Master of Disaster Management

The programme is directed at a wide group of people working within areas related to disaster management both nationally and internationally.

You will gain qualifications to work with disaster management and learn e.g. to analyse risks and make contingency plans.

Name: Master of Disaster Management

Type: Master's programme

Duration: A maximum of 3 years on a part-time basis

European transfer credits: 60 ECTS

Entry Requirements: A relevant bachelor's or professional bachelor's degree and 2 years of relevant professional experience

Finance: Tuition fee DKK 100,000 or 132,800

The curriculum, with a research-based framework for Disaster Management, combines professional and hands-on skills with a multidisciplinary academic understanding. The Master of Disaster Management is relevant for all professions working with Disaster Management. It is aimed at providing the appropriate skills for disaster management at a national and international level in areas of natural and man made disaster, climate change, terrorism, etc. The programme will provide the student with a new interdisciplinary mind set: Balancing the three main processes in Disaster Management: Disaster Risk Reduction, Response and Recover, the student will be able to effectively prevent and manage disaster situations.

The graduates of the Master of Disaster Management will be able to:

• Analyse, evaluate and manage the dynamic factors of disasters on an individual- and society level, locally and globally.
• Work theoretically and practically in all three main processes of Disaster Management, Disaster Risk Reduction, Response and Recovery, and understand how these are interconnected.
• Analyse and evaluate the underlying physical/environmental, social/political/cultural, economical, legal/institutional/organisational and health related/psychological aspects that influence the vulnerabilities and capacities of individuals and societies.
• Work strategically and operationally with all 3 main processes of Disaster Management, and be able to: Analyse and evaluate risks, as well as plan, implement and evaluate risk reduction and preparedness actions. Analyse and evaluate the needs of disaster struck individuals and societies, and prioritise, implement and coordinate response activities. Analyse and evaluate recovery needs, and implement, coordinate and evaluate activities for sustainable recovery.
• Collect, document, analyse and communicate information regarding for example risks, humanitarian needs, or lessons learned from earlier disasters in order to mitigate future ones.

Modules:

The Master of Disaster Management consists of 3 modules:

1. Core Module:

(20 ECTS) includes 4 mandatory interdisciplinary Core Courses, offered September-December:

Core Course I: Introduction and Disaster Management Theories
Introduction, team building and personal safety, Disaster management theories and principles.

Core Course II: Disaster Risk Reduction
Risk analysis and evaluation (including hazard analysis and vulnerability analysis), risk reduction (prevention and mitigation) and preparedness.

Core Course III: Disaster Response
Basic relief needs. Food, Water, Sanitation, Health, Hygiene and Shelter. Issues of coordination. Field assessment and evaluation.

Core Course IV: Disaster Recovery
Reconstruction and sustainable development.

2. Advanced Module (20 ECTS), consists of:

1 mandatory Short Course: Research Design taught during 1st period of the semester (2 ECTS) and

3 elective Short Courses taught during 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th period of the semester (6 ECTS each).
You tailor your own programme by selecting the 3 elective Short Courses. Please note that the Short Courses in the same period will be taught simultaneously. Therefore: choose one course per period.
You may choose elective courses among those offered at the University of Copenhagen and Lund University, and those offered at other accredited academic international institutions (subject to review by the Master of Disaster Management academic board).

Elective Short Courses are:

2nd period

• Risk Assessment Methods
• Psychosocial Interventions in Disasters: Management and Implementation

3rd period

• Risk Reduction and Preparedness

4th period

• Humanitarian Interventions in Emergencies: Health for Refugees and Internally Displaced Populations
• Managing Disaster Situations
• Development Cooperation for Disaster Management

5th period

• Water Supply and Sanitation in Emergencies
• Sustainable Recovery

3. Thesis Module (20 ECTS):
The Master of Disaster Management degree will be conferred upon completion of the Thesis Module. This module can be expanded with an optional Internship Module depending on the student's prior working experience and interest.

See prospective classes in the Danish description of the course.

Educational Institutions

The programme is offered by University of Copenhagen , Denmark, in cooperation with Lund University, Sweden.

Duration

As full-time programme the duration is 1 year.

As part-time programme Master of Disaster Management has to be completed over a period of max 3 years (equivalent to 1 year of full-time study). N.B: due to the dynamics of the group work the individual Core and Short course can not be taken part time. The master can therefore only be split up in chunks consisting of single courses of approximately one month each.

External students may follow the courses as individual Short Courses.

The programme is rated at 60 ECTS or a full-time students work in one year. Each module is rated at 20 ECTS.

Admission

Applicants must comply with one of the following requirements:

• Completed studies in engineering, health, social, political, economic sciences, etc., or other relevant academic training
• A bachelor's degree from a university or equivalent institution or
• Professionals with mid-level training of a minimum of 3 years

Furthermore, all students must have:

• At least 2 years of relevant working experience
• Adequate English language qualifications according to internationally recognised proficiency tests.
• Basic computer skills
• A two-page personal statement explaining why you want to become a Master of Disaster Management.

Applicants with other backgrounds may be considered on an individual basis.

For Further Information

You may find a list of courses taught in Danish at the Danish Ministry of Education website

www.uddannelsesguiden.dk

You can find information on practical issues related to your study visit in Denmark with Danish Agency for International Education:

www.studyindenmark.dk

www.iu.dk