Eligibility

All UMass Amherst undergraduate students majoring in ANY DEPARTMENT are eligible to enroll in the Certificate prior to the add/drop deadline of the first semester of their senior year. Undergraduate students who have been accepted into special programs at UMass Amherst (Continuing Education, University Without Walls, Inquiry Program, BDIC) are also eligible to enroll in the Certificate prior to the add/drop deadline of the first semester of their senior year.

Requirements

To be eligible for the certificate, students must successfully complete eight courses
(24 credits) with an average grade of B or better (no pass/fail allowed). These eight courses
consist of three required courses (one course in each of the following areas: economics, public
policy and administration, and statistics) and five additional courses to be chosen by the student with
the approval of a faculty advisor.

A. Three required courses

• Choose one of the following courses in introductory microeconomics (or higher level by advisor permission): Econ 103 Introduction to Microeconomics; Res Econ 102 Introduction to Resource Economics.
  
  
• Choose one of the following overview courses in public policy or administration: PubP&A 197A Controversies in Public Policy (cross-listed with Polisci 181); Polisci 280 Public Policy, or
  Polisci 220 Public Administration.
  
  
• Choose one of the following coursees in introductory statistics (or higher level by advisor permission): Psych 240 Statistics in Psychology; Res Econ 211 Introductory Statistics for the Life Sciences; Res Econ 212 Introductory Statistics for the Social Sciences; Sociol 212 Elementary Statistics; Stats 111 Elementary Statistics; Statis 140 Introduction to Statistics; Anthro 481 Research Methods.
  

B. Five electives

• Elective courses are chosen by the student with the consent of the faculty advisor.
  
• All five elective courses must be at the 200 level or above. Three courses must be at the 300 level
  or above, unless the student receives approval from his/her faculty advisor.
  
  
• Of the five courses, no more than two from the same department will apply toward the Certificate. (For the purposes of this Certificate, Economics and Resource Economics are considered one department.)
  

C. One-page proposal

Prior to the start of their senior year, students must submit a one-page proposal to their faculty
advisor outlining both the policy concentration the student would like to pursue and how the five
elective policy courses will meet this objective. A sample proposal is attached, along with a list of
sample concentrations, which provides some examples of policy concentrations, suggesting ways
students can tailor courses to their particular interests.

Steps for students to complete a certificate in Public Policy and Administration

• Select a faculty advisor from the list of CPPA faculty advisors, and discuss your plan with her/him. If you need help selecting an advisor, please contact Satu Zoller.
  
  
• Complete a one-page proposal describing your interests in the policy concentration you wish to pursue. You should also outline the five policy electives you plan to take and discuss how they will help you reach your educational goals. A sample proposal is available here.
  
  
• Fill out the application and have it approved and signed by your faculty advisor. Deliver the completed form to the Center for Public Policy and Administration for approval and signature. CPPA will notify you of your acceptance into the program and forward a copy of the signed form to your faculty advisor.
  
  
• During the second semester of your senior year, after you have completed the requirements, fill out the Certificate Requirements Checklist. If you took different courses than those on your application, you are required to have your faculty advisor sign the form before submitting it to the Center. If no changes have been made, you can submit the form directly to the Center for Public Policy and Administration.
  

If you have any questions about the undergraduate certificate program, please email Satu Zoller, Associate Director, at szoller@pubpol.umass.edu.