World Changers and Future Makers
Flexibility is key
Our students have unusual flexibility to design an individualized course of study around the issues they are most passionate about by taking advantage of the extraordinary breadth of courses and resources at Jackson and across Yale. Graduates come away with a policy toolkit uniquely tailored to their professional interests.
100% fully funded tuition
The Jackson School is committed to making our M.P.P. program accessible to all. 100% of the M.P.P. students who entered in fall 2024 have their tuition fully covered through a Jackson tuition fellowship, external funding, or a combination of both.
Access to global networks
Colleagues and collaborators from around the world come together as part of our diverse community at the Jackson School. Tap into Yale’s 187,000+ global alumni community for career advice, engage with World Fellows—dynamic mid-career practitioners who are on the rise in their fields—and receive mentorship and guidance from Senior Fellows, seasoned professionals from various fields in global affairs who teach Jackson courses.
The Freedom to Explore
Generous funding for summer internships allows students to pursue their academic goals in locations across the globe.
Master in Public Policy in Global Affairs (M.P.P.)
Jackson’s flexible curriculum and individualized attention provides our graduates with a policy toolkit uniquely tailored to their professional interests, allowing them to make an immediate difference in their chosen paths.
Tuition & Funding
We guarantee fellowships to cover 100% of tuition for all incoming M.P.P. students.
The Jackson School is committed to making our M.P.P. program accessible to every student who is admitted.
jackson curriculum Facts
full-credit courses taken over two years, plus demonstrated proficiency in foreign language
Fundamental skills classes in writing, speaking, and negotiation
Small by design, with
Students develop their individualized, interdisciplinary concentrations drawing from courses taught by faculty throughout Yale and across disciplines.
About half of each M.P.P. cohort, including students from underrepresented regions such as Africa and Latin America, are awarded living stipends to cover the full cost of attendance. Summer travel awards are provided to all first-year students for unpaid internships and research projects.
students per year
Intimate seminarstyle courses taught by prominent practitioners from the public and private sectors A required leadership and ethics workshop
Joint Degree and Mid-Career Programs
Joint Degrees
Students seeking to use their policy background in specialized arenas such as business, law, and public health have the opportunity to combine their skills and interest in global affairs with another professional degree. The joint degree combines the two programs in a way that is complementary to both and also preserves each program’s integrity.
Jackson offers interdisciplinary joint-degree programs with the following schools:
Yale School of the Environment (M.F., M.E.M., M.E.Sc., M.F.S.)
Yale School of Management (M.B.A.)
Yale Law School (J.D.)
Yale School of Public Health (M.P.H.)
To pursue a joint degree, candidates must apply, and be admitted to, each school separately. If admitted to both at the same time, students are required to begin their course of study at Jackson. Students may also apply to a joint program during their first year at Jackson.
On a case-by-case basis, students may obtain permission to pursue joint degrees with programs outside of Yale.
Master of Advanced Study (M.A.S.) Program
The Master of Advanced Study (M.A.S.) in Global Affairs is a one-year program for mid-career professionals. The program is small by design, with only a few admitted students each year. Students take 8 full-credit courses in one year of full-time study. The M.A.S. is aimed at professionals with extensive experience in a field of global affairs such as international security, diplomacy, and development. Applicants must have a minimum of seven years of professional experience. Applicants should show superior professional qualifications and evidence of ability to succeed and thrive in a rigorous multi-disciplinary academic program.
Jackson students in Algeria over spring break.
Jackson’s campus is located in New Haven’s Hillhouse Avenue Historic District.
Jackson’s graduate students form an intimate and close-knit community.
