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University of Arizona and the United Nations Partner to Offer a Professional Certificate in Science Policy and Diplomatic Practice

Global challenges like cybersecurity, public health crises, and space science demand leaders who can bridge scientific innovation with international policy. The University of Arizona, a leading U.S. Research 1 institution, and UNITAR, the training arm of the United Nations, have partnered to launch a 14-week Professional Certificate in Science Policy and Diplomatic Practice.

This innovative 14-week online program equips participants with the knowledge and skills to bridge science and diplomacy in addressing global challenges. Graduates will be well-positioned to assume leadership roles in major multilateral scientific organizations such as UNESCO, CERN, WHO, ITU, and IAEA.

Why Engineering Matters
While science provides discovery, engineering delivers solutions. From designing new energy systems to advancing space exploration, engineering translates ideas into action that shapes global policy. Participants will learn how engineering innovation supports diplomacy, fosters international cooperation, and drives sustainable progress — skills urgently needed to address 21st-century challenges
 

Program Highlights

• Engineering at the Core: Specialized units on engineering policy and diplomacy, supported by case studies like the Montreal Protocol and CERN's Large Hadron Collider, where engineering enabled global collaboration.
• Interactive Global Dialogues: Two live sessions with internationally recognized experts in science policy and diplomacy. These sessions will offer real-time engagement with leading global voices, subject to feasibility across time zones.
• Joint Recognition: Certificate awarded by both the University of Arizona and UNITAR — combining academic rigor with UN-level credibility.

Program Modules 

Module 1: Science Policy and Diplomacy (Led by the University of Arizona)
Duration: 7 weeks | October 20, 2025 - December 7, 2025 | Contact Hours: 84–98
This core module, led by the University of Arizona College of Engineering, explores the intersection of science and policymaking. It covers ethics, the evolution of science policy, and diplomacy across multiple domains, including health, engineering, climate, cyberspace, AI, hydrology, ocean science, space science, and food security.

Units:

1. Ethics and Philosophy of Science
2. Defining Science Policy & Diplomacy
3. Global Health Diplomacy
4. Engineering Policy and Diplomacy
5. Climate Science Diplomacy
6. Hydro & Ocean Science Diplomacy
7. Food Security and Science Diplomacy
8. Tech Diplomacy (Cybersecurity and Artificial Intelligence)
9. Space Science Diplomacy
10. Science Policy & Diplomacy: Looking Forward

Module 2: Mediation and Conflict Resolution (Led by UNITAR)
Duration: 4 weeks | January 26, 2026 - February 22, 2026 | Contact Hours: 48–56
Led by UNITAR, this module equips participants with strategies and skills for conflict analysis and effective mediation in multicultural and international settings.

Units: 

1. The Fundamentals of Conflict Resolution
2. Conflict Analysis
3. Effective Mediation Strategies
4. Mediation Skills in a Multicultural Environment
5. Challenges for International Mediation

Module 3: Diplomatic Communication (Led by UNITAR)
Duration: 3 weeks | February 23, 2026 - March 15, 2026 | Contact Hours: 36–42
Led by UNITAR, this module explores oral and written communication in diplomatic contexts, including protocol, intercultural communication, and strategies for effective science-policy communication.

Units:

1. Why Does Diplomatic Communication Matter?
2. Diplomatic Protocol - Rules and Etiquette
3. Beyond Words: Verbal and Non-Verbal Communication
4. The Impact of Culture on Communication Diplomacy
5. Purpose-Driven Communication Strategies in the Digital Age

Who Should Apply for this Professional Certificate Program?

This program is ideal for:

1. Health professionals, scientists, and engineers seeking to transition into policy and diplomacy.
2. Diplomats and policy-makers addressing science-driven issues such as climate change, agriculture, AI, energy, space, and health.
3. Early- to mid-career professionals looking to strengthen their expertise in science policy and diplomacy.

How to Apply

Application to the program is free of charge. To apply, simply complete the online application form using the link provided. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, and candidates will be notified of their admission decision within 10 days. Accepted participants will receive detailed instructions on completing registration and payment.

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About the University of Arizona

The University of Arizona is a leading U.S. Research 1 institution tackling the most complex scientific challenges of our time through cutting-edge research and innovation. With more than $1B in annual research activity in 2024, the University of Arizona is committed to expanding human potential, exploring new horizons, and enriching life for all. The Science Policy and Diplomatic Practice Certificate is developed by experienced science diplomats from the University of Arizona College of Engineering through the University of Arizona Science Policy and Diplomacy Initiative.

