Training - Course Credit

Professional Development Series Certificate of Completion

Those who complete all Professional Development Series (PDS) Independent Study Courses are eligible to receive a PDS Certificate of Completion. The present requirements for this certificate are the following courses:

• Principles of Emergency Management
• Emergency Planning
• Leadership and Influence
• Decision Making and Problem Solving
• Effective Communications
• Developing and Managing Volunteers
• Exercise Design

Certificates will be sent directly to the student upon completion of these courses.

Training through the Federal Emergency Management Agency

Students can take courses not offered at the state level or Independent Study courses through FEMA's National Emergency Training Center (NETC). These courses consist of resident courses at NETC in Emmitsburg, Maryland, or at the Noble Training Center in Anniston, Alabama.

To attend a course at either NETC or Noble, a prospective student must fill out a FEMA Training Application ( FEMA 75-5 ), have a sponsoring or supervisory representative sign the application, and send it to the Training and Exercise Bureau at MEMA for processing. Students will be notified by letter of their acceptance to a class. At that time, instructions on travel as well as information about the campus will be given to students.

NETC's classes are set up by Winter (October through March) and Summer (April through September) terms within the Federal Fiscal Year. To enroll, a prospective student must apply during the following application periods:

  Winter Term – May 1 – June 30 of the previous fiscal year

  Summer Term – November 1 – December 31 of the current fiscal year.

NETC will accept applications later in the terms only if a vacancy exists.