Four graduate certificates available at the University of Montana may be particularly appropriate to take alongside* the Master's degree in environmental philosophy. They offer a way to gain an additional credential to complement your graduate degree in philosophy. In some cases, the certificate may require an additional course or two beyond the 36 credits required for your philosophy degree.

(*Sequencing of courses is always dependent on variables such as faculty sabbaticals, unanticipated revisions to course scheduling, and other contingencies. While in ordinary circumstances your sequence of courses should be compatible with these certificates, working closely with your advisor will help ensure that you can complete the required courses in a timely fashion.)

Certificate Options

Natural Resources Conflict Resolution

The Natural Resources Conflict Resolution (NRCR) certificate is the only graduate-level certificate program in the Rocky Mountain West specifically designed to provide students a working knowledge of the theory and practice of collaboration, consensus building, and conflict resolution as they apply to natural resources and the environment. Students will learn how to: 1) foster meaningful citizen participation 2) promote deliberative dialogue 3) negotiate effective agreements; 4) resolve multi-party disputes; 5) design and manage collaborative processes; and 6) practice collaborative leadership.  The certificate requires 12 credits and the NRCR Practicum stands in for the philosophy internship. Details about the certificate can be found here.

Wilderness Management

This graduate certificate is administered by the Wilderness Management Distance Education Program at the University's W.A. Franke College of Forestry and Conservation. The certificate provides students and professionals with training and expertise in the key topics related to wilderness management.  Online courses cover the history and philosophy of the wilderness system, wilderness law and policy, wilderness recreation management, wilderness ecosystem conservation and resource monitoring, and wilderness planning. [Be aware that course requirements for this graduate certificate CAN NOT be completed entirely within the master's degree. You will need to take one additional course as part of this certificate in addition to the 36 credits required for your philosophy degree.  Since the Wilderness Management certificate is online there may be some flexibility for you to integrate these courses around M.A.. Speak carefully with your advisor about how to complete the requirements in good time].

Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies

Students who enroll in this graduate certificate explore links between environmental philosophy and questions of gender, race, class, and sexuality. The twelve-credit certificate requires one core course in the humanities and one in the social sciences. The other six credits are determined in discussion with the certificate director. Depending on the topics offered in the environmental philosophy program in any given year, the certificate may be achievable within the 36 credits of coursework in the Master's degree (though this is not guaranteed).

International Development Studies

International Development Studies focuses on the interconnected processes of social, political, economic, cultural, and environmental change taking place in low-income countries and low-income regions of wealthy countries. Coursework in the 12-credit graduate certificate emphasizes a global perspective on the process of change and development, critical analysis of the role of internal and external influences on the development process, and applications to local (including Montana) situations and challenges. This certificate will likely require courses additional to your 36 credits in the philosophy program.