This unique 12-credit Vulnerability and Violence Reduction certificate online facilitation to explore and analyze principles of vulnerability, violence, risk, and community safety in order to solve complex health and social challenges.
Studying violence and solutions from a comparative perspective is critical to appreciate the impact of multiple determinants on the evolution of violence and an expanded range of solutions to address violence. The Vulnerability and Violence Reduction certificate progam provides a framework to understand the factors that lead to violence, the role of power and structure, the importance of place and population, and different approaches that have been used to address violence using case studies. Students will use this basis to develop interdisciplinary and innovative strategies to address violence in their communities.
Graduates of this program will gain a better understanding of how the exposure and exploitation of vulnerabilities can lead to violence. While individual academic fields, such as public health and criminology, have studied violence extensively, there is little cross-disciplinary research and understanding of why communities fail to remain peaceful given that violent conflict is not normal or necessary. This program was created to bridge a serious gap in the understanding of violence.
This program will launch fall 2023.
The certificate in Vulnerability and Violence Reduction will prepare students from diverse personal and professional backgrounds to organize, lead, and support effective violence and vulnerability reduction initiatives in their own communities. Depending on their individual academic profile, students will have a wide range of career options in agencies and programs providing support to vulnerable communities across the state and country and beyond.
To meet the high demands of employers searching for candidates that have the skills needed to reduce vulnerability and violence in communities, we have strategically aligned our courses to coincide with the current needs. Students will examine vulnerability and violence from various levels and analyze the root causes, learn practices to reduce violence and improve patterns of interaction. Thus, our graduates will be well-prepared for professional success in a number of fields that may include:
- Non-profit Organizations, examples include Women Against Violence, youth violence prevention organizations, the National Center for Prevention of Community Violence, National Center on Domestic and Sexual Violence, and Cure
- Human Rights and Humanitarian Relief in organizations like the Red Cross, Amnesty International, Oxfam International, and Cooperative Assistance and Relief Everywhere (CARE).
- Research in organizations like the Brookings Institution, USIP, RAND Corporation, Futures Without Violence, American Institutes for Research,
- Multi-lateral Agencies like the United Nations, International Monetary Fund, World Bank, World Health Organization
- Educational Institutions like public schools, universities, Integral Peacemaker Institute
- Security and Intelligence Agencies like local police forces, FBI, USAID, Department of State, Department of Defense, and the prison
Flexibility
The Vulnerability and Violence Reduction certificate is a 12-credit graduate program with learning experiences which consist of online lectures, planned synchronous online “live events”, and interactive case studies. This means that we offer maximum flexibility to meet the needs of working professionals.
Program Completion Timeline
- All courses will be offered at least once each year to enable you to complete the program within 9 months.
- Although most students complete the program 9 months, you will be allowed up to 3 years to complete the program.
Upon completion of the Violence and Vulnerability Reduction certificate, graduates will be able to:
- Explain the importance of injury and/or violence as a major public health
- Discuss some of the root causes of many types of violence and
- Analyze injury and/or violence data.
- Strategize prevention strategies based on theories related to the cause of violence and aggression.
- Develop a plan to stimulate change for injury and/or violence prevention through policy, enforcement, advocacy, and/or education.
- Disseminate information on injury and/or violence prevention to the community, policymakers, leaders, and other key stakeholders, through diverse communication networks.