Defining Your Path at the Jackson School
Ho M e C ountry
u n D ergra D uate D egree
DaviD alzate
’24
Bo
Australia
Bachelor in Commerce with Honours in Economics
Ecuador/ United States
Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service in international political economy
Three years
Boston Consulting Group in Melbourne
GLBL 7305: Disinformation in the Age of AI
GLBL 6611: Artificial Intelligence, Emerging Technologies, and National Power
CHNS 166: Chinese for Current Affairs
Four years at an international development research and policy nonprofit (J-PAL)
United Kingdom
First Class Honors degree in government and economics
Canada
Bachelor of Commerce, focused on finance and economics
Seven years as an economist for the UK Civil Service
GLBL 7280: Leadership
MGT882: Advanced Negotiations
PLSC 536: Applied Quantitative Research Design
GLBL 6510: Central Banking in Emerging Economies
GLBL 7235: Development Finance Beyond Aid
GLBL 773: Practical Challenges in Policy Design and Reform
MGT 839: Program Evaluation
PLSC 438: Applied Quantitative Research Design
Traveled to China to participate in the Yale-Renmin Student Dialogue on AI, Emerging Technology, and U.S.-China Relations, as part of the Jackson School’s Schmidt Program
Co-founded the Jackson Latin America and the Caribbean student group and conducted research for Yale’s Economic Growth Center
Center for AI Policy, Senior Policy Analyst, Washington, DC
Colombia/ United States
Bachelor of Arts in global affairs
Two years at Goldman Sachs and three years at the World Bank.
GLBL 632: Governing the Global Economy
HIST 790: Relations of the Great Powers since 1890
FREN 150: Advanced Language Practice
GMAN 120: Elementary German II
Production and Communication Consultant, Yale Economic Growth Center
Spent two weeks in Jordan as part of the Jackson School’s “Development in Action” course
Senior Associate, Americas Practice, Albright Stonebridge Group Work ex P erien C e B
Program Analyst at the Howard G. Buffett Foundation; International Development Fellow for America
Solidaria in Santiago, Chile
GLBL 860: Development in Action
GLBL 773: Practical Challenges in Policy Design and Reform
GLBL 608: Contemporary Issues in Latin America and the Caribbean
MGT 867: Modern
Philanthropy: Perspectives and Challenges
MGT 527: Strategic Management of Nonprofit Organizations
Evidence Advisor, Office of the Chief Economist, USAID
Head of Analysis, AI Safety Institute, UK Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
Member of the Jackson Women student organization Investment Officer, International Finance Corporation
MPP
ClauDia Wilson MPP ’24
Max toWnsenD MPP ’23
Manuela nivia MPP ’23
Mi okuyiga MPP ’23
Outstanding Scholars, Interdisciplinary Fields
At Jackson, we recognize that no single discipline can address today’s global challenges. Our approach breaks down traditional academic silos to leverage the strengths of different scholarly perspectives and combines them with practical knowledge from leading experts in government, business, and the nonprofit world.
Kate Baldwin
Associate Professor of Political Science and Global Affairs
Lauren Bergquist
Assistant Professor of Economics and Global Affairs
Lorenzo Caliendo
Won Park Hahn Professor of Global Affairs and Management
David C. Engerman
Leitner International Interdisciplinary Professor of History and Global Affairs
Mayara Felix
Assistant Professor of Economics and Global Affairs
Jennifer Gandhi Professor of Political Science and Global Affairs
Laura Robson Professor of History and Global Affairs
Pinelopi Goldberg
Elihu Professor of Economics, Professor of Global Affairs and Management
Paul Kennedy
J. Richardson Dilworth Professor of History and Global Affairs
Amit Khandelwal
Dong-Soo Hahn Professor of Global Affairs and Economics
Jim Levinsohn
Charles W. Goodyear Professor in Global Affairs
Christopher Neilson Professor of Economics and Global Affairs
Catherine Panter-Brick
Bruce A. and Davi-Ellen
Chabner Professor of Anthropology, Health, and Global Affairs
Kenneth Scheve
Dean Acheson Professor of Political Science and Global Affairs
Ian Shapiro Sterling Professor of Political Science and Global Affairs
Timothy Snyder
Richard Levin Professor of History and Global Affairs
Aleh Tsyvinski
Arthur M. Okun Professor of Economics and Global Affairs
Arne Westad
Elihu Professor of History and Global Affairs
Alden Young Associate Professor of History and Global Affairs
JACKSON SENIOR FELLOWS
Amb. Harry K. Thomas, Jr. had a three-decade career in the State Department which included service as ambassador to Zimbabwe, the Philippines, and Bangladesh. He was a Strategic Engagement Leader at Special Operations Command and is currently a Senior Advisor for Orbis Operations and EEC Solutions.
