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CM39 - Graduate Diploma of Emergency and Disaster Management

Overview

Course Overview

The Graduate Diploma of Emergency and Disaster Management recognises the changing nature of emergency and disaster management in Australia and the important role research and evidence-based practice play 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 emergency and disaster management practice. You will gain skills in leadership, crisis communication and risk management, and learn to operate in unpredictable environments. You will study with 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.

The aim of the Graduate Diploma of Emergency and Disaster Management is to prepare professionals 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.

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.

Course Details
Duration 2 years part-time
Credit Points that Must be Earned 48
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) GradDipEDM
AQF Level Level 8: Graduate Diploma
Course Fees
Indicative Year - 2026
  • Domestic Full Fee Paying – Indicative First Year Fee - $31,000
  • International Indicative First Term Fee - $17,880
  • International Indicative First Year Fee - $36,480
Indicative Year - 2025
  • Domestic Full Fee Paying – Indicative First Year Fee - $29,365.5
  • International Indicative First Term Fee - $17,040
  • International Indicative First Year Fee - $34,080
Indicative Year - 2024
  • Domestic Full Fee Paying – Indicative First Year Fee - $27,240
  • International Indicative First Term Fee - $33,270
  • International Indicative First Year Fee - $33,270
Indicative Year - 2023
  • Domestic Full Fee Paying – Indicative First Year Fee - $25,696.5
  • International Indicative First Term Fee - $15,360
  • International Indicative First Year Fee - $30,720
Indicative Year - 2022
  • Domestic Full Fee Paying – Indicative First Year Fee - $24,942

Admission Codes

Domestic Students
Tertiary Admission Centre Codes (TAC) Codes
Not Applicable
International Students
CRICOS Codes
Not Applicable
Where and when can I start?
Units offered internally at the below campuses may be delivered using a combination of face-to-face and video conferencing style teaching.
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.
Please Click Here for more information.
The following tables list the courses availabilities by location and term. Directing your pointer over your preferred location will provide further information if this course is not available for the full duration. Please be sure to also check individual unit availability by location and term prior to enrolling.

Domestic Availability

Term 3 - 2026

Online

Term 2 - 2026

Online

Term 1 - 2026

Online

Term 3 - 2025

Online

Term 2 - 2025

Online

Term 1 - 2025

Online

Term 3 - 2024

Online

Term 2 - 2024

Online

Term 1 - 2024

Online

Term 3 - 2023

Online

Term 2 - 2023

Online

Term 1 - 2023

Online

Term 1 - 2022

Online
Show All

International Availability

Term 3 - 2026

Sorry, no international availabilities found.

Term 2 - 2026

Sorry, no international availabilities found.

Term 1 - 2026

Online

Term 3 - 2025

Sorry, no international availabilities found.

Term 2 - 2025

Sorry, no international availabilities found.

Term 1 - 2025

Online

Term 3 - 2024

Sorry, no international availabilities found.

Term 2 - 2024

Sorry, no international availabilities found.

Term 1 - 2024

Online

Term 3 - 2023

Sorry, no international availabilities found.

Term 2 - 2023

Sorry, no international availabilities found.

Term 1 - 2023

Online

Term 1 - 2022

Online
Show All
For any problems regarding admissions availability for the selected course please contact 13 CQUni (13 27 86) or send us an email at https://contactus.cqu.edu.au/
Entry Requirements - What do I need to start?
Academic Requirements

To be eligible for entry into this course, applicants must hold:

  • A completed Advanced Diploma from the Public Safety, Health, or Police Training Package; or
  • A completed AQF equivalent Bachelor degree, or higher equivalent qualification; or
  • Completion of CQUniversity’s CC27 Graduate Certificate in Emergency and Disaster Management, or equivalent.

English Language Proficiency Requirements

If you were not born in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, United Kingdom, Ireland, South Africa or United States of America, you are required to meet the English Language Proficiency requirements set by the University. Applicants are required to provide evidence of completion of:

  • A secondary qualification (Year 11 and 12, or equivalent), or
  • An Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) diploma level qualification, or
  • Bachelor level qualification study for a period of at least 2 years full time with a minimum overall GPA 4.0

completed within Australia, Canada, New Zealand, United Kingdom, South Africa, Ireland or United States of America, which will meet the English proficiency.

If you do not satisfy any of the above, you will need to undertake an English language proficiency test and achieve the following scores:

  • An International English Language Testing System (IELTS Academic) overall band score of at least 6.0 with a minimum 5.5 in each subset; or
  • Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) - Requires 550 or better overall and minimum TWE score of 4.5 (Paper Based Test), or 75 or better overall and no score less than 17 (Internet Based Test); or
  • Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE Academic) - Requires an overall score of 54 with no sub-score less than 46; or
  • An Occupational English Test with Grades A or B only in each of the four components.

English test results remain valid for no more than two years between final examination date and the date of commencement of study, and must appear on a single result certificate.

