Postgraduate Certificate in Disaster Risk Management and Development
In just six months, you’ll begin to develop the knowledge and skills to reduce disaster risks, build community resilience, and manage disaster response and recovery.
AUT’s Postgraduate Certificate in Disaster Risk Management and Development aligns with global and national best practice, so graduates can tackle increasingly complex disaster risks, both now and in the future.
It may be right for you if you’re passionate about sustainable development, community resilience or humanitarian response. It could also be a good fit if you're considering a career in emergency and disaster risk management, or are already in the field and seeking a tertiary-level qualification.
Download programme guides
Minimum entry requirements
Completed one of the following; or equivalent:
- Bachelor’s degree
- Relevant professional qualification or experience approved by the Dean (or representative) to be equivalent to a bachelor’s degree
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
The programme focuses on advancing community wellbeing by reducing risks. It embraces 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.
Topics you’ll study include disasters and development, environmental change and humanitarian action, building community resilience, and communications in emergency and disaster.
All courses are offered via flexible learning, with block courses on campus and online teaching and learning. This is convenient if you live in Auckland and prefer flexible learning modules. It may also work if you live outside of Auckland, or balance your studies with your work.
Complete the following courses
- EMGT807 Environmental Change and Humanitarian Action (15 points)
- EMGT808 Disasters and Development (15 points)
- EMGT809 Building Community Resilience (15 points)
And choose one of
- COMH805 Mauri Ora – Holistic Healing from Trauma (15 points)
- EMGT806 Communications in Emergency and Disaster (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)
- HEAL811 Research Design and Methods (15 points)
- HEAL816 Special Topic (15 points)
- HEAL817 Leadership and Management I (15 points)
- MAOH801 Māori Health Research Practice - Te Rangahau Hauora Māori (15 points)
- PUBH803 Global Health (15 points)
- PUBH804 Public Health Policy and Systems (15 points)
- PUBH810 Pacific Health Research and Design (15 points)
- PUBL801 International Public Relations (15 points)
Other relevant optional courses may be available, with the approval of the programme leader. Optional courses may be selected from other relevant subject areas.
Skills you will develop
The outcomes for graduates of the Postgraduate Certificate in Disaster Risk Management and Development are outlined in the Graduate Profile below.
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.
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
($5,014 tuition fees + $596 student services levy)
($21,800 tuition fees + $596 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.