Professional Development Program (PDP)
about pdp
Online training in project-based impact assessment and related studies – all on your schedule.
Choose from Foundations of Impact Assessment or Social Impact Assessment. Learn more below.
Expert Mentorship
Personalized, one-on-one guidance and conferences with an impact assessment professional.
Self-Paced and Flexible
12-week program, 30-40 hours, at your convenience.
Real-World Application
Apply your learning to practical scenarios through case studies.
Industry-Aligned Learning
Aligned with IAIA’s "Guideline Standards for IA Professionals" and "Guidance for assessing and managing social impacts"
option 1
Foundations of Impact Assessment
This course is designed for those involved in Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) who want to strengthen their foundational knowledge and practical skills. Whether you’re an IA Practitioner, IA Administrator, or simply contribute to EIA studies, this program equips you with the essential tools needed to carry out EIA responsibilities.
- Expert Mentorship: Personalized, one-on-one guidance and conferences with an EIA professional
- Industry-Aligned Learning: Aligned with IAIA’s Guideline Standards for IA Professionals
- Real-World Application: Apply your learning to practical scenarios through case studies
- Self-Paced and Flexible: 12-week program, 30-40 hours, at your convenience
The purpose of the “Foundations of Impact Assessment” course of IAIA’s online Professional Development Program is to provide people involved in environmental impact assessment (EIA) with training in the basic “tools” needed to carry out their EIA responsibilities. This course is intended to provide the knowledge of EIA methods expected of an IA Practitioner or IA Administrator identified in IAIA’s Guideline Standards for IA Professionals.
Managing or participating in an EIA study or review process requires both knowledge and experience, so it is not expected that the course will equip you with the expertise to lead an EIA study or review. Rather, it will support you in participating effectively in the multi-disciplinary undertaking that an EIA always involves, and to learn and grow through experience into an EIA leadership role.
The course is divided into a number of topics (in five units), all of which can be thought of as “tools” in the “EIA toolbox.” While the course progresses through these topics in a logical sequence, our experience is that every EIA situation is unique in its own way and may require you to draw upon any one of these “tools” at any time. So while you progress through the course, and negotiate the forward and backward linkages made among the various topics, please keep the “toolbox” metaphor in mind. The course is intended to assist you in knowing what “tools” are in your “EIA toolbox” and what they are for and why, so you can call on them as needed.
- The educational background for an “IA Professional” or “IA Administrator” as described in IAIA’s Guideline Standards for IA Professionals, typically at least a bachelor’s degree in an EIA-related field such as environmental studies, geography, ecology, biology, sociology, public health, social anthropology, planning, engineering, or landscape architecture; and
- At least one year of relevant experience undertaking and reporting on EIA studies, and/or in the administration of an EIA process; and
- Reading, writing and speaking proficiency of the English language; and
- Access to a desktop or laptop computer, an email address, and access to web-based video conferencing (e.g., Skype) and YouTube.
If you do not meet these requirements but are interested in taking the course, please contact kiesha@iaia.org to determine if this course is right for you.
- Unit 1
- Topic 1: Introduction and Overview of EIA
- Unit 2
- Topic 2: Alternatives in EIA
- Topic 3: Project Description
- Topic 4: Screening
- Topic 5: Scoping
- Unit 3
- Topic 6: Establishing Environmental Conditions
- Topic 7: Impact Analysis
- Topic 8: Impact Evaluation
- Topic 9: Impact Mitigation and Management
- Unit 4
- Topic 10: Reporting
- Topic 11: Review
- Topic 12: EIA and Decision-Making
- Topic 13: Environmental Management, Follow-up, and Monitoring
- Unit 5
- Topic 14: Public and Stakeholder Involvement
- Topic 15: EIA Project Management
- Topic 16: Focus and Related Topics
IAIA Members: USD$645
Non-Members: USD$795
The content of the course was very good in that it covered the entirety of the EIA process from beginning to end. In doing so, it gave students like myself a good overview of EIA and a more holistic understanding of how the different components fit together and relate to one another.
Grace
United Kingdom
One strength of the course was that it gave me the opportunity to work through an actual project and follow the steps that would need to be done in a real EIA.
Luke
Canada
The course was wonderful, especially the way IAIA pulled together the wealth and complexity of environmental, social, and management issues around EIA into a beginner's course with appropriate level of detail without losing the depth.
