Certificate in United Nations Studies and Critical Global Issues
Overview
The City College of New York (CCNY) and the United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health (UNU-INWEH) offer a new non-degree Certification in United Nations Studies and Critical Global Issues for students who want to gain knowledge about the UN system. The certification teaches contemporary global issues, theoretical approaches, and the inner workings of the UN system to address global challenges.
Structure of the proposed certificate
To obtain this Certificate, students must take four of the below listed CCNY courses related to the United Nations system (12 credits total) as well as 10-hours of online coursework offered through UN system e-learning platforms.
Students will choose four out of the following six courses on the UN system and its role in the world, offered by the MA Program in International Affairs at CCNY. The course Critical Global Issues is mandatory for all students.
- IR B6922 Critical Global Issues (3 credits)
- IR B6200 International Organization (3 credits)
- IR B6300 International Law (3 credits)
- IR B6927 International Political Economy (3 credits)
- IR B6925 Peace Making and Negotiation (3 credits)
- IRB 6928 Human Rights and World Politics (3 credits)
In addition to the four CCNY courses, students are required to:
- Participate in one visit to the UN Headquarters.
- Take 10-hours of online coursework offered through UN system e-learning platforms. The students can select relevant courses from e.g., UN CC: e-Learn, UNU-INWEH Learning Centre, FAO eLearning Academy, UNEP eLearning and UNDRR eLearning. Each chosen course must provide a certificate of completion as proof of participation.
Eligibility requirements
This certification program is offered at the graduate level. Undergraduate students are eligible to apply if they are rising juniors or seniors and have strong academic records (GPA > 3.2).
Timeline
Fall 2026: Launch of the joint certification with the inaugural cohort
