This program will be offered in the Spring 2027 term.

Earn your Advanced Graduate Certificate in Disaster, Crisis, and Emergency Management fully online and develop the advanced skills needed to help communities prepare for, respond to, and recover from crisis through a global, integrative lens. This 12-credit graduate certificate program offers hands-on learning and in-depth analysis of both domestic and international disaster response systems, crisis and disaster policy, the intersection of climate change and disasters, and strategies for building community resilience and capacity. Designed for emergency management professionals, crisis workers, and disaster human service and humanitarian workers looking to advance their careers, this flexible graduate certificate prepares you to lead in today’s complex, dynamic, and challenging disaster environment. 

Admission

Admission to this graduate certificate program is not competitive. Applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution. 

Application Requirements 

A complete application includes: 

• Official transcripts with proof of a conferred bachelor’s degree 

Start Terms 

This program admits new students in the: 

• Fall (starting Fall 2027)
• Spring 

Deadlines 

Application deadlines do change from term to term. For specific deadlines, please see the Graduate Admissions Deadline page. 

How to Apply 

To apply, visit the SUNY Empire application portal and select Graduate: https://www.sunyempire.edu/application.html 

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
PADM 6175	Leadership, Decision-Making, and Governance	3
PADM 6200	Disaster Health and Human Services	3
PADM 6205	Disaster Recovery, Capacity Building, and Resiliency	3
PADM 6210	Foundations in Disaster and Crisis Management	3
Total Credits		12

Upon successful completion of this program, students should be able to:

• Apply interdisciplinary frameworks and evidence-based programs from international and domestic humanitarian and disaster management to complex disaster and conflict.
• Lead cross-sector disaster planning, response, and recovery initiatives involving governmental, non-governmental, and international organizations.
• Develop community resilience frameworks that integrate risk assessment, mitigation planning, and social, political, environmental, and economic factors to address vulnerabilities in disaster-prone populations and communities.