Master of Disaster, Design and Development

Master of Disaster, Design and Development

POSTGRADUATE

Develop the complex skills and industry networks you need to work in both the disaster and development fields within Australia and globally.

Student type:
Learning mode:
Online
Entry score:

Not applicable

Duration:
Full-time 1.5 years
Part-time 2 years
Fees:

AU$38,400 (2024 annual)

Next intake:
Not applicable
Location:
Online
Learning mode:
Online
Entry score:

See admissions

Duration:
Full-time 1.5 years
Part-time 2 years
Fees:

AU$38,400 (2024 annual)

Next intake:
Not applicable
Location:
Online

Please note: This program is not currently available for commencing students.

Overview

The Master of Disaster, Design and Development (MoDDD) is a cross-disciplinary degree that sits within the world-leading prestigious school of Architecture and Urban Design at RMIT, enabling 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 degree.

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. Students will develop core skills and competencies in five core subjects then customise your specialisation pathway through a wide range of electives and the capstone project.

Flexible study options

This unique masters degree provides you with a range of flexible study options to suit both local, interstate and international (offshore-only) students. The curriculum is delivered fully online, but you will also have the opportunity to attend intensive seminars in the Melbourne region. It also offers optional international field trips. 

 

Why study disaster, design and development at RMIT?

Professional networks

Grow a strong network of peers, academics and industry connections and open up employment opportunities.

Flexible study options

Learn through flexible online studies and gain practical experience via face-to-face intensive workshops and international field trips.

Industry connections

Developed in collaboration with industry connections, including IFRC, World Vision International, UN-Habitat and UNHCR.

Students sitting on scaffolding with their arms raised

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.

Please note that this master's degree is offered online and is available only for offshore international study at this time. It is not available for international students intending to study on a student visa. International students wishing to undertake this degree can apply.

Details

This degree 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 subjects in this degree are also delivered online by partner universities, including UIC (Barcelona) and Oxford Brookes. These subjects have been included for you to develop an individual course 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 degree (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 degree 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.

  • 1.5 years full-time

This degree 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.

To find out more about this degree, or arrange a call-back appointment, please email aud.he@rmit.edu.au.

The knowledge and skills you will acquire throughout this degree and how they can be applied in your career are described in the learning outcomes.

This degree 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.

Course structure

Choose a plan below to find out more about the subjects you will study and the course structure.

Master of Disaster, Design and Development
Program code: MC251

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
MC251
Location
City Campus
Duration
One and a half years Full Time; Two years Part Time
Plan code
MC251
CRICOS

Please note: This program is not currently available for commencing students.

Career

Children play outside a newly constructed building.

How to 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.

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 need to satisfy all of the following entry requirements to be considered for entry into this degree.

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.

There are no prerequisite subjects required for entry into this qualification.

A selection task is not required for entry into this qualification.

You must meet the University's minimum English language requirements to be eligible for a place in this program.

You need to satisfy all of the following requirements to be considered for entry into this degree.

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.

There are no prerequisite subjects required for entry into this qualification.

To have your professional experience considered you must include in your application:

  • your CV
  • a statement that details your experience.

You must meet the University's minimum English language requirements to be eligible for a place in this program.

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 English for Academic Purposes (EAP) Advanced Plus Certificate at RMIT English Worldwide.

Pathways

You can gain entry to this masters degree from a range of RMIT undergraduate programs, if you meet the entry requirements.

Masters advanced standing

If you have successfully completed an AQF level 8 degree qualification which is either a bachelor honours, a graduate certificate or a graduate diploma degree, 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 an AQF level 8 degree qualification which is either a bachelor honours, a graduate certificate or a graduate diploma, specialising in international development, community development or social work, you may be eligible for up to 36 credit points of advanced standing.

The Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) is the national policy for Australian qualifications in vocational and higher education.

Credit and recognition of prior learning

Applicants with a bachelor degree (honours), graduate certificate, graduate diploma or masters qualification majoring in a different discipline may also be eligible for credit transfer of up to 48 credit points (equivalent to one semester full time study).

Credit and exemptions will be assessed consistent with the principles of the RMIT Credit Policy.

Upon successful completion of this masters degree, you may be eligible to undertake further studies in related programs at RMIT University, including postgraduate research programs, subject to the program's entrance requirements.

You can gain entry into this degree from a range of RMIT undergraduate programs.

Masters advanced standing

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 and recognition of prior learning

Applicants with a bachelor degree (honours), graduate certificate, graduate diploma or masters qualification majoring in a different discipline may also be eligible for credit transfer of up to 48 credit points (equivalent to one semester full time study).

Credit and exemptions will be assessed consistent with the principles of the RMIT Credit Policy.

Upon successful completion of this masters degree, you may be eligible to undertake further studies in related programs at RMIT University, including postgraduate research programs, subject to the program's entrance requirements.

Fees

2024 indicative fees

  • Full-fee places: AU$38,400 (2024 annual fee)*.

Additional expenses

  • Student services and amenities fee (SSAF): AU$351 maximum fee for 2024*.
  • Other items related to your program, including field trips, textbooks and equipment.

Annual fee adjustment*

Amounts quoted are indicative fees per annum, and are based on a standard year of full-time study (96 credit points). A proportionate fee applies for more or less than the full-time study load.

*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.

Paying your fees and applying for 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.

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 2024 is $351.  

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.

FEE-HELP loans

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.

SA-HELP Loans

You may be eligible to apply to defer payment of the Student services and amenities fee (SSAF) through the SA-HELP loan scheme. If you use SA-HELP, the amount will be added to your accumulated HELP debt.

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.

You may be eligible to apply for income tax deductions for education expenses linked to your employment.

See the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) for more information.

RMIT awards more than 2000 scholarships every year to recognise academic achievement and assist students from a variety of backgrounds.

Local student postgraduate tuition fees apply for all students of this program.

The indicative local students annual tuition fee for full-fee places for 2024 commencement is AU$38,400.

The total indicative tuition fee for 2024 commencement is AU$58,560.

The 2024 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.

This program is offered online and therefore students do not require a student visa.

In addition to tuition fees you also need to pay for:

You also need to account for your living expenses. Estimate the cost of living in Melbourne.

Find out more details about how fees are calculated and the expected annual increase.

Applying for refunds

Find information on how to apply for a refund as a continuing international student.

RMIT awards more than 2000 scholarships every year to recognise academic achievement and assist students from a variety of backgrounds.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Looking for answers or more general information?

Use our Frequently Asked Questions to learn about the application process and its equity access schemes, find out how to accept or defer your offer or request a leave of absence, discover information about your fees, refunds and scholarships, and explore the various student support and advocacy services, as well as how to find out more about your preferred program, and more.

aboriginal flag
torres strait flag

Acknowledgement of Country

RMIT University acknowledges the people of the Woi wurrung and Boon wurrung language groups of the eastern Kulin Nation on whose unceded lands we conduct the business of the University. RMIT University respectfully acknowledges their Ancestors and Elders, past and present. RMIT also acknowledges the Traditional Custodians and their Ancestors of the lands and waters across Australia where we conduct our business - Artwork 'Luwaytini' by Mark Cleaver, Palawa.

aboriginal flag
torres strait flag

Acknowledgement of Country

RMIT University acknowledges the people of the Woi wurrung and Boon wurrung language groups of the eastern Kulin Nation on whose unceded lands we conduct the business of the University. RMIT University respectfully acknowledges their Ancestors and Elders, past and present. RMIT also acknowledges the Traditional Custodians and their Ancestors of the lands and waters across Australia where we conduct our business.