Program Overview

Master of Sustainable Peacebuilding (MSP) Program

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee offers an interdisciplinary professional graduate degree program leading to a Master of Sustainable Peacebuilding (MSP). The MSP is designed to prepare students for careers in peacebuilding, such as international development, community change, conflict resolution, and resource stewardship.

Overview

The MSP curriculum is designed to develop student expertise in systems thinking, social-ecological interactions, and the application of such concepts to peacebuilding and development fields. MSP students complete 40 credits of interactive coursework with practice-based learning opportunities. In the last semester, MSP students fulfill Graduate School master's degree requirements by completing a capstone (paper, presentation, & portfolio). The program offers a two-year or three-year program of study.

Program Outcomes

Students completing the MSP will be able to:

• Classify the various components of complex social-ecological systems and identify appropriate intervention strategies.
• Recognize patterns of human-environment interaction, including drivers of change resulting in conflict, development, and peacebuilding.
• Acquire critical knowledge across multiple disciplines relevant to development and peacebuilding and relate and translate knowledge among the disciplines.
• Facilitate effective group problem-solving processes, which includes communicating confidently and effectively to diverse audiences.
• Assess systemic outcomes of peacebuilding programs and policies and recommend adaptive modifications for improvement.

Admission Requirements

The Master of Sustainable Peacebuilding admits students to begin in fall semester only. Applicants must satisfy Graduate School requirements for admission as well as provide the following materials:

1. All applicants must hold a bachelor's degree from an accredited program with a minimum GPA of 2.75 (4.0 scale).
2. International applicants must provide Proof of English Proficiency.
3. Must submit two letters of recommendation from persons familiar with the applicant's academic or professional work, preferably one academic and one professional recommendation.
4. A writing sample that demonstrates the applicant's critical thinking, research, and writing skills as well as the applicant's ability to think across disciplines.
5. A current resume that clearly articulates the applicant's professional, international, and intercultural experiences as well as language exposure and proficiencies.

Credits and Courses

40 credits are required for the MSP degree, distributed as follows:

• Core courses:
  • MSP 760: The Politics and Policy of Sustainability (3 credits)
  • MSP 761: Complex Human-Environmental Interactions (3 credits)
  • MSP 770: Preparing for Sustainable Peacebuilding and Social Change (3 credits)
  • MSP 771: Holistic Peacebuilding Practice (3 credits)
  • MSP 785: Fundamentals of Project Management for Sustainable Peacebuilding (2 credits)
  • MSP 786: Reflective Practice in Sustainable Peacebuilding (3 credits)
• Core Seminars and Workshops:
  • MSP 780: Transdisciplinary Research Methods and Information Literacy (3 credits)
  • MSP 781: Innovation, Evaluation, and Adaptive Management (3 credits)
  • MSP 790: Negotiation and Group Problem Solving Skills (3 credits)
  • MSP 791: Leadership and Program Management for Sustainable Peacebuilding (3 credits)
• Electives: Select 9 credits in consultation with advisor(s); each course should fit into one of the following content areas:
  • Public and Environmental Health
  • Ecosystem Services and Resource Stewardship
  • Political Economy
  • Human Security and Development
  • Language and Culture
  • Religion and Belief Systems
  • Governance and Policy
  • Independent Study
• Fieldwork: Select one of the following for a fieldwork experience:
  • MSP 797: Study Abroad
  • MSP 798: Internship in Sustainable Peacebuilding

Additional Requirements

Advising

A major professor will be assigned to every person enrolled in the program to advise and supervise their work. Students may request a specific faculty advisor who aligns with their research and professional interests, if desired; however, fulfillment of such requests are not guaranteed.

Master's Paper

All students must prepare and orally defend a final master's paper following the second summer internship. The master's paper—an "Integrative Synthesis"—will reflect upon a student's breadth of experiences during the MSP program, and clearly demonstrate a student's ability to formulate an argument, analyze data, systematically present results, and show familiarity with relevant scholarship.

Transfer Credits

Students may transfer in one graduate-level course of up to 3 credits to count as an elective in the curriculum. Students must have received a grade of B or better in the transfer course.

Time Limit

All degree requirements must be completed within five years of initial enrollment.