School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences

Certificates

• Certificate in Archer Fellowship
• Certificate in Compassionate Law Enforcement Active Response (CLEAR)
• Certificate in Geospatial Intelligence
• Certificate in Initiative for Civic Leadership (ICL)
• Certificate in Military Science Leadership
• Certificate in Nonprofit Management
• Certificate in Texas Legislature Fellowship Program (TLFP)
  
  

Certificate in Archer Fellowship

15 semester credit hours

The Archer Fellowship Certificate is for students of all majors, with an interest in public service, who wish to experience working in the field in combination with rigorous coursework in civic engagement, policymaking, and leadership. It enables students to earn a credential that speaks to their dedication to civic engagement and highlights the coursework and internship they have completed.

The Archer Fellowship combines 9 credit hours of academic coursework with a (6-semester credit hour) internship in Washington, DC.

Students live and work side by side as they experience the nation's capital.

Admission Requirements

Open only to UT Dallas majors who are fellows in the Archer Center.

• Cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher
• Junior or senior status by years and hours (first and second year students are not eligible)
• 24 hours of academic residency at UT Dallas
• Completion of core government requirements (GOVT 2305 and GOVT 2306)
• Application (including resume, personal statement, 500-word policy memo, and faculty recommendation)
• Interview

Course Requirements

PSCI 4370 Policy Making Process

PSCI 4372 Advocacy and Politics: Success in Washington

PSCI 4373 Politics of National Memory

PSCI 4V76 Archer Center Washington Internship (6 Semester Credit Hours)

Certificate in Compassionate Law Enforcement Active Response (CLEAR)

15 semester credit hours

The focus of the Certificate in Compassionate Law Enforcement Active Response (CLEAR) is to develop in criminology students a complementary skillset for police officers who respond to mental health, homelessness, domestic violence, and human trafficking cases.

Certificate Requirements

Select five courses from the following:

PPOL 4304 Mental Health and Social Policy

PPOL 4314 Family Violence and Public Policy

EPPS 3310 Community-Based Service Learning

PA 4345 Negotiation and Conflict Resolution

EPPS 4300 EPPS Policy Lab

PA 3355 Introduction to the Nonprofit Sector

PA 4351 Managing the Urban Environment

PA 4386 Health and Social Policy

or SOC 4386 Health and Social Policy

SOC 4369 Public Health and Society

Other courses may be taken with approval of the Associate Dean

Certificate in Geospatial Intelligence

15 semester credit hours

The Geospatial Intelligence (GEOINT) certificate program focuses on the technical expertise, rapid critical thinking, and global awareness necessary for supporting national security and other intelligence activities. The curriculum adheres to the rigorous requirements set by the United States Geospatial Intelligence Foundation (USGIF).

The coursework is delivered using the state-of-the-art facilities within the Geospatial Information Sciences program, which is housed in the School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences. The certificate requires 15 undergraduate semester credit hours (five courses), detailed below. Importantly, all credits earned for this certificate can be applied toward the Bachelor of Science in Geospatial Information Sciences. Other UT Dallas majors may need to meet the prerequisite requirements to complete the certificate program.

Since the program is accredited by the USGIF, students have the unique opportunity to earn the official USGIF GEOINT Certificate in addition to the UT Dallas GEOINT Certificate. Achieving this dual recognition requires students to complete a total of 18 semester credit hours (an additional 3 semester credit hours) and to select GISC 4V97 as their elective. Furthermore, students must compile and submit a portfolio of their geospatial work--a requirement often fulfilled by the final project from GISC 4V97--to validate their skills to the USGIF. To qualify for the USGIF certificate, students must, at a minimum, have a cumulative average of "B" for all of the courses for the certificate, and get a "C" or better in each one.