About UNITAR 

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As the training arm of the UN, UNITAR provides innovative learning solutions to individuals, organizations and institutions to enhance global decision-making and support country-level action for shaping a better future. UNITAR was created in 1963 to equip young diplomats from newly independent UN Member States with the knowledge and skills needed to navigate through the diplomatic environment. Over the years, UNITAR has acquired unique expertise and experience in designing and delivering a variety of training activities. UNITAR has become a leading institute in the provision of customized and creative learning solutions to institutions and individuals from both public and private sectors. With a strategy fully focused on achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), UNITAR supports governments to implement the 2030 Agenda.
 

UI/UX Design Bootcamp equips you with the core principles, tools and industry best practices needed to excel in a variety of design roles. Our curated curriculum, drawn from top resources, guides you through design concepts, which you'll then apply in hands-on activities and comprehensive projects. These include UI practice exercises, a portfolio-ready capstone project and three optional projects to further hone your skills.

This fully online program empowers you to learn at your own pace, with the flexibility to accelerate your progress by dedicating more time each week. Benefit from personalized guidance through 1:1 mentor support via regular phone calls. Ask questions, receive feedback on your projects and gain valuable insights into the design industry.

• Duration: 9 months
• Ways to Learn: Online (Self-Paced)
• Monthly cohorts offered, so you can choose to start your bootcamp when it's convenient for you.

This Machine Learning Engineering & AI Bootcamp is designed to take you from a beginner to a confident practitioner in the field of machine learning. You'll start your journey with an introduction to fundamental ML algorithms and swiftly progress to cutting-edge topics like large language models and generative AI. You'll work on ten hands-on mini projects, one capstone project, and various exercises. 

Throughout the program, you'll receive 1:1 mentorship from an industry expert who you'll meet with regularly. You'll also have a student advisor and the option to engage with a career coach. Enrolling in this bootcamp opens the door to a variety of high-paying job opportunities in the realm of machine learning and AI.

• Duration: 9 months
• Ways to Learn: Online (Self-Paced)
• Monthly cohorts offered, so you can choose to start your bootcamp when it's convenient for you.

The Data Analytics Bootcamp empowers you with the essential technical skills for a thriving career in data analytics. Master business statistics, data visualization tools, and advanced analysis techniques to unlock valuable insights from raw data.

Our comprehensive curriculum goes beyond technical expertise, focusing on developing strategic thinking – a crucial skill for data professionals. With personalized support from mentors and career coaches, along with hands-on projects, you'll gain the confidence and practical experience needed to launch your career in this high-demand field. Learn at your own pace and on your own schedule, with the guidance and resources you need to succeed.

• Duration: 6 months
• Ways to Learn: Online (Self-Paced)
• Monthly cohorts offered, so you can choose to start your bootcamp when it's convenient for you.

The Coding Bootcamp is designed to equip you with job-ready web development skills using the MERN stack—the most popular stack in the web development ecosystem, consisting of MongoDB, Express.js, React and Node.js.

You'll gain proficiency in JavaScript, the world's most widely used programming language, and by the end of the bootcamp, you'll possess a comprehensive full-stack programming skill set that will enable you to thrive in a web development role.

The program culminates in a professional-grade capstone project where you'll build a complete web application, showcasing your newfound expertise to potential employers.

• Duration: 9 months
• Ways to Learn: Online (Self-Paced)
• Monthly cohorts offered, so you can choose to start your bootcamp when it's convenient for you.

The Data Science Bootcamp is a fully online program featuring a comprehensive 400+ hour curriculum centered around two hands-on capstone projects. You'll master the Data Science Method, a proven framework for successful data science projects. Our curriculum is divided into two parts to ensure a tailored learning experience - Foundations and Core.

Throughout the program, you'll receive 1:1 mentorship from an industry expert who you'll meet with regularly. You'll also have a student advisor and the option to engage with a career coach. Enrolling in this bootcamp opens the door to a variety of high-paying job opportunities in the realm of data science.

• Duration: 9 months
• Ways to Learn: Online (Self-Paced)
• Monthly cohorts offered, so you can choose to start your bootcamp when it's convenient for you.

This three-course non-credit professional development certificate program is designed to train entry-level translators in Portuguese to meet the needs of doctors' offices, hospitals, public health settings, courts, legal offices, schools, etc.

Who should take Portuguese/English Translation?

