The MITP Programme is a 12-month, full-time, postgraduate degree that initially catered to entry-level and mid-career government officials and professionals to help build a solid foundation in both trade theory, practice and governance.

The emphasis is on encouraging critical thinking on trade policy matters, with a faculty comprising a unique blend of regional and international scholars, professionals and practitioners. Students also benefit from interactive learning scenarios that emulate the world of advocacy, negotiations and trade diplomacy.

The MITP has both a theoretical and practical component.

• Theoretical Component: For the first 6 months (conducted over the course of Semester I and Semester II), students learn in a class room environment about the theories and substantive scope of trade rules from a multi-disciplinary perspective of law, politics and economics. While a global perspective is provided, the added value of the programme is to provide a uniquely Caribbean perspective that students will find nowhere else and will afford them an opportunity to begin thinking about Caribbean responses to global problems and issues.
• Practical Component: The practical component includes a two-week study tour in a city or region of particular trade interest for the region (currently, the Study Tour has been confined to Geneva) and then undertake a three-month practical attachment to a national, regional or international institution or company with a trade or trade-related function.

Semester I covers the “core” courses in Semester II, students must undertake a supervised Research paper; and choose four courses from a variety of electives. At the end of Semester II, students participate in the Study Tour; and complete a three-month internship at a trade/related organization or business.

An important draw of the MITP is the mandatory 2-week Study Tour in Geneva. As part of that Study Tour, students visit international organizations, CARICOM embassies and missions, as well as private sector entities, and get a firsthand view of how trade practitioners from a variety of fields and institutions undertake their tasks and put trade policy in action.

After the Study Tour, the SRC works with regional and international organizations and business to place graduates in internships so they have a practical and hands-on learning experience.