Programme Summary

COURSE SYNOPSIS

MDM 5101 Hazards, Disasters and the Zimbabwe Emergency Management System                20 credits

This module provides an introduction to the phenomenon of hazards, disasters and the Zimbabwe Emergency Management system. The theories principles and practices underpinning disaster risk management will be explored. The module covers topics such as distinction between emergency and disaster, types of disasters and disaster management cycle, disaster policy and legislation. Major disasters locally and internationally and how these were dealt with and their overall impact on the populations involved will be discussed.

MDM 5102 Disaster Vulnerability and Risk Management                                                     20 credits

This module introduces and explains the concept of vulnerability assessment as the foundation for effective hazard mitigation. The module explains various methodologies to carry out the process of hazard and vulnerability assessment. Various risk management concepts, tools, and techniques in the global context will be discussed. The module emphasizes discussion on the design and implementation of risk management practices.

MDM 5103 Disaster Education                                                                                         20 credits

This module focuses on the need for and how to disseminate disaster awareness using various methods. Critical to all this is the need for use of local symbols and negotiated meanings of terms for optimal understanding of key concepts being taught. It also looks at how children can also take part in disseminating DRR education through various means in schools, e.g. drama, poetry, sport, art, etc. This should foster a high level of hazard/disaster awareness that will motivate people to take action to protect lives, livelihoods and infrastructure from the impact of hazard events.

MDM 5104 Media Management and Disaster Risk Communication                                       20 credits

Emergency management personnel inevitably face situations in which they are called upon to help individuals and communities understand physical hazards, risks and/or crises and appropriate responses. This module is designed to familiarize candidates with the array of scholarship in crisis and risk communication and to help candidates gain skill in devising risk communication strategies that are supported by research findings. Candidates will examine challenges encountered by emergency, crisis and risk communicators, such as public information officers and first responders.

MDM 5105 Community Based Disaster Risk Reduction and Resilience                                 20 credits

This course focuses on the process of preparedness planning and resilience building within the context of community participation and partnership in the conceptualization, design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of local-level disaster resilience strategies. As such, the course will introduce learners to the principles, tools and requisite structures for the development of context specific interventions. The course will expose candidates to rural and urban resilience measuring tools such as the scorecard. Resilience planning tools such as the Integrated Context Analysis, Seasonal Livelihood Programming and Community Based Participatory Planning will be discussed in this course. Through this course, preparedness measures for increased and enhanced knowledge management products will be explored.

MDM 5201 Earth Sciences and Natural Disasters                                                               20 credits

This module focuses on the geological, hydrological and atmospheric processes that impact the human environment in catastrophic ways. The natural disasters section will focus on how normal earth processes can concentrate energy that can have devastating blows to humans and their structures. Topics covered include, energy cycles, plate tectonics, and focused studies on hazards such as: earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, tornadoes, hurricanes, tsunamis, wildfires, flooding, landslides, climate change and mass extinctions. Disaster mitigation and preparedness and prediction and forecasting will also be covered.

MDM 5202 Technological Disasters                                                                                  20 credits

This module introduces candidates to the scope and variety of technological (man-made) hazards that face today’s society. The module covers concepts and mechanics of technological hazard threat and risk analysis, and the issues of readiness, response, and recovery from technological hazard event. The role of population’s growth, demographics, and geography in exacerbating technological hazards will also be discussed.

MDM 5203 Business Continuity Management                                                                    20 credits

The module provides an understanding of the nature of business and the value of BCM to organisations. The module offers insights into how organisations manage disaster risk and operate business continuity strategies in order to operate effectively and efficiently in an increasingly competitive and disastrous environment. Topics that will be studied include; Business Impact Analysis, Organisational Culture & Organisational Learning, Models of crisis generation, Drivers for BCM, BCM Exercise and BS25999.  Candidates will have the opportunity to produce working plans that provide preventive measures to minimize the impact of disaster and provide an organized response and ensure business continuity during recovery.

MDM 5204 Research Methods                                                                                          20 credits

This module covers aspects on how to undertake research, with particular emphasis on hazard/disaster issues. It includes an analysis of the application of key research tools and methods in attempting to seek practical answers/explanations to disaster problems. Both quantitative and qualitative methods are covered. This should guide candidates in preparing them for their dissertations.

