economics, the National University of Singapore, Sciences Po in France and Peking University in China.

SIPA offers graduate programs at the masters and PhD level, with two programs – the Masters of International Affairs and the Masters of Public Administration – being among the most prestigious in their respective fields. Overall, the institution is regarded as one of the top three international affairs and public policy faculties in the world and boasts an enviable list of faculty and alumni.
Coatsworth regards this as one of SIPA’s most significant contributions to the current global situation.
“Alumni and faculty of the School continue to bring us accolades, raising SIPA’s profile as a center of policy research and practice. As is always the case, dozens of faculty this year have published in distinguished journals and have secured prestigious grants to support their research.”

One feature that sets SIPA apart from other centers of academic excellence in international relations and public policy is its commitment to ensuring graduates of its masters and PhD programs are highly sought after by employers. Students are encouraged to use the careers services from the very start of their academic programs and a specific Professional Development class is offered to all, in addition to specialist advice for international graduate students. In 2008, 86% of the graduating Masters of International Affairs class found employment, with 35% employed in the public sector, 39% in the private sector and 25% in the not-for-profit area. The median salary for those employed in the private sector immediately after their masters program was US$75,000.