- Who can apply to the PhD program?
- The DEM PhD is designed for holders of a master’s degree in Disaster & Emergency Management or related fields (such as environmental studies/sciences, public policy, health, sociology, etc.) who wish to pursue advanced studies and research. At minimum, students need to have obtained a B+ average during their graduate studies.
- Do I have to have completed a thesis or a Major Research Paper (MRP) to apply for the program? Is a course-based masters eligible for applying?
- While applicants need to hold a master’s degree, a thesis or MRP is not a requirement for applying to York’s DEM PhD. It is expected that some applicants will have completed professional or course-based master’s programs. Nonetheless, the research experience in pursuing a graduate degree with a thesis or MRP option is extremely valuable when applying for doctoral studies and will be a consideration of the admissions committee.
- I’m a practitioner – is this program for me?
- Yes, we expect that some of our doctoral students will be practitioners in the field that want to enhance their expertise in some aspect of Disaster & Emergency Management scholarship. As long as practitioners are holders of a master’s degree, they are welcome to apply.
- Can I apply to the PhD program if I only have an undergraduate degree but no master’s degree?
- No. A master’s degree is a requirement for application.
- What is the application process? How do I apply?
- Requirements for applications and detailed descriptions can be found on the How to Apply page. As indicated on this page, complete applications will include the following: a Statement of Interest; an academic or professional writing sample; Transcripts; at least Two Letters of Reference; a Curriculum Vitae (CV); and, the Supplementary Information Form. To apply, you must submit your application online on the Apply Now page.
- Is there an interview as part of the application process?
- Shortlisted candidates will be invited for an interview by the admissions committee and/or prospective supervisor once all applications have been reviewed after the January 15 deadline.
- Are international students able to apply?
- Yes, we encourage international applications, but places are limited.
- When do I apply?
- The application window for the DEM PhD program is October 15 to January 15, for students that will start in September in the following academic year.
- If I do not get into the program the first time, could I apply again the following year?
- Yes, prospective students that do not get into the program may apply in future years.
- Do I need to find my supervisor before I apply? How do I find a supervisor who might be a good fit?
- While you are not required to secure a supervisor when you apply to the program, you are expected to mention the names of those full-time DEM faculty that you would want to work with in your statement of interest. Applicants are strongly encouraged to contact DEM Faculty that they believe share areas of common research interest before submitting their application. Brief research profiles of York’s DEM faculty members can be found on Discover York Academics, Faculty of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies faculty profiles, and on this internal document providing brief research profiles of York’s DEM Faculty. You may also contact the Graduate Program Director Dr. Aaida Mamuji at amamuji@yorku.ca to have a conversation about your research interest.
- Can I have a supervisor or co-supervisor outside of DEM or York?
- While your primary supervisor must be full-time DEM faculty who are full members of the Graduate Program, you may be able to select eligible co-supervisors or committee members outside of the DEM program based on the nature of your research topic. In some cases, committee members may be outside of York University. These decisions will be made in collaboration with your primary supervisor and the Graduate Program Director.
- I have additional questions. Where can I get more information?
- Feel free to contact the Graduate Program Assistant at mdemgpa@yorku.ca with any questions that you might have. Prospective students are also invited to attend weekly drop-in sessions to ask questions about York U’s graduate programs in DEM (master’s and PhD), and to attend one of three virtual information sessions about the new PhD program, specifically, scheduled for: Sept. 23, Nov. 4 and Dec. 2 from 11 a.m. to noon EST.
- What does the program cost?
- In the first cohort (Sept 2025), it is expected that full-time students enrolled in the program will have their tuition funded for the duration of the program. Part-time students are not currently eligible for this funding and must be self-funded. Tuition fees for doctoral students can be found on the Course and Program Fees / SU24 / Faculty of Graduate Studies – PhD page.
- I have received or am applying for funding (eg. from SSHRC or another external scholarship) for my graduate studies. How does that affect my application?
- Please contact the Graduate Program Director, Dr. Aaida Mamuji to discuss your situation. Students are required to mention any scholarships they applied for and received in support of their graduate studies in the Supplementary Information Form. This information will be considered when the admissions committee is reviewing all applications.
- Are there teaching or research assistantship opportunities available?
- Some students may be admitted with a graduate fellowship, enabling them to hold teaching and/or research assistantship roles. Funding details and fellowship opportunities will be outlined in the offer letter to successful candidates.
- Is external funding necessary to be admitted into the program?
- No, holding external funding is not a requirement to be admitted into the program.
- I have enough savings to self-fund my doctoral studies. If I am admitted, can I pay for my own studies?
- Please contact the Graduate Program Director, Dr. Aaida Mamuji at amamuji@yorku.ca about your situation.
- Can you do the program part-time?
- Yes. Coursework can be completed on a part-time basis (i.e. instead of completing all courses in the first three semesters, completing this over a longer period), as can be comprehensive exams and the dissertation. Please consult the Graduate Program Director to ensure this is the right option for you.
- Will I be able to work either part-time or full-time in addition to my academic commitments/program?
- Yes, students are allowed to have other engagements (e.g., work, volunteering, etc). However, you should be aware that the PhD is an intense workload, and working outside of the PhD can affect how quickly you are able to complete milestones like coursework, comprehensive exams, and the dissertation itself.
- Can you do the program online?
- The PhD is an in-person Program although some courses and activities may be held online.
- What courses are students enrolled in the DEMS PhD program required to take?
