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Certificate Requirements

A. Coursework
4 graduate-level courses must be completed. At least two courses must be taken in philosophy, related to the area of public engagement of the student. In addition, two or more courses must be taken in another field, again related to the area of public engagement of the student. Students will select their courses in consultation with their Certificate Advisor.
 
B. Outreach
A minimum of 40 hours of engagement with members of the public. This can take several forms (subject to approval of the Certificate Advisor). These include (but are not limited to) teaching and/or facilitating discussion among pre-college students or members of other community groups, and making presentations to out-of-discipline audiences at conferences/events.
 
C. Research Seminar
Participation for at least one year in an on-going, monthly research seminar under the leadership of faculty members involved in public philosophy. The research seminar will focus on readings about the nature of public philosophy, crossdisciplinary work that includes philosophy, aspects of engagement with non-academic communities, and similar topics. The specific topics to be addressed will be generated by participants in the research seminar and will change from year to year depending upon interests of the group. This will start out as a reading group, with the option that this could become a formal course in future.
 
D. Capstone Experience
This will consist of a research paper and/or a presentation at a professional conference or Penn Public Philosophy Workshop.
 
E. Advising
Students will be advised by the Faculty Certificate Coordinator or another Certificate Advisor designated by the Coordinator. The student will have an initial planning meeting with their Advisor upon commencement of the Program, and then meet periodically to plan service opportunities as well as pre-approve electives and capstone experiences. Student advising for this Certificate will be coordinated with advising by the Graduate Chair (especially in the early years to ensure proper training in philosophy through course work) and the supervisor so as to ensure that pursuing this Certificate will enhance the students' overall performance as a graduate student.
 
Examples of Forms the Certificate Could Take (which connect directly with work currently underway or under development in the Philosophy Department), with Possible Courses
 
A. Teaching pre-college philosophy. Any two philosophy graduate courses, and two from a wide range of EDUC course, including: EDUC 507 Teaching & Learning in Student Centered Classrooms; EDUC 513 Development of the Young Child (TLL); EDUC 513 Development of the Young Child (TLL); EDUC 520 Literacy in Elementary/Middle Schools.
 
B. Teaching philosophy to inmates. Any two philosophy graduate courses, and two from a wide range of SWRK courses, including: SWRK 768: Social Policy Through Literature; SWRK 771: Social Work Values and Ethics; SWRK 785: Criminal Justice Policies: Implications for Social Work; SWRK 798: The Social Entrepreneurial Approach to Community Reintegration; SWRK 798: Critical Race Theory; or two from a wide range of courses in LAW or PSCI
 
C. Public Understanding of Science: Any two philosophy graduate courses, and two from a wide of COMM courses, including: COMM 639: Communication and Cultural Studies; COMM 891: Misinformation/Disinformation in the Age of Digital Media; COMM 525: Introduction to Political Communication; COMM 575: Social Psychology of Communication
 
D. Inducing Behavioral Changes for Public Good: Any two philosophy graduate courses, and two from Behavioral and Decision Sciences, including BDS 501: Behavioral Economics and Psychology and BDS 502: Norms and Nudges; also relevant would be some courses from the Psychology Department such as PSYC453: Seminar in Decision Making; PSYC470: Social Psychology; PSYC490: Science of Behavioral Change; and PSYC573: Neuroeconomics.