BSc International Disaster Management and Humanitarian Response and Chinese / Course details

On the modern languages side of this course, students will study compulsory language units (the number of credits will depend on whether students are ab-initio or post-A-Level and whether they are studying European or non-European languages) and the study of the culture and history of a specific region.

Teaching within modern languages in these latter areas are characterised particularly by the historically and politically contextualised study of culture and cultural practices, including in literature, visual culture, and music, with thematic focus on such issues as the environment, popular culture, gender, immigration and transnationalism, and religion.

Crucial here is the understanding of language skills being informed by intercultural awareness and cultural knowledge being mediated by linguistic skills.

On the humanitarian response side of the degree students critically explore contemporary and historical issues within the broader fields of international disaster management, peace and conflict studies, and humanitarian response.

The thematic focus of humanitarian response significantly overlaps with that of languages for instance, the investigation of environment, gender, migration, cultural norms and behaviours, power, politics, and popular culture.

As such, students will be able to apply their theoretical understanding of these broader ideas and contextualise them in different disciplinary and empirical areas.

Furthermore, teaching within humanitarian response is very much research-led, and draws on contemporary and historical case sites from across the world.

Most of these cases are in countries where English is not the principal language.

For example, students will explore issues such as resilience, peacebuilding, relief aid, maternal mortality, and refugees in diverse contexts including Puerto Rico, China, Haiti, Venezuela, Mexico, Iraq, Japan, and Cameroon.

This will make the content particularly engaging and relevant for students of languages.

Insight from the field

Due to current travel restrictions we're currently unable to go on field trips overseas.

However, our adapted fieldwork unit for third years brings insight from humanitarian practitioners into the classroom.

The unit explores concepts such as preparedness and response, recovery, migration, and conflict in relation to a specific hazard, vulnerabilities and disasters.

Work placements

Our Professional Experience Project module will allow you to gain valuable professional experience with a humanitarian organisation.

You can also apply your subject-specific knowledge in a real-world context through a placement year in your third year of study, enabling you to enhance your employment prospects, clarify your career goals and build your external networks.

Your year abroad will offer the opportunity to gain first-hand experience of life in a Chinese-speaking country, and further develop your language skills.

Industry partnerships

Our pioneering partnerships with specific national and international non-governmental organisations (NGOs) shape the real-world focus of our teaching, as well as offering strong industry links to key career destinations for graduates.

Partners include Save the Children, International Alert, Medecins Sans Frontieres, The Overseas Development Institute, ALNAP, Mines Advisory Group (MAG), and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).

HCRI is also a World Health Organization collaboration centre.

The IDMHR part of the degree is 100% coursework based.

This involves a variety of assessment types including essays, policy briefs, blogs, book reviews and reflective writing.