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Course Overview
The Graduate Certificate in Emergency and Disaster Management recognises the changing nature of emergency and disaster management in Australia and the important role research and evidence-based practice plays in underpinning contemporary perspectives and approaches. As a student in this course, you will draw upon the interdisciplinary nature of emergency and disaster management to explore current and emerging trends and national and international approaches, as well as the key concepts and perspectives that underpin contemporary practice. You will study with other students from a broad range of disciplines, expand your knowledge and skills and learn to apply this to the various phases of managing emergencies and disasters.
This course is targeted at people working in emergency service agencies; professionals working in private, government, non-government and community-based organisations who play a role in emergency and disaster management; and those with a personal and/or professional interest in the field. You will study a suite of three core units and then have the opportunity to tailor the course to your personal and professional interests by selecting a relevant elective unit to complete your qualification.
Career Information
This course is
targeted at people working in emergency service agencies; professionals working
in private, government, non-government and community-based organisations who
play a role in emergency and disaster management; and those with a personal
and/or professional interest in the field.
| Duration | 1 years part-time |
|---|---|
| Credit Points that Must be Earned | 24 |
| Number of Units Required | CQUniversity uses the concept of credits to express the amount of study required for a particular course and individual units. The number of units varies between courses. Units in postgraduate courses normally consist of 6 points of credit or multiples thereof (e.g. 12, 18, 24). |
| Expected Hours of Study | One point of credit is equivalent to an expectation of approximately two hours of student work per week in a term. |
| Course Type | Postgraduate Award |
| Qualification (post nominal) | GradCertEDM |
| AQF Level | Level 8: Graduate Certificate |
| Course Fees |
Indicative Year - 2026
Indicative Year - 2025
Indicative Year - 2024
Indicative Year - 2023
Indicative Year - 2022
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Admission Codes
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Domestic Students Tertiary Admission Centre Codes (TAC) Codes |
Not Applicable |
|---|---|
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International Students CRICOS Codes |
Units offered via MIX mode are delivered online and require compulsory attendance of site-specific learning activities such as on-campus residential schools, placements and/or work integrated learning. See Course Features tab for further information. Online units are delivered using online resources only.
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Domestic Availability
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Term 3 - 2027
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Term 2 - 2027
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Term 1 - 2027
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Term 3 - 2026
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Term 2 - 2026
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Term 1 - 2026
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Term 3 - 2025
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Term 2 - 2025
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Term 1 - 2025
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Term 3 - 2024
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Term 2 - 2024
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Term 1 - 2024
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Term 3 - 2023
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Term 2 - 2023
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Term 1 - 2023
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Term 2 - 2022
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Term 1 - 2022
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Term 2 - 2021
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Term 1 - 2021
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Term 2 - 2020
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Term 1 - 2020
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Term 1 - 2019
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Term 1 - 2018
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Term 1 - 2017
International Availability
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Term 3 - 2027
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Term 2 - 2027
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Term 1 - 2027
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Term 3 - 2026
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Term 2 - 2026
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Term 1 - 2026
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Term 3 - 2025
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Term 2 - 2025
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Term 1 - 2025
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Term 3 - 2024
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Term 2 - 2024
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Term 1 - 2024
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Term 3 - 2023
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Term 2 - 2023
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Term 1 - 2023
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Term 2 - 2022
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Term 1 - 2022
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Term 2 - 2021
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Term 1 - 2021
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Term 2 - 2020
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Term 1 - 2020
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Term 1 - 2019
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Term 1 - 2018
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Term 1 - 2017
A Bachelors degree in any discipline; or an Advanced Diploma from the Public Safety Training Package. Applicants with other qualifications at Advanced Diploma level will be assessed on a case by case basis.
Nil required
Awards and Accreditation
| Interim Awards | Not applicable |
|---|---|
| Exit Awards | Not applicable |
| Accreditation |
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Residential School Requirements
No Residential School for this course.
Practicum/Work Placement
| Not applicable |
Previous and Current Enrolments
| Year | Number of Students |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 56 |
| 2024 | 44 |
| 2023 | 48 |
| 2022 | 28 |
| 2021 | 23 |
Please note that in some instances there may be similarities between course, entry and inherent requirements.
If you experience difficulties meeting these requirements, reasonable adjustments may be made upon contacting accessibility@cqu.edu.au. Adjustment must not compromise the academic integrity of the degree or course chosen at CQUniversity or the legal requirements of field education.
Examples are:
- Complying with academic and non-academic misconduct policies and procedures such as CQUniversity’s Student Conduct and Procedure Policy and Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
- Demonstrating an ability to reflect on ethical dilemmas and issues and take responsibility for ensuring awareness of ethical behaviour.
- Demonstrating the applicable codes of ethics as they apply in the practice of emergency services and disaster management.
- Demonstrating respect for cultural diversity as well as individual differences and capacities in emergency services and disaster management practice.
- Treating personal information obtained in professional settings as private and confidential.
Examples are:
- Being reflective with personal behaviours appropriate for professional performance and being positive and receptive to processing constructive supervisor/lecturer feedback.
- Interacting with people from a wide range of backgrounds and cultures in a calm and composed manner that shows respect for difference, including when dealing with difficult situations.
- Successfully processing your own emotions and behaviour when dealing with stressful situations that can arise in emergency services and disaster management practice.
