Program Details

Disaster Management

Academic Unit : Faculty of Resilience

Program chair

Dr. Carlos Samuel

Delivery Site(s)

Rabdan Academy

Mode(s) of Delivery

Face-to-Face (maximum of up to 25% online courses)

Mode(s) of Study

Full-Time

Diploma

Duration 2 years

No. of Credits 60

Higher Diploma

Duration 3 years

No. of Credits 90

Bachelor of Science

Duration 4 Years

No. of Credits 120

Mission

The Bachelor of Disaster Management program prepares graduates as resilient leaders capable of managing multidisciplinary teams in the application of advanced technologies, ethical practices, and international standards to assess risks, coordinate multi-agency responses, and implement comprehensive disaster management solutions that enhance national and organizational resilience.

Description

The Bachelor of Disaster Management program integrates the internationally recognized eight Principles of Emergency Management: Comprehensive, Progressive, Risk-driven, Integrated, Collaborative, Coordinated, Flexible, and Professional. These principles are embedded throughout the curriculum, ensuring graduates possess both theoretical knowledge and practical capabilities aligned with global standards.

Through innovative teaching methodologies including virtual reality simulations, AI-driven scenario planning, and real-world case studies, students develop expertise in:

Risk assessment and vulnerability analysis
Multi-agency coordination and interoperability
Business continuity planning and organizational resilience
Crisis communication and public information management
Advanced technology applications in disaster management
Recovery planning and community resilience building

Educational Objectives

Professional Advancement: Graduates progress into advanced roles within disaster management, emergency response, and business continuity fields, contributing to sector leadership and supporting national resilience priorities.
Strategic Influence on Risk and Resilience Policy: Graduates shape organizational and community-level strategies by promoting evidence-based, data-driven approaches to disaster risk reduction and business continuity planning.

Coordination of Multisector Preparedness and Response: Graduates play a leading role in fostering effective interagency, cross-sector, and community collaboration to strengthen national and regional preparedness and response systems.
Advocacy and Communication for Sustainable Resilience: Graduates serve as credible voices for resilience, effectively advocating for sustainable, ethical, and informed risk management practices within diverse organizational and socio-political environments.
Ethical Professionalism, Innovation, and Lifelong Growth: Graduates uphold high ethical standards, advance responsible technological innovation, and continually pursue professional development to contribute to adaptive, sustainable, and legally sound disaster management solutions.

Learning Outcomes

Demonstrate comprehensive understanding of disaster and emergency management principles, frameworks, and systems to apply them across diverse hazard contexts to strengthen resilience and continuity.
Integrate qualitative and quantitative evidence to assess risk, vulnerability, and impact, and to design to evaluate data-informed resilience and business-continuity strategies.
Exercise leadership and coordination in multi-agency and multi-sector environments, applying principles of command, control, communication, and resource management to achieve integrated emergency-management objectives.
Communicate effectively and ethically in technical, strategic, and crisis contexts adapting messages to varied audiences and advocate for resilience, sustainability, and inclusive engagement.
Apply ethical, legal, and professional standards while embracing technological and methodological innovations to advance adaptive, sustainable, and future-ready disaster-management practices.

Program Structure

Number of Credits per Component

Exit Point	General Education	Core	Elective	Concentration
Associate Degree / Diploma	33	27	-	-
Higher Diploma	36	48	6	-
Bachelor of Science	36	63	6	15

Online Courses

Program Courses that are approved for Optional Online Delivery

Course Code	Course Title
SEC100	Introduction to Academic Studies
DIM102	Introduction to Disaster Management
DIM104	Introduction to Risk & Safety Management
DIM202	Introduction to Business Continuity Management
DIM204	Sociology of Disasters
DIM302	Introduction to Health Emergency Management
DIM404	Comparative Disaster Management

General Education

Course Code	Course Title	Credits
ENG210	English 2	3
SCI100	Environment, Health and Safety	3
MTH101	General Education Mathematics	3
SEC100	Introduction to Academic Studies	3
ARA100	Arabic Studies	3
SEC290	Introduction to Innovation in SSDEC	3
SEC110	AI and Society: Foundations and Applications	3
ISL100	Islamic Studies	3
ENG310	English 3	3
EMS100	Emirates Studies	3
MGT100	Management Fundamentals	3
HUM100	Ethical Studies	3
	Total	36

Core Courses

Course Code	Course Title	Credits
DIM101	Introduction to GIS	3
DIM102	Introduction to Disaster Management	3
DIM103	Disaster Prevention and Mitigation	3
DIM104	Introduction to Risk & Safety Management	3
DIM201	Emergency Command and Control	3
DIM202	Introduction to Business Continuity Management	3
DIM203	Disaster Preparedness	3
DIM204	Sociology of Disasters
DIM205	Disaster Response and Recovery	3
SEC303	Introduction to Research Methods	3
DIM301	Interagency Collaboration and Communication	3
DIM302	Introduction to Health Emergency Management	3
DIM303	Introduction to Project Management in Disaster Management	3
DIM304	Establishing Disaster Management Systems	3
HLS310	Supply Chain Security	3
DIM305	Emergency Exercise Design and Evaluation	3
SEC401	Workplace Secondment/Internship	3
DIM401	Critical Infrastructure Protection	3
DIM402	Emergency Operations Center Management	3
SEC490	Project in SSDEC	3
DIM404	Comparative Disaster Management	3
	Total	60

