BSc International Disaster Management & Humanitarian Response

As demand grows around a strategic global response to the ever-changing and increasing risks, shocks and conflicts arising from natural and anthropogenic hazards, it is increasingly important that we build an understanding of the root causes of vulnerability to disasters and conflicts as a pathway to addressing such contemporary international problems.

BSc International Disaster Management and Humanitarian Response is a multidisciplinary course designed to enhance collaboration amongst natural and social sciences, medicine and the arts.

This course seeks to bridge the divide between development, disaster risk management, and peace and conflict studies.

As a student you will explore these contemporary issues and challenges through a theoretical lens - both globally and locally in the UK.

Through the course you can expect to build research expertise, knowledge and theoretical management skills in disaster preparedness, response and recovery in order to reduce negative impacts on health, social, economic and environmental spheres.

You will also focus learning on the causes and consequences of conflict as well as conflict resolution and peacebuilding - again from an international and local perspective.

You will find this multidisciplinary course unique as you will be taught by an interdisciplinary team of lecturers, including anthropologists, geographers, political scientists, historians and development scholars.

As such, your learning will be truly interdisciplinary and allow you to understand disaster management, humanitarianism and peace building from a multi-disciplinary perspective and an integrated approach to the field.

You will also have the opportunity to take optional course units in disciplines such as Geography, Politics, Theology, Languages and Anthropology.

This will provide you with wide options to choose from whilst having a grounding in peace and conflict studies, humanitarianism and disaster management.

Alternatively, you can study for a joint honours degree combining Arabic, Chinese, French or Spanish.

Please note this course covers distressing and upsetting topics such as genocide, sexual violence and the impact of conflict on women and children.

• Provide a critical insight into destabilising events and develop an understanding and appreciation of disaster risk reduction and humanitarian response.
• Develop knowledge and understanding of key issues which inform the debates on disaster risk reduction and humanitarian response.
• Develop practical expertise in risk and vulnerability analyses, disaster preparedness and response and the integration of development and humanitarian action.
• Foster an informed attitude on ethical issues related to humanitarianism, including international actions taken by governments, inter-governmental and non-governmental organisations in response to disasters of both natural and human origins.
• Develop strategic research methodologies and techniques, including data gathering, collation, analysis and dissemination of results in disaster risk management and humanitarian action contexts.

Insight from the field

As an International Disaster Management and Humanitarian Response student, you’ll have the opportunity to undertake field study – either here in the UK or overseas.

You’ll learn how your knowledge of disaster management and humanitarian response might be applied in the context of real-life hazards and vulnerabilities.

Work placements

Work placements with humanitarian organisations will allow you to gain valuable professional experience.

Research dissertation

Your third-year dissertation allows you to make the focus of your final year at University truly your own and relevant to your personal interests and prospective career.

Teaching takes place in a variety of formats, including lectures, seminars, small group tutorials and virtual web-based seminars.

We will encourage you to undertake independent research at every level of the course.

Seminars provide opportunities to develop research and presentation skills including researching sources, planning, public speaking and the use of audio-visual media.

You will explore lecture themes in more detail via individual and group readings and presentations.

Assessment varies from course unit to course unit, but we aim to offer a good balance of formal examinations, essays and project work.

The culmination of your studies will be a dissertation, allowing you to focus on a specific area of interest and to apply the knowledge you've gained throughout your university study.

By tailoring your research topic to meet your career objectives and personal interests, you can make your final semester here truly your own.

On the International Disaster Management and Humanitarian Response course we learn about such a variety of topics; one week can include lectures on climate change, inequality and responses to disaster.

If that's not enough, they also offer the opportunity to explore other subject areas to ensure you leave the course with an understanding of the wide variety of challenges the world is facing.

Although the realities that we face on this course are hard-hitting, the staff are so approachable and the small course size means there are plenty of amazing people around you to support you through this mentally challenging but incredibly fascinating degree.  

Juliette Flach, BSc International Disaster Management and Humanitarian Response

Students benefit from a range of cultural assets and study facilities on campus and beyond, including one of the largest university libraries in the country.

Our most distinctive research resource is the internationally renowned John Rylands Library, which holds one of the finest collections of rare books, manuscripts, and archives in the world.