- UCAS course code
- VL38
- UCAS institution code
- M20
Bachelor of Science (BSc)
BSc International Disaster Management & Humanitarian Response
Duration: 3 years
Year of entry: 2025
UCAS course code: VL38 / Institution code: M20
- Typical A-level offer: AAB
- Typical contextual A-level offer: BBB
- Refugee/care-experienced offer: BBB
- Typical International Baccalaureate offer: 35 points overall with 6,6,5 at HL
Fees and funding
Fees
Tuition fees for home students commencing their studies in September 2025 will be £9,535 per annum (subject to Parliamentary approval). Tuition fees for international students will be £26,500 per annum. For general information please see the undergraduate finance pages.
Policy on additional costs
All students should normally be able to complete their programme of study without incurring additional study costs over and above the tuition fee for that programme. Any unavoidable additional compulsory costs totalling more than 1% of the annual home undergraduate fee per annum, regardless of whether the programme in question is undergraduate or postgraduate taught, will be made clear to you at the point of application. Further information can be found in the University's Policy on additional costs incurred by students on undergraduate and postgraduate taught programmes (PDF document, 91KB).
Scholarships/sponsorships
- Find out more from student finance
- Eligible UK students can apply for bursaries and scholarships
- Funding for EU and international students is on our country-specific pages
- Many students work part-time or complete a student internship
Course unit details:
Histories of Humanitarianism
| Unit code | HCRI10202 |
|---|---|
| Credit rating | 20 |
| Unit level | Level 1 |
| Teaching period(s) | Semester 2 |
| Available as a free choice unit? | Yes |
Overview
This course explores the multiple histories of humanitarianism and their resonances with today. It will introduce students to the complex past of humanitarian action in its European and non-European forms, from charities to international non-governmental organisations. Students will reflect on the usefulness of this history for the current humanitarian sector.
Aims
- Explore different meanings of humanitarianism
- Apply historical, legal and political perspectives in order to understand the origins, institutions and basic concepts of the contemporary international humanitarian system
- Deepen critical reasoning and intellectual curiosity
- Strengthen written and oral communication skills
- Engage critically with a wide range of academic literature
Knowledge and understanding
- Understand key concepts around the history of humanitarian aid;
- Develop a critical understanding of the diverse origins of humanitarian relief work
- Understand the long-term impact of this history in current humanitarian discourses and practices
- Address how academic historical writings can challenge how practitioners understand humanitarianism and its history
Intellectual skills
- Critically engage with the literature related to the history of humanitarianism
- Develop an understanding of the methodological challenges of history writing and their relevance beyond the discipline.
- Further develop awareness of current humanitarian affairs and their longer histories
Practical skills
- Demonstrate analytical and debating skills with peers and tutor
- Demonstrate efficiency and creativity in writing
- Show effective use of library resources and search engine to gather information
Transferable skills and personal qualities
- Develop communication skills for a variety of audiences
- Develop, plan and achieve individual research outcomes
- Develop analytical skills and the ability to articulate ideas verbally and in writing
- Develop confidence articulating ideas and opinions during group discussions
Employability skills
- Analytical skills
- Editorial and analytical skills Evidence-led decision-making Putting together and maintaining arguments (useful for a marketing/awareness campaign or business case)
- Oral communication
- Oral and communication skills, especially in terms of comprehending large amounts of information and drawing reasoned conclusions
- Other
- Meeting deadlines Working autonomously
Assessment methods
| Blog | 30% |
| Essay outlines | 0% |
| Essay | 70% |
Feedback methods
Written feedback on assignments | Summative |
Verbal feedback via 1 on 1 meetings with students | Formative |
Written feedback on essay outlines | Formative |
Recommended reading
Barnett, Michael. Empire of Humanity: A History of Humanitarianism (Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 2011).
Fazal Tanisha. Wars of Law: Unintended Consequences in the Regulation of Armed Conflict (Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 2018).
Ibhawoh Bonny, ‘Humanitarians and Abolitionists’ in Human Rights in Africa. New Approaches to African History (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2018).
O'Sullivan, Kevin, The NGO Moment: The Globalisation of Compassion from Biafra to Live Aid (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2021).
Palmieri, Daniel. “An Institution Standing the Test of Time? A Review of 150 Years of the History of the International Committee of the Red Cross”, International Review of the Red Cross 94:888 (2012): 1-26.
Salvatici Silvia. A history of humanitarianism, 1755-1989. In the name of others (Manchester: Manchester University Press, 2019), 1-13.
Study hours
| Scheduled activity hours | |
|---|---|
| Lectures | 22 |
| Seminars | 10 |
| Independent study hours | |
|---|---|
| Independent study | 168 |
Teaching staff
| Staff member | Role |
|---|---|
| Antoine Burgard | Unit coordinator |