Master of Disaster Risk and Resilience

Help build a more resilient future

Organisations worldwide value championing disaster resilience. They save lives and revenue while gaining a competitive advantage. By becoming more resilient, disaster risks can be mitigated and reduced.

A Graduate Certificate in Disaster Risk and Resilience is also available to study and can be used as a pathway into the masters program.

Receive UN co-certification through courses certified by CIFAL Newcastle, in accordance with the requirements of the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) and the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR). Benefit from flexible study options with our advanced online learning system. Study anytime, anywhere, balancing work, life, and study.

If your role involves identifying, mitigating, and managing business, safety, community, or environmental risks, this program is for you. It will put you at the forefront of your field, preparing you for challenging situations.

This program equips graduates from diverse backgrounds with resilience and sustainable development skills. You'll learn to prevent disasters and handle extreme events. By applying these principles, you will emerge stronger and better prepared for the future.

what you will study

This is the first and only degree to provide UN co-certification in the use of tools and frameworks central to resilience building, thereby achieving sustainable development.

It contains core elements related to disaster risk reduction and resilience building. These elements are underpinned by a practical grounding and application of the Sendai Framework and UN-SDGs and the development of disaster risk management skills.

Find out when applications close for available intakes

Review the information below and submit your application now.

This program is open to online international students. Applications to study online are now open. Review the information below and submit your application now.

Both students and education agents can submit applications online. This is our preferred way of application. You can save your application after you have started, and come back to it later.

To ensure a smooth application process, please complete the following steps before applying:

Note: Applicants must demonstrate that they meet the University of Newcastle’s English Language Proficiency requirements.

Applicants who do not speak English as a first language must demonstrate that they meet the University's English proficiency requirement. Further information regarding English language proficiency requirements can be found at the English Language Proficiency for Admission Policy.

In the application portal, you can enter the program you wish to study and upload relevant documents needed as part of your application. It is recommended you submit your application a minimum of 12 weeks before your intended semester of trimester start date.

This program is designed for those in management positions in private and public sector organisations. It is designed for people working on resilience-building against extreme events. These events include natural hazards, climate change, data breaches, political instability, terror attacks, human conflicts and health epidemics.

Recent disasters in Australia and around the world have shown the need for more professionals in resilience-building roles. This program prepares graduates for these important roles.

Graduates may qualify for the following roles within the industry:

• Risk Manager
• Compliance Officer
• Recovery Outreach Worker
• Emergency Management Officer
• Disaster Resilience Officer