Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

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The NDEMU Student Portal allows students to view their course completions as well as print certificates and/or an unofficial student transcript. In addition, students can request an official transcript from the FEMA Independent Study Program (FEMA ISP) office.  For more information review the FEMA ISP Information page.

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Independent Study Exams require a FEMA Student Identification Number (FEMA SID). The Center for Domestic Preparedness (CDP) is the issuing agency for this number.  To register/retrieve your FEMA SID number or for further assistance with your FEMA SID account, please visit the FEMA SID website.

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Independent Study Exams use Login.gov to allow you to sign in safely and securely. Login.gov is not managed by the Independent Study Program.

For assistance with your Login.gov account, please visit the Login.gov Help Center. You can also contact the Login.gov Helpdesk at 844-875-6446 or submit a help ticket at Contact Login.gov.

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Yes. As of April 1, 2015, the FEMA Student Identification Number (FEMA SID) is required. Please visit the FEMA SID website to obtain a FEMA SID.

Students who have taken courses in the past under their social security number can contact the Independent Study Program (ISP) office at 301-447-1200 or independent.study@fema.dhs.gov to have their records merged under their FEMA SID number.

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Upon successful completion of an Independent Study (IS) exam, your training record is updated in the NDEMU Student Portal where you can view, download, save and print your electronic certificate and/or student transcript immediately. An email will also be sent with this information for your records. Completion documents are in Portable Document Format (PDF) files and require Adobe Reader. If you do not have this software, it can be obtained as a free download at http://www.adobe.com.

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Yes! Completion certificates or a student transcript can be obtained by visiting the NDEMU Student Portal.

To download individual course completion certificates, log in to the NDEMU Student Portal and click on the IS Course Certificates option, then click on each course title.

To download an unofficial student transcript, log in to the NDEMU Student Portal and click on the Student IS Transcript option.

You cannot request an Official Transcript by phone. To request an Official Transcript to be sent to an educational institution for accreditation purposes, login to the NDEMU Student Portal and click on the Official IS Transcript option.

*Please note that transcripts issued by the Independent Study Program (ISP) do NOT reflect college credits.

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A username is NOT required to complete an IS course. You will sign into the exam with the email address and password associated with your Log.in.gov account.  Please see the How do I take an Independent Study course online FAQ for more information.

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If you have an inquiry regarding the Independent Study Program (ISP) not related to a FEMA SID such as: requests for certificates/transcripts, or exam/portal issues, please contact the Independent Study Program (ISP) office at 301-447-1200 or email independent.study@fema.dhs.gov for further assistance. Please do not contact the FEMA SID Help Desk as they are unable to assist with these requests.

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The primary audience for the Independent Study Program (ISP) is first responders, EMS personnel and US citizens. ISP has no requirements for instructors to teach our courses; however, we do suggest the instructor reviews the course and passes the online exam to become familiar with the material. All exams must be submitted online on the Independent Study website.

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Due to the Privacy Act, we no longer accept third party requests for completion verification, certificate reissue, or transcripts. Please have the student contact the FEMA Independent Study Program (FEMA ISP) office directly at 301-447-1200 or Independent.Study@fema.dhs.gov for assistance.

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ICS-300 and ICS-400 can be taught on campus, in the field or at the state-level; therefore, we recommend contacting your State Training Office (STO) for course training information.

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ICS-300 and ICS-400 courses are not administered by the FEMA Independent Study Program (FEMA ISP); therefore, we do not maintain completion records.

ICS-300 and ICS-400 can be taught on campus, in the field or at the state-level; therefore, we recommend contacting the agency that provided your training to inquire about those certificates.

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Exams are scored in an automated system to eliminate the opportunity for scoring errors. To maintain the integrity of our courses, we do not distribute test scores or questions missed. Our exams are based upon pass/fail criteria with the benchmark for successful completion set at 75%. Our program does not limit your exam attempts. Please be aware that online exams are scrambled, and the questions may change when you take the final exam. Be sure to read test questions and answer choices carefully.

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Great to see emergency planning for houses of worship.

EMI maintains an Independent Study (IS) course titled IS-360 Preparing for Mass Casualty Incidents: A Guide for Schools, Higher Education, and Houses of Worship. The course provides resources from many organizations to include private sector.

How to Assess the Safety and Security of Your Place of Worship is one resource some have found helpful, but there are many other resources provided in this course.

Another Independent Study course, IS-907 Active Shooter: What You Can Do includes additional resources.

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Make sure you are using a supported web browser and a standard desktop or laptop computer. Mobile devices are not recommended.  In addition, please review our Technical System Requirements.

If the problem persists, please contact the FEMA Independent Study Program (FEMA ISP) office at 301-447-1200 or email Independent.Study@fema.dhs.gov with a detailed error description.

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Organizations/Agencies are encouraged to institute procedures to ensure that students are completing the exams for IS courses through their own individual efforts. Individuals within an organization who feel that exam answers are being improperly provided should follow that organization's procedures for reporting unethical conduct.

If a student is found to have cheated on an IS exam, the penalty may include, but is not limited to:

• expulsion
• foreclosure from future classes for a specified period
• forfeiture of certificate for course(s) enrolled in at NDEMU, NETC or NTC
• or all the above

A letter notifying the student's sponsor of the individual's misconduct will be sent by the appropriate official at NDEMU/NETC. Upon written request by the individual's sponsor, information from and/or copies of the statements from the individual and witnesses, police reports, and NDEMU, NETC or NTC security reports may be made available to the individual's sponsor for the purpose of determining if disciplinary action is appropriate by the sponsoring organization.

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Unless otherwise indicated in the course materials, under 17 USC § 105 these government produced materials are not afforded copyright protection and are within the public domain. Changes to original NDEMU content are not authorized by NDEMU. When using NDEMU curriculum materials or portions thereof, agencies, organizations and individuals should cite NDEMU as the originator of the material. The materials should not be used or displayed by non-federal entities in a manner or way which states or implies endorsement of a user’s products or services by the Federal Government.

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Click on the Independent Study Program (IS) Course List and select your course from the list.

Review course materials by choosing any one of the options in the "Take This Course" box on the right-hand side of the page.

Submit your final exam online. You will be enrolled in the course when you submit your final exam answers online.

Upon successful completion of an Independent Study (IS) exam, your training record is updated in the NDEMU Student Portal where you can view, download, save and print your electronic certificate and/or student transcript immediately. An email will also be sent with this information for your records.

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You may sign-up for our GovDelivery service to receive the latest news on new and updated courses. To sign up or to access your subscriber preferences, please enter your e-mail address.  We also recommend that you visit the Independent Study website frequently. As new courses become available, they will be posted there.

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Visit Higher Education Program and choose "College List" from the menu on the left side of the page. There you will find information on college and university-based programs in emergency management, homeland security and related fields.

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The Professional Development Series (PDS) includes seven Independent Study (IS) courses that provide a well-rounded set of fundamentals for those in the emergency management profession. After completion of all the courses in the Professional Development Curriculum, a PDS certificate will be available for download in the NDEMU Student Portal.

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Independent Study (IS) courses are evaluated, accredited and awarded CEUs in accordance with the standards established by the International Association of Continuing Education and Training (IACET).   CEUs are calculated as follows:  0.1 CEU = 1 Contact Hour or 1 hour of instruction/learning.  The CEUs assigned to each course are provided on the Independent Study (IS) Course List .

Acceptance of CEUs towards certification, recertification or license renewal is decided by the organization who requires the training (continuing education). The Independent Study Program (ISP) Office does not place restrictions on the use of the CEUs obtained by participants.