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There are a few things you’ll need to consider before submitting your application to the PSM Certificate program:

A1. What courses will I take?

While there is some flexibility within the Geohazards Advanced Certificate curriculum, guidelines exist to guide you in selecting the courses you need to complete PSM Certificate. Five 3 or 4 credit hour graduate level courses are required to complete the PSM Certificate. Generally, students should be able to complete Certificate requirements in 2 semesters at full-time status.

Students are encouraged to review the course schedule in advance to ensure that their chosen courses will be available during the semesters they plan to pursue the PSM Certificate. Please visit the Curricular Requirements page for the curriculum outline and course options.

A2. What will your culminating experience be?

Each track includes a credit-bearing culminating experience that should be either an internship, thesis, project, research, lab experience or independent study. Students should discuss with their Faculty Advisor what options exist for the culminating experience within their department. The Assistant Director for Experiential Learning within the College of Arts and Sciences, Caitlin Hoekstra, can also assist PSM students in identifying opportunities to serve as their culminating experience.

A3. Plan to work on your Portfolio requirement gradually as you pursue the PSM

To document this culminating experience, students are required to create a portfolio that summarizes and displays the knowledge, skills and problem solving capabilities in their respective field.

The portfolio should contain all of the following materials:

• A resume and a short summary (2 pages) of the student’s interests, professional and academic experiences and career goals.
• A primary research paper (10-15 pages or more) pertaining to the internship, thesis, project, research, lab experience or independent study.