Peace Education

The Master of Arts Degree Programme in Peace Education seeks to develop and strengthen the knowledge, values and capacities of educators to build a peaceful world in all levels and dimensions of life. Through coursework, capstone project, independent research or internship experiences complemented with a unique and cooperative learning environment at UPEACE, students will be enhanced in their values formation, knowledge and skills essential to the contributions of formal and non-formal educators and institutions in analysing, resolving and transforming conflicts and violence towards a holistic culture of peace.  The programme will provide both a critical understanding of the theoretical and conceptual foundations of peace education as well as engagement with a broad spectrum of critical, participatory and transformative pedagogies. Based on the work, programmes, projects and research of educational institutions and organizations, including schools, universities, UN agencies such as UNESCO, UNICEF, UNHCR and UN Office for Disarmament Affairs, local/international NGOs and other civil society organizations or institutions,  students will explore how education is essential in promoting disarmament and nonviolence, local/global justice, intercultural and interfaith understanding, human rights, gender equality, sustainable futures and preventing or addressing emergencies arising from armed conflicts, natural disasters and health crises.

Courses Common to all UPEACE Academic Programmes

• UPM 6001 UPEACE Foundation Course (3 Credits)
• UPM 6003 The United Nations System and UPMUNC (3 Credits)

Course Common to all PCS Programmes

• PCS 6008 Research Methodology (3 Credits)
• PCS 6011 Tools for Conflict Resolution and Transformation (3 Credits)
• UPE 6064 Working in Conflict Areas - Field Training (2 Credits)
• PCS 6012 Identity Politics, Inclusion and Peace Building (3 Credits)

Courses for Peace Education (PE) 

• PEP 6010 Peace Education: Theory and Practice (3 Credits)
• PEP 6044 Education for Sustainability (3 Credits)
• GPB 6026 Gender in Peacebuilding and Human Security (3 Credits)
• IPS 6064 Restorative Justice (2 Credits)
• PEP 6043 Human Rights Education (3 Credits)
• PEP 6025 Education in Emergencies: Armed Conflicts, Disasters, and Health Crisis  (3 Credits) 
• Graduation Project: Thesis (8 Credits) or Internship (8 Credits) or Capstone (5 Credits)*

  *NOTE: Students who choose Capstone as Graduation Project must take an extra 3-credit course according the following options:

  1. One additional course (face to face modality), which means taking 2 parallel regular master courses (one in the morning and one in the afternoon) if approved by the student's MA Programme Coordinator

  2. One additional 3-credit course or two additional 2-credit courses (online modality), which means taking 2 or 3 parallel courses (one face-to-face master course and one 3 credit course or two 2-credit courses approved by the student's Programme Coordinator) before June 2019

  3. One additional 3-credit course or two additional 2-credit courses (online modality) extended from June 2019 until December 2019 (the online course or courses must be approved by the student's Programme Coordinator)

• UPEACE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

UPEACE as a not-for-profit institution has limited funds for financial assistance. Therefore we strive for balance, diverse class composition, and merit in distributing financial assistance among admitted students.

Regulations to Receive Financial Assistance at UPEACE

The prospective applicant has to be admitted to UPEACE in order to receive any possibility of financial assistance from the University.

• The financial assistance awarded is not negotiable.
• The below waivers are not applicable to the $2,500 administrative fee. This fee is mandatory for all students and is non-refundable. Admitted students must comply with this financial obligation to UPEACE according to the required deadline outlined in their official admissions documents sent from the UPEACE Admissions Office.

Financial Assistance Categories

30% Tuition Waiver (Automatic) - Available to Master's and Doctorate students that meet one of the following:

• Citizen or nationals of a signatory country of the UPEACE Charter
• Students who have received an undergraduate or graduate degree from a partner university
• Peace Corps veterans
• UPEACE Alumni (admitted to UPEACE doctorate programme)
   
• ONLY for MA in Spanish (Resolución de Conflictos, Paz y Desarollo): Citizens or nationals of countries where Spanish is the official language. 
   

50% Tuition Waiver (Automatic) - Available to Master's and Doctorate students that meet one of the following:

• Professors from a partner university
• Costa Rican citizens and residents (host country)
• Current, full-time UN employees and volunteers
• Documented refugee or asylee

30% or 50% Tuition Waiver (Merit Based) - Available to Master's applicants who do not belong to the above categories. These waivers are offered in limited number and will be awarded by merit, not financial condition. These waivers are not available to doctorate students.

