Course Title: Engineering for Disaster Management, Community Resilience and Climate Action

Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: Engineering for Disaster Management, Community Resilience and Climate Action

Credit Points: 12.00


Course Coordinator: Nick Brown

Course Coordinator Phone: +61 3 9925 0402

Course Coordinator Email: nick.brown@rmit.edu.au

Course Coordinator Location: City Campus

Course Coordinator Availability: Email for appointment


Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

This course is part of the Minor in Humanitarian Innovation. It is required that you have first completed OENG1114 Humanitarian Engineering.

Fundamentals of Humanitarian Innovation. It is also strongly recommended that you have completed HUSO2036 Global Development, Themes, Debates and Practice or have equivalent knowledge.  


Course Description

This course focusses on the application of engineering and related technical disciplines for disaster management with consideration for the increasing frequency and intensity of disasters because of climate change. You will learn about the role and responsibilities of engineers and technical professionals in these contexts including disaster risk reduction and community resilience and the national frameworks and approaches that guide their actions. You will also learn about the systems in which disasters occur considering logistics and supply as well as considering multi-disciplinary lenses for evaluating political, social, and cultural influences. You will have the chance to test your skills in a simulated disaster setting and develop suitable innovative solutions.


Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

This course contributes to development of the following capability assured program learning outcomes for the following programs:

BH068, BH069, BH070, BH073, BH075, BH076, BH077, BH078, BH079, BH080.

  • PLO1: Demonstrate an in-depth understanding knowledge of fundamental engineering and scientific theories, principals and concepts and apply advanced technical knowledge in specialist domain of engineering.
  • PLO4: Apply a systematic problem solving, design methods and information and project management to propose and implement creative and sustainable solutions with intellectual independency and cultural sensitivity.
  • PLO7: Collaborate and contribute as an effective team member in diverse, multi-level, multi-disciplinary teams, with commitment to First Nations Peoples and globally inclusive perspectives and participation.


On successful completion of this course, you should be able to:

  1. Articulate the roles and responsibilities of engineers and technical professionals in building community resilience and in emergency and disaster settings.
  2. Apply the frameworks, principles, and approaches that guide community resilience and emergency and disaster response to real world situations.
  3. Describe the complexity and scale of the broader humanitarian system, e.g. logistics and supply systems as well as influences from the types of community capital.
  4. Design creative solutions to emergency or disaster response challenges.


Overview of Learning Activities

Learning activities include pre-recorded lectures, lectorials, workshops, a simulated scenario and a field trip as well as self-guided learning, Learning activities are designed to address the course learning outcomes and will be based on simulated contexts. Essential professional skills (eg. communication skills, ideation) will be fostered throughout the semester. Course-related resources and assessment tasks will be provided through RMIT’s learning management system.


Overview of Learning Resources

Course-related resources will be provided on Canvas, which is accessed through the RMIT Student website. Recommended readings, selected videos and instructions will be available online via Canvas.

There are services available to support your learning through the University Library. The Library provides guides on academic referencing and subject specialist help as well as a range of study support services. For further information, please visit the Library page on the RMIT University website and the RMIT Student website.


Overview of Assessment

This course has no hurdle requirements.

The purpose of assessment is to determine whether you have developed the capabilities stated in the Course Learning Outcomes and selected Program Learning Outcomes. The assessment tasks focuses on your ability to consider engineering and related disciplines in community resilience and preparedness to disaster contexts.

Assessment Tasks

Assessment Task 1 – Individual Presentation
Weighting: 20%
This assessment task supports CLOs:  1, 2

Assessment Task 2 – Individual Field Report
Weighting: 30%
This assessment task supports CLOs: 2, 4

Assessment Task 3 – Individual Scenario Performance
Weighting: 30%
This assessment task supports CLOs: 3, 4

Assessment Task 4 –Individual Practice Portfolio
Weighting: 20%
This assessment task supports CLOs: 1, 3

If you have a long term medical condition and/or disability it may be possible to negotiate to vary aspects of the learning or assessment methods. You can contact the program coordinator or Equitable Learning Services if you would like to find out more.