- The PhD requires completing eight courses in total: a year-long core seminar; a course on pedagogy in emergency management; a course to support you in developing your prospectus and dissertation research agenda; two methods courses (qualitative and quantitative); and three elective courses. These courses will assist in completing the comprehensive examinations and the dissertation.
- Can I take courses outside of the PhD program?
- Yes; in fact, you are required to. The PhD program requires three elective courses, which you will select under the mentorship of your supervisor. These courses will help you to develop specialist knowledge in your area of research.
- What is the length of the program?
- The PhD program is designed to be completed in 5 years, however this will vary based on the type of research you are completing for your dissertation. Generally, course work is to be completed within the first year and a half of the program. Comprehensive Exams will be completed during year two. Development of the dissertation proposal will be completed by the end of year three, with the rest of the program dedicated to the completion and defense of the student’s dissertation proposal. From arrival to completion, you will work with your supervisor to establish your personal timeline.
- What is required for completing the “comprehensive exams”?
- Each PhD student is required to complete two comprehensive exams: one that is standardized in the field of Disaster & Emergency Management (DEM) as a whole, and a second that is specific to your individual area of research. Students will be provided a common list of books and articles for the general exam, and will also be asked to develop an individual list with the support of their supervisor. For each list, students will complete a take-home examination. This exam will be reviewed by the assessment committee and your supervisor before an ‘oral exam’ where you will further discuss your answers and follow-up questions.
- What is a doctoral dissertation in Disaster & Emergency Management look like?
- The dissertation is an opportunity to produce new knowledge on a topic related to DEM that advances scholarship and/or practice in the field. In general, your dissertation will address a new research question, describe the methods employed to answer the research question, articulate theory to help frame the research question and to explain the research findings, and present findings that contribute either practically or to literature in the field of Disaster & Emergency Management.
- Because of the interdisciplinary nature of the degree, we expect a wide range of dissertations that will depend on your areas of interest and supervisor/committee mentorship. The dissertation process begins with a “prospectus,” which is a proposal for your planned research developed in collaboration with your supervisor and committee. You will present this prospectus during an oral defense, and once it is approved, you can begin your research. The process is completed with a second oral defense following your submission of the full text.
- What format can the dissertation take?
- Dissertations will take one of two formats: either a “monograph” (think of this as being written like a book) or through “manuscripts” (where you write three or more journal articles that address the overall research question from complementary perspectives, with introductory and concluding chapters to frame the overall work). The choice of which format to use will be collaboratively decided with your supervisor and committee, based on your overall goals in the PhD.
- What kind of research am I able to pursue? Can I have my own topic, or do I have to do research that aligns with the work of one of the DEM professors?
- Selecting a research topic requires finding the intersection of a topic that is deeply interesting to you, a topic that is important to the broader academic and/or practitioner community, and a topic that your supervisory committee are well-positioned to mentor you in. As such, it is important that you have a sense of topics, issues, and methods you want to work on – as well as being open to exploring creative ways to find alignment between those projects and other factors (e.g. desire to align with research assistantships or funded opportunities; learnings from coursework and comprehensive exams; etc.).
- Is successful completion of the program contingent upon publishing papers?
- For students who complete the dissertation using the “manuscripts” option, the expectation is that at least one of the three manuscripts will be accepted for publication before graduation (the other two or more can be under review or published). Throughout the PhD program, the goal is to help students establish a demonstrated portfolio of success that aligns with their goals, be that academic publication in journals, writing reports for practitioners, communicating with public audiences, etc.
- What do meeting and mentorship schedules look like between supervisors and PhD students?
- The style of mentorship depends on the needs of the student, supervisor, and committee – and we encourage you to have open conversations about what support you need in selecting your supervisor. For example, you might wish to have.
- What do you expect the completion rate to be?
- It is difficult to predict this. Our goal is to help every student achieve success throughout the program. At the same time, there is no guarantee of automatically passing all milestones (e.g., comprehensive exams, dissertation). Our aim is to help all students achieve success in these major milestones.
- Does the program provide office or research space?
- All students will have access to shared facilities including library and graduate lounge study spaces. Additional spaces can be provided depending on supervisors and projects, such as in the ADERSIM lab, Y-EMERGE institute, and beyond.
- Are there scholarships available to students?
- Accepted doctoral students can apply for any York University bursaries that they are eligible for, as listed on the following website – Financial Aid, Awards and Scholarships (FAAS) Application | Division of Students | York University Students using this portal will be automatically matched to any awards/scholarships. Students are also able to apply to external scholarships that they are eligible for, including those offered through Canadas tri-council agencies (e.g. SSHRC) and OGS.
- What kind of teaching opportunities will I have as a PhD student in this program?
- Students on graduate fellowships may have an opportunity to teach in our undergraduate DEM courses, or in other relevant courses across the university. This depends on the particularities of your admissions and/or receipt of a fellowship.
- What are potential career opportunities after the PhD program?
- We expect to have students from many different paths. Some PhD students will be aiming to pursue academic jobs and preparing for success in becoming a postdoctoral researcher or professor. Others will be seeking a diverse range of non-academic jobs that benefit from this research expertise, such as working in think tanks, leading emergency management programs domestically and internationally, becoming government researchers, or more. And, still others will be staying on in their current position, with more expertise in producing and using knowledge.
Learn More
The Graduate Program in Disaster & Emergency Management at York is an exciting environment to pursue innovative, socially engaging, career-ready education. Contact our Graduate Program Assistant to learn more.