Disaster and Emergency Management

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The MA in Disaster and Emergency Management program is a two-year interdisciplinary degree dedicated to educating both aspiring and existing disaster and emergency management professionals. The program explores the theoretical foundations of disaster and emergency management as a growing field of practice and study.

The program emphasizes an integrated and holistic approach to disaster and emergency management built on the understanding that disasters are more than hazards, and are products of the inter-relationship and mutual construction of the environmental, social, economic, and political spheres. This approach supports the notion that disaster and emergency management processes and practices can and should contribute to risk reduction, community resilience and sustainable communities.

A one year Graduate Diploma in Disaster and Emergency Management is also offered.

Delivery Model
Online Learning

The majority of this program is experienced through online learning. Online courses enable you to meet the demands of work and family while studying. Using our web-based learning platform, you will access your reading materials, complete individual and group assignments, and engage with the rest of your classmates and instructors; online from anywhere. Each online course will be nine weeks in length, with a two-week break between courses.

Residency

During the course of your two-year program, you will attend two, two-week on-campus residencies. Here youll interact face-to-face with your instructors, cohort and team. Youll have set class hours as well as homework and meetings outside of class hours, making this an intensive and rewarding time.

Completion Options
During the first year of study, all students will take the same set of courses that place emphasis on the study and practice of inter- and intra-group conflict in a range of organizational contexts. During the second year, students can select from the following options.

Thesis Track

Students taking the thesis option will be required to take a second research course during their second residency.

Course-Based Track

Students taking the course based-masters track will be able to continue their studies online during the second year, choosing from a suite of school-based electives.

Course-Based Track with Professional Field Placement

Within the course-based option, students may choose to take a 6-credit Professional Field Placement. Students who choose a Professional Field Placement will gain field experience in a supervised professional international practicum. This experiential learning will help students apply their theoretical knowledge by demonstrating their ability in a real-world setting, and documenting their experiences.

Learning Outcomes
Royal Roads University works with an outcomes-based learning model. Learning outcomes are clear, plain language descriptors of knowledge and performance tasks that students demonstrate in order to successfully complete a program.

Within the MA in Disaster and Emergency Management, there are five key learning outcome domains:

* Critical Thinking
* Communication
* Research
* Knowledge
* Professional Skills & Practice

Using learning outcomes helps to clarify a programs focus, helps students connect their program to their workplace, provides a focus for assessment/evaluation, and helps employers understand the benefits of the program.

Courses
* DEMN502: Foundations in Disaster and Emergency Management
* DEMN503: Facilitation, Coordination and Decision Making in Multi-Stakeholder Environments
* DEMN504: Human Dimensions of Disasters
* DEMN551: Foundations of Research in Disaster and Emergency Management
* DEMN552: Hazard and Disaster Risk Reduction
* DEMN553: Disaster Response and Sustainable Recovery
* DEMN601: Disaster and Emergency Management Planning: From Policy to Practice
* DEMN602: Advanced Professional Practice: Planning for Resilience in an Age of Uncertainty
* DEMN691: Short Paper
* HUMS630: Advanced Research Methods
* HUMS641: Foundations of Policy and Practice in Humanitarian Action
* HUMS642: Human Dimensions of Disasters and Conflict: Trauma, Stress and Resilience
* HUMS643: Ethno-political Conflicts in the Canadian Context
* HUMS644: Professional Field Placement
* HUMS651: Case Studies in Humanitarian Action: Advanced Policy and Practice
* HUMS652: Planning for Resilience in 21st Century Environments
* HUMS653: Environmental and Resource Based Conflict
* HUMS661: Risk and Crisis Communication
* HUMS662: Reflective Practice, Leadership and Change Management
* HUMS695: Thesis
* IICS611: Intercultural Competence
* LEAD565: Performance Measurement and Financial Management for Leaders

Audience

This degree is designed for existing and aspiring disaster management and emergency services professionals. Many students come from the fields of government, emergency management, healthcare, education, NGOs, military, police, fire and community planning.

Applicants who do not have the formal academic education to qualify for admission may be assessed on the basis of both their formal education and their informal learning, in accordance with the Flexible Admission Process. Applications are assessed on a case-by-case basis. For more information, please visit our program admission page.

Standard Admission * Four year (or comparable) undergraduate degree in a related field from a recognized post-secondary institution, with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.33 (B+). * Students who meet the degree requirement, but not the GPA requirement, will normally be required to take "Introduction to Academic Writing and Critical Thinking" (available through RRU's Continuing Studies) and obtain a minimum B+.Flexible Admission * Normally 10 years of work experience, with a minimum of two years of relevant professional experience in a leadership or management position, or an equivalent combination of education and experience. * All flexible admission students will normally be required to take "Introduction to Academic Writing and Critical Thinking" (available through RRU's Continuing Studies) and obtain a minimum B+English Language RequirementsEnglish is the primary language of instruction and communication in all domestic programs at Royal Roads University.As part of the application process, all candidates whose first language is not English must demonstrate proficiency in English speaking, listening, reading and writing by one of the following means: * Submission of an official English language proficiency score report which meets one of the following minimum standards: * International English Language Testing System (IELTS) * IELTS Academic: 6.5 overall; 6.0 in each skill * Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) * Internet-based Test (IBT): 88 overall; 20 in each subsection * Paper-based Test (PBT): 570 * University of Cambridge English Examinations: * Advanced (CAE): Grade C * Accuplacer: Reading Comprehension: 70; Writing: 6 * Canadian Academic English Language Assessment (CAEL): 70 overall; 70 in Writing; 60 in other skills * CanTEST: 4.5 overall; 4.0 in each skill * Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB): 9+ * Michigan English Language Assessment Battery (MELAB): 81 overall2. Graduation from a recognized diploma or degree program from a college or university at which English was the primary language of instruction in an English speaking country.3. Completion of the International Study Centre's undergraduate or pre-master's pathway program(s).An applicant who believes they are fully proficient in English may provide a written submission to the Admissions Office, demonstrating English proficiency through other means. Some programs may require additional or alternative verification of English competence. English Language Requirements IELTS band: 6.5 TOEFL paper-based test score : 570 TOEFL iBT® test: 88

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Want to improve your English level for admission?

Prepare for the program requirements with English Online by the British Council.

• ✔️ Flexible study schedule
• ✔️ Experienced teachers
• ✔️ Certificate upon completion

📘 Recommended for students with an IELTS level of 6.0 or below.

Enroll in the course

Royal Roads University Awards
There are a variety of awards, scholarships, and bursaries available to help offset your tuition fees.

Entrance Awards
Apply to a competition that falls before your first day of class

In-Course Awards
Apply to a competition that falls after your program begins

Convocation Awards
Recipients are selected by way of academic performance, application, or peer nomination

Student Research Awards
Major grants to support research training for masters and doctoral students

External Award Postings
Other award notices received by RRU are posted on MyRRU.

Funding Sources
The following external resources offer additional funding opportunities through loans, scholarships, or grants.

Government Student Loans
Information about program eligibility and application procedures

Student Line of Credit
A popular and flexible alternative to government student loans

Lifelong Learning Plan
This plan allows you to borrow from your RRSP's tax-free

Emergency Funding
This program assists students with short-term emergency needs due to unforeseen expenses

Aboriginal/First Nations
Funding resources and the President's Aboriginal Support Bursary

International Study
Links to helpful sites for international students studying in Canada and for Canadians wishing to study abroad

Canadian Forces and DND
Financial assistance is available to employees of the Canadian Forces and their family