Certificate in Fire Service Human Resource Management

The Certificate in Fire Service Human Resource Management consists of four (4) fully online courses. This advanced certificate is designed to help identify human resource challenges faced by public organizations, discuss the importance of evaluating recruitment and other HR processes, and explain key features and benefits of mentoring and succession planning. 

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-FIRE0013 Fire Department Human Resource Management II
• OLCD-FIRE0036 Incident Command: Thinking and Acting
• OLCD-PALS0030 Interpersonal and Intercultural Communication
• 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 the processes of collective bargaining, negotiation, mediation, and arbitration;
• analyze and interpret other peoples’ communication behaviours, as well as their own culture and its influence on their verbal and nonverbal behaviour; and
• understand the importance of mutual respect, and interpersonal and intercultural sensitivity for effective communication.

Prerequisites

The prerequisites for the Certificate in Fire Service Human Resource Management are the Certificate in Fire Service Leadership and the Certificate in General Fire Service Administration.

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?

• Emergency services recruitment and HR personnel  
• Managers and aspiring managers in the fire service

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.