1. WHAT IS THE PRICE OR COST OF THE DEGREE?
UNITAR has adopted a pricing system designed to provide access to its activities to individuals with limited resources while ensuring the financial viability of the programme. In this regard, UNITAR offers three categories of prices:
Master degree:
Full fee: EUR 7,408.
2. I CANNOT PAY THE TUITION FEES, WHAT CAN I DO?
Scholarships covering parts of the fees may be available to outstanding candidates from developing countries on a very competitive basis. If you want to be considered for a scholarship, you must tick the relevant box during the pre-registration process.
Discounts may be available for candidates from Least Developed Countries (LDCs) to cover parts of the fees. The amount of the discount is EUR 3,589.
If you do not get a scholarship and cannot pay LDC tuition fees, UNITAR can send you a recommendation letter to support you in your search for external funding from potential donors. We suggest that you contact foundations, trusts, companies, and embassies. UNITAR does not have a list of potential donors and you should do your own research to secure external funding. Registration on the degree will only be officially confirmed upon payment of the fees. Application must be made after the deadline for the payment of the tuition fees/first instalment.
3. DO I QUALIFY FOR THE DISCOUNT FOR CITIZENS FROM LEAST DEVELOPED COUNTRIES?
The discounted tuition fees are available to some applicants from LCD countries but are not automatically applied. The following persons are not eligible for the discount:
- Individuals with dual nationalities one of which is not from a LDC;
- UN staff and staff from international organisations;
- Individuals with the means to afford the normal tuition fees.
The list of Least develop Countries is available here.
The tuition fees to be paid by the applicant are decided by the Selection Committee in line with the criteria set herein. Applicants may be asked to submit additional documents to justify their status including their UN index number, proof of income, etc. The full tuition fee for LDC candidates is EUR 9,371.25. Fees may change depending on the exchange rate.
4. CAN I PAY IN INSTALLMENTS?
The payment options at UOC are the following:
- One single payment by bank transfer in Euros
- One single payment by credit card in Euros.
Payment by debit card in instalments distributed as follows:
The the tuition fees for students enrolled in the master’s degree can be paid in up to 19 instalments distributed monthly plus one initial payment of 25% of the tuition fee.
5. I HAVE COMPLETED COURSES ON PEACE AND CONFLICT AT OTHER UNIVERSITIES OR TRAINING CENTRES, CAN I BE EXEMPTED FROM SIMILAR COURSES INCLUDED IN THE MASTER’S DEGREE?
UNITAR does not accredit courses taken by applicants and participants in other institutions besides the Open University of Catalonia. As a result, applicants will not be exempted from taking UNITAR or UOC courses on the basis that they have previously completed similar courses. Likewise, they may not receive a discount for the tuition fees.
6. WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A MASTER’S DEGREE AND A POSTGRADUATE CERTIFICATE?
The two degrees are different. The Postgraduate Certificate is shorter and cheaper than the Master’s degree and is open to applicants who do not have an undergraduate university degree. Courses in the Postgraduate Certificate are of the same quality and standard as those in the Master’s degree. The Postgraduate Certificate is not of the same level as the Master’s degree since it is shorter and no thesis has to be written. Both are university qualifications which are accredited.
7. IS THE MASTER’S DEGREE RECOGNISED BY OTHER UNIVERSITIES?
The Master’s degree is based on the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) which is recognised throughout Europe and the world. There is no difference between the credits obtained in this Master’s degree and those obtained through face-to-face studies in other European universities.
8. IS THE MASTER’S DEGREE RECOGNISED BY THE UNITED NATIONS?
The Master’s degree is recognised by the United Nations, including for employment purposes.
9. WHERE WILL THE COURSE SIT?
The entire programme is web-based and all courses take place online. You are not required to travel, even for your graduation. All you need is a reliable internet connection.
10. HOW ARE THE COURSES ORGANISED?
The programme is entirely web-based and no travelling is involved. It is designed to maximize learning and requires the full participation of each member. Adult education is very specific in that it entails the learner to use the knowledge they already possess and build upon it through application, reflection, and feedback. The activities are interactive and require the learner to engage not only on the topic but with other participants and the facilitator. This programme does not allow the participant to sit back and be fed the knowledge. Instead, it pushes the learner to maximize their own resources. The Programme does not include any final exams. To ensure that the continuous assessment process has been followed, you must have completed and submitted all the required continuous assessment tests and exercises.
11. ARE THERE DEADLINES OR IS IT FLEXIBLE?
In general, courses require participants to submit activities on a weekly basis and you may organise your study time in any way you want to meet the deadlines. If you go on mission, extensions may be granted by the course facilitator on a case-by-case basis. You must request the extension beforehand.
