Local and regional governments are essential to addressing the most pressing policy problems of our time. This three-quarter program prepares leaders to build resilience and overcome challenges unique to their local contexts.
Designed for early and pre-career students currently enrolled in a graduate degree program, the Building Resilient Local Governments (BRLG) graduate certificate runs from fall quarter through spring quarter . Over three quarters, students take three core courses and complete a culminating experience.
This program helps future local government leaders:
- understand differences, overcome barriers, engage diverse stakeholders, and identify and implement relevant equity-centered approaches to move towards inclusivity within their communities;
- respond with awareness, equity, effectiveness, and agility in high stress settings;
- design and manage resilient and diverse partnerships.
Requirements
Required courses include
- PUBPOL 515: Leading for Equity
- PUBPOL 558: Collaborative Management Across Sectors
- PUBPOL 567: Methods for Engaging Communities in Local Government or PUBPOL 584: Local Government Management
- PUBPOL 617: Capstone.
Eligibility and Admissions
Current UW graduate students who have completed at least one quarter with a minimum 3.0 GPA are eligible to apply. Please note that students who are in fee-based graduate programs are eligible but have different tuition costs associated with state-supported certificates. If you are not sure if you are in a fee-based program, please contact your academic advisor or email evansgrad@uw.edu.
Admissions Materials
To apply for the certificate, please gather the following materials as a single PDF and upload as part of the application linked below.
- A short letter of application introducing yourself, your academic program at UW, your background, areas of interest, professional and academic experience, future professional goals, and interest in the certificate.
- A current resume listing both educational and professional experience.
- University of Washington transcript (unofficial is fine; minimum GPA 3.0).
Students are encouraged to review the UW Graduate School policies on certificate programs. Completion of the IDPM will be acknowledged on the student’s official UW transcript.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, MPA students can complete the certificate. Completion of both the MPA and the certificate will require students to complete one additional credit beyond the Evans School minimum of 72 credits, in the form of the certificate’s 1-credit Capstone course, following UW Graduate School policy. Students who are interested in the certificate should email evansgrad@uw.edu.
Yes, but fee-based students should take note that fee-based programs will use a different process to apply, register, and pay for their courses than students in state-supported programs. Fee-based students should review Continuum College policies about student status in “dual-majors.” Things to consider for fee-based students include different tuition costs for state-supported certificate courses and different registration processes.
If you do not know if you are in a fee-based program, reach out to your academic advisor. It is the student’s responsibility to determine their student status prior to applying for a tuition-based certificate.
Admission to the certificate operates on a rolling admission basis. Once your application is received, it is reviewed by our committee and the decision is sent within two to three weeks.
While we have a preference for you to take PUBPOL courses to fulfill your elective requirements, we understand this is not always practical. If you identify graduate level courses from other departments or schools that have appropriate learning in areas of methods of international development, then please bring an exception request to our attention. In your email message justify how the graduate-level course meets the spirit of the certificate and your professional goals.
Typical electives include PUBPOL 539 Values in International Development, and PUBPOL 575 Taxes and Social Policy.