Jessica Seddon’s work on environmental governance focuses on how new sources of data can be leveraged to enable new (and more sustainable) ways of interacting with the environment around us. She is a co-founder of The Institutional Architecture Lab.
Jessica Faieta retired from the UN System after 30 years of service that spanned the development, peace and humanitarian pillars. She was UN Assistant Secretary-General and United Nations Development Program Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean and held other UN leadership positions.
Bisa Williams is a former career diplomat who served tours in Guinea, Panama, Mauritius, France, and as former U.S. Ambassador to Niger. For the last two years, she has also led The Carter Center’s effort as Independent Observer of implementation of the Peace Agreement in Mali.
Beth Goldberg is the head of research & development at Jigsaw, a Google unit that explores threats to open societies. She leads an interdisciplinary team of researchers who investigate online harms from disinformation to violent extremism.
Leaders, Practitioners, Mentors
Senior Fellows
Each year Jackson brings in outstanding practitioners and experts in global affairs as Senior Fellows. They teach courses, consult with students about career ambitions, enliven the conversation on campus, and conduct research emanating from their experiences. Senior Fellows bring a fresh and on-theground perspective to their teaching as well as assist Jackson students with networking opportunities. Past Senior Fellows have included retired U.S. ambassadors, former elected officials, journalists, policy advisors, business and nonprofit leaders, and retired military personnel. Senior Fellows are an invaluable resource to Jackson students, both during their time at Yale and after.
World Fellows
Each year, the Maurice R. Greenberg World Fellows Program selects a group of 16 global leaders to spend the fall semester in residence at Jackson. The World Fellows are creative and talented practitioners who are on the rise in their fields. Coming from diverse backgrounds and professions, they all demonstrate significant achievement in their respective industries. They share a passion for change and a commitment to making the world a better place. World Fellows develop close relationships with Yale students, providing mentorship to those that hope to follow similarly impactful careers.
Climate Fellows
Climate Fellows are young practitioners from multiple career tracks from across Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America/Caribbean who share a common passion to become future leaders in the clean energy/climate change space. Fellows spend a week in residence at Yale each year, engaging with faculty, students and fellow practitioners.
Hanscom Smith is a retired Department of State Senior Foreign Service Officer. During his 32-year career, he served as consul general in Hong Kong and Shanghai, as acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of State responsible for China, Taiwan, and Mongolia, among other roles.
Retired U.S. ambassador Bisa Williams and students spent two weeks in the Sahel region of Africa.
Senior Fellow Jessica Faieta and students at the U.N. headquarters in New York City.
Senior Fellow Shoshana Stewart led students on a spring break trip to Jordan.
Senior Fellow Beth Goldberg spoke a recent forum on cyber leadership.
Retired U.S. ambassador Harry K. Thomas, Jr. talks with a Jackson student.
Student Life Beyond the Classroom
Jackson students test new ideas and create community through exciting student-led programming and activities. With generous funding and support from the Office of Student Affairs, students put on conferences, bring in distinguished guest speakers on a variety of topics, and hold community conversations on pressing local, national and international issues.
Members of the Jackson Women student organization visited the UN headquarters in New York.
Jackson students often organize potluck dinners and other activities outside of class.
First-year orientation includes a trip to the Berkshires Mountains.
Paid Teaching and Research Opportunities
Many Jackson graduate students take advantage of the numerous paid teaching and research opportunities at Yale. International students are also eligible for any of these positions.
