Master of Disaster, Design and Development
Quick facts
Student type:
Quick facts
-
Entry score
Not applicable
-
Duration
Full-time 1.5 years, Part-time 2 years -
Location
Online, Melbourne City -
Fees
AU$35,520 (2022 annual)
Next intake
February, JulyEntry score
Not applicable
Duration
Full-time 1.5 years, Part-time 2 yearsLocation
OnlineFees
AU$35,520 (2022 annual)
Next intake
February, July
Overview
Explore how design can be used as a strategic tool to help resolve complex global challenges, including poverty, natural disasters, civil conflict and climate change.
The Master of Disaster, Design and Development (MoDDD) sits within the world-leading prestigious school of Architecture and Urban Design at RMIT, and is a cross disciplinary degree that will enable you to work locally and internationally in the disaster, design and development sector.
Become an innovative leader in your field and help shape social change.
Real World Industry Connections
MoDDD was developed in close collaboration with industry connections in the humanitarian sector, including the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), World Vision INternational and UNHabitat and UNHCR; all agencies who remain active within the program.
Cross-Disciplinary Study
The transformative interdisciplinary nature of the degree invites students from different backgrounds in social science, engineering, design, communication or health to harness their skills in complex systems thinking to transition to many possible career pathways within this sector from climate change adaptation, urban resilience to disaster relief and humanitarian assistance.
Flexible Study Options
This unique Masters program provides you with a range of flexible study options to suit both local, interstate and international (offshore only) students. The program is delivered fully online, but you will also have the opportunity to attend intensive seminars in the Melbourne region. The program also offers optional international field trips.
By joining the MoDDD program you will:
- learn through flexible online studies and gain practical experience in optional face-to-face intensive workshops and international fieldtrips with industry experts
- grow a strong network of peers, academics and industry connections and open up employment opportunities
- develop core skills and competencies in five core courses and then customise your specialisation pathway through a wide range of electives and the capstone project
Explore the Master of Disaster, Design & Development
The Master of Disaster, Design and Development (MoDDD) is Australia’s leading postgraduate degree for students wanting to transition their careers into the disaster management and humanitarian sectors.
Transition your career into the disaster resilience and sustainable development sector
Hear from our panel of experts about how to use design as a strategic tool to help resolve complex local, global and regional challenges, including climate change, natural disasters and social vulnerability.
Details
This program offers you unique and flexible study pathways in the humanitarian and development sectors via:
- online learning - a majority of classes will be completed online, meaning students can complete the course from anywhere in the world.
- face-to-face delivery - intensive seminars and workshops are held twice yearly in Melbourne, Australia. Attendance at these is optional.
- field trips - option to undertake international field trips.
You will complete 5 core courses as part of your studies.
- Disaster Design and Development
- Shelter and Settlements
- Building Urban Resilience
- Industry Project (Research)
- Industry Project (Implementation)
You can then choose from a range of electives from across RMIT University in Project Management, International Development or Media and Communication. A number of elective courses in this program are also delivered online by partner universities, including UIC (Barcelona) and Oxford Brookes. These courses have been included for you to develop an individual program structure that is tailored to your area of future career specialisation.
Assessment will include a range of online and optional face-to-face collaborative tasks, as well as individual tasks including projects, reports, presentations, and you can expect to receive peer or industry review. Projects, reports and presentations will be directly related to industry specific needs and will involve working in collaboration with community agencies and industry practitioners.
If you have already developed areas of skill and knowledge included in this program (for example, through prior studies or work experience), you can apply for credit.
You will be engaged with industry throughout your studies and will have the opportunity to solve real issues faced by global organisations. You may work on simulated and real-world projects with the following organisations:
- International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC)
- RedR
- UN-Habitat
- UNHCR
- World Vision International
There will be opportunities for internships and workplace based learning with the above and other humanitarian agencies.
Brett Moore, Head of Shelter, UNHCR has had the following to say about the degree.
MoDDD is the kind of degree that will take students into a future that they haven’t yet been able to anticipate. It will open doors for them, and lead them to a future where their skills are really valued and needed.
