Exercise Design

This program targets professionals in emergency management, including those working in municipal, provincial, and federal government roles, as well as employees of private agencies and non-governmental organizations involved in emergency preparedness. It is especially valuable for practitioners responsible for developing and implementing emergency exercises.

The program offers practical and specialized training in exercise design, focusing on the latest practices in emergency preparedness. The program features competency-based courses, allowing participants to create and lead exercises that test emergency plans and personnel performance. Developed by experts in the field, this program prepares students for real-world emergency scenarios with both discussion-based and operations-based exercise design skills.

Participants will acquire hands-on knowledge in designing comprehensive emergency exercises, from concept development to facilitating multi-agency exercises. The program also covers the processes for creating evaluable and actionable emergency exercises that improve operational readiness. The program consists of two key courses: 

• Exercise Design Fundamentals (EMRG-1530): Covering foundational concepts, the development of discussion-based exercises, and the comprehensive design process.
• Advanced Exercise Design (EMRG-1532): Focused on operations-based exercises, covering administrative and financial components, evaluation materials, and team organization for complex scenarios.

Subjects

• Exercise Design Fundamentals: Terminology, exercise types, purposes, and multi-phase design frameworks. 
• Exercise Planning and Development: Scenario development, planning for discussion-based exercises, creating multi-agency objectives, and developing exercise plans, protocols, and supporting materials (e.g., Master Sequence of Events List).
• Exercise Staffing and Resources: Staffing considerations, resourcing, exercise administration, funding, and engaging subject matter experts and consultants.
• Evaluation and Reporting: Exercise evaluation, after-action reporting, internal and external communications, and continuous learning tools.

To graduate from the Associate Certificate in Exercise Design program, students must:

1. Complete Two Required Courses:
   
   • EMRG-1530: Exercise Design Fundamentals
   • EMRG-1532: Advanced Exercise Design
2. Meet Academic Requirements:
   
   • Achieve a passing grade of at least a "D" in both courses as per JIBC's grading scheme.
3. Fulfill All Course Requirements:
   
   • Complete all assignments, quizzes, and practical exercises demonstrating mastery of competencies related to exercise design.
4. Complete the Program within 12 Months:
   
   • The program is designed to be completed in one academic term (14 weeks), but students have up to 12 months to finish.

Successful completion of both courses will earn students a micro-credential and a digital badge verifying their expertise in emergency exercise design.

The program is delivered entirely online with both synchronous and asynchronous components. Courses will be led by instructors, offering a blend of independent study, group discussions, case studies, and applied learning activities. 

The program is designed for part-time students and can be completed within a single academic term, with breaks scheduled between courses.

The Associate Certificate in Exercise Design program offers three intakes per year.

Students can register for both required courses (EMRG-1530 and EMRG-1532) at the same time, provided the courses are completed consecutively.

The tuition fee is approximately $500.19 per course, plus a $6.40 Learner Services Fee. Financial assistance may be available through the StrongerBC Future Skills Grant for eligible students, covering tuition and related fees for the initial program cycles

For information about International Student Tuition and Fees, visit the International Students page.

Textbooks & Supplies

Course material is embedded within the courses directly. 

To apply for the Associate Certificate in Exercise Design (EDESAS) program, follow these steps:

1. Application Submission:
   
   • Apply online through EducationPlannerBC (EPBC), JIBC’s official application platform.
2. Admission Requirements:
   
   • Applicants must be at least 18 years of age.
3. Confirmation
   
   • Students will receive confirmation from the program area on the status of the program application.

Once an applicant is accepted, we suggest registering for courses as quickly as possible to avoid disappointment. The number of seats in each class is limited.