Nonproliferation Studies Certificate Program

Students planning to pursue a career in the control, reduction, and elimination of weapons of mass destruction (including chemical, nuclear, and biological weapons) may earn a Certificate in Nonproliferation Studies.  Students may earn this Certificate as part of their MA in International Policy Studies or through a one year stand-alone option.

Non-degree Option

Individuals who wish to complete a course of study to receive the Certificate in Nonproliferation Studies may do so within a period of two semesters. These students are considered non-degree, as they are not enrolled in a master’s degree program, and will have a different set of admissions requirements. Working professionals, recent undergraduate students, and individuals who already hold an advanced degree can be considered. Please contact the Admissions Office for more details.

Students learn from the world's foremost nonproliferation experts, working on research projects utilizing the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies (CNS) multiple databases, which cover nuclear, missile, chemical and biological weapons, and terrorism topics with a special emphasis on the former Soviet Union and East Asia.

The Center is recognized internationally for its unique WMD expertise and is the only organization in the world dedicated exclusively to graduate education and research in the field of nonproliferation. Professor William Potter, Director of CNS, and senior members of the CNS staff are active participants in international negotiations, preparing students for nonproliferation careers with on-the-job training and exposure to visiting scholars and specialists from other countries.

To obtain the Certificate in Nonproliferation Studies, students must complete at least 20 semester units with B or higher in each of the courses, including the following courses:

Nonproliferation Studies Certificate Requirements (20 credits)

• Introduction to WMD Nonproliferation (4 credits)
• One of the following technical workshops (4 credits)
  • Nuclear Weapons Technology
  • Chemical Weapons Technology
  • Biological Weapons Technology
  • Missile & Missile Defenses
• One of the following Nonproliferation-Related Seminars (4 credits)
  • Chinese Nonproliferation & Security Policy
  • Nuclear Proliferation Trends & Trigger Events
  • Nonproliferation at the NIS
  • Security & Nonproliferation Issues in the Middle East
  • Terrorism & Weapons of Mass Destruction
  • Weapons of Mass Destruction Proliferation in South Asia
  • South Asia & WMD
  • Chemical & Biological Weapons & Arms Control
  • Cooperative Threat Reduction Process in FSU
• Credits from any of the following courses, or from any of the above seminars (11 credits)
  • Security & Arms Control in Northeast Asia (4 credits)
  • Export Controls (2 credits)
  • Arms Control Simulation (4 credits)
  • Nonproliferation Organizations & Regimes (1 credit)
  • History of US Nuclear Weapons Development (1 credit)
  • Iran's Nuclear Weapons Program (1 credit)
  • Emerging WMD Supply Networks (1 credit)
• The following courses may count toward the certificate if a research paper is written on a nonproliferation topic:
  • Comparative National Security Policy (4 credits)
  • Seminar: International Space Policy (4 credits)
  • Seminar: Technology & International Security (4 credits)
  • Seminar: Terrorism in South Asia (4 credits)
  • Seminar: Emerging Issues in International Public Health (4 credits)
  • Introduction to Terrorism (4 units)
• The following content-based language course can count as 2 credits toward the certificate:
  • Contemporary Issues in Nonproliferation (4 credits, taught in Chinese, Japanese, or Russian- 2 credits can count towards certificate)

Students who already have an M.A. degree or equivalent work experience may earn the Certificate through a one-year program with 20 semester units with B or higher in each course. Certificate-only students must take both the required survey courses.