BACHELOR OF ARTS HONOURS RISK REDUCTION AND DISASTER MANAGEMENT (HDM)
| Module Code | Module Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| HDM 101 | Disaster Management Theories | This module is designed to make students grasp various theories and concepts about the ways disasters happen and to contextualise disasters and their relationship in terms of economic, technological, managerial, cultural, social and political consequences. By the end of the module, students should be able to identify and distinguish the various theories predicting the occurrence of disasters and emergencies. |
| HDM 102 | Disaster Risk Management: An Introduction | Disasters are unavoidable but they can be managed if the right policies and early warning systems are put in place. This module seeks to outline and explain key concepts and terminologies in disaster risk reduction and management. By the end of the module, students should be able to understand the scope and dimensions of major terminologies in disaster risk management, identify, explain and analyse the characteristics, types, causes and effects of disasters. |
| HDM 103 | A History of Natural Disasters in Zimbabwe | Zimbabwe has a history of natural disasters. This module appraises the students with natural disasters which have occurred in the country such as floods so that they can be prepared for future natural disasters. By the end of the module, students should be able to identify historical occurrences and patterns of natural disasters, coping strategies and mainstream them in the contemporary approaches. |
| HDM 104 | Policies for Disaster Management | Disaster management policies present opportunities for effective implementation of disaster management activities. This module seeks to equip students with the knowledge and skills of understanding the strengths and weaknesses of existing disaster management policies in a given context. By the end of the module, students should be able to identify the weaknesses of extant policies and design new disaster management policies and programmes relevant to specific contexts. |
| HDM 105 | Integrated Approaches to Disaster Risk Management | It is of significance to communicate and share knowledge in disaster risk management. This module provides students with a critical appreciation of the value of working effectively with others to achieve successful outcomes for disruptive and emergency events. By the end of the module, students should be able to identify, map and recognize the importance of different integrated approaches to disaster risk management in all phases. |
| HDM 106 | Development Planning Challenges | Development planning refers to the strategic goals that a person or community plans to meet within a certain amount of time. Understanding development planning and its challenges is a vital aspect of disaster management efforts. This module appraises students about the development planning challenges. By the end of the module, students should be able to identify development planning challenges, assess their impact and design intervention frameworks. |
| HDM 107 | Research Methods and Techniques in Disaster Management | Research is a key component of disaster preparedness and management. This module is designed to empower students with research methods and skills as a way of preparing them for their research dissertations and improving their abilities of gathering data and processing it into useable information. By the end of the module, students should be able to carry out independent research on various aspects of disasters adhering to relevant ethical requirements. |
| HDM 108 | Disasters and Society | Disasters disrupt the functionality of society. This module examines the social and economic effects of disasters and emergencies on society. By the end of this module, students should be able to inform policy interventions intended to address the impact of emerging risks such as climate change, empower communities to be prepared to handle disasters and strengthen social capital in communities in order to mitigate the effects of disasters. |
| HDM 109 | Natural Disaster Risk Management | It has been acknowledged that the management of natural disasters brings stability to affected communities. This module is designed to equip students with strategies to reduce the impact of natural disasters. By the end of the module, students should be able to design coping mechanisms to reduce vulnerability and increase societal resilience to disasters. |
| HDM 110 | Environmental Security | Environmental degradation has become one of the major causes of conflicts and disasters. This module is designed to equip students with knowledge and skills about the environment and its contribution to security. By the end of the module, students should be able to identify the components of designing environmental mitigation frameworks, assess and manage environmental security threats and promote the protection of the environment. |
| HDM 201 | Resource Mobilisation and Management in Disasters | When disasters strike, resource mobilization is initiated. This module is designed to provide students with skills to acquire resources and mobilise people towards disasters. By the end of the module, students should be able to conduct vulnerability assessment, mobilise and distribute resources, and carry out ex-post evaluation. |
| HDM 202 | Climate Change and Disaster Risk | Climate change has had a significant impact on disaster risk management. The module aims to equip students with skills and competences in managing risks associated with climate change, the linkages between climate change and disaster risk management and the impact of climate change on disaster risk management. By the end of the module, students should be able to lobby and advocate for policies that influence stakeholders to take measures to mitigate the effects of climate change. |
| HDM 203 | Disaster Risk Management in Zimbabwe | Disaster risk management is imperative in Zimbabwe. This module provides an introduction to the Zimbabwean disaster risk and emergency management system. By the end of the module, students should be able to contribute in the design, management and implementation of legislation and policies central to disaster risk and emergency management. |
| HDM 204 | Disaster Recovery and Risk Management | Disaster recovery enables communities to revitalize their normal functions following a disaster. This module is designed to equip students with skills to outline and map the disaster response and recovery process focusing on restoring, redeveloping and revitalising communities affected by disasters. By the end of the module, students should be able to map disaster recovery needs and advise stakeholders about the possible intervention strategies. |
| HDM 205 |
Disaster Management and Conflict |
