MA Disaster Management or Master of Arts in Disaster Management is one of the unique courses that are gaining immense popularity in India due to its practical necessity in managing calamities worldwide. This comparatively new, inter-mediatory course offers specializations in subjects like Disaster Policy and Action, Disasters and Development, and Technologies for Disaster Management.
MA Disaster Management is a full-time, regular, on-campus, 2 years long degree program offered by UGC affiliated Government and private Universities.
Disaster Management is an elaborate study regarding the management, prediction, mitigation, rehabilitation, intervention, and relief of any natural or artificial calamities.
A right candidate for MA Disaster Management must possess in-depth knowledge, awareness, and passion for philanthropy, calamity management, sustainable development, climate change, global disaster management scenario, causes, and effects.
There are two parts of disaster management, one is the practical part that involves direct knowledge and participation in case of disasters, and takes a strategic role in the rehabilitation, response, rescue, and relief. The second part is strategy and planning. This part involves active participation in the planning, formulating, analyzing, predicting, and brainstorming strategic responses towards disasters.
Students also must learn to access and use new age geophysical tools like Remote Sensing and Geographic Information Systems, etc.
Students holding a Bachelor degree from any UGC approved college are eligible to apply.
Aspirants appearing for the final year/semester examination are also eligible to apply only if they can produce their final mark sheet and graduation certificate at the time of the interview.
Admission procedures for MA Disaster Management involve Entrance Examination, Group Discussion, and Personal Interview. Admission procedures typically start from the months of July-August.
After completion of the study, students can pursue job roles like Technical Support Manager, Regional Facility Manager, Disaster Officer, Project Manager, and District Loss Prevention Manager at the beginning. The starting salary ranges from 2.4LPA-6LPA according to the eligibility and post held by the candidate.
The career options after completing the degree include prime sectors like NGOs, Govt. of India Offices, NDRF, Institutes for climate changes, Weather Broadcasting Networks and Agencies, Natural Calamity Intervention agencies, etc.
MA Disaster management is a versatile degree providing in-depth knowledge in the coming age global issues like disasters, their reasons, predictions, prevention, interventions, rehabilitation, and policymaking in the fields of climate change, global warming, socio-economic effect, agriculture, and deforestations, etc.
After completing this degree, students may pursue career interests in Natural Calamity Intervention agencies and NGOs, Disaster Management agencies, Weather Broadcasting Networks and Agencies, NDRF, or in academic sectors.
Students may get opportunities such as Technical Support Manager, Regional Facility Manager, Disaster Officer, Project Manager, District Loss Prevention Manager, etc.
Related Courses:
The average salary offered to candidates with MA Disaster Management varies from 2.4LPA to 6LPA; depending upon the post he or she is applying for.
In the long term, students, after gaining experience in working in disaster management, can act as a policymaker, advisor, researchers, or disaster management scientists in various national as well as international agencies.
Table of Content
- MA Disaster Management Course Highlights
- Why Study MA Disaster Management Course?
- MA Disaster Management Admission Process
3.2 Entrance Exams
MA Disaster Management Course Highlights
| Course Level | Post Graduate degree |
| Full-Form | Master’s Degree in Disaster Management |
| Duration | 2 years |
| Examination type | Semester based |
| Eligibility | Minimum Graduate from UGC recognized University or equivalent degree |
| Admission Process | Entrance test Group Discussion Interview/Counseling Merit List |
| Course Fee | Government College: INR 5000/- Private College: INR 1.15 lakh |
| Average Salary | Minimum: 2LPA Maximum: 6LPA |
| Top Recruiting Companies | NGOs, Govt. of India Offices, NDRF, Institutes for climate changes |
| Job Positions | Technical Support Manager, Disaster Officer, Project Manager, District Loss Prevention Manager, Regional Facility Manager, Lecturer |
Why Study MA Disaster Management Course?
The Disaster Management course for Masters’ Degree is a cutting edge topic of relevance. The reasons for the same are multifactorial. The burning issues like global warming, natural calamities, economic and social factors have imparted severe importance upon the subject of disaster management. Below are listed some of the reasons why the disaster management course is constantly increasing its popularity.
- This course is one of the very important streams of transitional environmental studies.
- Students wishing to pursue an in-depth comprehensive study in the areas of problems, types of disasters, reasons, impact, prediction, forecasting, the scope of rehabilitation, and intervention can pursue this course.
- This course incorporates understandings regarding policy implementation, socio-economic factors, the impact of international politics, ecosystem, tools, and software of geophysics.
- Future benefits of the course incorporate job opportunities in disaster management entities like NDRF (National Disaster Management Force, NGOs advocating for sustainable environmental strategy implementation, disaster management intervention, rehabilitation, and lecturers in different institutes.
- This course imparts skill sets regarding the latest disaster management tools like Remote Sensing and Geographic Information Systems enabling its students to be able to be efficient on par with the international agencies.
