Executive Master of Advanced Studies in humanitarian action (MAS)

This Master programme is a cutting-edge interdisciplinary postgraduate course on humanitarian action providing current and future humanitarian professionals with the conceptual and practical tools necessary to optimize responses to contemporary crises.

Objectives

At the end of the Master, students will be able to critically analyse humanitarian responses through a good understanding of the concepts of humanitarian action and use management and strategy tools to develop, coordinate and evaluate a humanitarian response.

Programme

The Master programme is a modular, executive training of 60 ECTS credits composed of four terms:

Term One: Critical Analysis of Humanitarian Action (24 ECTS Credits)
M1: Humanitarianisms
M2: Contexts, Actions and Consequences
M3: Revisiting Vulnerability and Needs
M4: Humanitarian Governance, Norms and Principles
M5: The Humanitarians

Term Two: Designing Strategies and Projects for Humanitarian Action (1o ECTS Credits)
Option I: Residential, in Geneva, Switzerland (duration: 7 weeks)
Option II: Distance Learning (duration: 8 months)

Term Three: Humanitarian Programme Management and Implementation (10 ECTS Credits)

Selection of five elective courses from the following list:

Participatory Approaches with Crisis-Affected Communities

Designing an Advocacy Strategy for Humanitarian Action

Managing Staff in Humanitarian Crises

Media and Humanitarian Action

Negotiation in Humanitarian Crises

Non-communicable Diseases in Humanitarian Contexts

Sexual and Reproductive Health in Humanitarian Crises

Climate emergency and its impacts on Health

Livelihood and Cash Transfer Interventions in Humanitarian Action

Protection in Humanitarian Action

Term four: Dissertation or Work Experience (16 ECTS Credits)

Dissertation to include:

Literature review;

Context analysis;

Reports on thematic issues relevant to humanitarian action;

Case studies.

OR,

Report on work experience gained during the studies

Audience

Professionals in the humanitarian, development or social sector looking to develop their competencies as well as reflect and capitalise on their experiences.

Professionals from other sectors who wish to increase their understanding of the humanitarian sector for a potential career change.

Graduate students with relevant volunteer or intern experience, looking to undertake a post-graduate course with a view to entering the humanitarian sector.

Certification

60 ECTS - Credits. Once the students successfully complete the Master of Advanced Studies in Humanitarian Action's full programme according to CERAH requirements, they obtain a joint degree delivered by the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies (IHEID) and the University of Geneva (UNIGE), and accredited by the Swiss Agency for Accreditation and Quality Assurance (AAQ).

Course coordinator

Prof. Karl BLANCHET, CERAH, University of Geneva.