Master of Disaster Risk Management and Development
Gain the skills to tackle increasingly complex disaster risks, both now and in the future, and research a topic of your interest.
Develop advanced disaster risk management knowledge and skills to reduce disaster risks, build community resilience, and manage disaster response and recovery.
The Master of Disaster Risk Management and Development aligns with global and national best practice, and is ideal if you’re passionate about sustainable development, community resilience or humanitarian response. It’s also a good fit if you’re already working in the field and need a tertiary-level qualification.
Download programme guides
Minimum entry requirements
Completed one of the following; or equivalent:
- Bachelor’s degree with a B- grade or higher in courses at a level 7 or equivalent
- In exceptional circumstances an applicant who does not meet the requirements above, but who has an appropriate combination of academic and professional experience, may be considered for admission
International student entry requirements
Other requirements
- Submit evidence of ability to study at postgraduate level in this field
- Provide evidence of current professional practice
- May be required to complete relevant prerequisite courses as specified by the Board of Studies
English language requirements
- IELTS (Academic) 6.5 overall with no band less than 6.0
Explore topics like disasters and development, environmental change and humanitarian action, building community resilience, and communications in emergency and disaster.
You also research a topic of your interest and complete either a thesis, or a dissertation or practice project.
The programme focuses on diverse themes like socially and culturally appropriate approaches to disaster risk management, resilience-building in the face of climate change, as well as improved building codes and better ecosystem protection to reduce disaster risk and support sustainable development.
All courses are offered via flexible learning, which involves block course on campus and online, or blended learning.
Complete the following courses
- EMGT806 Communications in Emergency and Disaster (15 points)
- EMGT807 Environmental Change and Humanitarian Action (15 points)
- EMGT808 Disasters and Development (15 points)
- EMGT809 Building Community Resilience (15 points)
And complete one research methods course
- HEAL811 Research Design and Methods (15 points)
- MAOH801 Te Rangahau Hauora Māori – Māori Health Research Practice (15 points)
- PUBH810 Pacific Health Research and Design (15 points)
- or another methodology course as approved by the Programme Leader
And choose one of the following
- HEAL901 Dissertation (60 points); or
- HEAL998 Thesis (90 points)
And choose courses from*
- COMH805 Mauri Ora – Holistic Healing from Trauma (15 points)
- ENSE881 Digital Transformation and Change Management (15 points)
- EPMY801 Social Epidemiology (15 points)
- EPMY802 Advanced Epidemiology (15 points)
- GEOL801 Environment, Hazards and Society (15 points)
- HEAL803 Special Topic (30 points)
- HEAL816 Special Topic (15 points)
- HEAL817 Leadership and Management I (15 points)
- MAOH804 Māori Development (15 points)
- PUBH801 Principles of Public Health (15 points)
- PUBH803 Global Health (15 points)
- PUBH804 Public Health Policy and Systems (15 points)
*Choose one 15-point course if you're completing the thesis or three 15-point courses (or one 30-point course and one 15-point course.) if you're doing the dissertation. Other relevant optional courses may be available, with the approval of the programme leader.
Skills you will develop in the Master of Disaster Risk Management and Development
The outcomes for graduates of the Master of Disaster Risk Management and Development are outlined in the Graduate Profile below.
Ready to enrol in your courses?
Find out how you can enrol in the courses and classes for your programme, whether you’ve just joined AUT as a new student or you’re already studying with us. If you’re looking for more info on a specific course use our course search.
Practice as a health professional in New Zealand is governed by legislation and a number of ‘Responsible Authorities’ (such as the NZ Psychologist Board, Physiotherapy Board and the Nursing Council who register practitioners). Overseas qualified health professionals who wish to practise in New Zealand should communicate directly with the relevant Responsible Authority. Qualifications recognised for professional registration at AUT are undergraduate; study at postgraduate level is not considered equivalent recognition for NZ Board certification.
Interested in public health?
We recommend you take the following courses as part of your programme so you can graduate with a focus on public health and resilience:
And two from:
As a graduate of this programme you could work in disaster preparedness, humanitarian response or recovery for:
- Local or international NGOs
- Emergency management agencies
- Ministries
- International organisations
($10,028 tuition fees + $1,192 student services levy)
($43,600 tuition fees + $1,192 student services levy)
- Fees shown are based on a full-time workload for the points indicated next to the fee. The exact fee charged will depend on which courses you select at the time of enrolment.
- Fees are subject to change year to year. If you are planning for study beyond the current year, fees may vary from those stated.
- There may also be other fees and charges you need to pay.
- International students' tuition fees reflect the full cost of tuition. Domestic students' tuition fees are less due to a proportion of the tuition fees being funded by the New Zealand Government.
The information on this page was correct at time of publication. For a comprehensive overview of AUT qualifications, please refer to the Academic Calendar.