There is a strong interface between disasters and conflicts. This module aims to equip students with knowledge about the nexus between disasters and conflict, the challenges of managing disasters in conflict situations, and transforming the conflicts. By the end of the module, students should be able to map, resolve, heal, reconcile and integrate victims. |
| HDM 206 | Disaster Readiness and Prevention | Disaster readiness and prevention is an essential component of the disaster risk management. This module is designed to equip students with knowledge of and skills on developing feasible disaster prevention plans and preparedness before a disaster happens to minimize risks and resulting damages. By the end of the module, students should be able to design policies that inform disaster readiness, prepare family members and take care of them in order to minimize the impact of disasters. |
| HMD 207 | Gender and Disaster Management | Gender is critical in disaster management. This module opens students to the significance of incorporating gender challenges in disaster management. By the end of the module, students should be able to create awareness about the impact of disasters on gender and encourage stakeholders to mainstream gender in order to comprehensively address inequalities in disasters. |
| HDM 208 | Communication and Disasters | Communication in disaster situations is vital to promote disaster awareness, preparedness and management. This module is designed to equip students with knowledge about the concept of risk communication and its role in embracing and implementing mitigative activities; decision making processes, influences and perception of risk. By the end of the module, students should be able to develop risk communication strategies, early warn, mainstream communication in disasters, manage information in disasters and apply risk communication and marketing strategies for purposes of raising awareness about disasters. |
| HDM 209 | Environmental Risk and Impact Assessment | Understanding the environmental risks is central in averting the impact of disasters. This module provides students with the practical knowledge and skills to undertake environmental impact assessments. By the end of the module, students should be able to conduct environmental risk assessment, basic risk communication, public outreach, manage environmental assessment, develop environmental study designs and report within a legal framework and write a professional environment assessment report. |
| HDM 210 | Drought, Famine and Security | Droughts and famines have a negative effect on security. This module is designed to equip students with the knowledge about food security and food stability and their key determinants. By the end of the module, students should be able to identify drivers of food insecurity, their effects on state and human security, design mitigation strategies and policies to improve food security. |
| HDM 301 | Geo-Spatial Intelligence |
To be taught by Geography Geospatial Sciences and Earth Observation The module introduces the concept of geo-spatial intelligence and its significance in decision-making. It offers knowledge of how GIS is used in military, humanitarian and government organisations to inform decision-making and better responses to threats. In particular, it equips the student with appreciation of how to prepare data for a successful geo-spatial analysis. |
| HDM 302 | Education in Disaster Risk Management | Education is vital even in disaster situations. This module is designed to equip students with the knowledge about the right to education, role of education in violent conflicts and disasters, why people should be provided with education before, during and after disasters. By the end of the module, students should be able to design education interventions that promote the protection of the right to education, fundraise for the provision of education in disaster situations and assist humanitarian organisations and governments in integrating the education component into their disaster risk management policies. |
| HDM 303 | Disaster Management and Vulnerable Groups | Vulnerable groups are a key component in disaster management. This module is designed to equip students with skills to respond to disasters within vulnerable groups who are unable to cope, resist and recover from the impacts of disasters. By the end of this module, students should be able to design models that identify, document, assist and protect vulnerable groups in coping with disasters. |
| HDM 304 |
Disaster Management and Conflict |
There is a strong interface between disasters and conflicts. This module aims to equip students with knowledge about the nexus between disasters and conflict, the challenges of managing disasters in conflict situations, and transforming the conflicts. By the end of the module, students should be able to map, resolve, heal, reconcile and integrate victims. |
| HDM 306 | Community Based Risk Management | Empowered communities can play a significant role in disaster risk management. This module introduces students to community-based risk management, a process where communities at risk are actively engaged in the identification, analysis, treatment, monitoring and evaluation of disaster risks in order to reduce their vulnerabilities and enhance their capabilities. By the end of this module, students should be able to mobilise communities, prepare communities, empower and promote the participation of communities in disaster risk reduction and management as well as mainstream disaster risk reduction in communities. |
| HDM 307 | GIS and Disaster Risk Management | GIS plays a significant role in overcoming challenges faced in all the phases of disaster management. This module is designed to introduce students to disaster risk management cycle; pre-disaster and post-disaster response and the integration of spatial data based on Geospatial technology for planning. By the end of the module, students should be able to apply GIS knowledge and skills in all phases of Disaster Risk Management (DRM). |
| HDM 308 | Disaster and Trauma Management | In post-disaster situations, victims often suffer from trauma. This module is designed to provide students with knowledge about the management of disaster intervention and trauma management to support victims of traumatic incidents. By the end of the module, students should be able to identify victims of trauma, design trauma management strategies, carry out trauma healing and integrate the victims back into the society. |
| HDM 309 |
Water-related Disaster risk Management |
There is a world-wide increase in the number of water-related disasters due to climate change. This module is designed to empower students about the increasing challenges posed by climate change and water-related disasters. By the end of the module, students should be able to carry out awareness campaigns on water-related disasters in order to alleviate the effects of water-related disasters. |
