The Carolina Graduate Certificate in Innovation for the Public Good (CIPG) gives masters and doctoral students an educational pathway to explore modern changemaking and practice the skills they need to help create meaningful change in the world. The certificate is sponsored by three academic units: the College of Arts and Sciences, Gillings School of Global Public Health, and the School of Education.

CIPG courses emphasize evidence-based and creative problem-solving approaches, along with team-oriented, customer/community discovery methods, that students can use to develop solutions that address pressing human concerns. The learning journey is designed to help students move their ideas into action through the intentional development of mindset, knowledge and skills that transcend any single discipline.

UNC MPP dual-degree students following Track A (Policy Design and Innovation) are also eligible to apply for the Carolina Certificate in Innovation for the Public Good. The graduate certificate requires 9 credits, and courses completed for the MPP can fully double count toward the certificate. Completion of the CIPG affords students an additional professional and academic credential to accompany their MPP.

To earn the nine-credit certificate, students must complete one required core course, “HBEH 748: Design Thinking for the Public Good,” plus two additional courses selected from among a subset of electives offered through a variety of departments and professional schools. The courses emphasize evidence-based, creative problem-solving approaches and early, team-oriented methods that focus on discovering the needs and perspectives of customers and communities. Students can apply up to three credit hours from CIPG courses toward their graduate degrees. There is no prerequisite for the certificate and it is open to masters and doctoral students in any of the University’s graduate programs, including the professional schools and College of Arts & Sciences.

For more information, please visit Innovate Carolina.