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Home > Degree Programs > Master's Degrees > Master in Public Administration/ International Development > Curriculum > Electives and Policy Tracks
Electives and Policy Tracks
The goal of the second year of the MPA/ID is to broaden the students' knowledge in the field and to deepen their understanding of a major area of development practice. Second year electives specifically designed for MPA/ID students are offered by professors Hausmann, Pande, Pritchett, Rodrik, and many others. Students are given wide latitude to choose their six electives. They develop the ability to apply the theoretical and empirical tools learned in their first-year core courses to a policy track which they have chosen based on their professional and career interests.
National and International Economic Policies
Students interested in careers in this area should focus on courses on macroeconomic policies, international trade and finance, financial sector policies, and public finance (taxation and public expenditures) with an eye to also deepening knowledge in the institutional, political, and administrative aspects of policy reform.
Sectoral Policies and Programs
Students interested in this area should keep in mind two aims in choosing their courses:
- Developing the general public sector management skills that are relevant across a range of sectors
- Deepening their knowledge of specific sectors of interest such as:
- Sustainable development
- Social policy (including poverty, health, education, and community development)
- Global governance, conflict and human rights
- Science, technology and development
Private Sector Development and Its Regulation
Students in this area should focus on courses in finance and financial policies, the regulatory environment (including privatization), competitiveness and industrial policies, and policy related skills such as leadership and negotiation.
Additional Electives
Additional electives may be chosen from the broad array of courses available at HKS or through cross-registration with other graduate schools at Harvard University or MIT.
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