The Graduate Certificate in Humanitarian Leadership provides an opportunity for learners to increase their competency through leadership tools and to increase their understanding of relief and development from a Christian worldview. Learners come from a wide range of careers and responsibilities including:

  • Program managers

  • Community development practitioners

  • Social enterprise entrepreneurs

  • Missionaries

  • Educators

  • Church ministry leaders

  • Christian nonprofit board members

  • Government agency employees

  • and more

The 10-credit hour curriculum provides flexibility with online and on-campus course options and provides choices to personalize learning to address desired interests and knowledge gaps.
Courses provide students a multidisciplinary approach to care for and empower those affected by crisis, disasters, and systemic inequities. Students can deepen their ability to engage in the following areas of work, both domestically and internationally:

  • Anti-human trafficking

  • Refugee care

  • Poverty interventions

  • International humanitarian aid

  • Justice and advocacy

  • NGO/Nonprofit leadership

  • Missions

  • Emergency management

Courses are available in online or in-person format, with the exception of HDI 504 (only available as an in-person one-week intensive).

Continuing into an M.A. Program: Applicants who are admitted to the M.A. in Humanitarian and Disaster Leadership program or M.A. in Nonprofit Leadership program* may apply completed courses from this certificate toward the degree requirements.
 
*The M.A. in Nonprofit Leadership program accepts credit hours for the following courses:  HDI 574 NGO Leadership (4 credits), HDI 594 Monitoring, Evaluation, & Program Design (4 credits), and HDI 614 Transformational Development (4 credits).
 

Program Director, Kent Annan 

Requirements for the Humanitarian Leadership Certificate are 10 credit hours1 as follows:

Requirements 1
Section A - Foundational with SPHERE Requirement (Select 1-2 courses, ranging from 0-6 credits) 10-6
HDI 501
Principles and Practices of Humanitarian Response 2
HDI 504
Foundations of Humanitarian and Disaster Leadership
HDI 544
Organizing Emergency Humanitarian Assistance 1
Section B - Concentration (Select 4-10 credits) 14-10
HDI 614
Transformational Development
HDI 624
Refugee and Forced Migration Issues
HDI 564
Disaster Management
HDI 574
NGO Leadership
HDI 584
Anti-Human Trafficking and Gender-Based Violence
HDI 594
Monitoring, Evaluation, and Program Design
HDI 654
Disaster, Crisis, & Trauma Intervention
Total Credits10
1

The maximum number of credits for the certificate is 10.

2

HDI 501 should only be selected if neither HDI 504 nor HDI 544 are selected.

Format: Courses are available in online or in-person format with the exception of HDI 504 (only available as an in-person one week intensive with remote pre and post work).

Continuing into an M.A. Program: Applicants who are admitted to the M.A. in Humanitarian and Disaster Leadership program or M.A. in Nonprofit Leadership program* may apply completed courses from this certificate toward the degree requirements.
 
*The M.A. in Nonprofit Leadership program accepts credit hours for the following courses:  HDI 574 NGO Leadership (4 credits), HDI 594 Monitoring, Evaluation, & Program Design (4 credits), and HDI 614 Transformational Development (4 credits).
 

With Other Graduate Programs: This certificate is a good complement to other Wheaton College graduate programs.