Political Economy Certificate

Online Certificate in Political Economy

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Description
This Online Certificate in Political Economy is offered by the Department of Economics at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.  It is designed for students interested in learning about modern capitalist economies and feasible alternative futures.  Our department is quite unique in offering courses in a wide range of areas including critical political economy, development economics, the environment, international economics, and economic history.  This certificate is a good opportunity to delve into these wide-ranging areas, while also engaging with various approaches to economics from mainstream to heterodox perspectives.

In this certificate, students start with a critical introduction to economics (Econ 103).  Then, we lay the foundation of the political economy approach, which examines interaction of the economic, political and cultural features of a society (Econ 105).  Then we offer a critique of the capitalist system using alternative frameworks (Econ 205).  Students are then allowed to take a range of electives on various economic, political and social issues, while also engaging with the theme of environment and climate change (Econ 308). 

Eligibility
Admission to the Certificate Program is open, and anyone with a high school education can enroll.  The candidate does not have to be a UMass Amherst student.  There are no formal pre-requisites to apply for the certificate, although individual courses may have pre-requisites. 
 
Course Requirements
Students are required to complete twenty (20) credits in six (6) courses.  Course requirements may be satisfied via online courses at the University of Massachusetts Amherst through UMass University Without Walls (UWW), standard lecture courses, or a combination of both.  The online classes are designed to be the online equivalent of the corresponding regular undergraduate courses offered in the Economics Department.  Some of the required courses will be offered in all the semesters (Fall, Spring, Winter and Summer sessions).  The electives will generally be offered at least once every year. 
 
Graduation Requirements 
To receive the Certificate in Political Economy, a minimum 2.0 GPA must be maintained across courses applied to certificate requirements. 

Tuition
Course are billed per credit plus applicable fees. The currect cost per creit is $402US ($1,608US per 4 credit course)
 
Certificate of Completion 
When a student has enrolled in the final class for the certificate, they must fill out a Certificate of Eligibility Form and submit an unofficial transcript.  If all requirements are met, a certificate of completion will be issued.
 

Questions? Contact Patrick Fenton.