Professor Ed Blakely, Chair, Future Cities Collaborative and Former Director of Recovery, New Orleans has also commented
MoDDD is the only degree in the world that I know of that is transformative. It doesn’t just give you the skills of how to build a building or work with people who have trauma, it gives you all of those skills so that you can ...bring to bear the kinds of skills necessary to run the entire operation.
MoDDD Graduate Testimonials
Andrew Hurley
World Bank Consultant Urban Development and Disaster Risk Management Unit
MoDDD is an exciting masters that has helped me to transform my professional career over the past 18 months. Now working in a consultancy role within the Urban Development and Disaster Risk Management unit of the World Bank, the relevance of the course, and its emphasis on urban resilience and community based approaches to address complex global challenges such as climate change, natural and man-made disasters, is ever pertinent.
Intensive seminars and workshops will be conducted with industry partners in Melbourne. Guided by experts from these partners, these will often be based on disaster and development scenarios where actual roles and appropriate actions will need to be formulated.
Additionally there will be opportunities for internships and workplace based learning with the above and other organisations. The program will offer a number of field visit based courses overseas, providing opportunities for actual on the ground experience and gaining familiarity of real world issues.
- 1.5 years full-time or 2 years part-time.
Full time students will be expected to allocate (on average) nine hours per week for study and research for each of the courses they are enrolled in.
During intensive workshops and optional field trips, the time allocation will be up to nine hours per day with fewer hours needing to be allocated in the remaining weeks of the semester.
This program offers you unique and flexible study pathways in the humanitarian and development sectors via:
- online learning - a majority of classes will be completed online
- face-to-face delivery - optional intensive seminars and workshops held in Melbourne
- field trips – option to undertake international field trips.
This program aims to graduate you with a body of knowledge and specific technical skills to progress your professional career within the contemporary disaster management, design and development arena
During your studies you will gain advanced skills and knowledge to:
- Formulate and evaluate collaborative design strategies before and after disaster, while working within the constraints of industry needs in the post-disaster and development sectors.
- Critically analyse, synthesize and reflect on complex theories and recent developments globally to extend and challenge knowledge and practice in design and development for disaster risk reduction and management.
- Professionally communicate propositions, processes and outcomes to address specialist and non-specialist audiences.
- Provide leadership within your discipline as well as collaborate with others in multi-disciplinary contexts across the disaster and development sector.
- Use appropriate research methods to develop and implement complex projects, evaluate the outcomes and theorise about the contribution of your learning to the disaster management, design and development professions and knowledge areas.
View the current program structure (PDF 61KB).
Choose a program structure
| Title | Location | Duration | Plan code | CRICOS | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Master of Disaster, Design and Development | City Campus |
One and a half years Full Time; Two years Part Time
|
One and a half years Full Time
|
MC251 |
Choose a program structure
Program code: MC251
Career
Graduates will be able to work in leadership and management roles in the international disaster and development sector with specialised knowledge of design processes.
- Disaster and emergency management
- Design-focused post-disaster management
- Planning and policy
- Urban resilience
- Disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation.
Admissions
You must have:
- successfully completed an Australian bachelor degree (or equivalent overseas qualification) demonstrating knowledge and skills in Design, Built Environment, Project Management, Engineering, Social Sciences, Communication or Health.
OR
- At least five years of relevant work experience.
To have your professional experience considered you must submit with your application a CV and a personal statement detailing your experience.
You must have:
- successfully completed an Australian bachelor degree (or equivalent overseas qualification) demonstrating knowledge and skills in Design, Built Environment, Project Management, Engineering, Social Sciences, Communication or Health.
OR
- At least five years of relevant work experience.
Entry requirements
To have your professional experience considered you must include in your application:
- your CV
- a statement that details your experience.
For detailed information on English language requirements and other proficiency tests recognised by RMIT, visit English language requirements and equivalency information.
Don't meet the English language test scores? Complete an Advanced Plus Certificate at RMIT English Worldwide.
