Graduate Certificate in Peacebuilding

IPCR offers a new and innovative 15 credit hour Graduate Certificate in Peacebuilding, with concentrations in Conflict Resolution, Conflict and Development and Human Rights.  Courses are available through the Summer Institutes and during the regular terms. The Certificate is designed for early and mid-career professionals as well as SIS graduate students who want to extend their knowledge and expertise in one of the areas of concentration or want to explore the growing interfaces among these fields of professional practice. The certificate can be completed over a one to four year period.

The practice of peacebuilding is evolving in challenging directions, requiring an understanding of the connection between international development, humanitarian assistance, conflict analysis and resolution, democratization, human rights, and civil society. Within this context, the Graduate Certificate in Peacebuilding is designed to provide an opportunity to gain knowledge and skills in various areas of peacebuilding and conflict resolution. The certificate is designed for professionals working in nongovernmental organizations, government departments or agencies, or international organizations, who wish to extend their existing skill set or acquire tools in a related area of practice.

Through a participatory and interactive learning environment, the certificate program engages participants as active learners and as resources for each other in a community of scholar-practitioners. The faculty are professionals with experience in various forms of practice, including training, facilitation, post-conflict reconstruction and conflict intervention, and who are knowledgeable about the theoretical underpinnings of their work.

The Certificate…

• Provides an understanding of the connections between peacebuilding, conflict resolution, development and human rights
• Supports analysis and action on complex problems, including intractable violent conflict, poverty, AIDS, and terrorism
• Blends theory with practice to enhance professional development
• Allows mid-career professionals to augment current education and training
• Provides graduate students with training in related fields of interest

Requirements

• A total of 15 credit units of graduate level coursework
• Completion of program in one to four years

Application Procedure

The Peacebuilding Certificate is open to students who have a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution, meet the requirements for non-degree graduate enrollment, or are registered in a graduate program at American University.

• possess a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution,
• submit a certificate application form,
• submit official transcripts from all institutions previously attended,
• submit a personal statement of interest,
• submit two letters of reference (waived for AU graduate students).
• submit $75.00 application fee.

Students whose native language is not English and who do not hold a degree from a U.S. accredited institution of higher learning where English is the primary language of instruction are required to demonstrate proficiency in English, preferably by submitting scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Applicants must have a TOEFL score of 600 on the paper-based TOEFL or 250 on the computer-based TOEFL.

Applications for the Peacebuilding Certificate are available at: http://www.american.edu/sis/academics/graduatecertificates/CertApp.doc