The Master of Science in Disaster and Health Crisis Management aims to introduce a new professional figure, the Health Crisis Manager, equipped with advanced skills to manage disasters and their implications on human health. This figure will be able to take on roles related to the study, understanding, and management of emergency situations, disasters, and health crises at national and international levels, adopting a systemic approach.

The envisaged competencies include:

• Management of disasters and humanitarian interventions with a focus on prevention, development, and resilience, emphasizing economic and social aspects, support for the most vulnerable, and improvement of settlement and environmental conditions.

• Use of operational tools for analysis and monitoring, and relevant technologies for emergency interventions, along with the soft skills necessary for fieldwork.

• Systematic understanding of emergencies, disasters, and health crises, considering sociological concepts such as vulnerability, and knowledge of epidemiology, surge capacity, and business and crisis continuity.

Graduates from this Master’s Degree will have the opportunity to hold key positions in public or private organizations involved in crisis and emergency management or in their prevention and mitigation. Some possible career prospects include:

• Officers in public administrations and international organizations in the field of cooperation and aid to developing countries;

• Consultants for assemblies and political institutions, public or private associations;

• Design and implementation of activities for NGOs and other non-profit organizations, such as the Red Cross and Red Crescent;

• Experts in Civil Protection;

• Researchers at Universities and Research Centers dealing with issues such as Civil Protection, Disaster Medicine, Climate Change, Cooperation, and Development;

• Officials in supranational and international organizations such as the European Union, World Health Organization, IFRC, ICRC, IOM, UNHCR, OCHA, UNDP, UNFPA, UNICEF, WFP;

• Consultants, also in private companies, regarding risk management, crisis management, Business Continuity Management.

Numerous opportunities exist for students wishing to continue their studies in the field of disaster management and humanitarian assistance, who may choose to further deepen their training through the Advanced Master Degree in Disaster Medicine or to enter the world of research through the PhD in Global Health, Humanitarian Aid, and Disaster Medicine, both offered by the University of Eastern Piedmont. Alternatively, they may choose to continue their postgraduate studies at Universities and Research Centers they got to know during their studies, thanks to the dense network of international collaborations underpinning the degree program.

Which are the deadlines for the enrolment (immatricolazione)?

The online registration procedure (immatricolazione) is active from mid July to the end of October. Late registration is possible until mid December. Students who need VISA to enter Italy must receive a VISA before doing the online registration, so if you receive your VISA after December, the only option is to enroll to the second academic period only. This possible from end of January to end of April.

Can I complete my enrolment entirely online?

Students graduated in Italy can complete the procedure entirely online. Students graduated outside Italy must complete their enrollment in person at our University, as the students secretariat needs to verify the authenticity of your study documentation through one of the following: legalization, apostille, Declaration of Value (DOV), or CIMEA certification. Please contact us as soon as you receive your VISA and you planned your trip to Italy, so that we can book an appointment at the students secretariat

Which is the exact enrollment fee for this course?

Tuition fees are paid in instalments. The first instalment, also called registration fee (156 €) is the same for all the students and all the courses. Subsequent instalments vary according to the economic status of the student’s family, as reported in the ISEE, an Italian certification that indicates a family's economic situation based on their income, assets, and family composition. The maximum fee is 2300 € per year, for students who do not provide their ISEE or whose ISEE exceeds the higher limit. Students whose ISEE is lower than 30.000 € enter automatically in the no-tax area and pay only the first instalment.

How can I obtain my ISEE?

The ISEE (Equivalent Economic Situation Indicator) is an Italian certificate that assesses your family’s income and assets. It is required by all Italian universities to calculate tuition fees at UPO, it is specifically needed to determine the amount of the second installment of your university fees.
After you receive your visa and arrive in Italy for enrollment, you must go in person to a CAF (Centro di Assistenza Fiscale,  a tax assistance center authorized in Italy to provide support with tax and social security procedures) in Vercelli or in any other Italian city and request the ISEE certificate. Before arriving in Italy, you must prepare and obtain your family income documentation translated into Italian and legalized by the Italian Embassy or Consulate in your home country. These documents are necessary for the CAF to issue your ISEE certificate.

I don’t have a B2 level certificate and English was not the medium of instruction in my previous university. How can I prove my English proficiency?

A brief interview will be organized to assess your English proficiency. After the interview, you will receive a
UPO English Certificate that will allow you to access the course.

I am having troubles in securing an appointment at the Embassy, can the University support me in this and contact the Embassy?

We are aware of these problems, which unfortunately affect many students, and we are very sorry for these delays and obstacles, however the University cannot facilitate you obtaining appointment of interfere in the VISA issuing process. 

 If I arrive in Italy late, will there be any problem with my enrollment or academic participation?

Late registration is possible until mid December. If you arrive after mid December, the only option is to enroll to the second academic period only. This will be possible from end of January to end of April and will result in the possibility to attend classes and give exams from the second semester onwards. 

I am waiting for my VISA appointment, can I attend the online lessons before I get it?

Unfortunately, our MSc is hosted in a e-learning portal that does not allow access to students who don't have a UPO e-mail account. Therefore, we need candidates to complete their enrolment process before granting them access to the portal. All the content will remain available in the platform for the whole duration of the course, so you will be able to access it even if you join the course later.

I received the acceptance letter for the current academic year, but I cannot enrol. Can I defer my admission to the next academic year?

Unfortunately, it is not possible to defer admission to the next academic year, you need to send a new pre-enrolment request. The pre-enrolment window normally opens in February every year.

I completed my enrolment (Immatricolazione), where can I find the course schedule and how can I access the e-learning portal?

You find the information on the course structure and the instructions to access the e-learning portal also at this webpage, under the session "course timetable": https://disste.uniupo.it/en/university-studies/course/disaster-health-crisis-management-ay-20252026

Please note that you can access the platfrom only with UPO credentials: make sure you have it activated following the procedure here: https://www.uniupo.it/en/services/it-online-services/e-mail

I am already a UPO student, how can I enroll in DHCM course as well?  

First, complete the pre-enrollment form within the indicated deadlines, making sure to mention that you are already a UPO student. After that, the competent office will verify that double attendance is feasible according to UPO regulations and the Ministry of Education rules. Once this step is completed, you will receive the acceptance letter and you can register online through the UPO student portal.

Does the university provide student accommodation?
For more information please visit the proper page.