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Master of Disaster Risk and Resilience

The Master of Disaster Risk and Resilience (MDRR) is a professional master's degree that provides an introduction to the rapidly evolving interdisciplinary field of disaster risk and resilience. The United Nations defines a disaster as a disruption of social and community function, involving losses and destructive impacts that affected communities and regions are unable to cope with using their own resources.

Introduction

The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, ratified by UN member nations in 2015, calls for a broader, more people-centred, preventative approach to disaster risk reduction. This degree is designed to address the growing need for professionals with expertise in disaster risk and resilience.

Why Study a Master of Disaster Risk and Resilience at UC?

Aotearoa New Zealand is located on the Pacific 'rim of fire,' with a dynamic environment that poses significant disaster risks. The University of Canterbury is situated in the centre of New Zealand's South Island, where the Canterbury Earthquakes and the 2016 Kaikura-Hurunui Earthquakes have had extensive and complex impacts. This makes Aotearoa New Zealand an outstanding laboratory for the study of multi-hazard disaster risk and resilience.

Entry Requirements

To apply for the Master of Disaster Risk and Resilience, you will need to have:

• A bachelor's degree relevant to Disaster Risk and Resilience, normally with a B Grade Point Average or higher in the final year
• 15 points from STAT 100-level courses, or equivalent
• If English is not your first language, you must meet UC's Postgraduate language requirements

Degree Structure

The 180-point programme is made up of:

• Four compulsory courses (DRRE401, 402, 403, and GISC422) (60 points)
• An elective course (15 or more points)
• A 60-point dissertation (DRRE691) or a third semester of coursework (60 points)

Subjects and Courses

Master of Disaster Risk and Resilience courses draw disaster risk and resilience content from social, physical, and geospatial sciences, as well as planning, law, and engineering disciplines. Compulsory courses include:

• DRRE401 Introduction to Disaster Risk and Resilience
• DRRE402 Natural Hazard Risk Assessment
• DRRE403 Disaster Risk and Resilience Applications
• GISC422 Foundations of Geographic Information Systems and Science

Fees

• Domestic students: 2025 tuition fee estimate $14,281 (180 points), 2026 tuition fee estimate $15,138 (180 points)
• International students: 2025 Special Programme Fee $62,100 (180 points), 2026 Special Programme Fee $65,100 (180 points), 2027 Special Programme Fee $68,850 (180 points)

Further Study

The MDRR is part of a suite of postgraduate qualifications at UC, exploring interactions between geophysical and human environments with a focus on resilience and geophysical/social environmental dynamics. You can also consider the Master of Science or Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Disaster Risk and Resilience.

Career Opportunities

MDRR graduates are in a position to choose between proceeding into funded doctoral programmes or pursuing careers in disaster reduction, risk assessment, hazard assessment, and environmental management and consulting. Graduates have found work in consultancies, NZ Crown Research Institutes, the National Emergency Management Agency, and the private sector.