Master’s Degree Programme – Disaster Risk Management
The Disaster Risk Management degree programme aims to provide students with academic knowledge and practical skills in emergency management and introduce them to the proactive and reactive properties and structures of disaster risk reduction systems in Serbia and in international settings.
This degree programme is intended to prepare students for the profession of master security managers and to strengthen their academic competences in disaster risk management. The master’s degree programme in disaster risk management has been designed to provide students with competences, knowledge and skills in disaster risk management needed to develop state institutions and the society and drive theoretical and scholarly innovation. Given the social and economic importance of ensuring the security of people, resources and property and the consequent importance of disaster reduction systems and emergency management, experts in this area possess socially justified and beneficial competences.
The academic disciplines and professional courses in this degree programme enable students to gain specialist theoretical knowledge and applicable skills in disaster risk management and develop critical thinking, teamwork and collaboration skills. The wide array of elective courses promotes students’ independence and creativity in designing their own degree programme and the adoption of innovative and multidisciplinary approaches in disaster risk management. The master’s degree programme also enables students to gain key research competences and adopt a professional and methodological culture they need to continue their education and pursue a doctoral degree programme.
|
No. |
COURSE |
Sem. |
Number of Classes |
ECTS |
Exam [1] |
|
|
Total |
Weekly |
|||||
|
1. |
I |
75 |
3+2 |
7 |
W+O |
|
|
2. |
Risk Assessment Methodology and Disaster Protection and Rescue Planning |
I |
75 |
3+2 |
7 |
W+O |
|
3. |
I |
75 |
3+2 |
6 |
W+O |
|
|
4. |
I |
75 |
3+2 |
6 |
W+O |
|
|
5. |
II |
75 |
3+2 |
6 |
W+O |
|
|
6. |
Elective Group 1/1, 1/2, 1/3 |
II |
225 |
9+6 |
3×5 |
W+O |
|
7. |
Elective Group 2/1, 2/2, 2/3 |
II |
225 |
9+6 |
3×5 |
W+O |
|
8. |
II |
– |
– |
3 |
W+O |
|
|
9. |
II |
– |
– |
10 |
W+O |
|
|
TOTAL: |
600 |
16 |
60 |
|||
[1] W – Written, O – Oral
|
ELECTIVE GROUP 1: RISK PREVENTION |
||||||
|
No. |
COURSE |
Sem. |
Number of Classes |
ECTS |
Exam |
|
|
Total |
Weekly |
|||||
|
1. |
Monitoring and Modelling Risks and Presenting Risk Information |
II |
75 |
3+2 |
5 |
W+O |
|
2. |
II |
75 |
3+2 |
5 |
W+O |
|
|
3. |
II |
75 |
3+2 |
5 |
W+O |
|
|
ELECTIVE GROUP 2: DISASTER CRISIS MANAGEMENT |
||||||
|
No. |
COURSE |
Sem. |
Number of Classes |
ECTS |
Exam |
|
|
Total |
Weekly |
|||||
|
1. |
II |
75 |
3+2 |
5 |
W+O |
|
|
2. |
II |
75 |
3+2 |
5 |
W+O |
|
|
3. |
II |
75 |
3+2 |
5 |
W+O |
|
Course Catalogue
FIRST YEAR (Semesters 1 and 2)
Disaster Risk Prevention and Reduction System
The aim of the course is to provide students with an understanding of the functions and institutions of the disaster risk prevention and reduction system in Serbia, with a comparative analysis of international legislation, experiences, procedures and best practices for natural and man-made disaster risk reduction planning. After they complete the course, students will gain a better understanding of national and international policy frameworks for disaster risk prevention and reduction, of the functions and institutions of disaster risk reduction systems and the directions in which they can be developed. They will also be able to take part in implementing disaster risk prevention and reduction policies.
Risk Assessment Methodology and Disaster Protection and Rescue Planning
This course introduces students to international standards, national laws and regulations and methodological foundations for natural and man-made disaster risk assessment and their application in responding to specific risk categories. Students will gain theoretical and practical knowledge about disaster risk reduction planning and learn to develop protection and rescue plans in emergencies. Students will learn to lead and coordinate risk reduction planning, protection and rescue planning in emergencies, critical infrastructure protection planning, and natural and man-made disaster risk prevention and reduction system development. They will oversee planning processes, conduct quality controls of plans, and participate in the education of individuals for tasks in the process of developing and deploying capabilities and resources in emergencies.
