Master in Disaster Management

Florida International University (FIU) offers a 30-credit Master in Disaster Management through the Robert Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work. The graduate degree program has been developed in response to the growing recognition and need for graduate level education in disaster management. Drawing on faculty from across FIU's nationally recognized colleges and programs as well as disaster practitioners with international and national preparedness and response disaster experience, the program's curriculum is interdisciplinary in nature and scope and designed to develop and improve the skills of disaster practitioners and those interested in entering the exciting field of disaster management. The graduate degree will be offered in an 11-month executive format culminating with a disaster field operations course whereby students will engage in a field simulated exercise focusing on the practical issues that arise in a disaster (rapid damage and public health assessment, shelter and site planning, field cluster sampling, water, sanitation and hygiene, personal security, food aid, and operational approaches to relations with the military).

The graduate degree program has been designed to be completed within a year and will cover national and international disaster management. Offered on the Modesto Maidique Campus (Saturdays only), students will be required to complete two courses every eight weeks until all coursework is completed. The graduate degree program consists of the following ten courses:

• Comparative Disaster Management Systems
• Disaster Preparedness and Planning Methodologies
• Disaster Response and Recovery
• Introduction to Vulnerability Analysis and Hazard Mitigation
• Crisis Communications
• Special Topics in Disaster Studies
• Foundations in Humanitarian Assistance and Coordination
• Disaster Health Readiness
• Environmental Disasters and Human Health
• Disaster Field Operations

Stempel College inspires groundbreaking research and education through a nurturing academic environment that influences policy and promotes healthy lives in communities near and far. The college’s academic disciplines—public health, dietetics and nutrition, social work, and disaster preparedness—are advancing research and practices to realize this mission, bringing our students and faculty to the forefront of their fields.

Stempel College’s unique geography at the intersection of the Americas in Miami, Florida, drives us to solve complicated health and social welfare matters afflicting the most underserved populations. This does not change after graduation; alumni continue to contribute in meaningful ways.