WHY CHOOSE UIC's EMCP CERTIFICATE PROGRAM?
The fields of emergency management and continuity planning are growing rapidly. Professionals need to keep up with trends, continuously upgrade skills and knowledge and work within an expanding field with increased demand. Accordingly, training options include seminars, individual courses, certificates and degree programs. The list below highlights why UIC's Emergency Management and Continuity Planning (EMCP) Certificate Program is a great choice for any professional.
Post-baccalaureate Training
EMCP at UIC is a post-baccalaureate level program offered as a certificate with the option to apply credits towards a master's degree in public health. This allows students who are seeking training, but not necessarily a master's degree, to participate and earn a certificate of completion. Professionals can gain and upgrade skills without the full commitment of a degree program, but still have the option of applying credits towards a degree if they choose. Moreover, students may transfer all credits earned in the certificate program towards the fulfillment of the MPH (Master of Public Health) or the MS (Master of Sciences in Public Health) degree requirements in the event they apply and are admitted as degree candidates (see SPH admission requirements at: www.uic.edu/sph/eohs_admissions.htm).
Maximize Networking Possibilities
Through the online interface, student-professionals and instructors are able to interact in ongoing dialogue. Students from around the country and world come together on discussion boards and collaborative sessions to work together to achieve common goals and professional outcomes.
Participants of EMCP at UIC
- come from both public and private sector organizations
- aspire to be high-level managers or decision-makers
- seek opportunities to build leadership skills in the fields of emergency management and business continuity
- desire career flexibility, particularly as it applies to changing jobs
- come to the program as telecommunication specialists, registered nurses, government consultants, urban planners and more
- utilize the training for a variety of career paths, from public health professionals to emergency managers to business continuity planners and more
Multi-disciplinary Curriculum
Unlike other emergency management offerings, EMCP at UIC is a joint program offered by the UIC School of Public Health and the UIC College of Business Administration. This combination of emergency management and business continuity planning involves a partnership with public health and business school faculty members, the Argonne National Laboratory and professional business continuity planners. Additionally, EMCP at UIC is a partner institution with the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School, Center for Homeland Defense and Security (run by the Department of Homeland Security) and the National Academic Consortium for Homeland Security.
Certification Opportunities
EMCP at UIC improves opportunities for students to obtain related professional certifications. Some students entering the program already have certifications such as Certified Emergency Managers or National Incident Management System (NIMS). Upon completion of the EMCP program, students can be nominated for certifications from among select professional associations. Further, the EMCP Certificate can be a valuable credential that students can use to satisfy training and work experience requirements necessary to obtain such professional certifications.
Instructor Expertise
EMCP courses are facilitated by professionals from the UIC School of Public Health, the UIC College of Business Administration, Northern Illinois University and Argonne National Laboratory, as well as business continuity planners from the public and private sectors. Instructors come from many backgrounds, including: environmental and civil engineering, chemical emergency response, technology management and information systems engineering, IT risk and business management. Instructors have accumulated experience both inside and outside the classroom over the years, both in various industries and as consultants.
Quality Education
EMCP at UIC is offered through an accredited university, ensuring high educational standards. The certificate program is composed of five courses in which students receive in-depth training that exceeds stand-alone courses or seminars. Courses are interrelated and encourage students to apply multidisciplinary principles to real world issues. Courses are a full semester-long, as opposed to shorter seminars, allowing students the opportunity to gain expertise in both emergency management and continuity planning best practices.
Online students receive the same quality education as students in the traditional classroom setting, including: information-rich course content, personalized attention, access to educational resources and a network of faculty, staff and other students who take pride in education.
EMCP at UIC provides the ideal combination of flexibility and real-world application that today's professionals demand.
Convenience and Flexibility
The program and coursework are entirely online, meaning students never have to fight traffic to commute to a classroom, and students from across the country and globe are able to participate.
Online learners can access program course sites using an Internet connection, anytime, anywhere. Access 24 hours a day, seven days a week allows students to download assignments, contribute to class discussions, review instructor feedback and more - all at their own convenience.
EMCP at UIC offers education that enables students to interact with other students and instructors utilizing multimedia, threaded discussion, chat and much more. All of this flexibility, plus remarkable support services and online resources help keep all students on track toward their educational goals.