International Students should visit http://www.cqu.edu.au/international for further information.

Each student will be assessed individually.

Assumed Knowledge

Nil

Security Requirements
No information available at this time
Health Requirements
No information available at this time
Fees and Charges
Course Features

Awards and Accreditation

Interim Awards CC27 - Graduate Certificate in Emergency and Disaster Management
Exit Awards CC27 - Graduate Certificate in Emergency and Disaster Management
Accreditation
  • Not applicable

Residential School Requirements

No Residential School for this course.

Practicum/Work Placement

Not applicable

Previous and Current Enrolments

Year Number of Students
2025 4
2024 4
2023 4
2022 5
Inherent Requirements
There are Inherent Requirements (IRs) that you need to be aware of, and fulfil, to achieve the core learning outcomes of the units and course. IRs are the essential capabilities, knowledge, behaviours and skills that are needed to complete a unit or course.

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.

Ethical Behaviour

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 the applicable codes of ethics as they apply in the practice of emergency and disaster management.
  • Demonstrating an ability to reflect on ethical dilemmas and issues and taking responsibility for ensuring awareness of ethical behaviour.
  • Demonstrating respect for cultural diversity as well as individual differences and capacities in emergency and disaster management.
  • Treating personal information obtained in professional settings as private and confidential.
  • Maintaining ethical behaviour in a professional setting, through successfully distinguishing your own personal values and beliefs from those of others.
Behavioural Stability

Examples are:

  • Being reflective with personal behaviours appropriate for professional performance and being positive and receptive to processing constructive supervisor/lecturer feedback or criticism.
  • 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 and disaster management.
  • Maintaining behavioural stability through successfully distinguishing your own personal behaviours, experiences and emotions from others and situations in a professional setting.
Legal Compliance

Examples are:

  • Complying with university and workplace policy with the use of social media, online discussion forums, email and other electronic forms of communication.
  • Complying with the policies and practices of organisations in which you may be placed or find employment, including those relating to OHS.
Communication Skills (Verbal, Non-verbal, Written and Technology)

Examples are:

  • Verbally communicating your emergency and disaster management knowledge and skills with accuracy, appropriateness and effectiveness in a wide variety of contexts.
  • Actively participating in discussion and course activities with appropriate use and command of language within the context.
  • Using appropriate facial expressions: eye contact, being mindful of space boundaries, and a range of body movements and gestures.
  • 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 coherent reports in a timely manner to meet professional standards and clearly communicating the intended message.
  • 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.
Cognitive Abilities (Knowledge and Cognitive Skills, Literacy and Numeracy)

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.
  • Demonstrating competency in applying mathematics knowledge and numeracy skills to accurately read and interpret various measurements.
Relational Skills

Examples are:

  • Initiating and maintaining effective partnerships with a range of interdisciplinary and inter-agency stakeholders.
  • Initiating and maintaining effective relationships with key community networks.
Reflective Skills

Examples are:

  • Undertaking regular self-assessment of emotional intelligence, recognising own responses and effects of own behaviour on others.
  • Critiquing own philosophical, attitudinal and cognitive foundations to practice and a willingness to changing these as necessary.
Interpersonal Engagement

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.
  • Building rapport with colleagues and stakeholders in order to engage them in effective emergency and disaster management  practice.
  • Critically self-reflecting on situations that may/may not have gone well, and taking the learning point(s) from those situations.
  • Interacting and engaging with individuals and groups in emergency and disaster management  practice in a respectful and culturally competent manner in a wide variety of contexts.
Core Learning Outcomes
  • 1. Analyse complex technical and theoretical emergency and disaster management concepts
  • 2. Critically appraise the current and emerging national and international emergency and disaster management approaches
  • 3. Identify 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 grounded in research/evidence
  • 5. Evaluate Leadership and management approaches that are relevant to the emergency and disaster management profession
  • 6. Analyse the implications of political, economic, social, cultural and technological trends for emergency and disaster management practice.
  Course Learning Outcomes
Australian Qualifications Framework Descriptors 1 2 3 4 5 6
1. KNOWLEDGE Have advanced 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 concept
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
Course Structure

In order to complete this course, you must:

  1. Complete the core structure
Number of units: 8 Total credit points: 48

Year 1 - Term 1
Students must complete the following compulsory units:
DSMG28001 Foundations of Emergency and Disaster Management
DSMG20003 Research for Emergency and Disaster Management
Year 1 - Term 2
Students must complete the following compulsory units:
COMM20110 Crisis Communication
DSMG29001 Disaster Risk Reduction
Year 2 - Term 1
Students must complete the following compulsory units:
DSMG29002 Leadership in Emergency and Disaster Management
DSMG29003 Building Adaptive Capacity with Communities
Year 2 - Term 2
Students must complete the following compulsory units:
DSMG29004 Contemporary Issues in Emergency and Disaster Management
SAFE20018 Fatigue Risk Management
More Details
There is no additional information for this course.