| Location | Email Address | Program Website |
|---|---|---|
| 282 Atkinson Building | mdemgpa@yorku.ca | yorku.ca/gradstudies/dem/ |
The Master in Disaster & Emergency Management is a unique program developed in response to the growing recognition of the urgent need for graduate level education in this new and important field. Business, industry, government and non-profit sectors increasingly recognize the necessity of having better educated planners and policy makers at senior levels who can bring to bear a sophisticated analytical perspective informed by current research.
The program takes both a theoretical and problem-oriented approach to Disaster & Emergency Management, exploring beyond simple cause and effect models to consider the complex interactions between environmental, social and technological systems. Students acquire the knowledge and understanding needed to pursue and enter a career in the field of disaster management, or to engage in more advanced studies. Studying on either a full-time or part-time basis in a flexible program that allows the pursuit of students’ own areas of special interest, they learn from an impressive group of academics with expertise in areas like environmental risks and management, natural hazards, business continuity, emergency planning, decision-making, leadership, public health, humanitarianism, crisis management, war, and complex emergencies.
The program is intended for those with an academic background in emergency and disaster management as well as those aspiring to become disaster and emergency management professionals. It is designed to build on a student’s existing foundational knowledge to develop knowledge needed for mid to senior level emergency managers. For applicants with nonstandard qualifications, opportunities exist to acquire this foundational knowledge before beginning the program.
The Graduate Program in Disaster & Emergency Management can be completed on a full- or part-time basis. Entry is fall term.
The PhD program is an advanced training program with the purpose of equipping graduates with the ability to advance theory, practice, and teaching within the field of disaster and emergency management. The program culminates in the preparation of a dissertation that makes an original contribution to scholarship in the field of disaster and emergency management.
Admission Requirements
Master in Disaster & Emergency Management Program
Admission Requirements
To be considered for admission into 91ŃÇɫ’s Master in Disaster & Emergency Management program, candidates must have:
1. an Honours undergraduate degree program in Emergency Management or equivalent (typically a four-year full-time program) from an accredited post-secondary institution with a minimum grade point average of B+ in the final two years of study.
OR,
2. an Honours undergraduate degree program or equivalent (typically a four-year full-time program) from an accredited post-secondary institution with a minimum grade point average of B+ in the final two years of study with at least one of the following:
a) certificate in the area of emergency management from a recognized university or a recognized professional granting body, with a minimum grade point average of B+;
b) completion of a post-graduate College certificate in Emergency Management with a minimum grade point average of A from a recognized College program;
c) completion of the following core undergraduate courses in emergency management offered by 91ŃÇÉ« with a grade of no less than B+ in any course: Atkinson/Administration Studies 2700 3.0: Fundamentals of Emergency Management; Atkinson/Administration Studies 3701 3.0: Emergency Management: Hazard, Vulnerability and Risk Assessment; and Atkinson/Administration Studies 3702 3.0: Emergency Management: Mitigation, Preparedness, Response, Recovery or the equivalent;
d) successful completion of a comprehensive exam on emergency management fundamentals administered by the Graduate Program in Disaster & Emergency Management;
e) successful completion of the Liberal Arts & Professional Studies Administrative Studies Bridging 4799 0.0: “Short Course on Disaster & Emergency Management”; and/or,
f) extensive experience in the emergency management field as assessed by the graduate admissions committee of the Disaster & Emergency Management program.
The graduate program admissions committee may recommend applicants to the Faculty of Graduate Studies for admission on condition that they complete specified courses in emergency management at the undergraduate level.
Proof of language proficiency is required for applicants who do not meet one of the following criteria:
1. their first language is English; OR
2. they have completed at least two years of full-time study at an accredited university in a country (or institution) where English is
the official language of instruction.
Applicants must submit a statement of intent outlining their interests and career goals in relation to a proposed area of study (approximately 500 words), two letters of recommendation and a résumé.
Doctor of Philosophy Program
Admission Requirements
Applicants must have:
- A master’s degree, or equivalent, from a recognized university in field(s) relevant to disaster and emergency management, with a grade average of at least “B+.” Examples of degrees relevant to disaster and emergency management include master’s degrees in environmental studies, urban planning, science and technology studies, anthropology, sociology, or other fields, where the student has completed a significant amount of coursework or thesis research related to disasters or emergency management.
- Three letters of recommendation.
- A statement of interest that provides a cogent rationale for undertaking studies in disaster and emergency management.
- A sample of written work relevant to graduate studies in disaster and emergency management.
- A curriculum vitae or resume that demonstrates academic and/or professional excellence.
Degree Requirements
MDEM Degree by Major Research Paper
The program is offered on a full-time and part-time basis. The recommended time to completion is 4 terms for full-time students and 8 terms for part-time students.