Teaching Fellow positions
Teaching Fellow (TF) positions are a great opportunity for Jackson students to gain teaching experience and earn extra income. Jackson students hold TF positions for Jackson School courses and for select departments and schools across Yale. It is common for Jackson students to hold a TF position during their time at Yale.
Research Assistants
Students secure positions as paid research assistants to support Jackson and other Yale faculty with projects such as academic research for books, data analysis, and more.
Hourly positions
Hourly grading and tutoring positions are available to students as well as various other administrative positions on campus that are posted by the Yale Student Employment Office.
Independent Research
Many Jackson students develop and pursue their own independent research for academic credit. Called Directed Readings, students produce policy papers for publication, substantial research papers, oral presentations and more, under the supervision of a faculty member or Senior Fellow.
A few M.P.P. students pursue a thesis option which counts for two credits out of the 16 required. The thesis is most appropriate (though not exclusively so) for students interested in academic careers.
Graduate Affiliates
In exchange for access to the Yale College residential communities and meals in the dining halls, Graduate Affiliates become invaluable mentors to the undergraduate students, collaborating with students and staff to organize social and educational activities throughout the year, while being part of a vibrant community of fellows.
Jackson students enjoy a vibrant intellectual and social community outside the classroom. Students work with the Office of Student Affairs to develop new programming ideas and organizations tailored to their interests.
Student Organizations include:
Yale Journal of International Affairs
Jackson Salon
Student Advocacy Council
Jackson Women
DEI Council
Out in the World
Jackson Latin America and the Caribbean
Jackson International Military Veterans Club
Jackson Development, Environment, Society and Climate
For more information about our Student Organizations visit jackson.yale.edu/academics/mpp/student-life
Assistant Dean for Student Affairs Lily Sutton talks with a student.
Career Support
Jackson’s Career Development Office provides tailor-made programs and advising to our graduate students.
Each year, we host more than 60 career development events. Jackson also offers personalized career coaching for students, including weekly office hours and one-onone advising with Career Development Office staff.
Our programming includes career speaker events featuring professionals in the field of global affairs, career skills workshops, and a weekly e-newsletter with a listing of events and job and internship opportunities.
Students interested in organizing an event specific to their career interests can work with the Career Development Office to organize a customized activity or trip. In the past students have, for example, organized events about working women, a UN site visit, and events around United States State Department careers.
Employment After Yale
Jackson’s May 2024 master’s program graduates are making an impact in diverse and impressive roles in global locations including Washington, DC; London; Taipei; Dakar, New York City; Sejong City; Dhaka; Boston; and Kigali. Alumni have secured high-level roles across multiple sectors including government, finance, consulting, international development, and the military. Notable positions include Founder and CEO, Chief of Staff, Senior Policy Advisor, and Principal Global Economist. The variety of roles, from strategic and developmental finance to entrepreneurial and public service, underscores how the personalized and interdisciplinary nature of the Jackson experience prepares graduates to have impactful careers worldwide.
Non-profit organization, institution, or NGO Government or other public institution
For-profit corporation/company Multilateral organization
Africa
Middle
Jackson students can receive up to $6,000
Summer Experiences with Funding
Jackson graduate students use the summer between their first and second year to explore career options, take risks and build new skills. Many recent graduates say the summer experience helped clarify their career path.
Jackson M.P.P. students can receive up to $6,000 in summer funding. This funding allows students the flexibility to think creatively about how to spend their summer months.
Alejandro Sanchez Flores interned at Albright Stonebridge Group’s Americas Practice in Washington, D.C.
Rania Putri interned at the Benesse Art Site at Naoshima Island in Tokyo and at the Koalisi Seni (Art Coalition) in Jakarta.
Peter Nelson interned with Senator Richard Blumenthal’s (D-CT) National Security Team in Washington, D.C.
Sarah Pieslak worked as a Customer Retention & Community Engagement Fellow for the Sanergy Collaborative in Nairobi.
