The Global Studies Center and School of Public and International Affairs (SPIA) offer this new certificate linking SPIA expertise in global sustainable development, with GSC’s expertise offering interdisciplinary credentials across schools, departments, and fields of study.
The Certificate provides graduate students with tools to engage with complex challenges of global sustainable development. Global sustainable development involves the pursuit of a better world for all through the elimination of chronic poverty, discrimination & injustice, and environmental degradation, in order to ensure a sustainable future of well-being for the earth and its peoples. Worldwide, a common framework used to pursue sustainable development is found in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which promotes 17 inter-related, comprehensive, and universally applicable sustainability goals spanning economic, social, political, and environmental issues. This Certificate provides theoretical knowledge, interdisciplinary approaches, and practical skills needed to tackle chronic problems and achieve sustainable development goals on issues including poverty, hunger, health, inequality, gender empowerment, the environment, peace and justice, governance, NGO and civil society participation, and global cooperation. Learn how to solve global problems in comprehensive, sustainable, and ethical ways appropriate to diverse national and regional realities, capacities, and priorities.
The curriculum provides in-depth theoretical understanding of global sustainable development as well as practical skills to engage with complex challenges targeted through the 2030 UN Agenda for Sustainable Development, which encompasses the “5 P’s”: People, Planet, Prosperity, Peace, and Partnership. Certificate courses address a wide range of SDG topics including poverty, hunger, health, education, gender inequality, the environment and natural resources, water and sanitation, energy, employment, development planning and management, global inequalities, peace/inclusion/and justice, governance and global partnerships.
Requirements:
- 12 credits (6 credits in GSD foundation courses, and 6 credits of approved GSD electives), as well as a Digital Portfolio which can be shared with future employers and graduate schools. See the detailed Plan of Study and course list below.
- Students may take up to 2 approved Certificate courses (6 credits) that simultaneously fulfill other Degree requirements. Students may take up to 2 approved courses outside GSPIA. Please note that not all elective courses listed are offered every year. Students may propose a course for review as an approved elective course.
- Minimum of grade of C or higher required for all Certificate courses. Certificate courses may not be taken on S/NC basis.
The following courses will count towards the certificate.
Plan of Study
- Two of the following Foundation Courses (6 credits):
- PIA 2501 Development Policy & Administration (3 cr.)
- PIA 2510 Economics of Development (3 cr.)
- PIA 2448 Political Economy of Development (3 cr.)
Digital Portfolio: This capstone requirement helps students reflect on, synthesize, and communicate their knowledge garnered through the certificate. The e-portfolio is similar to an online resume and can be shared with employers, and graduate schools. The digital portfolio is due the semester the student graduates. Meet with Elaine Linn to create your Digital Portfolio using the Digication platform, due the semester of graduation.
Two approved elective courses (6 credits):
- PIA 2115 Environmental Economics
- PIA 2117 Program Evaluation (offered online)
- PIA 2125 City & Regions: Theory & Practice
- PIA 2164 Natural Resources Governance
- PIA 2307 Human Security
- PIA 2310 Markets & States
- PIA 2448 Political Economy of Development (if not taken as Foundation Course)
- PIA 2473 Strategies of Global Inquiry (with approved research topic in GSD)
- PIA 2476 Nonviolent Resistance Movements
- PIA 2478 Asylum Policy & Politics
- PIA 2496 Governing Technology
- PIA 2501 Development Policy & Administration (if not taken as Foundation Course)
- PIA 2502 Environmental Policy Local to Global
- PIA 2507 Human Rights & Social Change
- PIA 2508 NGO Advocacy & International Coalitions
- PIA 2510 Economics of Development (if not taken as a Foundation Course)
- PIA 2512 Poverty & Inequality
- PIA 2519 Comparative Governance (offered online)
- PIA 2522 Climate Policy Local to Global
- PIA 2526 Micropolitics: NGOs, Civil Society & Development
- PIA 2529 Political Economy Analysis (offered online)
- PIA 2531 Human Rights & UN Sustainable Development Goals
- PIA 2551 Gender & Development
- PIA 2552 Managing Organizations in Development
- PIA 2553 Global Health Policy
- PIA 2590 Local & Global Food Policy & Sustainability
- PIA 2715 GIS for Public Policy
- PIA 2740 Planning & Analysis for Sustainable Regions
Other schools (up to two approved elective courses may be taken outside SPIA):
- CEE 2610 Engineering & Sustainable Development
- ENG 2007 Sustainability Capstone (with permission & approved topic)
- ENG 2905 Current Issues in Sustainability
- PUBHLTH 2025 Concepts & Methods in Global Health (2 cr.)
- PUBHLTH 2033 Managing the Natural Environment
- PUBHLTH 2173 Transforming Global Health Education into Action
- BFIN 2043 International Financial Management
- BSEO Managing the Natural Environment (1.5 cr.)
- BSEO 2578 Sustainable Business Strategy (1.5 cr.)
- BSPP 2328 The Business of Humanity – Strategic Management