Humanitarian Action Minor

The minor in Humanitarian Action prepares the graduate for beginning grassroots involvement in agencies responding to disasters around the world. It is designed to complement any major. This 21 SH interdisciplinary minor requires that a student participate in an on the ground practicum of at least one month.

To learn more email hal@emu.edu or call 540-432-4192.

Minor Requirements

Each student declaring Humanitarian Action as a minor will take three required courses. The additional 12 SH of the 21 SH minor will be chosen from the list below in consultation with the HAL and major advisors for the best preparation for a beginning humanitarian worker. Six of the additional 12 SH may be satisfied by courses required for the student’s major or by core requirements. 

Humanitarian Action Courses

Crisis, Humanitarian Aid and Disaster Recovery (3 SH) 
Crises threaten global human security today as never before. These crises are caused by a complex mix of natural hazards (i.e. floods, earthquakes, or drought) and human action or inaction. This course will explore how humanitarian assistance and disaster recovery efforts can best promote resilience by reducing vulnerability and risk. The history and values of the humanitarian enterprise will be addressed along with the developing Sphere Standards of response with attention to HAP standards. Community and organizational responses to humanitarian crises will be examined, emphasizing efforts to improve aide quality and accountability, often in contexts of conflict. This is a synchronous online course taught at Canadian Mennonite University for CMU and EMU students. This course is offered every other year during spring semester.

Leadership Skills and Traits for the Common Good (3 SH) 
Humanitarian workers throughout the world are faced with the need to collaborate, to quickly assess and to plan and manage projects. Personal traits and basic leadership skills are essential for successful engagement. This course will start with personal formation including a focus on interpersonal and intercultural relationships along with leadership self-assessment and a plan for development. Moving to the group, organization and community level, the course will encompass a survey of and engagement in requisite skills for humanitarians including leading meetings, creating collaborative coalitions and partnerships, community assessments/ action research and project planning and monitoring. Significant attention will be given to trauma and resilience at personal and community levels. This course is offered every other year during fall semester.

Practicum in Disaster response (3 SH) 
A required practicum provides HAL minor students with direct experience in a humanitarian situation either domestically or internationally. This will typically be during a summer and should be for at least 4 weeks. Internships will be arranged through the HAL center director and with relevant agencies such as Mennonite Disaster Service, Mennonite Central Committee, or other relief and development agencies.

Humanitarian Action Electives

(12 SH required, up to 6 SH may be accepted from courses required for core or major.)

Applied Social Sciences
PXD 225 Theories of Social Change
PXD 321 Group Dynamics and Facilitation
PXD 335 Understanding Violent Conflict 
PXD 345 Peacebuilding Theory and Action
PXD 381 Program and Project Management
PXD 485 Theories of International Development
PXD 451 Program Evaluation

Bible and Religion
REL 223 World Religions 
REL 334 Cultural Anthropology: Christianity and Social Change
CHST 234 Mission in a Changing World
THEO 323 Biblical Theology of Peace and Justice

Biology
BIOL 161 Food and Population
BIOL 202 Microbiology
BIOL 242 Nutrition Fundamentals
BIOL 318 Sustainable Agriculture 
ENVS 205 Applied Ecology – GIS
ENVS 328 Conservation Biology

Business and Accounting
ACTG 221 Financial Accounting 
ACTG 222 Managerial Accounting 
BUAD 221 Principles of Management
BUAD 321 Human Resource Management
BUAD 331 Organizational Behavior

Economics
ECON 201 Survey of Economics
ECON 401 Economic Development 
ECON 411 International Economics

Nursing
NURS 426 Family in Community 
NURS 431 Community Health 
CCUS 310 Global Trends in Health

Political Science / Geography
HIST 182 Global Past II
GEOG 231 Cultural Geography
POL 311 International Relations 
POL 401 Human Rights and Dignity

Psychology
PSYC 301 Interpersonal Relationship Skills

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