Bright Minds, Big Cities

The Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy at U of T has partnered with another heavyweight to offer its first dual degree with a U.S. Ivy League institution, Columbia University’s School of International and Political Affairs (SIPA). Starting in September 2026, candidates will earn two distinct and complementary degrees, featuring one year of study in Toronto and one year in New York City.   

Graduate degree programs at the Munk School are world-reputed for the quality of classroom learning, the opportunity to access vast networks of real-world practitioners and data that show exceptionally high rates of graduate employment.  

All students of the program complete their first year in Toronto – a city rich with culture and growth. The second year of the program positions students in New York, a metropolis hub where diplomats from all over the world travel to observe, learn and practice diplomacy and business.   

The timing for this new program is critical. “In a paradoxical way, the world is becoming both more global while barriers – to trade, people, even ideas – are going up;  these trends are competing,” said Professor Randall Hansen, Director of International Partnerships at the Munk School and Canada Research Chair in Global Migration. 

“The students that will be able to negotiate that intersection are students that have exposure to more than one country.”   

Coursework options within the program are wide-ranging. Candidates can pair a Munk School Master of Global Affairs or Master of Public Policy with a Master of International Affairs or a Master of Public Administration from Columbia SIPA.   

The partnership with Columbia is the latest in a growing network that the Munk School has developed, joining the London School of Economics, Sciences Po in Paris, Berlin’s Hertie School and the IE School of Politics, Economics & Global Affairs in Madrid.   

“It’s impossible to quantify the benefits of studying in these cities, personally, culturally, and intellectually. I would regard this as an incredibly exciting opportunity,” remarked Hansen.   

These partnerships are the result of the cooperation of the Global Public Policy Network, a purpose-driven network of schools that focus on the “most pressing public policy challenges of the 21st century.” The organization aims for impact, influence in public policy education, and innovation in teaching and research.   

The partnerships also signal that the Munk School is firm in its commitment to global contribution.   

“It’s our interest but it’s also our obligation,” shared Hansen.  

The context of a changing U.S. foreign policy makes the opportunity to study in New York another key asset of the program.    

Hansen explains, “Grasping what’s happening in America right now is essential and there’s no better place than from within America itself.”   

Further, the value of learning from within a Canadian context is made more excellent when paired with learning from an American perspective or a European perspective. The opportunity and the community are made richer with that diversity of thought.   

Applications for the new program are due by January 2026. Successful candidates will begin the program in September 2026.