Description

The program is designed to provide the technical, legal, and historical background needed to gain a deeper understanding of civil and military nuclear policy. Henry Sokolski, Executive Director of NPEC and former Deputy for Nonproliferation Policy at the Department of Defense, will teach the seminars along with eleven guest lecturers. 

This is the 13th year NPEC has run the course. Never has it been so relevant. Recent news developments include Israel’s targeting of Iran’s nuclear facilities; Putin's continued nuclear threats; his seizure of Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant and assaults against Ukraine’s other reactors; North Korea’s dramatic expansion of its nuclear capabilities; Iran’s possible acquisition of nuclear weapons and withdrawal from the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT); Poland’s, South Korea’s, and Germany’s increased interest in acquiring nuclear weapons; the rapid expansion of China's nuclear arsenal; America’s promotion of new advanced nuclear reactor designs and builds; and the possible expansion of the U.S. nuclear arsenal and development of space-based missile defenses. The certificate program aims to help understand these developments. The certificate program is designed to help understand these developments. 

Applications for the Fall 2025 sessions of the NPEC Public Policy Certificate Program are due by July 18, 2025 for early decision or August 18, 2025 for regular decision. 

For more information and to apply, visit NPEC’s website: https://npolicy.org/nuclear-policy-2025/

Requirements

This course is designed for full-time legislative staff (including those detailed to the Hill), executive branch staffers working nuclear policy issues, the military, embassy staff from friendly nations, and journalists working national security and nuclear-related beats.