Aleksandra
United Kingdom
option 2
Social Impact Assessment
This course is designed for those involved in Social Impact Assessments (SIAs) who want to strengthen their foundational knowledge and practical skills. Whether you’re an IA Practitioner, IA Administrator, or simply contribute to SIA studies, this program equips you with the essential tools needed to carry out SIA responsibilities.
- Expert Mentorship: Personalized, one-on-one guidance and conferences with a SIA professional
- Industry-Aligned Learning: Aligned with IAIA’s Guidance for assessing and managing social impacts
- Real-World Application: Apply your learning to practical scenarios through case studies
- Self-Paced and Flexible: 12-week program, 30-40 hours, at your convenience
The purpose of the “Social Impact Assessment” course of IAIA’s online Professional Development Program is to provide people involved in social impact assessment (SIA) with training and insight in the basic “tools” needed to carry out their SIA responsibilities. It also serves as an introduction to SIA for people just entering the field and professionals that manage Social and Environmental Impact Management Processes.
Managing or participating in a SIA study or review process requires both knowledge and experience, so it is not expected that the course will equip you with the expertise to lead a SIA study or review. It will equip you with a clear understanding of the SIA Process and what it involves and provide a solid foundation to develop your professional skills further.
The social environment encompasses many aspects, making it easy to feel overwhelmed when beginning an SIA. This course deals with the basic requirements for a project-based SIA study and has been divided in 12 modules. It starts with an introduction to SIA, and the principles that guide the practice of SIA. The first few modules deal with the “design phase” of a typical SIA study – the process, screening and scoping and developing a social baseline. The next few modules deal with the “analysis phase” of a SIA study – collection of primary data, identification of impacts and attributing significance to the impacts. The last modules deal with the future “implementation phase” – management measures and social impact management plans. The last three modules include report writing, international standards and human rights, and other social frameworks that can be used as tools. Each student will have a mentor and there will be some group exercises throughout the course. There is a pragmatic approach to assignments and the course is meant to be accessible and inclusive, especially to students from countries that do not have easy access to SIA training.
- A Social Science or Environmental related degree or diploma, or other degree or diploma paired with postgraduate qualifications in a social related discipline; or
- Having worked in the community/stakeholder engagement field for at least 4 years (if you do not have the relevant degree/diploma)
- If you have a degree/diploma at least one year of relevant experience undertaking and reporting on SIA studies, and/or in the administration of a SIA process; and
- Reading, writing and speaking proficiency of the English language; and
- Access to a smart phone, tablet, desktop or laptop computer, an email address, and access to web-based video conferencing (e.g., Skype) and YouTube: and
- Access to the internet
If you do not meet these requirements but are interested in taking the course, please contact kiesha@iaia.org to determine if this course is right for you. We also have mentors that can speak other languages such as Spanish and German, so if you are not too confident about your English speaking abilities, please talk to us and we will see how we can accommodate you.
- Unit 1
- Module 1: Introduction to SIA
- Module 2: The SIA Process
- Module 3: Screening and Scoping
- Unit 2
- Module 4: Social Baseline Study
- Module 5: Data Collection for SIA
- Module 6: Impact Identification
- Unit 3
- Module 7: Attribution of Significance to Impacts
- Module 8: Mitigation and Enhancement Measures
- Module 9: Social Impact Management Plan
- Unit 4
- Module 10: Report Structure and Contents
- Module 11: International Standards and Human Rights
- Module 12: Other Social Frameworks
IAIA Members: USD$650
Non-Members: USD$800
I find it very good that the course has different levels/layers of information: I could read through the topics and information in the system, and was able to find more in-depth knowledge in the extra literature. Working with the case made it very vivid and very tangible.
Evelien
Netherlands
The course provided valuable concepts and tools that are highly relevant to the Social Impact Assessment process. It has a simple, easy-to-follow structure with well-organized content. The sequence of sections and topics complements each other effectively, enhancing the learning experience.
Antonio
Mozambique
The strength of the course is access to a mentor. Being able to speak with someone with a great wealth of know and experience in the field of SIA. The assignments were relevant to the course material and stepped out the process in a super useful way.
Julie
Australia
As someone who is already working in the field of social impact assessment, I really enjoyed discovering new analytical tools in this area. I also found the weekly meetings with my mentor very helpful. Her practical experience as an SIA practitioner helped me to better understand the course as a whole.
Fatou
Canada
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