Student Experience

The Watson Institute houses several undergraduate and graduate programs that take an interdisciplinary, comparative approach to policy-relevant learning in the social sciences. Our programs are designed to inspire today’s engaged scholars and creative thinkers to become tomorrow’s leaders in international and public affairs.

  

The combination of data analytics and policy analysis taught in Watson's Master of Public Affairs (MPA) program prepares people for real-world situations, whether they are working in government, for a think tank, or in the private sector. The mentoring and support among MPA alumni can also lead to professional development.
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The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace selected Fulbright Scholar Erik Brown, an International and Public Affairs alumnus, for the prestigious Gaither Junior Fellowship program.
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David Benoit, a 2023 graduate of Watson's Master of Public Affairs program, has used the data analytical and policy evaluation skills he gained in the program, along with faculty mentoring and prior experience working for then Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza, to earn a position as the racial justice advocate for the American Civil Liberties of Massachusetts.
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Felipe Félix Méndez was recently named a Schwarzman Scholar at Tsinghua University in Beijing, China where he hopes to identify opportunities for mutually beneficial partnerships between countries in Latin America, the Caribbean and Asia.
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Named one of 18 Luce Scholars, a nationally competitive yearlong fellowship in Asia, Anna Lenaker reflects on how the Master of Public Affairs program prepared her for academic success and future career exploration.
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Khushi Patel, a Brown junior and International and Public Affairs concentrator, has been awarded a Voyager Scholarship for Public Service. This prestigious scholarship program, awarded by the Obama Foundation, was created to shape and support young leaders who are passionate about public service.
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As an undergraduate concentrator in International and Public Affairs, Sarah Ogundare said she gained valuable analytical skills and learned to constantly question her assumptions while developing hands-on, in-depth knowledge about the prison system in the United States.
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Aaron Ayala plans to work in immigration policy by using the research and analytical skills and professional connections he gained through Brown's Master of Public Affairs program.
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Mariana Melzer was drawn to Brown’s Open Curriculum and the International and Public Affairs concentration because they would allow her to pursue a diverse set of interests related to economics and development.
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2022 Master of Public Affairs graduate Adilkhan Kopabayev said the skills he developed in the program have been essential in navigating the complex job of chairman of the board of the Situational-Analytical Center of Fuel Energy Complex of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
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Gulsima Young, who believes good policy-making must include kindness, appreciates the community and collegial environment Brown's Master of Public Affairs program provides.
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Three International and Public Affairs concentrators spent the fall 2023 semester in the nation's capital serving as White House interns while participating in the Brown in Washington program where they took courses and learned more about what it takes to work in the public policy arena.
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