Elective Courses

Course Code	Course Title	Credits
HLS100	UAE Homeland Security	3
HLS120	UAE Defence Policy	3
HLS170	Terrorism and Counterterrorism	3
HLS200	Intelligence and Counterintelligence	3
HLS205	Border Security	3
HLS210	Aviation Security	3
HLS220	Maritime and Port Security	3
HLS230	Intelligence Analytical Methods	3
HLS240	Countering Violent Extremism	3
HLS250	Transnational and Non-Traditional Threats	3
HLS260	Comparative Counterterrorism	3
HLS270	Internet Governance	3
HLS300	Border and Transportation Security	3
HLS320	Surface Transportation Security	3
HLS350	Cyber Warfare	3
HLS400	Counterterrorism Operations	3
HLS430	Data Analytics	3
SEC200	Professional Communications	3
SEC300	Information Security	3
SEC305	Fourth Generation Warfare	3
SEC308	Introduction to Counter CBRNe Incident Preparation	3
SEC350	International Approaches to Resilience	3
SEC403	Strategic Planning	3
SEC404	Understanding Strategic Threats	3
SEC406	Responding to WMD	3
SCI2100	Hazardous Materials	3
SEC307	Working with the Media in Emergencies	3
IEM103	Emotional Intelligence and Personal Resilience	3
	Total	84

Civil Defense and Emergency Services

Course Code	Course Title	Credits
CID401	Advance Search and Rescue Operation	3
CID402	Mass Fatality Management	3
CID403	Advance CBRNE Incident Management	3
CID404	Fire Safety and Investigation	3
CID405	Advanced Water and Flood Rescue Operations	3
	Total	15

Business Continuity and Organizational Resilience

Course Code	Course Title	Credits
BCR401	Business Impact Analysis & Continuity Strategies	3
BCR402	Business Continuity Governance	3
BCR403	IT Disaster Recovery and Cyber Resilience	3
BCR404	Business Continuity Awareness and Training	3
BCR405	Advanced Risk Management	3
	Total	15

Health Emergency Management

Course Code	Course Title	Credits
HEM401	Applications of Health Emergency Management	3
HEM402	Disaster Epidemiology and Public Health Surveillance	3
HEM403	Health System Emergency Preparedness, Resilience and Response	3
HEM404	Global Health and Humanitarian Action	3
HEM405	Leadership of Health Emergency Management Programs	3
	Total	15

Safety Science and Risk Engineering

Course Code	Course Title	Credits
SSR401	Applications of Safety Science	3
SSR402	HAZMAT & Chemical Safety Management	3
CID404	Fire Safety and Investigation	3
SSR404	Process Safety Application in Disaster Management	3
SSR405	Root Cause Analysis and Incident Investigation	3
	Total	15

Study Plan:Ideal Full-time Study

Semester 1 - Year 1 5 Courses• 15 Credits

Code	Name	Credits	PreReq
SEC100	Introduction to Academic Studies	3
ENG210	English 2	3	English 1
DIM102	Introduction to Disaster Management	3
SCI100	Environment, Health and Safety	3
DIM104	Introduction to Risk & Safety Management	3

Semester 2 - Year 1 5 Courses• 15 Credits

Code	Name	Credits	PreReq
DIM101	Introduction to GIS	3	DIM102
DIM103	Disaster Prevention and Mitigation	3	DIM102
ARA100	Arabic Studies	3	SEC303
SEC110	AI and Society: Foundations and Applications	3
DIM202	Introduction to Business Continuity Management	3

Semester 3 - Year 2 5 Courses• 15 Credits

Code	Name	Credits	PreReq
MTH101	General Education Mathematics	3
DIM201	Emergency Command and Control	3	DIM102
ISL100	Islamic Studies	3
SEC290	Introduction to Innovation in SSDEC	3
DIM203	Disaster Preparedness	3	DIM103

Semester 4 - Year 2 5 Courses• 15 Credits

Code	Name	Credits	PreReq
ENG310	English 3	3	ENG210
DIM204	Sociology of Disasters	3	DIM102
DIM205	Disaster Response and Recovery	3	DIM203
EMS100	Emirates Studies	3
MGT100	Management Fundamentals	3

Semester 5 - Year 3 5 Courses• 15 Credits

Code	Name	Credits	PreReq
SEC303	Introduction to Research Methods	3	60cr
DIM301	Interagency Collaboration and Communication	3	DIM201
DIM302	Introduction to Health Emergency Management	3	DIM102
DIM303	Introduction to Project Management in Disaster Management	3	DIM203
HUM100	Ethical Studies	3

Semester 6 - Year 3 3 Courses• 9 Credits

Code	Name	Credits	PreReq
HLS310	Supply Chain Security	3	DIM104
DIM305	Emergency Exercise Design and Evaluation	3	DIM205
DIM304	Establishing Disaster Management Systems	3	DIM203

Semester 7 - Year 4 5 Courses• 15 Credits

Code	Name	Credits	PreReq
SEC401	Workplace Secondment/Internship	3	81cr
DIM401	Critical Infrastructure Protection	3	DIM202
DIM402	Emergency Operations Center Management	3	DIM304
Elective	Elective	3
Elective	Elective	3