Study for your hybrid master's degree online and in-person to develop the knowledge and skills needed to respond to humanitarian emergencies around the globe.
For programs beginning in 2024
36
Part-Time Hybrid
January 31, rolling thereafter until April 1
November 1, no rolling admission
2 Years
United States
Identity & Human Resilience
Humanitarian action and crisis management professionals are needed now more than ever. Natural disasters are worsening with climate change and have compounded with violent conflicts, famines, and other global crises to produce complex emergencies and an unprecedented number of displaced and vulnerable communities worldwide.
Geared toward working- or aspiring-humanitarian professionals who seek to advance their career without leaving their jobs and community commitments, this interdisciplinary hybrid online master’s degree program includes brief but important in-person residencies to provide you with the knowledge and practical skills to lead principled and effective humanitarian responses.
You will begin with a one-week summer residency on SIT’s Vermont campus, where you will meet your cohort and faculty, and begin your coursework.
For the rest of the summer and into spring, you will study for your hybrid master’s degree online, alongside your cohort, building a critical understanding of humanitarian principles, standards, and the emerging trends in humanitarian action and refugee studies. You will learn the theoretical frameworks and practical skills for leading a crisis response; designing, implementing, and monitoring programs in a variety of humanitarian sectors; and conducting a field-based inquiry.
There will be a two-week residency in Jordan during the fourth semester. You will have the opportunity to visit a number of NGOs, and interact with aid workers and refugees, as you witness humanitarian assistance and advocacy in action.
During the fifth semester, you will conduct a virtual or in-person practicum project at a community-based organization, non-governmental organization or international non-governmental organization to gain hands-on experience in humanitarian assistance and crisis management.
In your final semester, you will study international human rights and humanitarian law and complete a capstone project to master ethically and culturally appropriate field practice and research, enabling you to provide evidence-based recommendations and interventions in a range of humanitarian sectors.
By the conclusion of the program you will be equipped with the critical knowledge and practical tools needed to succeed as a future humanitarian professional and confront human-made and natural disasters in an increasingly complex world.
Students who have graduated with this degree have worked in careers such as:
Humanitarian program and project manager
Monitoring, evaluation, and learning officer or manager
Health officer or manager
Human rights advocacy officer, coordinator, or specialist
Women’s protection and empowerment coordinator or manager
Crisis and emergency manager or director
Humanitarian aid officer or coordinator at a UN agency or NGO
Community organizer
Humanitarian policy analyst or researcher
Visit the SIT blog to read more about SIT Graduate Institute alumni careers.
Courses take place virtually, with two one-week residencies, one in Vermont and the second in Jordan.
Vermont is at the forefront of sustainability, education, and regeneration. New England is a haven for start-ups, transition towns, community-owned forests, artisanal food and beverage companies, sustainable farming, eco-architecture, green energy, and many environmental and social-justice organizations. SIT’s beautiful southern Vermont campus offers woodland trails, hiking, running, and cycling, as well as a private library, study rooms with mountain views, and an entertainment space where students often gather at the end of the day to socialize. You will also be a few miles from downtown Brattleboro, which offers an array of shops, restaurants, and eateries.
Spend the two weeks in Jordan, home to millions of refugees and displaced persons from Palestine, Iraq, and Syria. Jordan currently hosts 2.2 million Palestinian refugees, whose displacement constitutes the longest-standing refugee crisis in the world; and 661,000 Syrian refugees registered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), although it is estimated that the total number is closer to 1.5 million. You will get firsthand exposure to the humanitarian response and program of various NGOs, INGOs, and UN agencies.
Our program center in Amman is conveniently located in the Jabal Amman neighborhood, home to several governmental buildings, embassies, cultural centers and Zahran Palace. It is within easy walking distance of restaurants and cafés and close to Rainbow Street, a major tourist attraction in Jabal Amman with several scenic rooftops and restaurants. The center is well equipped with high-speed fiber optics WIFI and has a lecture area, a break room, and smaller classrooms.
Please note that in order to take advantage of dynamic learning opportunities, program excursions may occasionally vary.
Upon successful completion of the program, students will be able to:
With SIT’s experiential learning curriculum, you will learn to put theory into practice using case studies, comparative analysis of humanitarian crises and response across the globe. The online courses will provide opportunities for synchronous and asynchronous sessions and learning.
Demonstrate, assess, and synthesize your learning through preparation of a capstone project and participation in a one-week capstone seminar held multiple times each year. Researching and writing the capstone paper takes you deeply into the experiential learning cycle, where you’ll explore the meaning of your experiences in the program and integrate theory and practice in a written and oral presentation. Seminars are held virtually in May and December and either virtually or face-to-face in August.
SIT’s Student Financial Services Office provides guidance on all aspects of funding your degree throughout the application process and during your degree program. Tuition costs vary by program and scholarships are available.
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