advanced education in emergency management and critical infrastructure planning
ABOUT MIPM
The Master of Infrastructure Planning & Management (MIPM) is offered by the UW Department of Urban Design and Planning. This fully accredited online master's degree provides professionals throughout the nation with an understanding of infrastructure systems and how to make them more resilient to break-down, whether caused by terrorist acts, extreme natural events, climate change or normal accidents.

Learn to mitigate all types of hazards through courses that include emergency management, business continuity and policy analysis. Our curriculum blends strategic planning and systems theory, making it unique from programs that only teach conventional emergency management methods.

Distinctive features of the program include:
  • In-depth courses on specific vital infrastructure systems, such as water, food, energy and communications.
  • Instruction in systems thinking/systems analysis.
  • Case-based and problem-based instruction that focuses on strategic thinking and leadership skills.
  • Examination of key infrastructure system elements using methods such as advanced geospatial analysis, epidemiology and risk assessment.
  • Comprehensive examination of hazards, from climate change to cyberterrorism.
  • The MIPM program is guided by an advisory board of UW faculty and professionals in the field.

Career Information
This degree is useful to individuals working in government agencies at the local and national scale, the military (whether as serving officers or as civilians), consulting firms. Because of the interdisciplinary nature of our program, you will gain big-picture knowledge for planning processes and policy, develop creativity for solving problems, and work with diverse teams.



The skills taught in the MIPM program lend well to positions with a wide range of public and private sector organizations dealing with issues such as:
  • Emergency management
  • Disaster preparedness
  • Public health
  • Security
  • Infrastructure planning, management and protection
  • Law enforcement