NYU Wagner Course Brings Public Policy Education to Iconic New York Institutions
New York City offers unique opportunities for public policy education, and NYU Wagner's "Institutions, Governance, and International Development" (IGID) course is putting this advantage to work. During this year's January term, students moved beyond traditional classroom walls to learn directly from professionals at some of the city's most significant institutions.
The course, which examines how governments can build and sustain effective markets while serving their communities, brought students to organizations including Bloomberg Associates, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, and the British Consulate General. In a rare opportunity, students visited the New York Stock Exchange's trading floor, which has been closed to outside visitors since 2001, gaining first-hand insights into the operations of global financial markets.
"Normally, students would have to travel abroad to see how the theories and concepts we discuss in class play out in the real world," says Professor Salo Coslovsky, who teaches this course. "But when we study international development and governance in New York City, we can literally walk into these institutions and talk with the people doing this work."
Elan Nelson (MPA-PNP 2026), one of the students in the class, noted that “there aren’t many cities on Earth where this course could be offered.” She added, “It is one thing to talk about what an organization does, and it is another to witness it in action. We were very fortunate to have the representatives of these organizations giving real-world examples of their work. Their answers allowed us to connect the hypothetical scenarios of development we learned in class, with the actual results of implementation.”
The program has built an extensive network of site visits over the years, including city agencies like the Department of Sanitation and NYC Small Business Services, state and federal agencies such as the NY Economic Development Corporation and FEMA, international organizations such as UNICEF, and private sector firms including Moody's sovereign risk division.
Many of these visits are hosted by NYU Wagner alumni, creating valuable connections between current students and practitioners. Todd Rufo (MUP 2004) and Jane Bartman (MUP 2022) hosted the class at Bloomberg Associates, while Amy Auton-Smith (EMPA 2018), who is also an adjunct associate professor at Wagner, hosted the class at the British Consulate General.
“Connecting with alumni was a clear example of how multidirectional a degree from Wagner could be,” said Jenny Jamison (MPA-PNP 2026), another student in the course. “It was really encouraging to see alumni doing great work at incredible organizations and opened up some alternate considerations for my future career.”
The course's practical approach has drawn students from across NYU, including Wagner's MPA and Executive MPA programs, the Masters in International Relations offered by NYU' s Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, Tandon School of Engineering, and more. Recent classes have included participants from diverse backgrounds—from international public officials to financial sector executives and experienced civil servants—enriching classroom discussions with their varied perspectives.
"This course examines how markets and governments can work together to foster development," says Professor Salo Coslovsky. "Being in New York City allows us to see these interactions firsthand and learn from the practitioners who shape these relationships every day.
Executive MPA student Angel-Emilio Cordero added, “The course has equipped me with both the confidence and competence to navigate intergovernmental spaces. I hope to carry forward a deeper appreciation for the interconnectedness of global systems and a toolkit of strategies for addressing complex policy challenges.”
