Grads of NC graduate certificate program in emergency management eligible for advanced credit toward online JIBC BESMS program
Graduates of an emergency management program at Northern College of Applied Arts and Technology (NC) in Northern Ontario are now eligible for admission and transfer of credits toward a related degree program at the Justice Institute of British Columbia (JIBC).
Under an articulation agreement signed recently between the two post-secondary institutions, graduates of NC’s Graduate Certificate in Emergency Management, Terrorism and Pandemic Response who meet entrance requirements can gain admission to JIBC’s Bachelor of Emergency & Security Management Studies (BESMS) program.
“This partnership with NC will provide its emergency management certificate graduates with an additional opportunity to further their education in this rewarding and growing field,” said Colleen Vaughan, JIBC Vice-President, Academic. “NC students will be able to access this educational opportunity from wherever they call home, thanks to the flexible, virtual format of JIBC’s BESMS program.”
The NC graduates would receive two years of advanced credit toward completion of the four-year, online BESMS degree program.
“JIBC is proud to train those who will ready our communities for any emergencies in our future,” said Sarah Wareing, JIBC’s Dean, School of Public Safety. “As demonstrated by the extreme heat and cold, forest fires, and floods in B.C. in 2021, not to mention the ongoing pandemic, we never know what shape the next disaster or crisis will take nor when it will happen. This only highlights the continual demand for emergency management professionals with the knowledge and skills to be ready for any situation that can threaten public safety.”
“This sector is growing in an unprecedented way,” stated Michelle Gervais, Northern College Program Coordinator for the Emergency Management, Terrorism and Pandemic Response program. “These kinds of events are increasing in their frequency and the need for those with the unique training to coordinate and plan responses is growing in step. This is an incredible opportunity for our students and a solid career prospect for those considering a career in emergency service.”
JIBC’s Bachelor of Emergency & Security Management Studies program is delivered fully online in a full- or part-time format. Topics covered include disaster planning; business continuity; risk and crisis management; security and intelligence; business administration; and leadership and management.
“The days of having to relocate to the other side of the country to gain an education are becoming a thing of the past,” added Sarah Campbell, Northern College’s Dean of Health Sciences and Emergency Services. “Accessible education has become vital in the growing demand for higher levels of education and certification and we’re certainly glad to play a role in building the kinds of partnerships that allow for this kind of accessibility.”