Certificates

Certificate in Humanitarian Emergencies

Certificates

Certificate in Humanitarian Emergencies

Special Announcement May 2025

Pending federal reorganization efforts, the Certificate in Humanitarian Emergencies is not formally being offered in the 2025-2026 academic year. We hope to be able to bring it back in 2026-27.

Key Notes

  • Several electives that are relevant to the certificate will be offered in 2025-2026.
  • Core courses may be offered in 2026-2027; a decision will be made in spring 2026.
  • Completing relevant coursework and tracking progress will be a self-guided process by the student.
  • There is no formal application process for this certificate in the 2025–2026 academic year.
  • Current students entering the program in fall 2025 who intend to complete relevant coursework for the certificate should submit the statement of intent by the end of the fall 2025 semester.

Submit the statement of intent here

Student Process

  • Students in the incoming 2025 cohort should utilize the most recent CHE handbook to understand historical requirements and review frequently asked questions.
  • Advisement tracking sheets are available to guide students in completing CHE-relevant coursework.
  • For the 2025-2026 academic year, students should identify and complete approved elective and methods coursework.
  • Updates will be provided in spring 2026 about the potential for a formal certificate option.

Program Overview

The Certificate in Humanitarian Emergencies combines the teaching and research strength of Emory University with the applied technical skills of the CDC's Emergency Response and Recovery Branch. This certificate is available to qualified Rollins students, but students from other Emory graduate health schools may participate in certificate classes on a case-by-case basis.

This is a rigorous and competitive certificate program ideal for students who:

  • Want to work overseas in emergency and post emergency settings as their career.
  • Have international development and/or relevant field experience in resource poor settings.
  • Are committed to building practical field epidemiological methods skills for resource poor settings. 

Learn More on the Center for Humanitarian Emergencies website

Curriculum

Additional Requirements

Students must complete an applied practice experience (APE) which addresses a substantive topic in humanitarian emergencies.

The 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 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. 

Students must complete an integrative learning experience which addresses a substantive topic in humanitarian emergencies. 

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: 

 

Admissions

The application period will open August 1st and close September 22nd. Applications can be accepted any time during this period, but all are due by 5 pm ET on September 22nd.  Please email the application as a word document (NOT pdf) to ERCT@cdc.gov with the subject line: 2024 CHE Certificate Application. You can download the application by clicking the "Apply" button below. 

Apply

Contact

Get in Touch:

Certificate Director
Contact Name

Dabney Evans, PhD

Contact Email
devan01@emory.edu