Home Department: Environmental Health Sciences
Focus Area: Disaster Management
Did you know that the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) publishes 15 core capabilities in public health emergency preparedness and response that local and state health departments follow? These core capabilities are state and local requirements for the Public Health Emergency Preparedness Program (PHEP) and align with best-practice strategies to protect public health during adverse incidents. The Disaster Management Specialization prepares students and professionals to become more experienced in disaster management and the capabilities expected within health departments.
Wildfires are burning larger swaths of acreage than ever before and are also interfacing more frequently with urban areas, forcing evacuations and generating excessive particulates within the smoke; major hurricanes (those Category 3 or higher) are increasing in frequency; rapid intensification is occurring during hurricane formation, driving additional impacts of the storm such as a compressed timeline to act; there have been multiple epidemics or pandemics, and even more outbreaks of diseases capable of causing epidemics/pandemics, since 2000; extreme weather events are increasing in frequency, complexity, and scope. All of these hazards and threats, to name a few, are expected to continue and likely increase in the future. It is critical for public health officials and personnel to become well-versed in disaster management.
The specialization prepares the graduates to do that. It provides a foundation for applying scientific principles to prevent, detect, and mitigate environmental public health problems and threats associated with natural and technological disasters. Students gain skills to implement population-based interventions to protect communities from natural, accidental, and intentional disasters.
Disaster Management Students who complete the specialization in Disaster Management will be able to:
- Apply scientific principles to prevent, detect, respond to, and mitigate local and global threats to environmental health that are associated with natural and technological disasters.
- Develop population-based interventions to protect communities and particularly vulnerable populations from natural, accidental, and intentional disasters that affect person and community health.
- Develop a strategy (-ies) to improve the capacity of public systems to effective respond to natural and intentional disasters.
- Evaluate the capacity of public health systems to effectively respond to natural and intentional disasters.
- Apply international, federal, and state regulatory policies, guidelines, and authorities to address public health needs during disasters.
The specialization requires 12 credits (4 courses):
- ENHS 6910 Health Security Threats (3 credits, Fall Year 1)
- ENHS 6950 Psychosocial Aspects of Disasters (3 credits, Fall or Summer)
- ENHS 6430 Disaster and Emergency Risk Communication (3 credits, Spring or Summer)
- ENHS 7130 Outbreak & Disaster Response Readiness (3 credits; Spring)
More Disaster Management and Health Security at WSPH
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The new, innovative MS in Health Security stands at the intersection of science, leadership, and crisis response
How to apply
Students should work with their Academic Success Advisor to incorporate the specialization into their academic course plan. To include the Disaster Management Specialization in your degree, please apply to your department of interest and send us an email
For more information:
Department Coordinator: Mykeil Chambers
Specialization Director: Stephen Murphy, PhD, MPH, MBA
Email: smurphy1@tulane.edu