The Skills for Social Change Certificate is the option for students who don’t have room in their degree for a for-credit course — and for anyone who wants the SoCIETIE skills without enrolling in an ANU course.
Who it’s for
Anyone. Because it runs as a standalone, non-credit certificate, it doesn’t take up space in your degree. If you do have room for a for-credit elective, consider the SoCIETIE Initiative courses instead.
How it works
You build skills for social change through the same interactive KNoTs — workshops, panels, seminars and masterclasses — that underpin the for-credit courses, completing them as a certificate at your own pace. On the schedule, look for the SoCIETIE label: those are the KNoTs run at the McCusker Institute, and they’re the ones that count toward the Certificate.
Registration to certificate
What the Certificate involves
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First
Register your interest
Submit an expression of interest to join the Certificate. There’s no competitive process and no degree prerequisite — registering is what starts your journey.
- Submit an expression of interestRegister for the Certificate
- Not sure yet? Come along to an information session firstFind out more about not sure yet? come along to an information session first
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Once you're registered
Track your progress on your Pathway Dashboard
Registering is all it takes — by the next day you’ll have your own Pathway Dashboard showing every KNoT counted toward your Certificate and what’s still to come. A welcome email with these details is on its way too; everything you need is on this website.
- Sign in with your ANU account whenever you likeOpen My Journey
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Attend 6 KNoTs over six months
Attend 6 KNoTs
Build your skills through the same interactive KNoT workshops that underpin the for-credit courses. Six completed KNoTs earn the Certificate — and because it’s self-paced, you set the tempo.
- Find out about our classes, which we call KNoTsFind out more about find out about our classes, which we call knots
- RSVP for KNoTs directly on the scheduleFind out more about rsvp for knots directly on the schedule
- Look for the “SoCIETIE” label on the schedule — those KNoTs count toward the Certificate
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Within 10 calendar days
After each KNoT
Every time you attend a KNoT, you have 10 days to submit its completion task to include it in your count. You can find the instructions for completion under each KNoT.
- Find out about the KNoT completion tasks Find out more about find out about the knot completion tasksSubmit your KNoT completion task (opens in a new tab)
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When you reach six
Submit your Certificate reflection
One last completion task — submitted through the same form as your KNoT tasks, though this one isn’t a KNoT. Reflect on your experience as a whole with respect to your time with the institute, and a social change project or initiative you are involved with — this may be something to do with your studies, or outside of university.
- Submit the reflection through the completion-task formSubmit your Certificate reflection (opens in a new tab)
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To finish
Earn your Certificate
Six KNoT completions and your reflection in your count, and the Skills for Social Change Certificate is yours. Certificates are presented by the McCusker Institute at our next end-of-semester picnic — celebrate it, share it, and keep attending KNoTs if you’d like to keep building.
- Receive your Certificate at the end-of-semester picnic
Ready to start?
Register for the Certificate — there’s no competitive process and no degree prerequisite.