Overview

The number of those affected by disasters and is growing. Climate change accelerates this trend.

It is becoming increasingly important to generate resilience and response capacities in the face disastrous events as part of risk reduction in the wider context of sustainable development.

The program aims to provide students research skills, knowledge and management expertise necessary to work with future crises, emergencies and disasters both in the developed world and in developing countries.

Why choose this course?

The Disaster Management Masters is the first program of its kind in Romania.

• Provides understanding of theory and practice in local contexts, national and international.
• Designed to teach students the skills and knowledge necessary for disaster interventions in Romania and other parts of the globe.
• The emphasis is on academic content and application of academic theory and principles
• Use case studies to ensure complementarity between theoretical knowledge and practical skills
• According to professionals who want to evolve in their careers in areas such as disaster management, risk assessment, community development, humanitarian assistance and development of societal and organizational capabilities
• The lecturers have expertise in a wide range of practical and research skills and form a cohesive multidisciplinary team, with a strong commitment to the evolution of research and practice in the Disaster Management field.

What will I learn?

The Master covers a wide range of topics, such as: disaster theory and practice, risk assessment, emergency planning, natural disasters and environmental management, Business continuity management, GIS, science and services, humanitarian intervention in disasters, disaster psychology and perception, development and disaster risk reduction, framework and research methods, and dissertation topic.

How will I be evaluated?

Assessments on all courses are, for the most part, based on delivered projects. Besides meeting the standards for academic research work, the dissertation offers students the opportunity to focus their learning on their professional needs.

In general, students conduct research and write their dissertation in the 2nd year of studies.

Entry requirements

Those admitted must generally hold a at least a 7 at undergraduate level in a relevant field program (geography, administration, management, business studies, psychology, sociology, defense).

Applicants with lower average and / or those with specializations in other areas will be taken into account individually and generally will be interviewed before being offered a place on the course.

We encourage applications form all those qualified, regardless of age, ethnicity, gender or disability. Application and admission procedure complies with University policy on equal opportunities.

How does this course help with my career

Qualified professionals in disaster management are in great demand. Some students are sponsored by their employers and our graduates are sought after for a wide range of organizations, including governments, NGOs and private sector organizations.

The program aims to increase graduates’ employability by providing knowledge and skills needed to critically evaluate and apply key elements in risk reduction, preparedness, response, and disaster recovery. We include the abilities to assess hazards, risks, vulnerabilities and capacities. The program also aims to prepare students for employment in a broad range of career-centered intervention in disasters by providing knowledge on approaches that can be used internationally to reduce and manage risk.

Erasmus

Students have the opportunity to study in Germany, at the Institute of Civil Protection and Rescue Engineering, Technology Sciences Arts, TH Köln (University of Applied Sciences), along with teachers widely regarded internationally. It is very important that in a field with trans-national implications our graduates can demonstrate mobility and ability to work in an international and multi-cultural environment.

How do I apply

Registrations take place in July and September

The documents required for registration

• signup form
• Bachelor degree or certificate in original license for promotion this year
• high school diploma or equivalent diploma, in original or certified copy
• copy of birth certificate
• medical certificate showing the candidate is apt for faculty
• three photos ID type
• copy of ID
• receipt of payment of registration fee at the entrance examination

Exam

It is important that students from the master be aware of the current problems encountered in disaster management worldwide. For this reason the master's program entrance exam will be written and will have two topics.

The first topic will be the choice of the theme of the last World Disaster Report - International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

For the exam, students will be able to choose some of the topics listed below, each corresponding to a specific chapter in the report.

The three themes are:

• The importance of local actors.
• Patterns and trends in funding.
• Digital Empowerment of local actors.

The report for 2015 can be found here.

At the exam the student will receive a subject from the topic that she has chosen.

The second topic will be the assessment of one definition from risk terminology, based on the bibliography developed by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, available here.

The first subject contributes 70% of the grade and the second 20%; notation starts from 1 to a maximum of 10.

Contact

Telephone: +40 (0)21 315 30 74

Email: secretariat@geo.unibuc.ro

Address: Blvd. Nicolae Balcescu 1, Bucuresti 010041

Facultatea de Geografie

Universitatea din Bucuresti