Humanitarian Aid Studies Centre | Centre d’Etudes sur I’Aide Humanitaire | Centro de Estudios en Ayuda Humanitaria

Master’s in International Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid

Course also available in French

Duration: 1.500 hours – one year (48 units)
Start date: September 23, 2025
Course language: English
Methodology: Online with tutor

Professional Master’s Degree by UNAC

In addition to the Kalu Institute diploma, students receive a Professional master’s degree title issued by The University of the Américas and the Caribbean, in recognition of their achievement. More info.

Contents

Project Management 1: Emergency Response

  • Needs Assessment
  • Abbreviated Project Documents
  • Fundraising
  • Accountability


Project Management 2: Project proposals

  • The Logical Framework Approach
  • The Project Cycle, Indicators and External Factors
  • The Results-Based Management (RBM) and the Theory of Change (ToC)


Project Management 3: Implementation and Management

  • Coordination of activities
  • Follow-up and reporting of emergency projects (by means of reports)
  • Follow-up and reporting of long term projects (by means of AOPs and reports)
  • Methodological documents
  • Institutional coordination


Project Management 4: Offices in the field

  • Administration
  • Budgeting
  • Human Resources Management
  • Security
  • Logistics


Sectors of Humanitarian Response, the Sphere Project and the UNHCR Emergency Manual I

  • Food Security, Nutrition and Livelihoods
  • Public Health
  • Water and Sanitation
  • Design of temporary shelter and Refugee Camps.


Sectors of Humanitarian Response, the Sphere Project and the UNHCR Emergency Manual II

  • Cash transfer
  • Humanitarian Protection
  • Advocacy
  • Education in emergencies.


The international legal framework

  • Origin of current humanitarianism and international legal framework for humanitarian action
  • International Human Rights Law
  • International Humanitarian Law
  • Legislation on refugees and internally displaced people, and Disaster response legislation

       Film Forum: The origins of current Humanitarianism, the creation of the Red Cross and International Humanitarian Law


Cross cutting approaches

  • The Gender-Sensitive Approach and Humanitarian Programmes
  • Environmental issues
  • Rights based programming
  • Childhood and Youth
  • Disabilities
  • Building local capacities


Ethics in humanitarian work and in development cooperation

  • Humanitarian identity and basic humanitarian principles
  • Evolution of humanitarian principles
  • Codes of Conduct
  • Other initiatives to improve humanitarian programme quality

       Film Forum: The genocide in Rwanda


Development & cooperation

  • Wealth and poverty
  • Development: Theories and Measurement
  • Cooperation strategies
  • Voluntary work
  • The World Bank and the Poverty-Reduction Strategies
  • Governance and Development


Disasters and risk management

  • Introduction to Disasters and Risk Management
  • Disaster mitigation, prevention and preparedness
  • Humanitarian response to disasters
  • Restoration, rehabilitation and reconstruction
Grants / Scholarships / Bursaries

“Grant 60”:

A bursary equivalent to a 60% reduction in the course fee will be granted to citizens of countries with low-income economies (according to the World Bank)

  • Evidence required: ID or Passport

In other words, you can pay under Bursary 60 conditions if your country IS NOT listed here as a high-income economy.

More info

 
Teaching staff

The Teaching staff are:

  • A Director of Studies, to deal with learning and administrative issues
  • A team of humanitarian workers in charge of debates within the thematic forums as Guest Experts
  • A Final Assignment Tutor, giving personal guidance when developing the assignment
  • A Technician to give support with the virtual classroom

Meet the tutors

 
Certificates

Master’s students can get the following certificates:

  1. KALU Master’s degree. Upon successful completion of all course’s activities.
  2. Professional Master’s Degree issued by the University of the Americas and the Caribbean.
  3. OPTIONAL – University Master’s Degree with RVOE (Ministry of Education, Mexico).

And after completing each module:

  • Course certificate “Project Management 1: Emergency Response”
  • Course certificate “Project Management 2: Project proposals”
  • Course certificate “Project Management 3: Implementation and Management”
  • Course certificate “Project Management 4: Offices in the field”
  • Course certificate “Sectors of Humanitarian Response, the Sphere Project and the UNHCR Emergency Manual I”
  • Course certificate “Sectors of Humanitarian Response, the Sphere Project and the UNHCR Emergency Manual II”
  • Course certificate “The international legal framework”
  • Course certificate “Cross cutting approaches”
  • Course certificate “Ethics in humanitarian work and in development cooperation”
  • Course certificate “Development & cooperation”
  • Course certificate “Disasters and risk management”

More info

 
Methodology

Our courses use an e-learning methodology based on socio-constructivist pedagogy. Proponents of Constructivist Learning believe that knowledge is developed or ‘constructed’ in the mind of the student through collaborative learning processes rather than being merely passed on through traditional text books and teacher-to-student teaching methods.

Selected elements of our methodology are explained below:

  • Learning takes place in a Virtual Classroom, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, accessible by internet from anywhere.
  • Once in the classroom the student will find general information about the course as well as the course subject material with accompanying exercises and support documents.
  • The training process for each of the topics draws on the following tools and materials.
  • Learning objectives
  • Presentations and videos
  • Selection of official documents from the United Nations, NGOs and official cooperation organizations, with study instructions.
  • Summary of key messages.
  • Bibliography
  • The evaluation system consists of:
  • Online exams
  • A final assignment and/or research and development activities: Specific exercises regarding case studies and key questions.
  • The learning process is supported by the set up of debate forums for all topics.

All the students cover the same topics within the same timeframe, but each student works through the course materials at his or her own pace. This enables forums to be interesting and relevant, and often provokes discussion between students of a similar advanced level. The intrinsic flexibility in these courses means that, if necessary, students can interrupt their studies for periods of time, for work or other reasons. When this happens, they are recommended to restart at the same stage as the rest of the group and to gradually cover missed material with the support of the tutor. 

More info

 
Students Feedback

99% of students recommend this course, and 93% of them identify themselves with this statement:
“This course has definitely strengthened me.
And my capacity to continue working or find work in humanitarian aid has increased.”
Review here the full report of students’ feedback. 

Students Feedback