Advanced Certificate in Disaster Management
Application for Fall 2026 opening soon. If interested, please email [email protected].
Navigate the operational and human realities of disasters
Fordham University’s fully online Advanced Certificate in Disaster Management is designed for professionals ready to move beyond frontline response and into leadership roles. Whether you’re working in emergency management, public health, humanitarian aid, or a related field, this program prepares you to lead teams, coordinate complex operations, and make informed decisions in high-pressure environments.
At a glance
- Degree type: Advanced Certificate
- Credit hours: 9 credits
- Cost: $5,850
- Duration: One semester
- Classes begin: August 2026
- Applications due: Applications will be considered on a rolling basis
- Location/Modality: Online
- Full-time or Part-time: Full-time or part-time
- Is there an accelerated option? No
Earn your Advanced Certificate in Disaster Management from anywhere. Start your application today!
Program specifics
-
What defines Fordham’s Advanced Certificate in Disaster Management?
Build the expertise needed to transition into supervisory and leadership positions across disaster management and humanitarian sectors. You’ll gain the ability to oversee operations, support affected populations with a nuanced understanding of their needs, and contribute to more effective, ethical disaster response systems.
As a student in this certificate program, you will focus on:
- Team leadership and coordination in disaster settings
- Humanitarian advocacy and ethical decision-making
- Accountability in disaster response and recovery
- Psychosocial impacts of disasters on individuals and communities
- Strategies for managing complex, large-scale emergencies
-
How to apply for an Advanced Certificate in Disaster Management
To ensure that we are able to holistically evaluate the candidate’s suitability for the Advanced Certificate in disaster management program, the following application components are required:
- Resume or curriculum Vitae (CV)
- Academic transcripts
- Official graduate record examination (GRE) scores (optional)
- Statement of intent
- Supplemental essay (optional)
- Writing sample (optional)
- Two letters of recommendation
Learn more about our admissions requirements.
-
Advanced Certificate in Disaster Management (9 credits) fully online *offered for Spring 2027*
Course Number Course HUST 5014 Humanitarian Response Management and Administration. HUST 5082 Accountability in Humanitarian Action HUST 5045 Humanitarian Advocacy HUST 5500 Mental Health in Complex Emergencies See graduate bulletin for course descriptions.
-
Brendan Cahill
Executive Director of the Institute of International
Humanitarian Affairs (IIHA)For over twenty-three years he has created, directed and taught in humanitarian programs throughout the world, including South Africa, Jordan, Kenya, India, Egypt, Myanmar, Kuala Lumpur, South Korea, Nepal, Sudan, Colombia, Nicaragua, Ecuador, Spain, Ireland, Germany, Switzerland, England and the United States. He established one of the first Masters programs in Humanitarian Action in the world, and, to date, has trained nearly 4,000 aid professionals from over 140 countries.
Learn more about IIHA faculty
F.A.Q.
-
- Emergency Management Director / Specialist
- Program Manager / Specialist
- Disaster Recovery Coordinator
- Emergency Disaster Manager
- Humanitarian Aid Coordinator
- Humanitarian Advocacy
- Director of Disaster Management
- Crisis Response Coordinator
- Disaster Rescue
- Disaster Risk and Prevention
- United Nations Program Analyst
- Emergency Management Consultant
- Mental Health/MHPSS Aid Program Managers
- Medical Practitioners
- Military/Civil Affairs Veterans
- First responders
-
This advanced certificate is designed for working humanitarian field practitioners with on-the-ground experience who are interested in preparing for leadership roles in strategic management and policy design. This certificate is delivered 100% online and designed for professionals seeking to enhance their disaster management response tactics or pivot into humanitarian disaster work, including:
- NGO and nonprofit practitioners
- Government and public sector professionals
- Military and veterans transitioning to civilian humanitarian roles
- Healthcare and medical staff
- Early-career professionals pursuing global impact careers
- NGO and nonprofit practitioners
-
Students who complete the Advanced Certificate in Disaster Management are encouraged to continue their studies by pursuing an additional advanced certificate or applying to the full master’s program.
The master’s degree is structured as a stackable pathway, consisting of three certificates and a capstone course, allowing you to build toward the degree incrementally. If you choose to continue, you will need to submit a request to [email protected].
-
The Institute of International Humanitarian Affairs (IIHA) at Fordham prepares current and future aid workers with the knowledge and skills needed to respond effectively in times of humanitarian crisis and disaster. Our courses are borne of an interdisciplinary curriculum that combines academic theory with the practical experience of seasoned humanitarian professionals.
View more frequently asked questions.