To earn an MPS in Emergency & Disaster Management, you must successfully complete 11 courses (33 credits total), including:
2 core courses (6 credits total):
Ethics and Critical Decision Making
Capstone
5 foundation courses (15 credits total):
Theory and Legal Framework
Project Management and Budgeting for Emergencies and Disasters
Risk Perception Awareness
GIS for Emergency & Disaster Management
Methods for Emergency & Disasters and Humanitarian Crisis Management
4 elective courses (12 credits total):
For a current list of electives, visit the Course Schedule page.
Program Formats
The Emergency & Disaster Management program is available in both an online format and an on-campus format. You can opt to take classes online, on campus, or through a combination of both.
On-Campus Format: In the on-campus format, classes are held at the same times every week at our downtown D.C. campus.
Online Format: The online master’s has the same curriculum as the on-campus format and offers access to all of the same University resources. In this format, you’ll be able to watch lectures and complete assignments on your own schedule.
You’ll have the flexibility to earn your degree at a pace that suits your schedule. You can take up to 12 credits per semester and complete the degree in as little as 15 months, or you can take as little as one course per semester and complete it in five years. Here are what other students typically do:
Full-time students typically take 9 credits (3 courses) during the fall and spring semesters, and 6 credits (2 courses) during the summer semester.
Part-time students typically take 3 to 6 credits (1 to 2 courses) during the fall, spring, and summer semesters.