Fall Online Humanitarian Training Courses

The Institute of International Humanitarian Affairs offers credit/non-credit professional courses for practitioners around the world. Each professional course is designed to prepare current and future aid workers with the knowledge and skills needed to respond effectively to humanitarian crises and disasters.

Upcoming online fall 2026 courses include:

• Fundamentals of Humanitarian Action 
• Humanitarian Advocacy 
• Mental Health in Complex Emergencies 
• Forced Migration
• Human Rights in Humanitarian Crises 

Course dates: August 26 - December 18, 2026

Deadline: August 12, 2026

Below you will find the descriptions and outlines for each course. 

** PLEASE READ **

You will also find FAQs and contact information regarding registration, fees, course materials and structures at the bottom of the page.

Upon fulfilling the course requirements described in the syllabus, students will receive a Certificate of Completion from Fordham University.

The non-credit option is offered for 0 credits for a discounted rate and does not qualify students for a graduate degree. Once the course is over in December, there will be no further commitment required of students. If you are interested in taking these courses toward a graduate degree, please visit our online MIHA or in-person MSHS. 

HUST 5013 Fundamentals of Humanitarian Action (Non-credit or 3 credits)

Professor Anne Edgerton | Core course | Online Asynchronous 

This course will introduce students to the principles of humanitarian action through three modules on (1) Defining Humanitarian Assistance, (2) Management, and (3) Strategic Planning. The aim of the course is to provide an overview of the critical aspects of international humanitarian coordination from an organizational perspective.

Upon fulfilling the course requirements described in the syllabus, non-credit students will receive a Certificate of Completion from Fordham University.

Apply

HUST 5045 Humanitarian Advocacy (Non-credit or 3 credits)

Professor Anne Edgerton | Elective Course | Online Synchronous I Wednesdays 5:30 pm - 7:20 pm ET

Humanitarians work in hostile environments where people are struggling for survival in situations of armed conflict or natural disasters. In such environments, people may have been forced to flee their homes with few—if any—belongings and may have suffered or witnessed human rights violations. Their plight needs to be communicated to the world in a way that will motivate the deployment of the protection and aid they so desperately need. This course will prepare students for the task of advocacy in humanitarian environments. It will focus on the identification of the most vulnerable members of a large group of survivors and the communication of their needs. It will equip students with the skills required to effectively communicate with local authorities as well as the international donor community. Students will learn to write in a different way than the academic style expected in other courses, focusing on effective advocacy messaging. This course is recommended for students who may envision working directly in advocacy for responding to humanitarian needs. It is also recommended for humanitarian practitioners who wish to prepare for a role in advocacy or are already working in this area.

Upon fulfilling the course requirements described in the syllabus, non-credit students will receive a Certificate of Completion from Fordham University.

Apply

HUST 5500 Mental Health in Complex Emergencies (Non-credit or 3 credits)

Professor Whitney Fry | Elective course | Online Asynchronous 

This is a training course for mental health professionals and program staff who wish to establish mental health or psychosocial programs in a humanitarian context within conflict and post-conflict areas. This course is also open to Fordham graduate students in humanitarian studies or other relevant disciplines. It will aim to provide practical orientation and training, including how to conduct rapid assessments, designing and setting up mental health services or psychosocial programs (exploring the differences between them), and clinical work and therapeutic approaches in non-Western contexts. It will address the issues of cultural validity, conflict resolution and negotiation, taking care of oneself and dealing with burnout. This course will also introduce potential field workers to essentials such as personal security, logistics, and practical aspects of humanitarian work in the field.

Visit the MHCE page to learn even more about this course!

*The MHCE course includes online weekly meetings.

Upon fulfilling the course requirements described in the syllabus, non-credit students will receive a Certificate of Completion from Fordham University.

Apply

HUST 5035 Forced Migration (Non-credit or 3 credits)

Professor Brian Kelly | Elective course | Online Asynchronous 

Millions of people worldwide have been forcibly displaced across countries and continents for a wide range of reasons, including armed conflict and natural disasters. Some have become refugees or Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), while others live as irregular migrants. Some have been trafficked and live as victims of modern slavery. All find their futures dependent on political decisions and local perceptions driven by the media. This course will equip students to understand the complexity of forced migration and its relevant legal and protection framework, including International Refugee Law and the Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement. It will also address recent developments and the shift in emphasis from solving the problem of forced migration to the provision of durable solutions. This course is recommended for students who are interested in forced migration or who may wish to work in the areas of protection and response to affected populations. It is also recommended for humanitarian practitioners who are already working in this field and want to improve their knowledge and understanding of these complex issues.

Apply

HUST 5055 Human Rights in Humanitarian Crises (Non-credit or 3 credits)

Professor Florian Razesberger I Elective course | Online Asynchronous

Explore the legal, policy, and operational foundations of legal protection in situations of humanitarian crises. This course provides a practical understanding of the international protection regime, including international human rights law, international humanitarian law, and refugee law. It examines how these legal frameworks shape humanitarian action and protection practice in the field. Through case studies and practice-oriented learning, participants will explore special protection mandates, including the protection of children affected by armed conflict and responses to conflict-related sexual violence, alongside broader protection challenges such as the protection of civilians, humanitarian access, accountability for serious violations, and the protection needs of refugees, internally displaced persons, and other crisis-affected populations. The course also addresses protection mainstreaming, monitoring, advocacy, coordination, and integrated protection practice, equipping humanitarian professionals, practitioners, and students with the knowledge, analytical skills, and practical tools to assess protection risks, inform operational decision-making, and design, implement, and strengthen effective protection responses in complex humanitarian settings. 

Apply