Courses
Students must successfully complete 30 course credits including the following:
a) Core required courses: 6 credits
Disaster & Emergency Management 5020 3.0: Disasters: Concepts and Causes/Same as Environmental Studies 6401 3.0
Disaster & Emergency Management 5030 3.0: Social and Behavioural Dimensions of Disasters
b) Six additional credits in research methods:
Disaster & Emergency Management 5051 3.0: Quantitative Research Methods and Disaster & Emergency Management 5052 3.0: Research Design and Qualitative Methods,
or,
In consultation with the student’s supervisor, an alternative six credits in research methods from other graduate programs in the Faculty of Graduate Studies.
c) Twelve additional credits selected in consultation with the student’s advisor, six of which must be from courses within the Graduate Program in Disaster & Emergency Management. Other courses may be selected, in consultation with the student’s advisor, from appropriate graduate courses offered across the university based on student’s field of specialization including the following listed below. Normally these courses are from one of five broadly defined areas of study, as listed in the section MDEM degree by course work below.
Major Research Paper
Disaster & Emergency Management 6999 6.0
Candidates for the Master in Disaster & Emergency Management are required to write a major research paper on an approved topic. Topics can either be a critical evaluation and synthesis of the current state of knowledge and research within a defined area of study or may focus on a specific research topic in depth. Papers must comprise original material of a scholarly nature, demonstrate that the student is capable of independent research and critical analysis and be of publishable quality. The major research paper should be between 80-125 pages. The paper will be supervised by a full member of the graduate program and graded on a pass/fail basis by a committee composed of the student’s supervisor and one other faculty member who has not been involved in the major research paper process.
MDEM Degree by Course Work
The program is offered on a full-time and part-time basis. The recommended time to completion is four terms for full-time students and eight terms for part-time students.
Courses
Students must successfully complete 30 course credits including the following:
a) Core required courses: 6 credits
Disaster & Emergency Management 5020 3.0: Disaster Concepts and Causes/Same as Environmental Studies 6401 3.0
Disaster & Emergency Management 5030 3.0: Social and Behavioural Dimensions of Disasters
b) Three additional credits in research methods from either:
Disaster & Emergency Management 5051 3.0: Quantitative Research Methods or Disaster & Emergency Management 5052 3.0: Research Design and Qualitative Methods,
or,
In consultation with the student’s supervisor, an alternative three credits research methods from other graduate programs in the Faculty of Graduate Studies.
c) Twenty-one additional credits, twelve of which must be from courses within the Graduate Program in Disaster & Emergency Management. Other courses may be selected, in consultation with the student’s advisor, from appropriate graduate courses offered across the university based on student’s field of specialization including the following listed below. Normally these courses are from one of five broadly defined areas of study.
Public Safety and Security
Disaster & Emergency Management 5060 3.0: Terrorism Studies 1
Disaster & Emergency Management 5070 3.0: Terrorism Studies 2
Environmental Studies 5068 3.0: Global Justice and Humanitarian Internationalism/Same as Environmental Studies 4312 3.0
Environmental Studies 6147 3.0: Humanitarian Crises
Political Science 6225 3.0: Critical Security Studies
Political Science 6220 3.0: Contemporary Security Studies: Conflict, Intervention, and Peacebuilding
Disaster & Emergency Management 6070 3.0: Disaster and Ethics
Environmental Issues and Disaster Management
Environmental Studies 5123 3.0: Environment and Behaviour
Environmental Studies 6146 3.0: Critical Theory of International Development
Environmental Studies 6175 3.0: Global Environmental Politics
Communication & Culture 6120 3.0: Culture and the Environment
Environmental Studies 6156 3.0: Critical Theory of International Development
Technology and Disaster Management
Earth & Space Science 5420 3.0: Advanced Geospatial Information Technology
Geography 5050 3.0: Geographical Information Systems and Spatial Analysis
Geography 5015 3.0: Remote Sensing & Image Processing for Geographical Analysis and Environmental Monitoring
Risk and Social Vulnerability
Environmental Studies 5068 3.0: Global Justice and Humanitarian Internationalism/Same as Environmental Studies 4312 3.0
Environmental Studies 5124 3.0: Development Studies
Environmental Studies 6137 3.0: Women, Development and Globalization
Environmental Studies 6147 3.0: Humanitarian Crises
Environmental Studies 6156 3.0: Critical Theory of International Development
Administrative Studies 6800 3.0: Global Mindsets and People Management
Sociology 6310 3.0: Environmental Sociology
Sociology 6315 3.0: Cultural Politics of Environment and Development II: Environmental Issues
Disaster & Emergency Management 6070 3.0: Disaster and Ethics
Disaster & Emergency Management 5010 3.0: Advanced Disaster and Emergency Management
Natural and Technological Disasters
Disaster & Emergency Management 5010 3.0: Advanced Disaster and Emergency Management
Disaster & Emergency Management 5040 3.0: Natural Disasters
Disaster & Emergency Management 5710 3.0: Critical Infrastructure Protection
Disaster & Emergency Management 5080 6.0. Disaster and Emergency Management Practicum
Disaster & Emergency Management 5081 3.0: Applied Topics in Disaster and Emergency Management
Disaster and Emergency Management in Healthcare
Program Entry
The Graduate Program in Disaster & Emergency Management can be completed on a full- or part-time basis. Entry is fall term.
