Huxley College of the Environment to roll out new disaster risk reduction minor this fall

Western Washington University’s Huxley College of the Environment will unveil a new minor this coming fall in Disaster Risk Reduction; the program is designed to introduce students to the impacts on society of natural hazards such as earthquakes, floods, and tsunamis, as well as strategies for reducing these impacts.

Students will complete the minor with in-demand skills for working with government agencies, private businesses, and researchers.

“I’m excited about making disaster risk reduction more prominent at Western. Students who have taken our classes in the past have had great success with major employers in the field, and the diversity of student perspectives will make individual students even more employable,” said Scott Miles, Western Washington University assistant professor of Environmental Studies.

Previously, DRR was a track within Western’s Planning and Environmental Policy major and only open to students within that major. The new DRR minor will open up the area of study to all qualified students (with a cap of 25 students per year), and will rely on existing courses, faculty and staff. Courses within the minor include Natural Hazards Planning, Theory and Practice of Emergency Planning, and Disaster Risk Reduction.

For more information on the Disaster Risk Reduction minor, contact Scott Miles, Western Washington University assistant professor of Environmental Studies, at (360) 650-2440 or scott.miles@wwu.edu.

Huxley College's academic programs reflect a broad view of the physical, biological, social and cultural world. This innovative and interdisciplinary approach established Huxley College as a leader in the field more than 40 years ago. Since then the College has continued to lead, earning international recognition for the quality of its programs, the expertise of its faculty and the knowledge of its graduates.