Graduate Certificate in Crisis, Risk, and Disaster Communication

ELIGIBILITY

1. The CRDC graduate certificate is interdisciplinary, open to any UGA graduate student. All participants in the program must be graduate students currently enrolled at UGA or be able to show documentation of their acceptance for coursework at UGA. Students must be accepted into the CRDC certificate program and applications will be taken throughout the academic year and students will be admitted throughout the academic year accordingly. Students will be notified of their acceptance status through email and provided with instructions for registering for classes.
2. The purpose of this graduate certificate is to provide students with advanced knowledge, skills, and experience across the fields of crisis, risk, and disaster communication management research and practice. The 12-credit graduate certificate has its program of study constructed with two core Grady College courses (6 credits). Depending on the desired study of focus and/or career orientation, students will choose two additional courses (6 credits) offered by the Terry College of Business and/or the College of Public Health.
3. The certificate program offers two tracks: (1) business track in partnership with the Terry College of Business or  (2) public health track in partnership with the College of Public Health. Given the growing need for organizational readiness, and the critical role of effective and ethical public communication in society, there is increasing demand for advancing the training of future leaders and executives in the crisis, risk, and disaster communication domains. Students in this certificate will acquire the knowledge and abilities needed to use communication to effectively respond to information needs, provide clear guidance in situations where uncertainties abound, and foster compliance with recommendations.
4. The admission process requires an application packet containing: (1) a resume, and (2) a one-page written statement of goals and purposes pertaining to crisis, risk and/or disaster areas. To select candidates from a competitive, qualified application pool, the following criteria will be used: (1) Demonstrated strong competencies in written communication in crisis, risk, and, or disaster related areas; (2) Evidence of strong interest in advancing knowledge and career in crisis, risk, and disaster communication research and/or practice; and (3) Professional experience or evidence of preparedness as demonstrated by internship experience and/or hands-on project success in crisis, risk, and/or disaster related areas. 

Keystone Experience

The Hedge Fund: Venture Between the Hedges

The Hedge Fund: Venture Between the Hedges provides students a keystone experience in the graduate certificate program. The Hedge Fund is a new “Shark Tank” style pitch competition with industry experts serving as the judges and investors for the winning team. The student teams are comprised of students in Dr. Yan Jin’s graduate Crisis Communication and Strategic Conflict Management course.

Each team is tasked with creating a comprehensive crisis communications strategy for a simulation event, as well as a research proposal where they will  identify a key research question and pitch a new research project. Both project parts needed to include competencies learned throughout the semester including, but not limited to, planning, preparation, mitigation, response/management, short-term crisis response assessments and long-term crisis impact measurements.The competition format provides graduate students the unique experience of learning by doing and competing based on teamwork and understanding of industry trends. The winning team, which presents the top research paper, will be supported by funds going toward further development for their research project under the direction of Jin and the Crisis Insights & Analytics Lab. More about The Hedge Fund: Venture Between the Hedges can be found here.

Faculty