Public, Non-Profit and Community Leadership Graduate Certificate: On-Campus Pathway

The CU Denver Political Science Department’s Public, Non-Profit and Community Leadership Certificate engages students in a focused curriculum in the community organizing and development field, including field placements in internships with local community partners.  The program curriculum is anchored around the study and practice of local civic engagement, especially in traditionally marginalized communities.  Students will be connected to meaningful work and networking opportunities in those communities, through community-based coursework, internships and service-learning opportunities. The certificate program provides critical education and effective skills-based training for students seeking careers in community organizing and development, as well as for students seeking more active citizenship and civic engagement.  Students will be prepared to become change agents in their communities, while developing possible career paths in community-based advocacy/service organizations, public agencies, or international development work.

Public, Non-Profit and Community Leadership Graduate Certificate: Center for New Directions Weekend Pathway

The Center for NEW DIRECTIONS in Politics and Public Policy offers a formally transcripted graduate certificate in Public, Nonprofit, and Community Leadership to meet the needs of individuals in formal public and nonprofit positions that require development of their leadership competencies and for individuals in informal community leadership positions who want to build their knowledge, skills, and effectiveness.  This certificate will help human resources directors in local governments and nonprofit organizations who are seeking additional leadership development for the department heads and other individuals they want to groom for succession to leadership. The certificate is open to non-degree seeking students (with or without an undergraduate degree) as well as students formally admitted to the MA in Political Science and to upper division undergraduates seeking to get a head start on their graduate studies.

The certificate can be earned entirely through classes offered in a weekend format.

Students who successfully complete the certificate program would be allowed to transfer in the credits received in the certificate program to complete the Master’s Degree in Political Science with emphasis in Politics and Public Policy offered through the Center for NEW DIRECTIONS in Politics and Public Policy in the Political Science Department at the University of Colorado Denver.  Transfer of credits would follow completion of the formal application for admission and follow the established review for acceptance of transfer credits.

Prospective students for programs other than the MA in Political Science with emphasis in Politics and Public Policy should verify with their proposed graduate program to determine the number of credit hours that may be accepted for transfer credit for other MA degrees.

Admissions and Declaring This Certificate

Any student wishing to declare this certificate should schedule a certificate advising appointment with either the Department Chair, the Department Undergraduate Advisor, or the NEW DIRECTIONS office in order to register their intent to pursue the Community Leadership Certificate and to develop a curriculum plan.

Individuals who are not currently admitted students seeking the graduate Public, Nonprofit, and Community Leadership Certificate would use the “quick admit” feature online or the extended studies admissions form previously developed by the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

Students requesting admission to the MA in Political Science program would need to complete the application for admissions (undergraduate or graduate, respectively) and be formally admitted by the department (and Graduate School for prospective graduate students) prior to requesting transfer of their certificate credits for their degree program.  Please note: completion of the Graduate Certificate in Public, Nonprofit, and Community Leadership does not obligate the individual to pursue further education.  The Certificate can be earned as a stand-alone University certificate, or it can be applied to a current or future degree program.

Currently admitted upper division undergraduates should schedule certificate advising appointments with the NEW DIRECTIONS office to register their intent to pursue the Public, Nonprofit, and Community Leadership Certificate.  Then they may register for classes as usual.