- In terms of higher studies, there are ample opportunities to pursue research in this field.
- In terms of salary, a student who has passed MA disaster management can grab a job opportunity in the fields of Technical Support Manager Disaster Officer Project Manager District Loss Prevention Manager Regional Facility Manager, with a salary starting from a minimum 2LPA to a maximum of 6LPA.
MA Disaster Management Admission Process
Admission to MA Disaster Management is purely based on entrance examinations. This is followed by interviews conducted by respective colleges. After students appear for entrance tests and interviews, colleges and universities then start admission based on the merit lists of these tests.
Follow the below-mentioned steps to apply for entrance based admission examinations.
- Aspiring candidates must sit for the entrance examinations conducted by respective colleges and universities.
- To appear for such entrances, candidates must verify the minimum eligibility criteria as described by the college administration.
- The aspirants need to fill up the entrance admission form online or offline.
- Visit the official website of the college of your choice and go to the link provided for admission to the entrance examination.
- Keep all the photo, ID proof, digital signature, and educational testimonials verifying your minimum eligibility criteria handy.
- Fill up the online form carefully, and after a thorough revision, submit the form.
- You must submit your completed form along with scanned copies of all the supporting testimonials.
- In case, you are a final year student whose mark sheet or certificate is due at the time of online application, you must submit those documents at the time of the final interview round. Failing to which, the candidature will not be considered.
- After the entrance examination, the respective college will publish a merit list followed by group discussion and interview.
- Upon successful completion in these two rounds only guarantees admission into the particular course in the particular college.
MA Disaster Management Eligibility
The basic essential eligibility criterion of students wishing to pursue an MA Disaster Management is:
-
The student must hold a Bachelor’s degree in relevant discipline or equivalent from a recognized university.
Additionally, aspirants need to clear the cut-off marks and acquire a valid score in the entrance examination, group discussion, and interview conducted by respective colleges or universities.
MA Disaster Management Entrance Exams
Colleges and universities offering MA Disaster Management conduct several university level entrance examinations. Some of them are university level and rests of them are national level entrance tests.
| Exam Name | Exam Date |
|---|---|
| PU CET | Check PUCET Exam Dates |
| TISS NET | Check TISSNET Exam Dates |
| DUET | Check DUET Exam Dates |
| CUCET | Check CUCET Exam Dates |
| LPUNEST | Check LPUNEST Exam Dates |
| DSAT | Check DSAT Exam Dates |
Other important entrance examinations of MA Disaster Management are conducted by the following Universities.
How to Prepare for MA Disaster Management Entrance Exam?
MA Disaster Management entrance examination generally emphasizes on the below-mentioned sections:
- English proficiency
- Mathematics and Logical reasoning
- General Awareness
The questions are of Multiple Choice pattern and generally of Secondary Board examination standard. The subjects covered in these tests include but not limited to be:
|
Word Choice / sentence correction Odd-one-out Analogies Synonyms & Antonyms Grammar Verbal reasoning Reading comprehension |
Basic Arithmetics Basic Geometry Basic Trigonometry Basic Statistics Number Series Data interpretation Logical reasoning | Politics Social Studies Science & Technology Environment Sports Art & Culture Indian History |
Points to keep in mind while preparing for the MA Disaster Management Entrance Exams:
- Go through the entire syllabus of the examinations and start preparing according to it.
- Practice previous years’ question papers and mock tests for perfection.
- The examination is time-bound and may conduct negative marking, these two are important points to remember.
How to Get Admission in a Good College for MA Disaster Management?
The points that the students must remember when getting admission in a good college are:
- Shortlist your preferred Universities and jolt down the key eligibility criteria and tally them with your key qualifications.
- Always keep a clear idea regarding the dates and deadlines of entrance tests of shortlisted Universities of your choice.
- Scoring high marks in the entrance test is the key to cracking the admission.
- You need to prepare for group discussion and interview along with the written tests because these two are the second and third phases of the entrance tests.
Syllabus of MA Disaster Management
The two-year-long program for MA Disaster Management is divided into 4 semesters and the syllabus covers multiple topics in 4 semesters.