Required Coursework (15 semester credit hours)

Three required courses (9 semester credit hours):

GISC 4325 Introduction to Remote Sensing

or GISC 4328 Drone and Remote Sensing

GISC 4381 Spatial Data Science

GISC 4317 Python Programming for Social Science

Two elective courses chosen from the following(6 semester credit hours):

GISC 3342 Artificial Intelligence for Environmental Social Science

GISC 4325 Introduction to Remote Sensing

or GISC 4328 Drone and Remote Sensing

GISC 4363 Internet Mapping and Information Processing

GISC 4382 GIS Database and Modeling

GISC 4V97 Independent Study in Geospatial Information Science

Or other courses as approved by the Director of the certificate program

Certificate in Initiative for Civic Leadership (ICL)

15 semester credit hours

The Initiative for Civic Leadership Certificate is for students of all majors, with an interest in public service, who wish to experience working in the field in combination with rigorous coursework in civic engagement, policymaking, and leadership. It enables students to earn a credential that speaks to their dedication to civic engagement and highlights the coursework and internship they have completed.

The ICL combines 6 semester credit hours of academic coursework with a 6-semester credit hour internship in the Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) metroplex.

The ICL benefits UT Dallas by providing students with the opportunity for professional and civic development while deepening the university's ties to the broader DFW community and continuing to support its brand of excellence in higher education.

Admission Requirements

Open only to UT Dallas majors who are fellows in the Initiative for Civic Leadership.

• Cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher
• Sophomore, junior, or senior status (dependent on program)
• 24 hours of academic residency at UT Dallas
• Completion of core government requirements (GOVT 2305 and GOVT 2306)
• Application (including resume, personal statement, 500-word policy memo, and faculty recommendation)
• Interview

Course Requirements

Select two from the following courses:

PSCI 4335 Local and State Government Institutions

PSCI 4336 Civic Engagement and Participation

PPOL 4311 Wicked Social Problems

PPOL 4305 Policy Analysis, Theory, and Methods

A 6 semester credit hour internship within the DFW metroplex with a government agency or nonprofit organization is also required.

PSCI 4V37 Initiative for Civic Leadership Internship (6 Semester Credit Hours)

Certificate in Military Science Leadership

19 semester credit hours

The Certificate in Military Science Leadership is intended to complement the UT Dallas degree of ROTC (Reserve Officer Training Corps) students/cadets.

The ROTC Program seeks to develop leaders ready to be commissioned for service in the Army, Army National Guard, and the Army Reserve.

Admission Requirements

• Limited to ROTC students/cadets
• Based upon required ROTC training and retreats

Certificate Requirements

Completion of all of the following:

MILS 3341 Leadership I

MILS 3342 Leadership II

MILS 4341 Advanced Leadership I

MILS 4342 Advanced Leadership II

MILS 3370 Military History

MILS 0180 Leadership Lab¹ (4 semester credit hours)

1. MILS 0180 is taken four times as a required corequisite for MILS 3341, MILS 3342, MILS 4341, and MILS 4342.

Certificate in Nonprofit Management

12 semester credit hours

PA 3355 Introduction to the Nonprofit Sector

PA 4357 Measuring Social Impact

PA 4356 Starting a Nonprofit or Social Enterprise

PA 3333 Human Resources Management

or PA 4335 Resource Development for Nonprofits

or PA 6335 Resource Development for Nonprofit Organizations

Certificate in Texas Legislature Fellowship Program (TLFP)

15 semester credit hours

The Texas Legislature Fellowship Program Certificate is for students of all majors, with an interest in public service, who wish to experience working in the state legislature in combination with rigorous coursework in civic engagement, policymaking, and leadership. It enables students to earn a credential that speaks to their dedication to the legislative process and highlights the coursework and internship they have completed.

The TLFP combines 6 semester credit hours of academic course work with a 6-semester credit hour internship in Austin at the Texas State Capitol during the spring semester while the Legislature is in session.

Admission Requirements

Open only to UT Dallas majors who are fellows in the Texas Legislature Fellowship Program.

• Cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher
• Sophomore, junior, or senior status
• 24 hours of academic residency at UT Dallas
• Completion of core government requirements (GOVT 2305 and GOVT 2306)
• Application (including resume, personal statement, 500-word policy memo, and faculty recommendation)
• Interview

Course Requirements

PSCI 4374 Policy Making in Austin

PSCI 4375 Advocacy in the State Legislature

PSCI 4398 Texas Legislative Fellowship (6 Semester Credit Hours)