The M.P.A./M.P.P. Program - The STEP Certificate
The Woodrow Wilson School offers degrees in domestic, international, development, or economic policy with a STEP Certificate in Science, Technology and Environmental Policy. In addition to fulfilling the requirements for one of the fields of concentration (domestic, international, development, or economic policy), this certificate program represents an additional set of requirements beyond those for any of the MPA/MPP program's four basic fields. To earn the certificate, candidates from the WWS must complete four approved courses and a paper. Other degree candidates outside the WWS are required to complete three approved courses and a paper. (see the guidelines below)
1.Course requirements: WWS candidates must complete four STEP-approved courses. All others must complete three STEP approved courses. it is expected that most of the courses will be taught by STEP core or associated faculty. Recent offerings include:
- WWS 528f Information Technology and Public Policy
- WWS 556e Topics in International Relations: Protection Against Weapons of Mass Destruction
- WWS 582b Environmental and Natural Resource Economics
Courses numbered 585x and 586x Topics in STEP; including:
- Population, Environment and Health
- Living in a Greenhouse: Technology and Policy
- Conservation of Endangered Species and Ecosystems
- Biotechnology Policy
- Earth's Atmosphere: Theory and Practice
- Global Environmental Governance
- Science and Policy
- Risk Policy and Regulation
(Questions concerning course approval should be directed to the STEP chair)
2. The Paper Requirement: All advanced policy papers submitted in fullfillment of the certificate requirements must be approved by the STEP chair.
For WWS MPA/MPP's,it is expected that most MPA and MPP candidates will write the advanced policy paper in the context of one of their STEP approved courses. Only papers receiving a grade of B+ or above will be eligible to satisfy this requirement.
Non-WWS Masters and PhD students must meet the advanced policy paper requirement as well. For STEP-PEI fellows, the advanced policy paper must be deemed of publishable quality. Often times a policy chapter of the student's disseration has meet this requirement.
3. Students are required to take WWS 584 Methods in Science, Technology and Environmental Policy as one of those courses if it offered during the full period of their tenure at WWS ( Students may place out of WWS 584 with the approval of the STEP chair).
4. Students interested in obtaining the STEP certificate should notify the STEP faculty chair and the STEP adminstrator, Chuck Crosby, of their intensions, in addition to Ann Lengyel in the GPO.