Leading Public Innovation

The Evans School’s graduate certificate in Leading Public Innovation provides practical knowledge, frameworks, and tools to public service leaders committed to improving the equity, inclusiveness, effectiveness, and efficiency of systems that deliver public programs and services.

This eight-month certificate program equips leaders to strategically navigate complex environments and make changes that advance equity and inclusion. Designed for working professionals, the program runs from January through August with flexible course schedules.

Directors and program managers at public agencies, nonprofits, and philanthropic organizations will learn the analytical and practical skills to lead innovation and manage the redesign of public services and institutions.

Students who successfully complete the certificate are eligible to apply for admission to our EMPA program, counting some completed credits towards this degree or other graduate certificate at UW.

For more than 60 years, the Evans School has built a reputation as one of the top public policy and management schools in the nation. Our faculty members are recognized as some of the best educators and scholars of public policy and governance. They are driving change and shaping innovative policy and implementation solutions in communities worldwide.

This program is a graduate certificate, endorsed by the University’s Regents. Some credits can be applied to other master’s programs at the University of Washington.

• Think strategically to navigate complex environments and make changes that advances equity and inclusion.
• Apply human-centered design and engagement methods to improve accessibility, uptake, and effectiveness of public programs and services.
• Build a tool kit of shared practices and terminology that enable leaders to work together to integrate scientific and experiential knowledge.
• Enable customization of study while at UW by applying course content to complex, relevant problems.
• Deploy active, practice-based learning throughout all courses, delivered in schedules accessible to working professionals that utilize face-to-face sessions with technology-enhanced learning.

The Evans School is partnering with employers to identify practice-based projects, executive sponsors, and decrease tuition costs for participants. Evans School Graduate Certificate participants whose employers pay at least 1/3 of the total program tuition receive an Evans School scholarship covering an additional 1/3 of the tuition.

Prospective students applying as unaffiliated applicants (i.e. students not applying through an Evans organizational partner) can view the program schedule, tuition and fees.

While coursework and study hours (independent reading, completion of assignments or meetings with peers) will vary from quarter to quarter and week to week, students should expect to spend up to 10 hours per week on graduate certificate coursework. The certificate is a graduate level program and the time and intensity is commensurate with this level of study.

• Not currently enrolled as a graduate student at the UW.
• Leader committed to making change that advances equity and inclusion.
• A bachelor’s degree with a minimum 3.0 grade point average on a 4.0 US scale, or, at least a 3.0 grade point average on a 4.0 US scale for the last 90 graded quarter credits or 60 graded semester credits. If your bachelor’s degree was awarded by an institution with no grading system, equivalent measures of academic performance is required. For more information, refer to Policy 3.1 Graduate Admissions.

• $85 application fee
• Resume
• Statement of purpose
• Unofficial transcript
• One letter of recommendation

Priority application deadline October 31, 2024. To apply:

• Create an account in the Graduate Application system
• Select “Graduate” as the application type
• Narrow your search “By Degree”
• Filter by degree “Graduate Certificate”
• Select your program “Graduate Certificate in Leading Public Innovation.

For questions and more information about the application process, contact us at evansadm@uw.edu.