- Maintaining behavioural stability through successfully distinguishing your own personal behaviours, experiences and emotions from others and situations in a professional setting.
Examples are:
- Verbally communicating your emergency services or disaster management knowledge and skills with accuracy, appropriateness and effectiveness to the context of the individual, group or workplace.
- Actively participating in discussion and course activities with appropriate use and command of language relevant to the context.
- Establishing rapport with a wide range of emergency services and disaster management stakeholders as well as members of the public from differing socio-cultural environments.
- Using appropriate facial expressions, body movements, gestures and eye contact, being mindful of space, time boundaries.
- Recognising and interpreting non-verbal cues of others and responding appropriately during activities related to the course and in professional practice.
- Competently and appropriately producing written assessment work in a logical, coherent manner, and with correct grammar and punctuation to the required academic standards.
- Constructing fluent summarised written text from complex and detailed information.
- Constructing accurate written reports for a range of purposes and audiences that also meet professional and legal standards.
- Competently using a desktop operating system such as Microsoft Windows or Mac OS X, skills to engage in on-line learning, reading and responding as required to emails, and completing relevant assessments for the course.
- Competently using productivity software such as Microsoft Office in your course of study.
- Regularly accessing the Internet for research, and email for communication with peers and lecturers.
Examples are:
- Conceptualising and using appropriate knowledge in response to academic assessment items.
- Completing academic learning activities and assessment tasks, and performing professional skills within reasonable set time-frames.
- Constructing written text proficiently, in English, using appropriate vocabulary and conventions of speech, including being able to paraphrase, summarise and reference in accordance with appropriate academic conventions.
- Competently reading, writing and accurately interpreting information to convey language effectively in a professional setting.
- Completing documentation that is accurate, clear and concise.
Examples are:
- Critically reflecting on emergency and disaster management situations that may/may not have gone well, and taking the learning point(s) from that situation.
- Give deep thought to topics taught during the course and their application to emergency and disaster management contexts and situations.
Examples are:
- Actively participating in activities related to the course and professional experience to the required standard and for the required duration.
- Performing with the required mental energy and endurance to correctly fulfil emergency services and disaster management practice and requirements.
Examples are:
- Demonstrating the skills of collaborating with fellow students and colleagues, modifying and reflecting on practice, or modifying and reflecting on work in response to supervisor feedback.
- Rapidly building rapport with colleagues and stakeholders in order to engage them in effective emergency services and disaster management practice, for example during difficult situations and crisis situations.
- Critically self-reflecting on situations that may/may not have gone well, and taking the learning point(s) from that situation.
- Interacting and engaging with individuals and groups in emergency services and disaster management practice in a respectful and culturally competent manner in a wide variety of contexts.
- 1. Analyse complex technical and theoretical emergency and disaster management concepts
- 2. Think critically about current and emerging national and international emergency and disaster management approaches
- 3. Implement appropriate strategies to develop and maintain partnerships in emergency and disaster management.
- 4. Communicate high-level actions and solutions to emergency and disaster management issues that are ground in research / evidence.
| Course Learning Outcomes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australian Qualifications Framework Descriptors | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| 1. KNOWLEDGE Have specialised knowledge within a systematic and coherent body of knowledge that may include the acquisition and application of knowledge and skills in a new or existing discipline or professional area | ||||
| 2. SKILLS Have cognitive skills to review,analyse, consolidate and synthesise knowledge and identify and provide solutions to complex problems | ||||
| 3. SKILLS Have cognitive skills to think critically and to generate and evaluate complex ideas | ||||
| 4. SKILLS Have specialised technical and creative skills in a field of highly skilled and/or professional practice | ||||
| 5. SKILLS Have communication skills to demonstrate an understanding of theoretical concepts | ||||
| 6. SKILLS Have communication skills to transfer complex knowledge and ideas to a variety of audiences | ||||
| 7. APPLICATION OF KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS Be able to make high level, independent judgements in a range of technical or management functions in varied specialised contexts | ||||
| 8. APPLICATION OF KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS Be able to initiate, plan, implement and evaluate broad functions within varied specialised technical and/or creative contexts | ||||
| 9. APPLICATION OF KNOWLEDGE & SKILL Be responsible and accountable for personal outputs and all aspects of the work or function of others within broad parameters | ||||
| 10. FOUNDATIONAL KNOWLEDGE sufficient to undertake qualifications | ||||
| 11. ACQUISITION AND APPLICATION of knowledge in new or existing disciplines or professional areas drawn from higher education units | ||||
| 12. FOUNDATIONAL SKILLS sufficient to undertake qualifications | ||||
| 13. ACQUISITION AND APPLICATION of skills in new or existing disciplines or professional areas drawn from higher education units | ||||
| 14. Course content drawn from higher education units | ||||
- Complete the core structure
- Complete electives
| Number of units: 4 | Total credit points: 24 |
|---|
| Available units | ||
|---|---|---|
| Students must complete the following compulsory units: | ||
| DSMG20001 | Leadership in Emergency and Disaster Management | |
| DSMG20003 | Research for Emergency and Disaster Management | |
| DSMG20004 | Building Adaptive Capacity | |
| Available units | ||
|---|---|---|
| Students must complete 1 from the following units: | ||
| DSMG20002 | Disaster Risk Reduction | |
| SAFE20017 | Human Factors in Complex Systems | |
| MGMT20129 | Managing People, Organisations and Context | |