MDM 5205 Climate Change, Disasters and Responses                                                        20 credits

This module will explore how best to strengthen the resilience of these communities to climate change and climate-related disasters, in support of sustainable poverty reduction.  A critical understanding of theories and the complex relationship between climate change, disasters and poverty.  Topics to be covered include:  An understanding of the impacts of climate change, in particular its implications for vulnerable groups within society; an understanding of the implications of differences in perception of climate risk for enhancing resilience understanding of the relationship between vulnerability, resilience and adaptation to climate change; a comprehensive understanding of adaptation and mitigation responses for enhancing resilience to climate change; an understanding of the limits and opportunities of climate change adaptation and mitigation; an opportunity for students to develop their range  of  competencies  in transferable areas, including research, analysis, team-work and both written and verbal forms of communication.

MDM 5301 Geographical Information Systems for Disaster Risk Management                       20 credits

This module covers the principles and applications of geographic information systems (GIS). The module explores how geographic reality is modelled in a GIS and what kinds of data are already defined, collected and available. Principles covered include those underlying the capturing, editing, manipulating, searching, analysing and integrating spatial data along with the presentation and understanding of spatial data for decision support.

MDM 5302 Emergency Planning, Exercise Design and Evaluation                                        20 credits

This module provides an introduction to the multiple facets of emergency planning and the fundamentals of emergency exercise design, development and implementation. The fundamentals of planning as they apply to the four phases of emergency management and how these phases overlap, interrelate, and complement each other, as well as other disciplines, will be discussed.  Candidates will be given a plan, what it should contain, who should participate in its construction and implementation, and discover the fundamental importance of the emergency operations plan as a basis for effective emergency preparedness. Furthermore, the module focuses on different types of emergency exercises, how they are used, and how they are conducted. It provides candidates with the knowledge and skills necessary to develop and conduct disaster exercises that test a community’s emergency response plan and capabilities.

MDM 5303 Public Health Issues in Disaster Management                                                    20 credits

This module examines the role and capability of public health and health care systems. It addresses the expectations of public health in disaster preparedness and response to all types of disasters. The module examines the growing threat and potential public health consequences of disasters. The module covers theory and practice of various public health issues in emergency preparedness and considers the implications for policy makers.

MDM 5304 Disaster Risk and Emergency Management Regulation                                       20 credits

This module aims to present and analyse, in a comparative and international perspective, the role of Zimbabwe’s legislation and institutions in the context of disaster risk prevention, mitigation, response and recovery. Topics to be covered include: identification of the main institutional actors; the impact of law on catastrophic risk management in Zimbabwe and across the world; international principles, standards, directives and guidelines developed in the recent years; legal and policy implications of disaster risk financing for governments; public-private initiatives to cover the cost of extreme risks and catastrophe insurance schemes implemented in different jurisdictions.

MDM 5305 Urban Disaster Risk Management                                                                     20 credits

This module provides a detailed examination and structured understanding of Disaster Risk Reduction with specific focus on urban areas. It explores the social, physical and political implications of disasters in urban areas and urban planning. The module introduces students to the concepts, dynamics and theoretical frameworks of Disaster Risk Reduction in urban areas. Urban centres are vulnerable to the adverse impacts of climate change, global warming and other natural hazards, including earthquakes, extreme weather events, flooding, storms, water scarcity, and urban droughts, among others. The underlying risk factors, including poverty, inadequate livelihoods opportunities, poor land use planning, inequality, socio-economic disparity, unplanned and rapid urbanization, further contribute to increase in disaster and climate risk. In addition, urban centres dependency on complex and interconnected systems of infrastructure, services, communications and social interactions, make them more susceptible to the impacts of disasters and climate change.  This module is also designed to raise knowledge of students on effective solutions and approaches for creating, maintaining and strengthening urban resilience. The module equips students with knowledge and skills to:  1. identify the challenges and opportunities of disaster risk in urban context and needs for urban resilience, 2. explain the concept of urban/land use planning and ‘how to’ use and apply urban/land use planning for effective disaster risk reduction, 3. define key elements of urban disaster risk assessment, including urban disaster risk reduction, 4. mainstream disaster risk reduction into urban planning strategies and programs, and 5. describe early warning system and climate risk modelling solutions for urban disaster preparedness. The module also introduces students to key strategies and actions needed to build resilience to disasters as part of an overall strategy to achieve sustainable development of urban areas.

MDM 5400 Dissertation                                                                                                   100 credits

The dissertation shall, on its own, constitute the final part of the programme researched and written over at least six months. In preparation for this research study, candidates are required to present a proposal for approval. Each candidate is required to submit a dissertation of approximately 20 000 words on a topic relating to his/her area of disaster management interest and approved in writing by the dissertation supervisor. Two typed copies of the dissertation shall be submitted to the Institute. A candidate is required to participate in the final oral examination (viva voce) normally held after the submission of the dissertation. The oral defence contributes 20% towards the final dissertation mark. The format for the dissertation shall be as provided for the thesis of MPhil and PhD in the General Regulation.