12. WHO ARE THE TEACHERS AND FACILITATORS?
Beyond UOC and UNITAR staff, we invite experienced practitioners from our partner institutions, universities and organisations. With guest trainers and lecturers from various continents, the Master’s programme creates a stimulating balance between the theoretical and the practical and ensures that students receive cutting-edge and relevant knowledge.
13. WHAT COURSES MUST BE COMPLETED TO RECEIVE THE MASTER’S DEGREE?
To receive the Master’s Degree in Conflict, Peace and Security, issued by the UOC in partnership with UNITAR, candidates must complete the following courses equivalent to 60 ECTS (1500 hours) in no more than two years:
UN.000 Understanding Conflict and Conflict Analysis
UN.001 Conflict Resolution
UN.002 Introduction to Peace Operations and Milestones in UN peacekeeping
UN.004 Human Security in Post-Conflict Interventions
UN.006 Gender Matters
B1.044 Media and Conflict
B1.042 Philosophy of Peace and Non-Violence
B1.048 Game Theory
B1.046 Economy, Environment and Migration
B1.055 Research Methods
B1.049 Intercultural/Ethnic Conflict and the Management of Diversity
B1.051 Corruption, Conflict and Security
B1.050 Prevention and Transformation of Conflict
B1.101 Mandate Evaluation/ Leadership and Strategic Planning
B1.045 Crisis Management
B1.700 Master's Final Project
14. WHO IS ELIGIBLE?
Each application will be reviewed by the Selection Committee of UNITAR and UOC. To gain admission on the official Master’s course, candidates must have an official university degree. This notwithstanding, UNITAR and the UOC may admit candidates with pending degrees, as long as all necessary courses for said degrees were passed. The Selection Committee will verify prior to enrolment that the courses taken were the equivalent level of a university degree and that they allow admission to postgraduate courses in the country of issue of the qualification. Candidates must be proficient in English and have reliable access to the internet.
15. I DO NOT HAVE EXPERIENCE IN A PEACE OPERATION, IS THIS DEGREE FOR ME?
The degree is not only for United Nations peacekeepers and the target audience includes:
- Peace operation personnel;
- Military and police personnel;
- Civil servants and staff of international, regional and national organisations involved in peace and security;
- NGO representatives and humanitarian workers;
- Indigenous people’s representatives;
- Researchers and academics;
- Students;
- Any person with responsibilities and interest in solving conflicts.
16. WHAT SHOULD I PUT IN MY APPLICATION?
- A completed application form;
- A cover letter/personal statement (approx. 400 words) explaining your current position and why the chosen degree would be relevant for your career. You must convince the Selection Committee that you have the relevant experience or intellectual capacities to complete the programme and that you have the potential or ability to work in the field of peace and security;
- An essay (approx. 400 words) on a subject related to inter-state or intra-state conflicts in which you display an intermediate level of knowledge on peace and security issues, sufficient proficiency in English and an academic writing style. All your sources and citations must be referenced and plagiarism may lead to the rejection of the application;
- Copies of your previous degrees;
- A Curriculum Vitae of maximum 8-10 pages;
- A copy of a current passport;
- A letter of reference.
17. I HAVE NOT YET RECEIVED MY UNDERGRADUATE/BACHELOR DEGREE, CAN I STILL APPLY?
Yes, your application will be reviewed and you may be pre-registered. However, you will only be registered on the programme once we have received all copies of your certificates and you have paid the tuition fees.
18. WILL I GET A JOB AT THE UNITED NATIONS ONCE I GRADUATE?
A Master’s degree is a valuable qualification that provides multiple benefits. Candidates who choose to pursue postgraduate studies in Conflict, Peace and Security may seek to:
- Acquire up-to-date and advanced knowledge on issues related to peace and conflict;
- Learn about cutting-edge methods and strategies to implement effective conflict prevention and conflict resolution programmes;
- Develop transferable skills of interest to employers and the UN system, thus facilitating their recruitment in international or national bodies, NGOS, consultancy firms, etc...
- Receive a degree from an accredited university to advance in their careers.
Graduating from the International Master’s degree in Conflict, Peace and Security will not automatically get you a job with the United Nations. However, it imparts knowledge and skills sought after by the United Nations and as such it will increase the quality of your application.
19. I CANNOT FIND THE ANSWER TO MY QUESTION, WHO CAN I CONTACT?
United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR)
Division for Peace
Avenue de la Paix 7 bis, CH 1202, 2 Geneva, Switzerland
E-mail: conflictology@unitar.org