One of a kind
Stand out with a unique qualification. Study at NZ's only university offering undergraduate Emergency Management studies.
Simply the best
The Joint Centre for Disaster Research is New Zealand’s leading provider of emergency management education to students worldwide.
Make a contribution
Make sense of the world from different perspectives through Massey. Contribute to education, defence, sustainability and more.
The heart of the matter
Humanities and Social Sciences at Massey. Explore what it means to be human, why we act like we do and the ways we create meaning.
Overview
Emergency or disaster management organises communities to respond to disasters. Massey’s in-depth emergency management courses specialise in participatory methods and research into how people think about risk, especially for volcanic eruptions.
Learn from world-class lecturers and researchers at the Joint Centre for Disaster Research. Gain deep knowledge of emergency management issues and theory, as well as operational practices and policies. Get work-ready with practical coursework and research projects relevant to the real world.
Emergency management is a good fit if you:
- enjoy school subjects such as geography, psychology, science or social studies
- want to help communities prepare, respond and recover from disasters and emergencies
- like solving problems quickly and under pressure in complex and challenging situations.
Emergency management courses
Disaster and emergency management courses may cover:
- community hazards education and planning
- communications about risks and during a crisis
- environmental health risk management
- human responses to natural disaster warnings
- incident and risk management
- incident command systems
- natural hazards and resilient communities
- psycho-social support.
Courses also provide the strategic and operational knowledge to help communities deal with:
- natural disasters such as earthquakes, tsunami or floods
- emergencies such as fires or terror attacks
- health issues such as water and food contamination, pandemics and epidemics
- technological hazards such as cyber attacks or power outages.
Our teaching draws on multidisciplinary research and partnerships. For example, our Indigenous Disaster Risk Management team works with Māori communities and other indigenous peoples to understand culture in disaster management.
We also offer short courses for professional development. Examples include:
- crisis decision-making
- iwi emergency management
- professional leadership training for response and recovery leaders
- risk analysis
- wellbeing management in emergencies.
How to study emergency management
Discover what we offer if you’re interested in emergency management – whether you’re coming to university for the first time, changing direction or returning to advance your study or career.
Undergraduate study
Bachelor's degrees
Bachelor of Arts – BA
With Massey's BA, you can study subjects that you enjoy while learning to be a creative, critical and independent thinker. You’ll get transferable skills that employers are looking for in a rapidly changing world.
Undergraduate certificates
Certificate in Arts – CertArts
With Massey’s Certificate in Arts, you can study what you enjoy and explore subjects within history, beliefs, societies, languages, and cultures.
Graduate certificates
Graduate Certificate in Emergency Management – GCertEmergMgt
Take your first step towards a career in emergency management with Massey’s Graduate Certificate in Emergency Management.
Undergraduate diplomas
Emergency Management – Diploma in Arts
Gain useful skills in disaster prevention and management with Massey’s Diploma in Arts (Emergency Management).
Graduate diplomas
Graduate Diploma in Emergency Management – GradDipEmergMgt
Massey’s Graduate Diploma in Emergency Management will broaden your knowledge and skills in emergency management to help develop community resilience.
Postgraduate study
Master's degrees
Master of Emergency Management – MEmergMgt
With Massey’s Master of Emergency Management, you’ll learn to become a leader in managing emergencies effectively at operational and strategic levels.
Master of Sustainable Development Goals – MSDG
Massey’s Master of Sustainable Development Goals will give you an advanced grounding in the theory, practice, and application of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Disaster Management – Master of Sustainable Development Goals
Massey’s Master of Sustainable Development Goals (Disaster Management) will give you an advanced grounding in the theory, practice, and application of the UN Sustainable Development Goals related to disaster management.
Postgraduate Certificate
Postgraduate Certificate in Emergency Management – PGCertEmergMgt
Increase your knowledge of emergency management issues, practices, and policies with Massey’s Postgraduate Certificate in Emergency Management.
Postgraduate diplomas
Postgraduate Diploma in Emergency Management – PGDipEmergMgt
The Postgraduate Diploma in Emergency Management will broaden your knowledge of disaster prevention and management.
PhD and other doctoral degrees
Doctor of Philosophy – PhD
A prestigious research qualification that demonstrates your ability to carry out independent and original research in your chosen field.
Relevant research areas at Massey
Discover research expertise, projects and initiatives relating to emergency management at Massey.
What our students say
“I’m interested in how people manage around adversity and what can be done to help them in a dignified way.”

“Massey's emergency management programme enabled me to get closer to my dream of working with marginalised communities affected by emergency events. I want to make a difference in this area by using my expertise in geospatial technologies and my knowledge in emergency management.”

Jobs in emergency management
Practical knowledge and skills in critical thinking, communication and planning are crucial in emergency management. Such skills are also in demand in related fields such as business management, health and safety, law, and policy analysis.
Our graduates work all over the world in local or national government agencies, or for humanitarian aid organisations, NGOs or public safety agencies. Others work in businesses, the defence forces, or hospitals. Job prospects are good for people with skills in emergency and disaster management and recovery.
Careers in disaster management include:
- business continuity and emergency managers, who work out how organisations can manage risks and recover during and after disasters
- disaster and emergency response managers, who develop civil defence plans and co-ordinate emergency services, volunteers, businesses and community responses
- emergency management officers, who carry out risk assessments and plan for disasters and hazards
- emergency services staff and leaders, such as firefighters, paramedics and police — and doctors, nurses and public health specialists
- international aid workers, who set up and run relief operations in affected communities, working with and enabling local organisations.
Salaries for emergency management jobs
Emergency management officers in New Zealand earn around $66,000 to $95,000, although pay depends on the role, organisation and location. Those in senior roles often earn more than $100,000.
Salary ranges disclaimer
Indicative pay rates are:
- in New Zealand dollars
- based on careers.govt.nz data.
Which emergency management qualification?
Examples of where our qualifications may take you.
Jobs | Examples of what you could study |
---|---|
Business continuity manager or emergency management adviser/leader |
Postgraduate Diploma in Emergency Management Master of Emergency Management |
Emergency management officer, disaster response manager, or senior roles in emergency operations/co-ordination centre |
Bachelor of Arts (minor in Emergency Management) Graduate Certificate in Emergency Management Graduate Diploma in Emergency Management |
Senior leader or technical expert in emergency management or national security |
Master of Emergency Management PhD in Emergency Management |
International aid worker | Master of Sustainable Development Goals (Disaster Management) |
Get an information guide
Download our guide to find out more about studying emergency management at Massey.