Crisis Management Policy and Crisis Communication
In this course, students will understand crises as a political process and their political dimensions in various circumstances and contexts and gain a better understanding of the dynamics and processes (individual, group, institutional, bureaucratic and psychological) that influence crisis decision-making. The course also aims to provide students with an understanding of different forms of crisis communication and of the skills, resources and other prerequisites for managing communication needs during crises.
Geographic Information Systems and Risk Management
Students will learn about the key concepts, principles and uses of geographic information systems and their applications in organizing information on crisis situations brought about by natural and man-made disasters. Students will learn about the basic concepts related to geographic information systems and their key uses.
Disaster Recovery and Assistance Management
In this course, students will learn the methodology of damage assessment and tertiary prevention and the procedures and forms of assistance and recovery in the aftermath of a disaster event. They will gain a comprehensive and clear insight into the process of enabling recovery and providing assistance to populations and business entities in an area affected by a natural disaster.
FIRST YEAR (Semester 2)
ELECTIVE GROUP 1
Monitoring and Modelling Risks and Presenting Risk Information
Students will learn the methods of parameter monitoring and control in case of a natural disaster, incident and conflict-related disaster. They will learn about the treatment and quality control of potable water and the most important parameters being monitored in emergencies, especially floods. To that end, students will learn about the role of the latest technology in this area – nanotechnology. They will learn how to use geographic information systems to present information about the qualitative, quantitative and visual aspects of risks, natural and man-made disasters.
Risk Prevention for Critical Infrastructure Protection
Students will learn about the multidisciplinary approach to risk management in critical infrastructure protection. They will gain theoretical and practical knowledge about the frameworks, methods and techniques of risk assessment in this area. When they complete the course, students will be able to understand the process of risk assessment in critical infrastructure protection, assess the possibilities and limitations of the approaches, methods and techniques in this process, compare different strategic frameworks, recognize the complexity of applying strategic and operational documents, and implement them in accordance with existing guidelines.
Disaster Protection and Rescue Measures
This course will provide students with the professional competences to organize and conduct preventive and operational measures in flood defence, earthquake protection, evacuation, assistance to vulnerable populations and casualties, CBR defence, fire and explosion protection, first aid, psychosocial support, sanitation, weather-related disaster protection, biosphere hazard protection, difficult terrain protection, natural disaster impact mitigation, etc. When they complete the course, students will understand search and rescue systems and their role and applications in emergencies and be able to use search and rescue systems in first responses to emergencies, helping rescue people and protect property.
FIRST YEAR (Semester 2)
ELECTIVE GROUP 2
Disaster Protection and Rescue Management
Students will learn about the key properties, modern concepts and strategies, and forms and stages (mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery) in disaster protection and rescue management. The course also aims to provide students with an understanding of the theoretical aspects of management, organization, planning, control and decision-making.
Information Technology and Emergency Management
Students will learn about information technology and how this technology can assist emergency management prevention, response, and recovery. Students will be able to recognize how information technology can be used in emergencies and the causes and impact of information interruption in emergencies.
Emergency Management in Local Self-government
Students will learn about the roles and jurisdictions of local self-government in emergency prevention, response and recovery. Students will be able to coordinate local self-government bodies to reduce disaster risks and manage the resources and capabilities of self-government in responding to and recovering from the impacts of emergencies.
Work Placement
Students will gain first-hand knowledge about the work of business entities, public institutions and local communities; the role and organization of emergency services; the possibilities for applying in practice the knowledge they have gained. They will participate in teams working on resolving protection issues that arise in emergencies. Students will be able to understand the structure, goals and processes of business entities and institutions; they will understand the role of master security managers for emergency management in organizational structures; they will be able to apply in practice their theoretical and professional knowledge to analyze and devise solutions for and predict the consequences of specific issues during disasters. They will develop their professional responsibility and teamwork skills.
Master’s Thesis
Students will learn about problem-solving in disaster risk management. They will be able to independently examine and analyze specific issues, propose ways of resolving them, and draw conclusions. They will develop oral and written skills for presenting the results of their research. They will be able to employ theoretical, academic and professional knowledge in articulating and resolving issues and critically evaluate alternative solutions and their potential consequences. They will gain an increased awareness of the complexity of disaster risk management issues and the multidisciplinary approach that can be employed to resolve them. They will learn to write a structured thesis and present it.
