Certificate in Emergency Management

The Certificate in Emergency Management consists of four (4) fully online courses. This advanced certificate will focus on incident command and disaster management systems in the fire service.  

Courses

Each course in the certificate is twelve (12) weeks in length and consists of 36 learning hours, including 7.5 hours of live online sessions. Learners can expect to spend a minimum of three (3) hours per week on their studies.

Click on each course name for more details and specific learning outcomes:

• OLCD-FIRE0010 Disaster Management and the Fire Department
• OLCD-FIRE0011 Emergency Medical Service Management and the Fire Department
• OLCD-FIRE0036 Incident Command: Thinking and Acting
• OLCD-PALS0031 Organizational Behaviour

Please note: The Certificate requires a passing grade of 70% in each course. See each course for applicable tuition fees and schedule. You must register for each course individually to reserve your spot. Courses can be taken in any order. Courses can only be used towards one certificate. 

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this certificate, learners will:

• anticipate and be open to changes in the workplace;
• support their workplace teams in working together effectively; 
• understand how disaster management is linked with the organization and management of resources and responsibilities for dealing with all aspects of emergencies;
• create and focus on objectives, develop and implement effective strategies, increase accountability, and facilitate clear communications; and
• appreciate the nuances and complexities of implementing Incident Command System philosophies and the impacts to the humans within our organizations.

Prerequisites

The prerequisites for the Certificate in Emergency Management are the Certificate in Fire Service Leadership and the Certificate in General Fire Service Administration. Before taking OLCD-FIRE0036 (Incident Command: Thinking and Acting), students should also take ICS 100, and ICS 200.

Language Requirement: University-level English language proficiency required in writing, speaking and reading comprehension. It is recommended that students have an IELTS Academic score of 6.5 overall or a TOEFL-IBT score of 90 overall for this program. Please see the following guidelines from Dalhousie University for more information: English Language Requirements For Undergraduate Admissions - Admissions - Dalhousie University.

Program Delivery

The program is delivered through the flexibility and convenience of Dalhousie's enriched and engaging online learning platform (OpenDal). Courses include group activities, live streaming lectures and project work. Course delivery is designed to provide maximum benefit and flexibility through online study.

Who Should Take This Certificate?

Any of the following individuals who have completed the Certificate in General Fire Service Administration:

• Fire service officers
• Emergency management personnel 
• Managers and logistical coordinators of disaster recovery 

Recognition of Prior Learning

It may be possible to receive advanced standing in this certificate based on your prior learning from work or life experience. We provide two types of recognition of prior learning:

• Prior Certified Learning: Assessment of prior coursework or training through a provider, that is neither a university or college, for the purpose of advanced standing. Examples of certified learning may include military courses, accredited certificates, workplace training programs, etc.
• Prior Experiential Learning: Assessment of previous work and life learning that may be equivalent to learning outcomes of university courses / programs, for the purpose of advanced standing. Relevant prior learning may come from work or volunteer experience, participation on committees or boards, independent study, etc.

To discuss how to use your prior learning to apply for advanced standing, please contact rpl@dal.ca.