The program is intended for bilingual (English-Portuguese) speakers with no formal training in translation who wish to improve or expand their knowledge and skills in written translation.

The online format is ideal for professionals who, due to career and family obligations, cannot attend face-to-face classes.

What Will You Learn?

Upon completion of the program, students will have attained the following:

• Practice translating medical, legal, and business content from English to Portuguese and Portuguese to English
• Knowledge of English/Portuguese health, legal and business terminology and of how to expand on it
• Knowledge of how to make translation decisions on the basis of the translation requirements
• Training in cultural competency
• Preparation to work in health and legal settings

A University of Arizona non-credit Certificate in Translation is awarded upon successful completion of the program (three courses).

Apply Now

Courses

Each course is usually 16 weeks long and offered one time per year. Courses start in January, May and September.

Course Format and Schedule

Courses are self-paced, with weekly deadlines for activities such as reading, translation assignments and exams. You do not need to be online at a particular time to complete your course work.

The focus of the Translation Certificate courses is not on theoretical content. These are skills-based courses, whose goal is to facilitate acquisition of translation competence, more specifically the transfer component of competence. Given the short duration of the program (each course is only 16 weeks), we focus on core skills, which require rich feedback (from instructors and peers) and guided practice.

Unlike transfer competence, content (terminology, field specific knowledge) can be learned independently and through intensive specialized webinars, widely available in the field. Certificate courses teach content and terminology in the context of translation tasks (rather than as separate discrete units) and aim to teach students how to identify and remedy knowledge gaps (something they will have to do throughout their careers as translators).

The Translation Certificate courses are practical, workshop-style courses, as indicated on the syllabus. The assignments provide opportunities to learn (with purposely selected texts and guided activities to help students learn translation skills). Exams do not test content, but skills and thus, no preparatory materials are needed. Students prepare for exams throughout the entire course (through guided practice and feedback).

Application, Registration and Payment

To apply, you will need to complete and submit a background information form and a written entrance exam to test your proficiency in English and Portuguese. Applying to the program is free, and you can apply any time. Please allow 2 weeks before contacting us about the results of your application.

If you are accepted into the program, you will be notified when classes open for registration.

A payment plan is available for students registering for this program. Discounts are available for University of Arizona employees and military, as well as early registration (1 month before course start). Only one discount can be used per registration.

Please apply early (at least a month and a half before a course starts) if you would like to take advantage of the payment plan and/or other applicable discounts

For more information, please contact us or see the Portuguese-English Certificate Program FAQs.

Victim advocates assist and support crime victims in progressing through the criminal justice system and toward a successful recovery.

Advocates may work for domestic violence shelters, crisis centers, crisis hotlines, or with state and county governments to assist crime victims.

What You Will Learn

Course topics include legal terminology, legal process, legislation regarding victims rights, jurisdiction and venue, ethics, effects of victimization on the victim, victim advocate skills, guardianships and crisis intervention. It also covers counseling skills for victims of assault, battery, robbery, domestic violence, sexual assault, child abuse, and other crimes.

View full Victim Advocacy course syllabus.

Who Should Take the Victim Advocacy Course?

This noncredit professional development program is designed for those who wish to learn victim advocacy and assistance skills.

This program is also pre-approved by the National Advocate Credentialing Program (NACP) for those who wish to apply for an NACP credential. Those who successfully complete this program are eligible to apply for the NACP Provisional Credential. Those with experience in victim advocacy may be able to apply for a Basic, Intermediate or Advanced Credential based upon their experience in the field. 

Class Schedule and Format

This noncredit professional development program includes 45 clock hours of training.

The course is fully online, and you can work at your own pace to complete the course activities each week. You do not need to be online at any particular time to complete your course work. You will interact with the instructor via email and an online discussion board.

You will be expected to spend an average of at least 8 hours per week completing course activities. Course activities include reading assignments, writing assignments, exams and online discussions.

Victim Advocacy Course start dates: see start dates in the right sidebar.

What Is Included

• 45 clock hours of training
• A Certificate of Completion from University of Arizona Continuing & Professional Education upon successful completion of the program
• A digital badge upon successful completion of the program
• Eligibility to apply for the National Advocate Credentialing Program (NACP) Provisional Credential and possibly for the Basic, Intermediate or Advanced Credential based upon their experience in the field. 

NOTE: cost of books/materials and cost of applying for NACP credential is not included in registration fee.

earn the essentials of writing, researching, obtaining, maintaining, operations and strategies within the grant system.

