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Welcome to the Web site of the Peace Operations Training Institute. Here you will find all the same courses and programmes that we previously provided under the name “UNITAR POCI.” Please note that we are no longer affiliated with UNITAR. Click here to learn more about our new name.

Certificate of Training in United Nations Peace Support Operations (COTIPSO)

Students interested in a comprehensive programme of study may earn a Certificate of Training in United Nations Peace Support Operations. This programme is offered through a consortium that includes the Peace Operations Training Institute, the United Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations (UN DPKO), and several world-known universities and peacekeeping training centres.

This voluntary certification programme integrates classroom training with the self-paced correspondence courses offered by Peace Operations Training Institute. In addition, completion of the programme requires the student to submit an original written research thesis on an approved aspect of peacekeeping. The programme is conducted at a college level, but it is not a degree-granting academic programme. Completion of the programme results in a professional Certificate of Training in Peace Support Operations, not an academic degree. Completion of the programme demonstrates a thorough study and understanding of UN Peace Support Operations but is not intended to represent a guarantee of employment with the UN or any organisation.

Complete information can be found in the COTIPSO Operating Framework (PDF), or by contacting the COTIPSO coordinator, George F. Oliver.

Programme components

Classroom Instruction

Classroom instruction is conducted at recognized national peacekeeping training centres and universities worldwide. Click here for the full schedule, which is updated regularly.

Please note that students wishing to participate in a particular classroom course must make arrangements directly with the provider of the classroom training. Students may begin the programme with attendance at one of the recognized classroom courses or they may begin with the distance education component.

Distance Education

Participants in the programme complete twelve correspondence courses from Peace Operations Training Institute. We suggest a schedule of one course per month for twelve months. These courses each include an End-of-Course Examination with a minimum passing score of 75%. The correspondence courses provide the opportunity for students to extend what they have learned in the classroom courses, study individual topics not conveniently available in resident format, and make progress in their studies at their own speed. Students may begin their correspondence courses at any time, either before or after the classroom course.

Original research paper

After the completion of the resident and non-resident components of the programme, the student writes an original thesis integrating what he/she has learned. The thesis will be written at the level of upper-division undergraduate college research and should demonstrate both a factual understanding of peace support operations and an ability to synthesise and discuss peacekeeping and related issues. The thesis will be written under the supervision of a Thesis Advisor. To learn more about these thesis advisers and to communicate with them directly, visit the complete list of Thesis Advisors.

Cost

Students must enrol in twelve courses from Peace Operations Training Institute, whose cost vary depending on delivery type (download, CD-ROM, or print). Students must also pay the COTIPSO fee of 1039 USD. Finally, students must pay any tuition and expenses related to the classroom training component.

Theses by COTIPSO students

Theses written by COTIPSO students may be read here.