New M.S. and Ph.D. Degree Programs in Disaster Science and Management at UDel

The University of Delaware Disaster Research Center (DRC) was heavily involved in the creation of both M.S. and Ph.D. degree programs in Disaster Science and Management that were approved in 2009. These new interdisciplinary programs are based at the DRC and involve multiple departments across campus (including sociology, political sciences, civil engineering, and urban affairs) with public policy taking the lead. CASA was a key player in the process of developing the proposed degree program. Havidan Rodriguez was an integral part of the committee and the focus on interdisciplinary research came from DRC, CASA, and a variety of other programs. The new M.S. and Ph.D. programs will be an additional source of graduate students for CASA. In addition, UDel hopes to develop new courses, in which CASA research will play an important role, as part of the degree program. For example, in Fall 2009 Professor Joseph Trainor offered a new, multi-disciplinary graduate course entitled "Introduction to Disaster Science and Management" as part of the new MS and PhD degree programs.