The School of Nursing 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—e.g. international development, community change, conflict resolution, resource stewardship. 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 30 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). MSP offers a two-year or three-year program of study.
Students completing the MSP will:
- 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
Application Deadlines
Application deadlines vary by program, please review the application deadline chart for specific programs. Other important dates and deadlines can be found by using the One Stop calendars.
Admission
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:
- All applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited program with a minimum GPA of 2.75 (4.0 scale).
- International applicants must provide Proof of English Proficiency. The language of instruction at UWM is English. MSP does not offer a dual- or contingent-admission option. A current resume that clearly articulates the applicant’s professional, international, and intercultural experiences as well as language exposure and proficiencies must also be provided.
Applicants are encouraged but not required to submit:
- Two letters of recommendation from persons familiar with the applicant’s academic or professional work.
- 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. The writing sample can be a previously written academic, professional, or personal piece OR a newly written essay (prompts provided by MSP).
To be considered for admission, all applicants must complete an online application, including:
- Pay the nonrefundable application fee;
- Upload unofficial transcripts from any and all schools attended, regardless of how long ago it may have been. Applicants will be required to submit official transcripts after an admission offer is accepted;
- Upload a current professional resume;
- Upload a 2-3-page Personal Statement (Reason for Graduate Study). This essay should address the following:
- Why is MSP a good fit for you?
- What have you studied and/or where have you worked that prepares you for the MSP?
- How will MSP help you advance your professional goals?
- Discuss an experience that relates to your goal to join our program.
- Which faculty member(s), community organizations, and/or global issues are you interested in working on while in MSP?
- Submit the names and email addresses of at least two references who will write a Letter of Recommendation for you. If possible, include one academic (e.g. advisor) and one professional (e.g. supervisor) reference. At least two letters must be received by UWM for your application to be considered complete.
- Upload a Writing Sample (max 10 pages) from within the past five years. Examples include:
- Paper from a college course;
- Excerpt from an undergraduate thesis;
- Grant proposal;
- Peer-reviewed article;
- A web-based piece, such as a blog entry or news article;
- Project report or evaluation;
- Guided Research Essay (this is suggested if you do not have a writing sample you would like to submit).
- Participate in a brief phone or virtual interview that will be scheduled after the candidate’s file is reviewed.
Please check the MSP Website for up-to-date information on eligibility, application requirements, and deadlines.
Credits and Courses
The Master of Sustainable Peacebuilding admits students in the 15-month track to begin in spring semester only and students in the 2-year and 3-year tracks to begin in fall semester only. Students may enroll in the 15-month, 2-year or 3-year course of study. Typically, students enroll in the 2-year option. The 15-month option is provided for students seeking an intensive courseload and who have few other commitments. The 3-year option is provided for students who carry extensive responsibilities outside of school for work or caregiving. Students may switch tracks one time. They must discuss this with the Academic Program Manager and provide a revised plan of study. Additional requests to switch tracks are only approved by the Program Director after reviewing extenuating circumstances described in the written request.
30 credits are required for the MSP degree, distributed as follows:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Core | ||
| MSP 760 | Systems Thinking, Mapping, and Sustainability | 3 |
| MSP 770 | Conflict Analysis and Restorative Practices | 3 |
| MSP 771 | Facilitation Skills for Peacebuilding | 3 |
| MSP 785 | Strategic Project Design, Management and Evaluation | 3 |
| MSP 786 | Transformational Leadership for Peacebuilding | 3 |
| Core Seminars and Workshops | ||
| MSP 762 | Conflict Transformation: Negotiation and Mediation Skills | 3 |
| MSP 780 | Transdisciplinary Research Methods and Information Literacy | 3 |
| MSP 781 | Evaluation and Organizational Innovation | 3 |
| Electives | ||
| Select 3 credits in consultation with advisor(s) that meet the student’s academic and professional goals. Credits can be taken in any unit on campus. | 3 | |
| Independent Study | ||
| Students may register for the following with approval from the supervising faculty member and the student’s faculty advisor: | ||
| Independent Study | ||
| Fieldwork | 3 | |
| Select one of the following for a fieldwork experiences: 1 | ||
| Fieldwork in Sustainable Peacebuilding: US Placement | ||
| Fieldwork in Sustainable Peacebuilding: Study Abroad | ||
| Total Credits | 30 | |
- 1
Students will complete a fieldwork experience, locally in Milwaukee, elsewhere in the U.S., or abroad. Students will engage in work that focuses on a pertinent issue in the broader context of peacebuilding, e.g. food security, water conflict, public health, etc. Students will select from current MSP projects or develop their own projects.
Additional Requirements
Progression in the Program
For continuance in the program, in addition to general Graduate School requirements, students must achieve a minimum grade of B- in all required MSP courses including electives.
Before a student can enroll in fieldwork, they must complete the following courses: MSP 760, MSP 770, MSP 771 and MSP 785.
Advising
As specified in the regulations of the Graduate School, 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 Capstone Paper, Portfolio and Presentation
Before graduation students must complete (as outlined in the MSP student handbook) an in-depth reflective essay paper. The paper is the culminating work for the program and focuses on what has been learned over the course of the MSP. The paper is structured around reflection about the student learning outcomes and the professional competencies. In addition to the paper, students submit an e-portfolio. The e-portfolio is developed throughout the program to show progression in knowledge and applied skills. Finally, the student prepares and gives a final presentation to faculty, staff and peers about key insights and experiences from the program.
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 graduate-level transfer course. To be approved as transfer credits, the student must complete the required process as determined by the UWM Graduate School and receive MSP Program Director approval.
Sustainable Peacebuilding MSP Learning Outcomes
Students graduating from the Master of Sustainable Peacebuilding program will be able to:
- Describe and interpret the factors and relationships in complex social systems toward the goal of identifying leverage points for peacebuilding.
- Recognize patterns of human-environmental interactions and analyze the key policies and processes at play using systems thinking tools to identify impacts within the context of conflict, sustainable societies, and peacebuilding.
- Define and utilize the work and meaning of transdisciplinary thinking, scholarship and action and how it differs from traditional disciplinary approaches in Humanities, Sciences, Social Sciences, and Technology.
- Develop and implement effective presentations and programs that facilitate group communication and problem-solving processes among diverse audiences of a range of sizes.
- Design and carry out project-planning and evaluation/monitoring of programs that contribute to community change and/or sustainable peacebuilding.
- Embody sustainable peacebuilding professional competencies including critical self-reflection, ethics of transdisciplinary practice, definition of roles and responsibilities, intellectual humility, dignity communication, equitable relationship-building, and complexity-inclusive practices.