Program Contacts:
QC Campus Gary Drew, 309-796-5000, drewg@bhc.edu East Campus Wendy Smith, 309-854-1713, smithw@bhc.edu
Business Continuity Planning is the detailed master plan for ensuring that a business can survive disasters such as flood/tornadoes/power outage/terrorism, etc. It includes such things as how payroll will occur, where offices will be temporarily located, how and where budgets, HR documents and IT processes are backed up and accessed, etc. The certificate is primarily designed for people who are currently working in an organization and have been designated to build their firm’s Business Continuity Program. Courses will also be business electives for students in the Business Management and Marketing curriculum.
The field of continuity planning is an emerging one, but graduates should find opportunities with federal, state, county and local government agencies, hospitals, the Red Cross, Salvation Army or in business and industry. Job titles include risk managers, disaster planners, emergency response coordinator, loss-prevention specialist, hazard analyst, hazard materials coordinator or similar positions.
The BCP certificate program consists of the four courses below; any or all of these courses may be taken as electives for students in the Business Management and Marketing curriculum.
BA 190A Planning for Crises
3 cr. hrs.; 3 lecture hours; 0 lab hours per week.
Teaches how to communicate the need for an effective Business Continuity Planning (BCP) program and is the careful examination and practical application of the tools and processes involved in the planning portion of the business continuity process. Emphasis is on understanding the components of the actual planning process as well as identify the skill sets required to successfully promote and lead this phase of the program.
BA 190B Responding to a Crisis
3 cr. hrs.; 3 lecture hours; 0 lab hours per week.
Careful examination and practical application of the tools and processes involved in planning the response to crisis events. Emphasis is on understanding the components of an actual response and how these components are built from the previous pre-planning and planning processes. An effective response protects employees and assets and contributes to a timely and successful return to normal business operations. Hands-on exercises will use the tools and templates, as well as identify the skill sets required to successfully promote and lead this phase of the program.
BA 190C Crisis Event Recovery
3 cr. hrs.; 3 lecture hours; 0 lab hours per week.
Covers the careful examination and practical application of the tools and processes involved in planning the recovery from a crisis event. Emphasis is on understanding the components of the “Recovery” Phase and how these processes and procedures are facilitated by the previous pre-planning and planning efforts and an effective response to a crisis event. Recovery focuses on restarting the “critical” business processes that will keep the company operating while other recovery efforts are ongoing. Hands-on exercises use the tools and templates, as well as identify the skill sets required to successfully promote, and lead this phase of the program.
BA 190D Business Continuity Management
3 cr. hrs.; 3 lecture hours; 0 lab hours per week.
Personnel turnover and changing threat environments require a proactive management effort. This course involves a careful examination of the administration of the business continuity program as a tool for ongoing risk management in business and in support of the rapid recovery from a crisis event. Emphases are on maintaining the readiness of BCP process, teams, data and system backups, training and manpower required to successfully maintain an effective organizational business continuity
program.
Course of Study Outline – Suggested Courses (Credit Hours) First Semester
BA 190A — Planning for Crises (3)
BA 190B — Responding to a Crisis (3)
BA 190C — Crisis Event Recovery (3)
BA 190D — Business Continuity Management (3)