Anibal Guerrero interned at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in Paris.
sampLe summer 2024 pL aCements
Jackson graduate students use the summer between their first and second year to explore career options, take risks and build new skills.
Morning commute by a canal boat to the UN ESCAP office in Bangkok.
Jackson student Allison Holland spent her summer in South Africa collecting data, conducting farmer interviews, and measuring and evaluation farming interventions.
From the Classroom to a Calling
practitioners in global affairs.
100%
2023 MPP alumni were employed or pursuing additional study by 6 months after graduation
Jackson students have access to senior
Jackson CDO programming includes a trip to Washington, D.C. during fall break.
Global Alumni Network
Recent alumni have left Yale to take on positions in the public, private, non-profit, and intergovernmental sectors. Jackson School alumni are an active part of the community, often returning to campus to mentor students and engage in career planning conversations. Alumni also speak to students during our annual networking trips to Washington, D.C. and New York City.
When you combine the wisdom and passion of Jackson alumni with the expansive global reach of all of Yale alumni, you get a powerful network capable of supporting you throughout your career.
The total number of living alumni at Yale is currently around
187,900
The Yale alumni network is truly global. Collectively they live in or are from
160 different countries
JACKSON ALUMNI PROFILES
Maria roDriguez-DoMinguez Ma ’17
PolitiCal affairs offiCer, eMBassy of MexiCo to tHe uniteD states
As a political affairs officer at the Embassy of Mexico to the United States, Maria is helping strengthen the U.S.-Mexico relationship by promoting cooperation across sectors and inspiring future generations in her home country.
ani krisHnan Ma ’21
natural CliMate solutions PoliCy Manager, Conservation international
Working with governments and other stakeholders across Asia and the Pacific region, Ani is promoting the “catalytic role” policy can play in implementing and financing natural climate solutions.
Dira faBrian Ma ’16
first seCretary for PolitiCal affairs, inDonesia’s Per Manent Mission to asean Dira represents her native Indonesia with a regional organization that promotes economic, social, and cultural progress across southeast Asia.
Brian PriCe ’10 Ma ’13
senior DireCtor of u. s . governMent
ProJeCt ManageMent, eDuCation anD CHilD ProteCtion, save tHe CHilDren us
Through wars, natural disasters and public health crises, the need to continue educating children is at once critical and complicated. Brian is leading and managing projects that address this global issue, leaning on experience he first gained as a Yale student.
rHeanne Wirkkala Ma ’11
assistant seCretary of Defense for legislative affairs at tHe u. s . DePartMent of Defense
From a young age, Rheanne knew she wanted to work in government. The steps she’s taken since — from Yale to Capitol Hill to the Pentagon — have been in pursuit of that dream.
Jackson alumni often return to campus to speak with students about their careers.
Jackson Centers & Initiatives
The Jackson School houses numerous centers and initiatives focused on different aspects of global affairs, led by senior faculty members. These convening spaces allow students engage with like-minded peers and faculty members from across campus. Activities include visitors and special events, research opportunities, and more.
Blue Center for Global Strategic Assessment
The Blue Center supports research and teaching in the areas of national defense, diplomacy, intelligence, and international economic relations. The center provides funding for professors, faculty and student fellows, and research initiatives related to its areas of focus.
Deitz Family Initiative on Environment and Global Affairs
The initiative supports students who want to work at the intersection of environmental change and other aspects of global affairs.
International Leadership Center
The ILC develops and supports innovative, effective and adaptive leaders to address the most acute and complex challenges facing the world.
Johnson Center for the Study of American Diplomacy
The center hosts events that convene practitioners and scholars from around the world to discuss contemporary issues in international affairs.
The Peacebuilding Initiative
The Jackson School Peacebuilding Initiative works towards understanding pathways to peace and documenting how policy efforts can build a more lasting peace.
Schmidt Program on Artificial Intelligence, Emerging Technologies, and National Power
Fosters research & teaching across disciplines, including computer science, data science, economics, engineering, international relations, law, physics, and political science.