Pathways
If you have successfully completed either a bachelor honours, a graduate certificate or a graduate diploma degree qualification specialising in architecture/landscape architecture/interior design/industrial design, construction management, engineering (civil or environmental), environmental studies/science, geography, project management, urban, regional or environmental planning, you may be eligible for up to 48 credit points of advanced standing.
If you have successfully completed either a bachelor honours, a graduate certificate or a graduate diploma degree qualification specialising in international development, community development or social work, you may be eligible for up to 36 credit points of advanced standing.
Credit
Applicants with a bachelor honours degree, graduate certificate, graduate diploma or masters degree qualification majoring in a different discipline may also be eligible for credit transfer. For more information, please see how you can apply for credit.
If you have successfully completed either a bachelor honours, a graduate certificate or a graduate diploma degree qualification specialising in architecture/landscape architecture/interior design/industrial design, construction management, engineering (civil or environmental), environmental studies/science, geography, project management, urban, regional or environmental planning, you may be eligible for up to 48 credit points of advanced standing.
If you have successfully completed either a bachelor honours, a graduate certificate or a graduate diploma degree qualification specialising in international development, community development or social work, you may be eligible for up to 36 credit points of advanced standing.
Credit
Applicants with a bachelor honours degree, graduate certificate, graduate diploma or masters degree qualification majoring in a different discipline may also be eligible for credit transfer. For more information, please see how you can apply for credit.
Fees
2022 indicative fees
Full-fee places: AU$35,520.
Additional expenses
- Student services and amenities fee (SSAF): AU$315 maximum fee for 2022.
- Other items related to your program, including field trips, textbooks and equipment.
Annual fee adjustment
This is an accelerated program. The 2022 tuition fee quoted is based on a total annual load of 144 credit points.
Fees are adjusted on an annual basis and these fees should only be used as a guide.
Defer your payment
This program is offered on a full-fee paying basis only. If you are offered a place, you will need to pay the full tuition costs of your program. However, eligible students (such as Australian citizens or holders of an Australian permanent humanitarian visa) may apply to defer payment of some or all of their tuition fees via the Commonwealth Government’s FEE-HELP loan scheme.
Learn more about fees for postgraduate study.
Payments and refunds
For information on how to pay your fees or how to apply for a refund, please see Paying your fees and applying for refunds.
Eligible students (such as Australian citizens or holders of an Australian permanent humanitarian visa) may apply to defer payment of some or all of their tuition fees via the Commonwealth Government’s FEE-HELP loan scheme.
How does a HELP loan work?
If your FEE-HELP and/or SA-HELP loan application is successful, the Australian Government will pay RMIT, on your behalf, up to 100% of your fees. This amount will become part of your accumulated HELP debt.
You only start repaying your accumulated HELP debt to the Australian Government once you earn above the minimum income threshold for repayment, which is set each year by the Australian Government (this also applies if you are still studying). The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) will calculate your compulsory repayment for the year and include this on your income tax notice.
For more information about loan repayment options see Commonwealth assistance (HELP loans) or Study Assist.
In addition to tuition fees, you will be charged an annual student services and amenities fee (SSAF), which is used to maintain and enhance services and amenities that improve your experience as an RMIT student.
The SSAF is calculated based on your enrolment load and the maximum fee for 2022 is $315.
For more information about calculating your actual SSAF see Paying SSAF.
You may also be required to purchase other items related to your program, including field trips, textbooks and equipment. These additional fees and expenses vary from program to program.
Local student postgraduate tuition fees apply for all students of this program.
The indicative local students annual tuition fee for full-fee places for 2022 commencement is AU$35,520.
The 2022 fee quoted is based on an annual load of 96 credit points.
This program is 144 credit points in total. If, however, you have already completed a Masters degree, you may only undertake 96 credit points.
Postgraduate tuition fees are adjusted annually.
In addition to tuition fees you also need to pay for:
- Student services and amenities fee (SSAF) in each calendar year.
- Some programs incur additional expenses.
Applying for refunds
For information on how to apply for a refund as a continuing international student, please see Refunds.
Looking for answers or more general infomation?
For frequently asked questions or how to find more information regarding applications and enrolments, fees, student support services, university policies and more, please visit our Frequently Asked Questions.