What You Will Learn

This course covers grant research, grant writing, technical writing, budgeting, fundraising techniques and more.

view The syllabus

Who Should Take the Grant Writing Course?

The Grant Writing course is suitable for anyone wanting to learn the essentials of writing or acquiring grants for private, public, or government use.

Those who would prefer a shorter introductory course may be interested in Grant Writing Fundamentals.

Class Schedule and Format

This non-credit professional development program includes 180 hours of self-paced online training. You will work at your own pace to complete course activities, and a course mentor is available to answer questions and help you understand the material.

This is an open enrollment course, so you can enroll and start learning at any time. Once you enroll, you will have 12 months to complete the program.

What Is Included

• 180 hours of self-paced online training
• All necessary course materials are included
• Upon successful completion of this self-paced online program, participants will receive a Certificate of Completion from University of Arizona Continuing & Professional Education

Weight Inclusive Health is a four-part non-credit certificate program that aims to provide healthcare providers with foundational knowledge of weight inclusive care.

Weight inclusive approaches use non-weight based markers for health promotion and are rooted in health equity.

The Certificate in Weight Inclusive Care offers four different courses that are meant to explore weight bias, weight inclusive frameworks, eating disorders, and counseling from a weight inclusive lens.

Who Should Take the University of Arizona Weight Inclusive Health Certificate Program?

This noncredit program is open to all. You do not need prior healthcare experience. This program is ideal for:

• Recent college graduates working in the helping professions.
• Experienced healthcare professionals looking to update their skill sets, including Dietitians, Physicians, Therapists, Pharmacists and Public Health professionals.
• Those who are looking to make a shift into weight inclusive care or become more knowledgeable about other aspects of weight bias and eating disorder awareness.

What You Will Learn

• Personal bias awareness and introspection about your relationship with food and bodies.
• Addressing weight bias in health care by considering the social determinants of health, and practicing addressing and modifying weight-centric approaches.
• Weight inclusive approaches to counseling using an overall trauma-informed approach; this includes how to start conversations, practice motivational interviewing, hold space for weight concerns, and the whole person.
• Eating disorder and body image support with an intersectional lens and understanding of body autonomy.
• Overall weight inclusive framework applications in practice, from counseling, to nutrition and healthcare visits.

Schedule and Format

The program is completely online and self-paced. You will have three weeks to complete each course.

You should expect to spend about five hours per week on course work, including watching videos, reading, participating in online discussions, completing assignments and taking quizzes.

Weight Inclusive Health Certificate Program Courses

What is Included?

• Approximately fifteen hours of learning per course.
• A digital (PDF) Certificate of Completion upon successful completion of each individual course, as well as upon completion of the full four-course program.
• A digital badge upon successful completion of each individual course, as well as upon completion of the full four-course program.

Continuing Education Units: Continuing Education Units (CEUs) are available from Continuing and Professional Education for an additional fee. One CEU = 10 clock hours of instruction, so each course is eligible for 1.5 CEUs. Note that these CEUs are not occupation-specific.

Some of these courses are pending approval through the Commission on Dietetic Registration for 15 CEUs per course and will provide updates on that as needed.

Learn from University of Arizona Faculty 

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These courses are designed and facilitated by University of Arizona School of Nutritional Sciences and Wellness faculty members and graduate students:

Katelyn Barker, MS, RDN is an Assistant Professor of Practice and Assistant Director, Didactic Program in Dietetics at the School of Nutritional Sciences and Wellness.

Ashley Carrillo, MPH, RDN, CDCES is an Instructor at the School of Nutritional Sciences and Wellness.

A Message from the Weight Inclusive Health Team: "We look forward to providing this information and would like to share that the aim of this program is to be the start of a continuing education journey. We acknowledge the importance of learning from a variety of individuals, especially those with lived experience. It is vital that throughout our career we have ongoing and critical evaluation of our learning."

In addition to this non-credit professional certificate program, the School of Nutritional Sciences and Wellness also offers credit-bearing Weight Inclusive Health courses. Learn more about undergraduate weight inclusive health courses. 

Paying for Your Weight Inclusive Health Courses

A 10% discount is available for those who register for all four courses. The discount will be applied automatically during registration when you register for all four courses.

A 10% discount is also available for group registration (three or more individuals from the same organization). Contact us if you are interested in group registration.

Registration

You do not need to be located in Arizona or a University of Arizona student to take these courses.

Registering is easy. There is no application required. Just click the red button below to choose your classes and register in our convenient online registration system.