• Next application deadline TBA

About the Program

Offered in partnership with the Central Park Conservancy Institute for Urban Parks, The Essentials of Urban Park Management Certificate provides a professional non-credit credential for current urban park managers and focuses on practices critical to the care and management of urban parks.

Admissions Criteria

We encourage applicants with entry- to mid-level positions in public agencies (i.e. parks departments) and nonprofit urban parks groups (i.e. conservancies, friends groups, or other park organizations directly providing support to an urban park) to apply. We recommend that applicants have some experience in the field of urban park management.

We will limit the number of participants admitted from any one individual organization at our discretion, to ensure rich conversation with multiple points of view.

Curriculum

Students will explore topics relevant to their current work, gain a deeper understanding of the latest developments and challenges in the field of urban park management, and engage with a network of urban park managers in an interactive online environment. The certificate program covers the following topics:

1. Introducing the field of urban park management
2. Valuing partnerships
3. Engaging communities
4. Coordinating volunteers
5. Hosting programs
6. Managing special events
7. Assessing environmental sustainability
8. Working with tools and technology
9. Managing during capital improvements
10. Measuring performance in urban park management
11. Making checklists for tasks in urban parks
12. Affirming our commitments

Students who complete the program receive a certificate jointly from the Central Park Conservancy and the CUNY School of Professional Studies. There are 12 units within the certificate program; all must be successfully completed in order to earn the certificate.

Schedule and Program Details

Students will participate in 12 units of fully online course work over a duration of 14 weeks. The self-paced program will require students to commit to three hours of work per week, including the completion of weekly assignments.

Fee

Fees for future sessions will be announced with application deadlines.

Scholarships are available to applicants from qualifying agencies and organizations.

About our Program Partner

The Central Park Conservancy Institute for Urban Parks, founded in 2013, draws on the Conservancy’s history and expertise as a leader in the field of urban park management and public-private park partnerships to empower, inform, connect, and celebrate the individuals and organizations that care for urban parks so that all urban park organizations have the knowledge, leadership, connections, and capacity to create, maintain, and support great public spaces.