Social Innovation Initiative
The Social Innovation Initiative’s mission is to unite Jackson community members passionate about social innovation and impact.
The World Fellows Program, part of the International Leadership Center, brings international leaders to Yale to grow intellectually, share knowledge, strengthen skills and expand networks.
FACILITATING DIALOGUE
In March 2024, students in the Schmidt Program on Artificial Intelligence, Emerging Technologies, and National Power engaged in three days of discussion and debate with peers at Renmin University in Beijing, China. Students and faculty broke into small groups over the course of the dialogue to share thinking on the principal strategic challenges in U.S.-China relations today and the role that emerging technologies play in contributing to those challenges.
In addition to the time spent in dialogue with Renmin peers, Yale students had the opportunity to participate in an anniversary celebration of the Yale Center Beijing, meet with U.S. Embassy officials, and visit the Forbidden City and Summer Palace with their Renmin student hosts.
The group also traveled to Taiwan for a series of high-level discussions focused on AI, emerging technology, and U.S.-China-Taiwan relations. Students visited the city of Hsinchu, a major hub for science and technology development, and met with leaders from Taiwanese tech companies.
A FOCUS ON THE ENVIRONMENT
The Deitz Family Initiative on the Environment and Global Affairs supports short-term visits and lectures from leaders working at the intersection of environmental change and other aspects of global affairs. In spring 2024, the initiative hosted visits by Leslie Maasdorp, vice president and CFO of the New Development Bank and Sandra Cavalieri, Hub Manager, Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) Secretariat. Students had an opportunity to engage in dialogue with the speakers in a small group setting.
A Jackson student speaks during a discussion with peers at Renmin University in Beijing.
Students had a chance to do some sightseeing during the trip, including in the Forbidden City.
Living & Learning in The Elm City
New Haven is a wonderful place to call home, whether you live on or off-campus. The city’s diversity is apparent in its neighborhoods, which range from quiet residential blocks to lively downtown streets, and in its population, which combines the socioeconomic mix of a New England city with that of a global university.
Haven is accessible by plane, train, and automobile. It’s an easy city to navigate on foot, by bicycle or bus. Yale also provides an extensive free shuttle service covering many areas of New Haven.
New
New Haven also is home to a dazzling array of gastronomic delights, offering just about any cuisine you can think of. It is the birthplace of the hamburger and known nationwide for its brick oven pizza. From Modern American to Turkish, Spanish, French, Indian, Japanese, desserts, coffee, libations, craft beer, and everything in-between—we’ve got it all.
Experience award-winning theater, world-class museums and galleries, exciting nightlife at clubs and pubs, and unique live music venues—all right in New Haven.
Explore New Haven
New Haven has excellent parks, running trails, outdoor recreational areas and facilities, including a public ice skating rink.
Timeline
M.A.S. Applications due
November 1
M.P.P. Applications due*
January 2
M.P.P./M.A.S. Acceptance Notification
Early March
Admitted Students Program
Early April
Decision deadline
May 1
Admissions recruitment events
Jackson admissions staff attend both virtual and in-person admissions fairs and host webinars throughout the summer and fall. Each fall, we welcome prospective students to campus for our Fall Visit Day Program, which includes class visits, lunch with current students and one-one-one meetings with Jackson staff members. In the spring, we welcome recently admitted students to Yale for our two-day Admitted Student Program.
We look forward to connecting with you at an upcoming event! All recruitment events are posted to our admissions events calendar: jackson.yale.edu/admissions-events
Jackson’s campus includes four stately mansions along the historic Hillhouse Avenue in New Haven.
Many events take place in the Horchow Hall G.M. Room, an intimate venue for high-profile speakers and other gatherings. Hillhouse Avenue is a quiet, bike-friendly street that’s great for walking.
school/yale-jackson-school-of-global-affairs @yalejacksonschool jackson.school.of.global.affairs @jacksonyale