The Dart Center is offering an intensive four-day crisis reporting course at Columbia Journalism School to prepare journalists to think critically about how to work safely and effectively in volatile situations such as war, conflict and disaster zones, with an emphasis on risk assessment and harm prevention.

Applications are now open. The deadline for scholarships is Aug. 15.

Covering crisis presents some of the biggest challenges in the journalism profession. Reporters must make quick decisions on whether to trust a translator or drive down a dangerous road. This course will teach you how to operate with caution in volatile situations, with an emphasis on conflicts.

Training is also relevant to working in natural disaster situations such as earthquakes, hurricanes and tsunamis. While most hostile environment training for journalists deals with ducking crossfire and kidnappers, this course teaches how to avoid unnecessary peril, with careful preparations before, during and after assignments.

Participants will emerge with a better understanding of how to hire fixers, shun attackers or protect computers.

For details, click here.