Graduate Certificate in Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy

The School of Public Policy offers professional programs that develop innovative leaders in the art of policy and governance, advance the frontiers of applied interdisciplinary knowledge, and promote local, national. and global public good. The curriculums are designed to develop the skills and techniques used by professionals to implement policies, projects, and programs that resolve important societal problems.

Overview

The Graduate Certificate in Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy integrates science, technology, and policy concepts to provide a solid foundation for students interested in this domain.

• The 12-credit, four-course curriculum provides a comprehensive foundation in science, technology, and innovation policy (STIP), including both policy for science and science for policy. Students gain a nuanced understanding of the political, institutional, social, and market forces that influence science and technology, while developing the analytical and communication skills needed to engage effectively with STIP policy.

   The curriculum includes two core requirements that focus on technology, change, and innovation and the influence of science on policy, a third requirement in a technology domain option, and an open elective.

• Develops the knowledge and skills necessary to understand, analyze, and implement policies related to science, technology, and innovation, including regulatory aspects related to new technologies and approaches for creating and commercializing new technologies and innovations.
• Targets both mid-career professionals from public agencies, multinational organizations, and relevant private and civil society organizations and UMD graduate students. 
• Can be completed in nine months of continuous part-time enrollment. See Designation of Full-time/Part-time Status.

Program Features

Science and technology are widely recognized as key drivers of economic growth and sustainable development, while ensuring their security remains an enduring challenge.

• The ability to foster, stimulate, and secure an innovation-based economy is accepted as an important determinant of national competitiveness and strength and for achieving social and developmental goals.
• Advances in science and technology are essential to driving the development of new industries and jobs, strengthening national defense, ensuring energy security, expanding food supplies, and improving healthcare.
• The program figures centrally in the minds of decision-makers, from the highest levels of national governments to the corridors of city halls. 

Registration Overview

• See the sample plan of study below. Students should use this as a guide to develop a plan with the academic program director. 
• Actual course offerings are determined by the program and may vary semester to semester. Students should note if a course has a prerequisite or corequisite. 
• Specific class meeting information (days and time) is posted on UMD’s interactive web service Testudo. Once on that site, select “Schedule of Classes,” then the term/year. Courses are listed by academic unit. 
• The program uses specific section codes for registration which are listed on the sample plan of study. 

One-Year Sample Plan

Two-Year Sample Plan

Courses

For a listing of program courses, see the Graduate School Catalog program requirements for Z155. For course descriptions that include prerequisites or corequisites, see PLCY.

Overall 

• Offered in person (major code Z155).
• Uses the semester academic calendar with classes held in the fall and spring semester (16 weeks each).
• Classes are held weekday evenings (e.g., after 5 p.m.) to accommodate the working professional’s schedule.
• Instruction is provided by University of Maryland faculty and professionals in the field.

In-Person Learning 

• Classes meet in UMD College Park campus classrooms, offering a focused, distraction-free learning environment. 
• Instructors present dynamic and interactive seminar-style instruction. 
• Students enrolled in a program that features in-person instruction are required to submit the University’s Immunization Record Form prior to the first day of their first semester/term. See Health Requirements.

Upon successful completion, graduates will have mastered the following competencies:

• Quantitative skills for analyzing empirical data related to technology and technology change.
• Analytical skills for designing and evaluating STI policies and programs, including
  innovation support mechanisms, and regulatory approaches aimed at addressing the social, environmental, and other spillovers of new technologies.
• Exposure to the main types of STI policy documents and processes, including Congressional hearings, statutes, federal budgets, court decisions, National Research Council reports, and studies from advocacy groups.
• Communication skills in writing policy memos, preparing Congressional testimony, and making presentations.