Graduate Certificate in Disaster Science

Required
Select 12 semester hours from the courses listed

• ESM 503U: Research Practicum (3 sem. hrs.) Offered Summer 2007, Spring 2008, Fall 2009
  Introduction to formal research in emergency services, including guided research project.
• ESM 505U: Disasters, Characteristics and Physical Impacts (3 sem. hrs.) Offered Fall 2007, Summer 2008, Spring 2010
  Overview of characteristics of disasters, their impact on population, infrastructure, and economy, and disaster management cycle.
• ESM 509U: Social Dimensions of Disasters (3 sem. hrs.) Offered Summer 2007, Fall 2007, Fall 2008, Fall 2009
  Examines how populations respond to disasters including such areas as response to warnings, evacuation reactions, and looting. Suggests strategies for management of formal and emergent organizations and disaster stressors on individuals, organizations, and groups. Discusses development of effective programs for management of community change to increase disaster resistance.
• ESM 540U: The History of Emergency Management Organizations and Theory (3 sem. hrs.) Offered Spring 2008, Fall 2009
  Will examine how organizations have evolved to protect people, infrastructure, and the environment from war and disasters, and how changes in organization and threat have related to changes in the theory of how to respond to such events.
• ESM 541U: The Politics of Disaster (3 sem. hrs.) Offered Fall 2008, Summer 2010
  Will examine how disasters have shaped political process and institutions, and how political considerations at the organizational, national, and international level have influenced disaster responses.
• ESM 542U: Economic Impacts of Disaster (3 sem. hrs.) Offered Summer 2008, Fall 2009
  Will examine impact of disasters on economy of impacted areas and relative costs and benefits of various strategies for disaster mitigation, response, and recovery.
• ESM 543U: Religion in Disaster (3 sem. hrs.) Offered Summer 2008, Fall 2009, Spring 2010
  Examines the role of disasters in shaping religious beliefs, how modern religions transmit memories of ancient disasters, and the role of religion in preparing for, responding to, and recovering from disaster events.
• ESM 544U: The Law of Disaster (3 sem. hrs.) Offered Fall 2007, Fall 2008, Summer 2010
  Examines the structure and sources of national and international law and identifies major trends affecting both. Case studies will be used to examine significant incidents and their legal outcomes. Students will be presented with sources and methods for research applicable to disaster laws and the impact of law on governmental service delivery.
• ESM 549U: Comparative International Disasters (3 sem. hrs.) Offered Spring 2009
  Examines and compares disasters in the developing world with those in the developed world. Focus on the impacts on infrastructure and transportation systems, hazardous industries, natural disasters in resource-poor nations, famine, war, and climate change.
• ESM 595U: Hazards and Threats for the Future (3 sem. hrs.) Offered Spring 2008, Spring 2009, Spring 2010
  Examines the future of disasters and their management in the context of long-term political, environmental, technological, economic and social change. Identifies current methods for futures analysis and provides a framework for developing tools and resources to design future missions and strategies for professionals in both emergency management and business continuity and their organizations. Develops an understanding of the relationships of vision to the future and relates that to the department of programs to protect lives, property and the environment at any level.