This may be a rare case in which a $695 class might actually save your life: Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism is offering a safety course for journalists who cover war, conflict and disaster zones.

Included to the course description:

Specialists will provide instruction in the following areas:
1. Risk assessment: making the right call, setting limits, sound practices amid riots, snipers, mines, shooting, roadblocks, infiltrators and general mayhem
2. Trauma: emotional self-care on troubling stories
3. Cyber security: safeguarding sensitive communications and data. Codes, encryption and cloud computing
4. Emergency first aid: tourniquets, triage, fractures and bullet wounds
5. Rape/assault prevention, setting boundaries, delaying tactics, basic self-defense, healing

Journalist Judith Matloff, who has over 20 years of foreign correspondence under her belt, will teach the intensive course from October 19-21. The course description notes that some scholarships are offered to offset the total cost of the course that give preference to freelancers and freelance camerapeople.

Resources and training could be particularly worthwhile for freelancers who may not have the benefit of a newsroom or larger agency to support them from beyond the conflict zone.