The Certificate of Advanced Study in Postconflict Reconstruction (PCR) is a 12-credit, multidisciplinary program for law and graduate students preparing for careers in PCR, peace building, humanitarian relief, and international development.
The certificate provides students a documented concentration and familiarization with the various dimensions and goals of postconflict work, the types of actors who conduct it, the trade-offs and dilemmas they face, and the lessons learned from its application across various settings. Students learn the tools required for success in public service careers in reconstruction, human security, and development, including:
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Analytical techniques tailored for work in international development communities.
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A better understanding of how the US and the international community can effectively participate to rebuild shattered societies.
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New ways of thinking about the nature of conflict, cooperation, and security.
Specific topics of study include international law and the rule of law, human rights and human security, peace and conflict studies, diplomacy and international relations, humanitarian relief, economics of development, and capacity-building. This sequence of specialized coursework is coordinated across the Maxwell School, College of Law, Whitman School, and Newhouse School. All students take a core course-Fundamentals of Postconflict Reconstruction-and complete a Capstone Project/Internship related to PCR.