Natural Hazards and Disaster Risk Reduction—Graduate Certificate | College of Engineering

Online Education for Working Professionals

Apply hazard analysis and effective communication to lessen the impact of hazard events on communities.

Natural Hazards and Disaster Risk Reduction

Photo by Jose Fredy Cruz Centeno.

Add geophysical and social aspects to your hazard mitigation toolkit.

Learn causes and mitigation strategies for a range of natural hazards and their impacts on society. This interdisciplinary certificate introduces cultural complexities in dealing with geological hazards. Formulate hazard maps, warnings, and strategies for communication and planning. Explore electives in geoinformatics, volcanology, volcano seismology, or anthropology in international development. This certificate provides training to those with backgrounds in physical sciences, geosciences, social sciences, computational sciences, civil engineering, and environmental engineering. The average annual salary for geological engineering jobs is $108,940 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Figures from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), dated May 2024.

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How to Apply

3 courses in 3 semesters.

Department	Geological and Mining Engineering and Sciences
Admissions requirement	BS degree.
Contact	Luke Bowman

Length	3 courses in 2-3 semesters
Effort	3 hours per credit per week
Each course	3 credits
Total credits	9
Course type	Online or on-campus
Modality	Watch class recordings on demand
Cost	Based on credits and course type
Already enrolled?	Speak with your advisor

Curriculum

Progress quickly with a compact curriculum. Work with the program advisor to select courses that fit your interests and pre-requisite skills.

Required Courses

Take 6 credits of required courses.

GE 5150 - Advanced Natural Hazards

Exploration of how to develop comprehensive plans to mitigate the impact of natural hazards on humans. Requires a project and report.

Credits: 3.0
Lec-Rec-Lab: (2-0-3)
Semesters Offered: On Demand
Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Level(s): Graduate

GE 5660 - Social Dimensions of Natural Hazards

This course introduces students to the interdisciplinary nature of natural hazards as well as the complexities of engaging with people of other cultures about geological hazards. Course is designed for and open to any student interested in gaining a global perspective on natural hazards, disaster risk, and social aspects of hazard mitigation.

Credits: 3.0
Lec-Rec-Lab: (3-0-0)
Semesters Offered: Spring

Electives

Take a 3-credit elective course.

GE 5515 - Python for Geospatial Analysis

This advanced graduate-level course is designed to equip students with essential skills and techniques to perform geospatial data analysis using Python. This course emphasizes both theoretical concepts and hands-on practice, offering comprehensive insights into spatial data handling, visualization, statistical analysis, and application to real-world geospatial problems. Students will engage directly with real-world datasets through guided tutorials, comprehensive Jupyter notebook examples, and interactive classroom discussions.

Credits: 3.0
Lec-Rec-Lab: (2-0-2)
Semesters Offered: Spring
Restrictions: May not be enrolled in one of the following Class(es): Freshman, Sophomore, Junior
Pre-Requisite(s): GE 5280

GE 5180 - Advanced Volcanology

Volcanoes and how they work. Volcanic products, their recognition, and significance. Applies chemistry, physics, and fluid mechanics in a volcanological context.

Credits: 3.0
Lec-Rec-Lab: (0-3-0)
Semesters Offered: On Demand
Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Level(s): Graduate

GE 5195 - Volcano Seismology

Will prepare students, including those with no seismology background, to interpret seismic and acoustic signals from volcanoes. Topics: basic seismology, monitoring techniques, tectonic and volcanic earthquakes, infrasound, deformation over a range of time scales.

Credits: 3.0
Lec-Rec-Lab: (2-0-1)
Semesters Offered: Spring, in even years
Pre-Requisite(s): (MA 1160 or MA 1161 or MA 1121 or MA 1135) and GE 2000 and PH 2100

SS 4120 - Sustainable Development and Communities

Advanced anthropology course that focuses on cultural, social structural, historical, and environmental analyses of sustainable development. Students engage with relevant social theory and practical applications in sustainable development case studies.

Credits: 3.0
Lec-Rec-Lab: (3-0-0)
Semesters Offered: Fall
Pre-Requisite(s): UN 1015

Typical Schedule

The minimum completion time is two semesters. Here is a typical schedule.

Fall	Spring
GE 5150 SS 4120	GE 5660 GE 5180 GE 5195 GE 5515

Application Process and Admissions Requirements

Applications are reviewed on an individual basis using a holistic approach. Fill out our free graduate application online to apply to any of our programs. Official transcripts and scores are not required for the initial application, although you will need to upload them later.

Graduate School Admissions Process

Applying to the Graduate School is free (no application fees) and fast (no official transcripts, test scores, or letters needed to start). The application process involves three easy steps.

See Admissions Steps

Graduate School Requirements

To be considered for admission to the Graduate School as a degree- or certificate-seeking student, you need to:

have a bachelor's degree or its equivalent from an accredited institution, and
be prepared for advanced study in your chosen field, as demonstrated by your previous degree and your scholastic record.

See additional application requirements, including required materials:

Official Transcripts

Program Specific Requirements

Program Specific

Admitted applicants typically have an undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or better on a 4.0 scale
GMAT/GRE: Not required

International Students

TOEFL: Recommended Score of 79 iBT
IELTS: Recommended Overall Band Score of 6.5

Michigan Tech requires a minimum 79 overall TOEFL or 6.5 overall IELTS score.

Admissions Decisions

Made on a rolling basis.

Certificate Admissions

Prospective Students

Prospective students and non-degree seeking students interested in obtaining a graduate certificate must apply to the certificate program using the online application.
Accelerated certificate options exist for current Michigan Tech undergraduate students in good standing and have achieved at least junior-level standing or recent bachelor’s graduates of Michigan Tech (less than two years).
The number of credits earned prior to admission that can be counted are restricted.

Current Graduate Students

Current Michigan Tech graduate students who are in a degree program do not need to formally apply. Current students must still submit the appropriate degree schedule in order to complete the certificate.

International Student Requirements

International Students must apply and be accepted into a degree-granting program in order to earn a graduate certificate. A non-refundable $10 processing fee per application is required.

See International Applicants

Interested in taking a single, online course? Enroll as a non-degree seeking student.

Upon completion of the Certificate the student should be able to:

Identify geophysical as well as sociocultural aspects pertaining to natural geological hazards.
Compose a complete hazard mitigation plan that includes appropriate physical hazards and social vulnerabilities/risks that pertain to real settings and demonstrate the sharing of the plan to various stakeholders appropriate to the chosen settings.
Demonstrate proficiency in using computational tools commonly used for hazard mapping.

Michigan Tech was founded in 1885.

The University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and widely respected by fast-paced industries, including automotive development, infrastructure, manufacturing, and aerospace. Michigan Tech graduates deliver on rapid innovation and front-line research, leaning into any challenge with confidence.

The College of Engineering fosters excellence in education and research.

We set out as the Michigan Mining School in 1885 to train mining engineers to better operate copper mines. Today, more than 60 percent of Michigan Tech students are enrolled in our 17 undergraduate and 29 graduate engineering programs across nine departments. Our students and curriculum embrace the spirit of hard work and fortitude our founders once had. Our online graduate courses are the same, robust classes taken by our doctorate and masters candidates, taught directly by highly regarded faculty, with outstanding support from staff. We invite working professionals to join these courses, bring their own experience and challenges as part of the discussion. Leverage the national reputation of Michigan Tech to advance your career in tech leadership.

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