| Semester I | Semester II |
|---|---|
| Concepts, Approaches, and Theories of Disasters Theory Internal Assessment Fundamentals of Disaster Management Theory Internal Assessment Natural and Human-Induced Disasters Theory Internal Assessment Role of Remote Sensing and Geographic Information Systems in Disaster Management Theory and Practical Internal Assessment | Finance and Insurance in Disaster Management Theory Internal Assessment Research Methods in Disaster Management Theory Internal Assessment Disasters in India Theory Practical Internal Assessment Disaster Management Mechanisms in India Theory Internal Assessment |
| Semester III | Semester IV |
| Lab Aspects of Disaster Management Theory Internal Assessment Preparedness and Mitigation Theory Practical Internal Assessment Relief Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Theory Practical Internal Assessment Internship Report Viva Voce | Role of International Agencies in Disaster Management Theory Internal Assessment Dissertation Formulation of Project Proposal Mid-Term Evaluation Report Evaluation and Viva |
Top Colleges for MA Disaster Management
The ktop colleges that provide MA Disaster Management Course are mentioned in the table below along with the city of the MA Disaster Management College, Average annual fees and admission procedure:
| College Name | City | Average Annual Fees in INR | Admission procedure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Punjab University | Chandigarh | INR 38,000 | Entrance based |
| Annamalai University | Cuddalore | INR 5,800 | Entrance based |
| Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) | Mumbai, Maharashtra | INR 1,14,600 | Entrance based |
| The Global Open University | Dimapur, Nagaland | INR 24,126 | Entrance based |
| Tripura University | Tripura | INR 4,800 | Entrance based |
MA Disaster Management College Comparison
Below are discussed details of the courses offered by different top-ranked Universities like Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Punjab University and Annamalai University:
| Parameter | Tata Institute of Social Science | Punjab University | Annamalai University |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overview | Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) which was established in 1936 aims to be an institution of excellence in higher education that continually responds to changing social realities. TISS has its main campus situated in Mumbai along with three other campuses - TISS Hyderabad, TISS Guwahati, and TISS Tuljapur. | Panjab University (PU) is a state university which is located in the capital city of Chandigarh, Punjab. It was established in the year 1882 and is approved by the AICTE, UGC, and NAAC with an ‘A’ grade. Panjab University has 188 affiliated colleges spread over Punjab and having one rural Regional Centre at Kauni, and 3 Regional Centres at Muktsar, Ludhiana, and Hoshiarpur. | Annamalai University is one of Asia's largest public residential universities located in Annamalai Nagar, Chidambaram, Tamil Nadu, India. It was founded in 1929 and spread across 1,500 acres of land. AU consists of 10 faculties, 49 departments, and provides undergraduate, postgraduate courses, diplomas, and research programs. |
| Average fee | INR 1,14,600 | INR 38,000 | INR 5,800 |
| NIRF University Rankings | 34 | 64 | 101-150 |
| Education Type | Semester | Semester | Semester |
| Admission Type | Entrance GD Interview | Entrance GD Interview | Entrance GD Interview |
MA Disaster Management Course Comparison
An MA Disaster Management is a 2 years long full-time degree whereas Diploma in the same stream offers a one-year-long course. The eligibility criterion is graduation in the case of a Master's degree program whereas, in the case of Diploma, it is 10+2.
MA Disaster Management vs Diploma in Disaster Management
Below is a tabular comparison between MA Disaster Management and Diploma in Disaster Management in terms of eligibility, course duration, admission procedure, fees, expected starting salary offered, etc.:
| Parameters | MA in Disaster Management | Diploma in Disaster Management |
|---|---|---|
| Course Level | Degree | Diploma |
| Course duration | 2 years | 1year |
| Examination | Semester | Semester/yearly |
| Minimum Eligibility Criteria | Bachelor degree | 10+2 |
| Admission | Entrance Exam | Merit-based/Entrance Exam conducted by the college |
| Course Fee | INR 5,000-1.15 lakh | INR 6,000-INR 80,000 |
| Average Starting Salary | 2-6LPA | 2-6LPA |
Future Scope for MA Disaster Management
The MA Disaster Management students have fantastic scope in the future that has been discussed in detail below:
- Disaster Management Masters’ Degree is one of the most upcoming and relevant degrees of today’s world that is increasingly on-demand. The steady increase in the glob wide natural and artificial calamities urge professionals who can work steadily in different genres of disaster management.
- After completion of this course, one can easily work as different job profiles like Technical Support Manager, Regional Facility Manager, Disaster Management Officer, District Loss Prevention Manager in both private as well as government organizations such as NDRF, Disaster Management Authorities, NGOs, Colleges and universities, etc.
- After building his or her experience for 3-5 years, a candidate can pursue his or her career in specialist job profiles that impart more strategic responsibilities such as Emergency Management Specialist, Disaster Monitoring & Analysis Officer, Emergency Management Training Program Coordinator, Natural Hazard Program Specialist, and Technological Hazard Program Specialists.
MA Disaster Management Jobs and Salary
After completion of the Master's degree in Disaster Management, students of this stream can work on the fields of natural or artificial disaster prediction, management, tackle, and intervention thus having a scope of directly impacting the sustainable change and rehabilitation of nature and environment. If aspirants are inspired to contribute directly to environmental protection in case of a calamity, this profession can be utterly satisfying for them.
- After acquiring an MA degree, candidates can apply to job opportunities like Technical Support Manager, Regional Facility Manager, Disaster Management Officer, District Loss Prevention Manager, etc.
