Requirements

Requirements for the CHE Certificate include completion of:

  • Two core classes (GH 565 and GH 557)
  • One course in approved advanced methods
  • Six credit hours in approved electives
  • Applied Practice Experience relevant to Global Complex Humanitarian Emergencies
  • Thesis or Capstone on a topic relevant to Global Complex Humanitarian Emergencies
  • Fifteen hours of volunteer participation

 

Core Classes

Students are required to take the following two core courses:

GH 565 (2 credits)

Health in Humanitarian Emergencies.

*5 day class January break, year one

GH 557 (2 credits)

Epidemiological Methods in Humanitarian Emergencies.

*5 day class Spring Break. Offered every other year, with next offering Spring 2025. Must be taken in semester offered.

 

Advanced Methods Requirement

Students must complete one course (at least 3 credit hours) from the following list of approved methods courses.

Please note: Students in EPI/GLEPI/EH EPI programs may waive advanced methods requirement (and replace with 3 additional credits of approved electives) through demonstrating mastery of the epidemiologic competencies associated with this Certificate Program. Please speak with program coordinator or director for additional information on documentation of this waiver.

 

Electives

Students are required to complete 6 credit hours of approved elective courses. All classes must be taken for a grade.

Currently offered elective CHE courses include:

GH 581: Risk Communications for Complex Humanitarian Emergencies

GH 587: Preparedness and Planning for Complex Humanitarian Emergencies*

GH 537: Programming for Sexual and Reproductive Health in Complex Humanitarian Emergencies

GH 538: Food and Nutrition in Complex Humanitarian Emergencies

*Offered every other year; next offering Fall 2025 

For information on currently approved additional elective courses, see our list of approved electives.

 

Applied Practice Experience (APE)

Students must complete an Applied Practice Experience which addresses a substantive topic in humanitarian emergencies.

The Applied Practice Experience (APE) component is an experiential based (typically summer) employment with an implementing organization across various sectors and technical expertise. All CHE APEs are approved by the CHE Manager, Education and Programs on a case-by case basis. CHE APEs may occur in non-acute (i.e. non-response) humanitarian settings which include: protracted emergencies and areas previously impacted by an emergencies. For more information, please see the APE section of our website.

 

Research

Students must complete a thesis or capstone which addresses a substantive topic in humanitarian emergencies. 

Please note: With the permission of the certificate coordinator, students who complete a capstone rather than a thesis may take an additional 4 credit hours of approved electives to fulfill the thesis requirement

 

Event or Volunteer Participation

Students are required to participate in 15 hours of CHE-related volunteer work.  Volunteer opportunities are available in a number of local organizations; please refer to the CHE website for more information. In order to fulfill this requirement, students must send a letter from their volunteer opportunity supervisor verifying their volunteer hours to the CHE coordinator along with their tracking sheet. 

Volunteer opportunities are available with the following organizations:

Refugee Family Services