Objectives

While past generations witnessed world wars and other great power struggles, global conflict has evolved to include violent extremism, large-scale displacement, and failed nations. Future leaders must also adapt their concepts and empirical approaches in order to understand the new nature of conflict when proposing solutions for the future.

By focusing on comparative development, political economy, and applied methodology, The Pearson Institute Global Conflict Studies Certificate is designed to prepare students for careers in government, non-governmental organizations, international organizations, or multinational corporations.

Students who complete this certificate will be able to:

• Develop the ability to discern what makes empirical evidence compelling related to conflict study
   
• Assess key arguments advanced in the arena of conflict and consider, through an evidence-based lens, the relationship of conflict to factors such as economic opportunity, natural resources, foreign aid, military technology, ethnic divisions and identity, etc.
   
• Understand the intersection between state-level societal incentives and global governance structures

Harris certificates function as areas of specialization within the degree. Certificates assume knowledge of the 6-course Harris Core and build upon that foundation with coursework in specific policy areas or technical skills.

In addition, we encourage students pursuing the certificate to participate in events sponsored by The Pearson Institute for the Study and Resolution of Global Conflicts.

Application Process

The certificate is open to any University of Chicago graduate student. Harris students please indicate your intent to pursue this certificate using the Harris Certificate Application Form. If you are a non-Harris student and intend to complete the requirements for the Global Conflict certificate please submit the Harris Certificate Application for Non-Harris Students to indicate you are pursuing this certificate.

Planning for the Certificate

For information on which quarter(s) each course will be offered see the Harris Courses page and filter by certificate. For courses offered by other divisions the typical quarter(s) offered has been indicated.

Certificate Requirements

The certificate will be awarded to students who complete any three of the qualifying courses. Students must achieve at least a B- grade in each course. No certificate course may be taken on a pass/fail grading basis. Students should complete the formal signup process to indicate their intention to pursue the certificate.

The following two courses are recommended as a fundamental sequence of the certificate:

• PPHA 35570: Conflict and Humanitarian Intervention: Blurring Humanitarian, Development, and Security Policy
• PPHA 38740: Conflict and Applied Data Science

Other qualifying certificate courses

• PPHA 32740 Order and Violence 
• PPHA 32750 Hydropolitics: Water Policy and Conflict
• PPHA 33510 Nuclear Policy
• PPHA 33840 The Changing Character of Conflict: Conflict in the Gray Zone
• PPHA 38765 The Politics of Authoritarian Regimes
• PPHA 60000 Policy Lab (Global Conflict and International Development sections taught by Wolfe)
• INRE 43000 Core Seminar: International Order and Security
• LAWS 43262 / PPHA 38752 International Human Rights
• PBPL 20115 / PPHA 47420 Women, Peace, and Security
• PLSC 40610 Seminar on International Security Affairs
• PLSC 48401: Quantitative Security
• SSAD 46922: Structuring Refuge: U.S. Refugee Policy and Resettlement Practice
• SSAD 47812: Human Rights Policy and Practice

Certificate Contacts

Molly O'Donnell, Administrative Director

Oeindrila Dube, Certificate Director