The Collaborative Governance Graduate certificate is available at Portland State University and is part of the Mark O. Hatfield School of Government. In response to a growing need for collaborative approaches to complex problems that span multiple jurisdictional, sectoral, and organizational boundaries, the Hatfield School of Government, the Toulan School of Urban Studies and Planning, the National Policy Consensus Center (NPCC), and the Center for Public Service (CPS) have partnered to offer a set of courses that lead to a Graduate Certificate in Collaborative Governance. Non-certificate students may also opt to take one or more courses individually.
It is our goal to improve the practice of collaborative governance (and therefore governance) by providing students with the following knowledge and skills:
- Define collaborative governance and its value in public policy-making and creation of public goods.
- Identify and exemplify principles of professional responsibilities and ethics in a collaborative setting.
- Design and manage collaborative processes, partnerships, and networks.
- Employ appropriate analysis techniques to understand and monitor collaborative efforts and outcomes, including the identification and application of relevant technical and scientific information.
- Demonstrate leadership, as well as verbal and written communications skills aligned with principles of collaboration.
- Demonstrate an understanding of group dynamics, deliberation, and decision-making by effectively engaging with teams and groups in collaborative contexts.
- Identify and apply appropriate negotiation and conflict management theories and frameworks in two-party, and multi-party settings.
- Employ computer and web-based decision and communications tools in a collaborative context.
The certificate program consists of 16 credit hours of graduate coursework and is intended to provide working professionals and graduate students with the knowledge and skills necessary to successfully lead or engage in collaborative efforts designed to generate and/or implement sustainable solutions. All core courses for the Graduate Certificate in Collaborative Governance are offered on-line. In addition, at least one of the elective courses (PA 577) is offered on-line.
Course of Study
[NCDD note: Below are the current courses for the program as of Spring 2017 and they may be subject to change in the future.]
Core Courses
Students must take the following four core courses:
- PA 575: Foundations of Collaborative Governance (3 credits) – Fall
This initial course provides an overview of the current governing context and the new models that have emerged in response. In addition, students will explore the nature of collaborative relationships, the role of trust, harnessing the potential power of groups, and how to address conflict and reach consensus. - PA 576: Collaborative Governance Process & Systems (3 credits) – Winter
This skills-based course focuses on the assessment, organization and phases of facilitating collaborative agreement-seeking processes, emphasizing techniques and challenges for reaching mutually satisfying agreements, including how to frame an issue to increase the group’s chance for success. - USP 584: Negotiation in the Public Sector (4 credits) – Summer
This course offers an overview of the conventional and innovative applications of negotiations in public sector activities, and the potential and limitations of negotiation-based approaches to public decision making. Key components include negotiation theory, individual skill development and a review of the institutional, legal and political context of negotiations. - PA 578: Collaborative Governance Practicum (3 credits) – Fall
In this culminating practicum, students participate in discussions with faculty experts and fellow students as they apply the knowledge and skills gained in core courses to a community-based problem, issue, or project of their choosing.
Electives
Students must also complete one elective course of their choice. The following is a list of suggested elective courses. Courses not on this list may also be eligible with pre-approval by certificate program faculty.PA 577: Case Studies in Collaborative Governance (3 credits) – Spring
- PA 543: Creating Collaborative Communities (3 credits)
- PA 553: Sustainable Development Policy and Governance (3 credits)
- USP 550: Concepts of Citizen Participation (4 credits)
- USP 619: Development Partnerships (3 credits)
- SYSC 511: Systems Theory (4 credits)
- PA 564: Current Issues in Environmental Policy and Administration (3 credits)
- CR 515: Negotiation and Mediation (4 credits)
- CR 524: Advanced Mediation (4 credits)
- CR 526: Intercultural Conflict Resolution (4 credits)
- CR 512: Perspectives in Conflict Resolution (4 credits)
About PSU’s Hatfield School of Government
Dedicated to public service and social justice, the Hatfield School does more than teach — we prepare students for community leadership and for making the world a better place. Located in the vibrant heart of downtown Portland, the Hatfield School offers real-world application of studies only steps away from the classroom. Students actively engage in a variety of hands-on public service projects throughout Oregon, the nation, and the world.
Resource Link: www.pdx.edu/hatfieldschool/collaborate
This resource was submitted by Sarah Giles, Special Projects Manager at Portland State University’s Hatfield School of Government via the Add-a-Resource form.