Master in Environmental Hazard and Disaster Risk Management at Polytechnic University of Marche
Two-year English-taught LM-75 master's at Marche Polytechnic University in Ancona on environmental risk assessment, disaster risk reduction, emergency planning and civil protection, with field work, an internship and a thesis.
Master
2 years
Ancona
English
Polytechnic University of Marche
Environmental Hazard and Disaster Risk Management is a two-year, 120 ECTS master's degree (LM-75) taught in English at Marche Polytechnic University in Ancona. It covers natural and industrial risk, emergency planning and civil protection. Non-EU citizens of non-OECD countries paid €156 for the first year, and ERDIS Marche scholarships are open to eligible students.
Entry requirements
- A bachelor's degree in a related class (for example environmental sciences, biology, geology, chemistry, agricultural sciences, planning, or civil and environmental engineering), or at least 40 credits across maths and physics, life and chemical sciences, and earth sciences or engineering.
- A foreign degree judged suitable by the admission committee, which also assesses your personal preparation.
- English at B2, shown by a recognised certificate, English as your native language, or a bachelor's degree taught in English; otherwise an English aptitude test.
- No written test: the preparation check is an interview held online, waived for Italian graduates of the listed classes with 90/110 or more.
- Pre-evaluation on the GoMoveIn portal before Universitaly pre-enrolment; a CIMEA statement or declaration of value is recommended.
About the programme
Environmental Hazard and Disaster Risk Management is a two-year master's degree (laurea magistrale, class LM-75, sciences and technologies for the environment and territory) worth 120 ECTS. It is run by the Department of Life and Environmental Sciences (DiSVA) of Marche Polytechnic University in Ancona and is delivered in English. Its official Italian title is Rischio Ambientale e Protezione Civile.
The course trains professionals who manage environmental degradation and extreme natural events such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, landslides and floods in an integrated way, linking the scientific, legal and managerial sides of emergencies. It continues Univpm's bachelor in Environmental Sciences and Civil Protection and is open to graduates of related science, engineering and planning degrees.
What you will study
Risk runs through the whole plan: chemical and industrial, geological, climatic, biological and ecological. The first year builds risk assessment and monitoring skills, and the second year moves to disaster reduction and emergency management. Units in the 2026/27 plan include:
- Energy and Environmental Sustainability (integrated course, 12 ECTS)
- Chemical and Industrial Risk, and Biological and Ecological Risk (8 ECTS each)
- GIS for Environmental Hazard and Disaster Risk Management, and Artificial Intelligence for Environmental Management
- Environmental Impact Assessment and Monitoring (integrated course, 10 ECTS)
- Geological Hazard in a Changing Climate, and Climate Change and Natural Hazard
- Disaster Risk Reduction and Combined Approaches to Disaster Management (integrated course, 12 ECTS)
- Waste Management and Environmental Remediation, and Nature Conservation and Management of Protected Areas
How the programme is taught
Laboratory and field exercises sit alongside lectures, together with practical activities in environmental monitoring, telecommunications, remote sensing, firefighting techniques and emergencies at sea. The first year includes a 4 ECTS internship and 4 ECTS of elective professional activities, and the second year ends with a 14 ECTS thesis. The faculty lists lectures as on site and online, with the online option limited to purely theoretical subjects. Some lecturers work with bodies linked to civil and environmental protection, such as the regional environmental protection agency (ARPA).
Career paths
The degree prepares risk and civil protection specialists for public bodies and companies. The course page names these roles:
- Coordinator and planner of environmental monitoring activities
- Coordinator of civil protection activities
- Emergency planner who develops emergency plans
- Expert in environmental management and restoration, or in environmental impact assessment
- Person in charge of environmental issues inside companies
Graduates can sit the state exams for the Italian professional registers of biologists, geologists, planners, agronomists and foresters, and can continue to Univpm's PhD in Sciences, which has a civil and environmental protection curriculum.
Fees and scholarships
Tuition at Univpm depends on nationality and income. The international FAQ sets a first-year charge of €156 for non-EU citizens of non-OECD countries, with the reduced amount in later years tied to credits earned by August. Citizens of OECD countries file an ISEE parificato or pay the maximum. ERDIS Marche, the regional agency, runs the income-based scholarship call each summer, so this degree can be tuition-free for eligible students.
How to apply from outside the EU
Admission checks your curriculum: a foreign degree is reviewed by the admission committee, which assesses your preparation, and the international guidelines list an interview for this course. English at B2 is required.
Start with a pre-evaluation on the GoMoveIn portal (€10 per application, up to two programmes). For 2026/27 non-EU applicants had windows between December 2025 and July 2026. With a positive outcome you pre-enrol on Universitaly and apply for a type D study visa. A CIMEA statement or a declaration of value is recommended.
How ApplyAZ helps
If this programme fits your goals, ApplyAZ can include it in a shortlist of 20 to 30 English-taught programmes at Italian public universities. We write your CV and a tailored statement of purpose, submit your applications and Universitaly pre-enrolment, file your DSU scholarship application and prepare your visa file, with a named person on each stage. The university decides admission, the region decides the scholarship and the consulate decides the visa. See how ApplyAZ works or check your eligibility.
Questions and answers
Is the course taught in English?
Yes. Univpm lists it among its master's degrees taught entirely in English, and applicants need English at B2, shown by a certificate, native language, or a bachelor's degree taught in English.
Which bachelor's degrees are accepted?
Degrees in classes such as environmental sciences, biology, geology, chemistry, agricultural sciences, planning or civil and environmental engineering, or at least 40 credits across maths and physics, life and chemical sciences, and earth sciences or engineering. Foreign degrees are assessed by the committee.
Is there an entrance test?
No written test. Italian graduates in the listed classes with 90/110 or more are exempt from the check; other applicants, including those with foreign degrees, are assessed by the committee, normally through an interview held online.
What topics does the course cover?
Chemical, industrial, geological, climatic and biological risk, GIS and AI for environmental management, impact assessment, disaster risk reduction, emergency management, waste remediation and protected areas.
How much are the fees?
Univpm's international FAQ sets €156 for the first year for non-EU citizens of non-OECD countries. Citizens of OECD countries pay by ISEE parificato. ERDIS Marche scholarships are open to eligible students.
When can I apply for 2027/28?
The 2027/28 windows are not published yet. For 2026/27 non-EU applicants used the GoMoveIn portal in rounds from December 2025 to July 2026, paying €10 per application.
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