- After gaining potential knowledge, the long term job prosperity includes active participation in the policymaking, intervention, strategy, planning, and research committee.
- The major sectors with government and private job opportunities for disaster management professionals are NGOs working towards disaster management and sustainable environment, NDRF, Climate research centers, Policymaking entities, etc.
Below is mentioned the Job profiles with description:
| Name of Job Profile | Description of what roles does the particular person has to play | Average salary in INR |
|---|---|---|
| Lecturer/ Teacher | A Lecturer/ Teacher is the one who teaches and shares his/ her knowledge about the particular subject to students. | INR 3,00,000 to INR 6,00,000 |
| Technical Support Manager | A Technical Support Manager is a person who provides technical support to all at the time of any disaster. | INR 2,40,000 to INR 4,00,000 |
| Regional Facility Manager | Regional Facility Manager is an individual who provides all the facilities and is responsible for maintaining day to day operations. | IN 3,00,000 to INR 6,00,000 |
| Disaster Management Officer | A Disaster Management Officer is responsible for planning and managing all the activities related to any disaster. | INR 3,00,000 to INR 6,00,000 |
| District Loss Prevention Manager | District Loss Prevention Manager generally reports any kind of losses at the time of disaster or any calamity | INR 4,00,000 to INR 6,00,000 |
MA Disaster Management FAQs
Ques. What are the job opportunities after completion of an MA in Disaster Management degree?
Ans. After completion of the degree, one can be eligible to apply for job opportunities in District, State, and National Disaster Relief Fund, NGOs, Govt. of India Offices, Institutes for climate changes, Weather Broadcasting Networks and Agencies, Natural Calamity Intervention agencies, etc.
Ques. What is the fee of MA in Disaster Management degree course?
Ans. MA in Disaster Management is offered by both governments as well as private universities. The fee in any government university ranges from INR 5000/- to INR 40,000/- and fee in private institutes like TISS, Mumbai is 1.15Lakhs.
Ques. What are the future job roles of an MA in Disaster Management?
Ans. Master’s degree holders of Disaster Management can have a wide range of job roles like Technical Support Manager, Disaster Officer, Project Manager, District Loss Prevention Manager, and Regional Facility Manager. Opting for higher studies, research, or lectureship in institutes and governing bodies is also a good choice for the candidate.
Ques. What is the MA in the disaster management course?
Ans. MA in Disaster Management is a degree of the new age comprehensive stream of study. It involves in-depth knowledge regarding capacities, skills, and in-details perspective about the topic disaster. It is a multispectral study covering subjects or topics on prediction, mitigation, risk reduction, response, recovery, policy implementation, and strategy development regarding disasters. The spectrum of the study covers grass-root level issues to international topics.
Ques. What is the expected starting salary of an MA in Disaster Management?
Ans. The starting salary for a fresher with the Master’s degree ranges from 2.4LPA to 4.8LPA, depending upon the job role of the student.
Ques. What is the future of disaster management in India?
Ans. Disaster Management procedure consists of 5 parts: Preparedness, Mitigation, Prevention, Recovery, and Response. In India, disaster management is only confined to the response part. Hence, our country is in the dire need for the development of dedicated sustainable disaster management facilities. Hence, there is ample scope for disaster management professionals to impart great knowledge and strategies in this yet-to-be-discovered area.
Ques. What is better? Degree or Diploma in Disaster Management?
Ans. Degree program of disaster management is a full-time, on-campus, regular, 2 years long program whereas the diploma is a year program. If the aspirant is a fresher, and looking forward to starting his or her career extensively in disaster management, opting degree program would be a better choice for him or her, whereas if the aspirant is already working indirectly or in related fields of disaster management, the one-year diploma can serve as a career-enhancing course for him or her.
Ques. What are the long term career prospects of disaster management?
Ans. r obtaining 3-5 years of experiences in this field, candidates can opt for specialist job profiles that impart more strategic responsibilities in emergency and hazards management sectors in posts like Emergency Management Specialist, Disaster Monitoring & Analysis Officer, Emergency Management Training Program Coordinator, Natural Hazard Program Specialist, and Technological Hazard Program Specialist. They can also apply for posts of strategists or consultants in government organizations.
Ques. Is distance learning in MA in disaster Management available?
Ans. Currently, Universities offer regular and full-time Master in Arts in Disaster Management.
Ques. What is the scope of government jobs in this stream?
Ans. Each state has its respective disaster management department starting from District Disaster Management departments that work with the Departments for climate change, Weather Broadcasting Networks, and Agencies, etc. Candidates with a MA in disaster management are suitable to work in these departments as Technical Support Manager, Disaster Officer, Project Manager, District Loss Prevention Manager, etc. Candidates are eligible to apply for the posts in NDRF staff across India.
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