Program Length
The expected degree completion time for full-time master’s students is 4 terms. Students must register and pay fees for a minimum of the equivalent of 4 terms of full-time study. All requirements for a master’s degree must be fulfilled within 12 terms (4 years) of registration as a full-time or part-time master’s student in accordance with Faculty of Graduate Studies’ registration policies.
Degree Requirements
All PhD students and candidates are required to develop a plan of study in which they provide an integrated, coherent rationale for their studies as they relate to their coursework, comprehensive examination, and dissertation. This plan will be updated by the student and reviewed annually by the student’s supervisor and the Graduate Program Director.
All PhD candidates must have a faculty member agreed upon by the student, the faculty member, and the Graduate Program Director by the end of their first year in the program. Faculty member supervisors are responsible for ensuring that students develop an integrated, coherent plan of study. Faculty member supervisors are also responsible for ensuring students are effectively supported towards
completing their degree requirements in timely fashion and for providing them with general academic advice (including, but not limited to, preparing for their comprehensive examinations; selecting elective courses; applying for scholarships and teaching fellowships; writing their dissertation; attending and contributing to scholarly conferences and learning how to prepare scholarly papers for publication in learned journals; and undertaking a job search either in academia or non-academic sectors).
Course Requirements
a) Students are required to take the equivalent of four graduate courses in the field of disaster and emergency management, including 6.0 credits of core Disaster & Emergency Management 7700 3.0: Critical Theory and Practice in DEM 1: Risk, Vulnerability, and Resilience, a 3.0 credit seminar for the development of dissertation proposals (Disaster & Emergency Management: 7730 3.0: Research Design & Proposal Development in Disaster and Emergency Management), and a 3.0 credit course on Teaching, Learning, and Pedagogy.
b) Students are required to take an additional 6.0 credits in qualitative and quantitative methods (Disaster & Emergency Management 7750 3.0: Research Design and Qualitative Research Methods, and Disaster & Emergency Management 7740 3.0: Research Design and Quantitative Methods), unless granted a waiver or advanced standing as described in the program handbook.
c) Students are required to take an additional 9.0 credits of electives to support their area of specialization for dissertation research, as approved by their supervisor. These courses may include directed reading classes, as deemed appropriate by their supervisor.
Comprehensive Examination
Graduates need to demonstrate a mastery of the field of disaster and emergency management in order to be successful contributors to academic- and practice-based research. The comprehensive exam process is designed to provide students with the mentorship and support to gain this mastery, and to require a high-quality demonstration of knowledge before they proceed into their dissertation. The comprehensive examination is also a pivotal point for determining whether students should be allowed to proceed with their studies or be guided to withdraw from the program.
The comprehensive exam process consists of two written examinations and a confirmatory oral examination, with the timelines laid out in the program handbook. The examination on the common core list will be evaluated by a three-person Comprehensive Examination Committee, convened by October 1 of each year by the Graduate Program Director, while the examination on the student’s individualized list will be evaluated by their supervisory committee.
The first examination will consist of an in-person, 2-3 essay-based questions designed to ascertain the PhD candidate’s grasp of essential DEM theoretical concepts and materials on the common core list.
The second examination consists of 2-3 questions linked to the Doctoral student’s specific research areas of interest. This individualized reading list for the exam is developed by the student, their supervisor, and approved by the Graduate Program Director. This exam is a take-home, essay-based exam.
The final stage in the comprehensive examination process are two oral exams intended to confirm the student’s mastery of PhD coursework, methodological training (including material from Disaster & Emergency Management: 7730 3.0: Research Design & Proposal Development in Disaster and Emergency Management and Disaster & Emergency Management 7740 3.0: Research Design and Quantitative Methods), and exam responses. The oral exams will last approximately 60 minutes each and will be conducted in a closed-door session with the student and the relevant committee. The comprehensive examination committee is required to provide the assessment of each candidate within 5 business days of the comprehensive examination.
Following the completion of the written and oral examinations, each committee will assign one of the following assessments to each exams:
- Clear pass (i.e., no further work needed)
- Conditional pass (i.e., portions of one or both exams must be rewritten)
- Fail with rewrite (i.e., one or both of the written exams and/or oral exam must be retaken)
- Fail with no re-write (i.e., failure with withdrawal from the program required)
Language Requirement
Students working in an area where the language is other than English must demonstrate to the members of their dissertation supervisory committee that they have the ability to read primary sources and secondary literature in that language.
Dissertation
Students must complete a dissertation that makes an original contribution to science and technology studies scholarship.
Program Entry
The PhD program can be completed on a full-time basis. Entry is fall term.
Time Limits
Full-time students are expected to complete their studies within five academic years of admission (15 terms).