Program Overview

Master's Certificate in STEP

The Princeton School of Public and International Affairs offers two master’s degrees: a 2-year Master in Public Affairs (MPA) and a 1-year mid-career Master in Public Policy (MPP). Students pursuing either degree can earn a Master's certificate in Science, Technology, and Environmental Policy (STEP).

Coursework

Master's students pursuing the STEP certificate are required to complete four (4) approved course credits on science policy-related topics. A list of pre-approved courses that fulfill the STEP requirements is posted on the Princeton SPIA website at the beginning of each academic year. Two half-term courses count as one course credit. Additionally, students may propose courses not on the pre-approved list to the STEP Certificate Director for consideration. Students must take at least three courses from the pre-approved list as part of the 4-course requirement.

Paper Requirement

Students pursuing the STEP certificate must also submit a policy paper to the STEP certificate director for approval. Generally, students will use a paper from one of their certificate courses, and the paper must have received a grade of B+ or better. Students are urged to consult with STEP faculty in order to meet the standards of an approved science policy paper.

Enrollment

Students interested in obtaining the STEP certificate should complete the Certificate Declaration form and reach out to the Certificate Director to discuss course selection.

2025/2026 STEP Approved Courses

• Fall 2025
  • SPI 405 / ENV 405 / EEB 356: The Global Land Challenge for Food, Climate and Biodiversity
  • SPI 585c: Topics in STEP: Leadership in Policymaking: AI & Climate Technology
  • SPI 586e: Topics in STEP: Natural Hazards and Disaster Policy
  • SPI 586f / COS 586: Topics in STEP: Technology Policy and Law
  • SPI 593n: Topics in Policy Analysis (Half-Term): GIS for Public Policy
  • SPI 594f: Topics in Policy Analysis (Half-Term): Environmental Justice and Policy in the U.S.
  • SPI 594u: Topics in Policy Analysis (Half-Term): Data Privacy in the US and Europe: A Comparative Perspective
• Spring 2026 (tentative)
  • SPI 548: Weapons of Mass Destruction and International Security
  • SPI 585a: Topics in STEP: Societal Impacts of Data, Algorithms and AI
  • SPI 586b: Topics in STEP: Climate Change Politics and Policy
  • SPI 586(TBD): Topics in STEP: Science for Policy and Policy for Science
  • SPI 593g: Satellite Imagery for Policymakers, People, and the Planet
  • SPI 594s: Climate Change: Science, Policy and Mitigation
  • SPI 594v: Vaccination: Epidemic Dynamics, Policy and Vaccine Hesitancy
  • SPI 594w: Climate Finance
  • ENE 522/MAE 533: Introduction to the Electricity Sector-Engineering, Economics, and Regulation

2024/2025 STEP Approved Courses

• Fall 2024
  • SPI 527c: Public Management in the Digital Technology Age
  • SPI 581c: Energy Economics
  • ENE 549 / SPI 583: Integrated Assessment Modeling for Climate Policy Making
  • SPI 585b: Topics in STEP: Cities and Climate Change
  • SPI 586e: Topics in STEP: Natural Hazards and Disaster Policy
  • SPI 591g: Policy Workshop: Strengthening Urban Climate Adaptation and Finance
  • SPI 593n: GIS for Public Policy
  • SPI 594f: Environmental Justice and Policy in the U.S.
  • SPI 594s: Climate Change: Science, Policy and Mitigation
• Spring 2025
  • SPI 407: Conserving Global Forests
  • SPI 528d: Topics in Domestic Policy: Policymaking and Ethical Challenges from Advances in Science & Tech
  • SPI 548: Weapons of Mass Destruction and International Security
  • SPI 585a: Topics in STEP: Societal Impacts of Data, Algorithms and AI
  • SPI 585c: Topics in STEP: Leadership in Policymaking: AI & Climate Technology
  • SPI 586a: Topics in STEP: Machine Learning for Policy Analysis
  • SPI 586b: Topics in STEP: Climate Change Politics and Policy
  • SPI 586d: Topics in STEP: Global Environmental Governance
  • SPI 593g: Satellite Imagery for Policymakers, People, and the Planet
  • SPI 594g: Green Industrial Policy
  • SPI 594u: Data Privacy in the US and Europe: A Comparative Perspective
  • SPI 594v: Vaccination: Epidemic Dynamics, Policy and Vaccine Hesitancy
  • SPI 594w: Climate Finance
  • SPI 594y: Climate Change and Health: Risks and Opportunities
  • ENE 522/MAE 533: Introduction to the Electricity Sector-Engineering, Economics, and Regulation

Additional Course Options for STEP Masters Certificate Students

Courses by Individual Petition

Students may petition to include a class not on the STEP list for certificate approval; however, the class must be taught by a faculty member or lecturer whose expertise is in environmental or technology issues. Credit for such courses requires a prior consultation with the STEP Certificate Director for course relevance, course level, and focus of assignments.

• For level: a course must meet graduate level requirements and may need modification of papers and other course elements to do so. Undergraduate courses may receive certificate credit provided they complete graduate-level coursework and have the approval of their instructor. Only one undergraduate level course may count towards the four courses required for the certificate.
• For focus: coursework, especially course papers, should strongly incorporate an approved STEP theme and be formulated in consultation with the STEP Director and course instructor in order to receive credit.

Science Course Option

MPAs with little or no background in natural science can take a science course as one of their four STEP-approved courses. A science course requires the prior permission of the STEP certificate director to receive credit. These courses can be either graduate (500) or undergraduate (300 or 400) level. The purpose of a science course is to introduce students who lack a science background to a scientific form of inquiry within a specific subject matter area.