Signatory Countries

• Argentina
• Bangladesh
• Bosnia & Herzegovina
• Cambodia
• Cameroon
• Chile
• Colombia
• Costa Rica
• Cuba
• Cyprus
• Dominican Republic
• Ecuador
• El Salvador
• Guatemala
• Guyana
• Honduras
• India
• Italy
• Liberia
• Mexico
• Monaco
• Montenegro
• Nicaragua
• Pakistan
• Panama
• Peru
• Philippines
• Republic of Korea
• Russian Federation
• Senegal
• Serbia
• Slovenia
• Spain
• Sri Lanka
• St. Lucia
• Suriname
• Togo
• Turkey
• Uruguay
• Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of)

Partner Universities

• Addis Ababa University  (Ethiopia)
• Ahfad University for Women (Sudan)
• American University (Washington, D. C.)
• Arcadia University  (Philadelphia, PA, USA)
• Ateneo de Manila University (Philippines)
• Bahçeşehir University  (Turkey)
• Banaras Hindu University  (India)
• California State University  (San Bernardino, CA, USA)
• Catholic University of Eastern Africa  (Kenya)
• Claflin University (South Carolina, USA)
• Comisión Nacional de Préstamos para la Educación (CONAPE)  (Costa Rica)
• Cooperbelt University (Zambia)
• Fairleigh Dickinson University (New Jersey, USA)
• Earth Charter International  (Costa Rica)
• Erbil University (Kurdistan, Iraq)
• European Centre for Peace and Development (Belgrade)
• Femmes Africa Solidarité  (Switzerland)
• Florida International University  (Miami, FL, USA)
• Foundation for Environmental Security and Sustainability (FESS)  (Falls Church, VA, USA)
• Fourah Bay College at University of Sierra Leone  (Sierra Leone)
• Geneva School of Diplomacy (Switzerland)
• George Mason University  (Fairfax, VA, USA)
• The Hague University of Applied Sciences (The Netherlands)
• Hiroshima City University (Japan)
• Institut Barcelona D’Estudis Internacionals (IBEI) (Spain)
• The Institute for Peace at Bibliotheca Alexandrina  (Egypt)
• Inter-American Court of Human Rights (ICHR)  (Costa Rica)
• International Institute of Social Studies  (The Netherlands)
• International University of Monaco  (Monaco)
• IUCN – The World Conservation Union  (Switzerland)
• Kobe University  (Japan)
• Leeds University  (United Kingdom)
• Leiden University College The Hague (The Netherlands)
• Loyola Law School  (Los Angeles, CA, USA)
• Marianopolis College (Canada)
• Moscow State Institute of International Relations of MFA of Russia  (Russia)
• National Council of YMCAs of Korea (Republic of Korea)
• Norwegian University of Life Sciences (Norway)
• The National University of Rwanda (Rwanda)
• PanAfrican Centre for Gender, Peace and Development (Senegal)
• Peace and Sport, L’organisation pour la paix par le sport  (Monaco)
• Pontificia Javeriana University Cali  (Colombia)
• Rwanda Peace Academy  (Rwanda)
• Search for Common Ground (Washington, D. C.)
• Uganda Martyrs University  (Uganda)
• UN Department for Disarmament Affairs (UNDDA)  (New York, USA)
• UNEP – The Regional Office for Europe  (Switzerland)
• UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education (The Netherlands)
• United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat)  (Kenya)
• United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR)  (Switzerland)
• United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR)  (Switzerland)
• United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI)  (Italy)
• United Nations University (Japan)

• United World College (UWC Costa Rica)

• Universidad Alfonso X el Sabio (UAX) (Spain)

• Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (Spain)
• Université Catholique de Bukavu (Congo)
• Université de Cocody  (Côte D’Ivoire)
• Université du Burundi  (Burundi)
• Université Libre des Pays des Grands Lacs (Congo)
• University Cheikh Anta Diop of Dakar (Senegal)
• University of California at Berkeley  (Berkeley, CA, USA)
• University of Colombo  (Sri Lanka)
• University of Dar es Salaam  (Tanzania)
• University of Dhaka  (Bangladesh)
• University of Djibouti  (Djibouti)
• University of Dohuk  (Kurdistan Region of Iraq)
• University of Gulu  (Uganda)
• University of Hargeisa  (Somaliland)
• University of Innsbruck  (Austria)
• University of Jos  (Nigeria)
• University of Karachi  (Pakistan)
• University of San Francisco (United States)
• University of Utah  (Salt Lake City, UT, USA)
• University of Winnipeg  (Canada)
• University of Zalingei  (Sudan)
• UPEACE The Hague Centre (The Netherlands)
• West Texas A&M University  (Canyon, TX, USA)
• Western Washington University  (Bellingham, WA, USA)

Graduates of the programme will be sensitive to peace-oriented values and principles and empowered with a critical understanding and knowledge of the root causes of diverse conflicts as well as nonviolent strategies for transforming these conflicts toward a peaceful world. They will also be able to share creative curriculum and pedagogical skills in peace education in formal contexts (e.g., schools, universities, departments or ministries of education) and equally in non-formal and community contexts (e.g., intergovernmental or state agencies, private sector, NGOs, and CSOs).

MA Peace Education Graduates since 2004 are now

• Lecturers, Senior Lecturers, Assistant Professors, Associate Professors.
• Teachers, Guidance Counselors, Peace Education Consultants, Curriculum Developers in public and private school systems
• Program and Project Coordinators  in various international agencies such as UNESCO, UNICEF, UNFPA, UNDP, and NGOs such as Teachers without Borders, Save the Children, Amnesty International, Project Ploughshares, Peace Brigades International, and many more.
• Pursuing doctoral studies.