| HDM 310 | Human Rights and Disaster Management | Human rights violations during disasters have been on record. This module is designed to equip students with the knowledge of the need to respect human rights in disaster situations and emergencies. By the end of the module, students should be able to empower stakeholders to integrate human rights into their disaster preparedness and response. |
| HDM 370 | Attachment | The module is designed to enable students to undertake an appropriate short period of work-related learning related to disaster management with relevant government departments, non-governmental organizations, community-based organisations and faith-based organisations or in the form of community-based interventions. The aim of the module is to ensure that students gain useful experience of the work environment and the career opportunities, undertake work related experience related to their academic level and enhance their learning experience building on their academic skills. It is expected that students spent at least four months in either the second or third year of study where the time can be completed in a full-time or part-time mode. Students should register with the module leader and undergo induction on the execution of work-related learning and have the work related learning agreement approved. Academic visits shall be carried out by the module team at least once at the workplace to obtain feedback from the employer or the community leader. It is also an opportunity for the student to ask for feedback from the academic placement supervisor. |
| HDM 401 | Health, Water and Sanitation in Disaster Situations | The provision of health services, water and sanitation during disasters and emergencies need not be overemphasized. This module empowers students to acquire knowledge on the significance of public health best practices during and after disasters and emergencies. |
| HDM 402 | Project Management in Disasters | This module is designed to introduce students to project management in disaster situations. By the end of the module, students should be able to plan, design interventions, delimit project scope, and implement projects in emergencies in both public and private organisations involving the affected communities. Students who seek to work with development agencies and government in disaster situations are also exposed through the module to, among other topics the role of project leader,costs and budgeting, resource mobilization, monitoring and evaluation. |
| HDM 403 | Disaster Vulnerability and Risk Assessment | Many governments and communities neglect vulnerability and risk assessment information and knowledge. This module is designed to equip students with knowledge to identify and map out different hazards, identify groups that are vulnerable to those hazards, and the potential danger posed by the hazard to the groups and area at large. By the end of the module, students should be able to map hazards and vulnerable communities in preparation for early warning and possible interventions. |
| HDM 404 | Relief and Development in Disasters | Disasters destroy and disrupt livelihoods. This module is designed to provide students with knowledge of the timing and activities to be included in disaster response and relief programmes in the short, mid and long term. By the end of the module, students should be able to carry out needs assessment, establish relief organisations and effectively respond to disasters. |
| HDM 405 | Post-emergency Rehabilitation | Post-emergency rehabilitation comes after relief interventions in order to restore social and economic stability. This module seeks to empower students with the knowledge about post–emergency rehabilitation needs in the wake of a disaster. By the end of the module, students should be able to design post–emergency rehabilitation programmes and policies, encouraging community participation, livelihood (re)establishment capacity building, mitigate the impact of disasters, coordinate resource mobilization, promote the rebuilding of essential infrastructure and institutions and the restoration of services and means of production. |
| HDM 406 | Monitoring and Evaluation in Disaster Management | The lack of transparency and accountability has been bemoaned during disasters and emergencies. This module is designed to capacitate students to monitor and evaluate disaster response, interventions and recovery. By the end of the module, students should be able to engage various tools to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of processes and activities during disaster interventions. |
| HDM 407 | Geo-politics of Disaster Management | The international community has an obligation to assist in disaster affected situations. However, this obligation has been selectively implemented. This module is designed to equip students with knowledge about the geo-politics of disaster management. By the end of the module, students should be able to lobby the international community to equally respond to disaster affected countries. |
| HDM 408 | Disaster Risk Management and Sustainable Development | Disasters have negative effects on sustainable development. This module is designed to equip students with the knowledge to assess the impact of disasters on sustainable development. By the end of the module, students should be able to advise stakeholders on policy issues related to the management of both natural and man-made disasters resulting in sustainable development. |
| HDM 470 | Project | This module comprises an individual research project. It aims to further develop the students’ practical skills and knowledge gained in years one and two through undertaking a research project directly related to risk reduction and disaster management. It encompasses an individual research project, the topic of which shall be approved by the Departmental board and be consistent with the research proposal produced in module: Research Methods and Techniques in Disaster Management. All students shall write a project on an approved topic which must be between 6 000 and 15 000 words long. The project shall be in the form of a life transforming: research; conflict transforming or resolving drama; song; play; model or design; practical community intervention in its different forms; unity building participatory approaches; alternatives to violence project; revitalisation of endogenous strategies of resolving conflict and building peace; livelihood project during and after conflict or natural disaster; nation building approaches; natural disaster: coping and rehabilitation strategies; a write up on security interventions, healing, reconciling and integrating divided families, organisations and communities; and a practicum on mediation, problem solving and negotiation strategies. |
