FAQ - Course selection and forms for Graduate Certificate in Public Policy (with or without the MPA)
See the FAQ - Taking graduate courses and maintaining good standing
What courses should I take if seeking ONLY the public policy certificate?
While these resources can be helpful, as a graduate student It is your responsibility to proactively seek program advising prior to enrolling in any courses and regularly during your progress through your program(s). If you proceed and register without advising, you may end up taking courses that do not count towards the degree you hope for, or you may not complete your program(s) at the time you hope to. You can determine the appropriate advisor to contact here.
You must take the following six courses in any order (note which semesters they are offered as you plan):
After your application and acceptance into the certificate, during your first semester of course-taking, make an appointment to meet with your advisor and complete the program of study for the certificate (a required step in your progress to certificate completion).
To get a sense of potential course content, you can examine syllabi from past course sections. However, please note that these are NOT necessarily identical in either content, assessment style or textbooks to the syllabi for future sections of the same courses, so do not buy books based on these examples. If you want to purchase books ahead of time, contact the instructor who will be teaching the course section you will be taking directly. If you are not sure who that will be, contact the department chair.
Like other MPA students, you must the 9 MPA core (required) courses.
As your 3 MPA electives, you must take the following 3 required certificate courses (in any order; note the semester typically offered):
Because this is a new program as of Fall 2015, be sure to take any of the three electives when you see it offered.
When you fill out your program of study for the six-credit certificate with your advisor (do this in your first semester of certificate course-taking), you will include these three courses plus PADM 6210 Seminar in PA; PADM 6410 Public Policy Analysis; and PADM 6130 Research Methods, which you have to take anyway because they are core courses for the MPA. You will also complete a program of study for the MPA once you have been admitted unconditionally to the MPA program and taken 9-15 credits in the program successfully.
Should you end up deciding not to complete the MPA, you must complete all six courses successfully in order to receive the certificate. The certificate in absence of the MPA requires six courses total.
Keep in mind you will need to apply to the MPA to be accepted; once you have been admitted to the MPA you can add the certificate via the Change of Major form. If you start in a certificate program and want to add the MPA, you must apply through the Graduate School in the normal way. See FAQ -Pursuing two programs (MPA plus a certificate). You should not take courses that will only count for the MPA if you have not been accepted into the program.
If you have questions, contact your advisor.
To get a sense of potential course content, you can examine syllabi from past course sections. However, please note that these are NOT necessarily identical in either content, assessment style or textbooks to the syllabi for future sections of the same courses, so do not buy books based on these examples. If you want to purchase books ahead of time, contact the instructor who will be teaching the course section you will be taking directly. If you are not sure who that will be, contact the department chair.
Always keep a copy of submitted papers for your own records. Be proactive in seeking advising and completing required steps, in keeping with your status as a graduate student. Completion of forms does not guarantee completion of the program; you must also meet all applicable program, Graduate School and TSU policies and procedures.
Completion of forms does not guarantee completion of the program, you must also meet all applicable program, Graduate School and TSU policies and procedures.
Always keep a copy of submitted papers for your own records. Be proactive in seeking advising and completing required steps, in keeping with your status as a graduate student. Completion of forms does not guarantee completion of the program; you must also meet all applicable program, Graduate School and TSU policies and procedures.
Completion of forms does not guarantee completion of the program, you must also meet all applicable program, Graduate School and TSU policies and procedures.
creation date: 2015.09.02
edit date: 2020.10.15