Graduate Certificates

Computational Social Science

The Computational Social Science Certificate provides an innovative, cutting-edge approach to computational skills valuable to students looking to deepen their research skills or develop a competitive portfolio for industry positions. The certificate is designed to complement the student’s training at the University of Chicago, allowing them to broaden their methodological expertise and apply this across a range of social scientific domains. Learn more about the Certificate.

Education and Society

MAPSS students pursuing the Education and Society (EDSO) certificate specialize in one of three areas. “Individual Development and Learning” explores how students learn, which pedagogies are most effective, and how schools are best organized. “Schooling and Society” examines how schools are shaped by cultural, familial, and neighborhood contexts, what role schools play in their wider communities, and what impact schools have on social inequality. “Educational Policy and Evaluation” investigates what principles of research design, statistical analysis, and program evaluation are most effective for assessing educational interventions, and what the best evidence implies for core policies like how to improve reading instruction, whether charter schools are more effective than public schools, or how to attract and retain talented teachers in under-resourced institutions.

Each of these topical areas requires an interdisciplinary lens. For example, psychologists are interested in the cognitive and affective dimensions of learning, economists study the development of human capital, and sociologists explore the role of schooling in processes of social stratification. Consequently, a psychologist might see how children become better learners, an economist might think about how incentives shape teacher and student effort, and a sociologist would see how a school’s organization shapes social networks and opportunities.

Students earning the Education and Society Certificate complete courses that combine these interdisciplinary perspectives in a coherent program of study. In addition, students can seek research placements in one of several education-related laboratories, research projects, or organizations at the University, including the Urban Education Institute; the UChicago Consortium on School Research; UChicago STEM Education; the UChicago Science of Learning Center; the Urban Labs; the TMW Center for Early Learning and Public Health; educational programs within the Office of Civic Engagement; or any number of ongoing faculty-led projects.

Learn more about the Education and Society Graduate Certificate.

Knowledge Formations

The Certificate in Knowledge Formations in MAPSS explores how claims to knowledge are shaped by disciplinary, social, historical, and political contexts, as well as local cultural factors both explicit and unspoken. Students in the Knowledge Formations certificate program are introduced to the nascent and dynamic field of inquiry into the formation of knowledge through a broad range of historical, sociological, and anthropological case studies that exemplify and challenge disciplinary practices in the social sciences. In addition to traditional social science research, the program highlights experiential learning, collaboration, and opportunities guided faculty advisor. 

Led by an interdisciplinary team of scholars with a broad range of specializations across campus, students in the Knowledge Formations certificate program will be supplied with the methodological tools to look beyond their disciplinary silos in order to defamiliarize their intuitive approaches to research, and to reflect on the complex relationship between facts, truth, and the importance of examining the contexts of knowledge formation. Accepted students will choose from a range of advanced seminars dedicated to exploring the interface of theory, practice, and social action. Our goal is to prepare these students for a broad range of advanced careers, from PhD study in the social sciences to leadership positions at research institutions, government agencies, non-profits, and the private sector. The Certificate in Knowledge Formations is for students who seek rigorous training in the social sciences and critical exposure across academic disciplines, cultures, historical periods, as well as experiential learning. Admitted candidates may participate on research teams or conduct independent projects applying cross-disciplinary thinking and analysis to important research questions.

Learn more about the Graduate Certificate in Knowledge Formations. 

Gender and Sexuality Studies

A Graduate Certificate from the Center for the Study of Gender and Sexuality A Graduate Certificate from the allows MAPSS students to deepen their academic interest in gender and/or sexuality. The interdisciplinary nature of the subject can lead to academic exploration above and beyond the specific course of study undertaken. Students can select relevant courses across departments and divisions and work with a range of scholars affiliated with the Center to expand their knowledge of gender and sexuality. MAPSS students pursuing the Graduate Certificate in Gender and Sexuality Studies are active participants in the life of the Center, participating in the Gender and Sexualities Studies Workshop, Gender and Sexuality Studies Working Group meetings, talks, seminars, and conferences.

Learn more about the Graduate Certificate in Gender and Sexuality Studies.

Latin American and Caribbean Studies

MAPSS students completing the Graduate Certificate in Latin American and Caribbean Studies (LACS) make the most of the rich curriculum offered through the Center for Latin American Studies (CLAS). These students forge close ties with faculty, participate in the Center’s many conferences and events, and plan their thesis research in Latin America or the Caribbean. The individualized training students gain through completing the LACS Graduate Certificate gives them a strong, balanced foundation in Latin America and the Caribbean that will enhance their work in everything from public policy to NGOs to education, business, research, or the arts.

To complete the Graduate Certificate in Latin American and Caribbean Studies, MAPSS students must enroll in a foundational course and take three additional electives in Latin American Studies; demonstrate language proficiency in a regional language (most often in Spanish or Portuguese); write an MA thesis on a theme or topic related to Latin America, advised by a faculty member affiliated with CLAS, or approved for that purpose by CLAS; and present their research in one of the Latin America-focused workshops.

Learn more about the Graduate Certificate in Latin American and Caribbean Studies.