Key Concepts in International Disaster Management and Humanitarian Response - course unit details - BSc International Disaster Management & Humanitarian Response - full details (2025 entry)

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

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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).

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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:
Key Concepts in International Disaster Management and Humanitarian Response

Course unit fact file
Unit code	HCRI11021
Credit rating	20
Unit level	Level 1
Teaching period(s)	Semester 1
Available as a free choice unit?	Yes

Overview

This course introduces students to the key theoretical concepts that underpin all aspects of international disaster management and humanitarian response. The concepts covered will provide a framework through which to theoretically and critically interrogate the specific processes and practices of disaster management and humanitarian response. The study of international disaster management and humanitarian response is an interdisciplinary endeavour, this course will provide students with the theoretical foundations to engage with the subject matter across a range of disciplines.

Pre/co-requisites

Year 1, semester 1: core on BSc International Disaster Management and Conflict Response

Aims

To introduce students to key theoretical and historical concepts that have shaped humanitarian responses
To reflect on how shifts and changes in these concepts over time and space have had important effects on the practices of humanitarianism and disaster management
To foster students’ critical thinking regarding debates and scholarship on humanitarian action
To develop critical analytical and research skills

Teaching and learning methods

The principal teaching and learning methods will be the lecture (an interactive experience) and the tutorial. These would be supplemented by guided and independent reading and assignments designed to encourage students to engage with course material in meaningful ways. The module will be Blackboard compliant.

Knowledge and understanding

Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

Key theoretical concepts which underpin the analysis of humanitarianism, conflict response and international disaster management
The practical and operational implications of these concepts and understandings
To be able to use these concepts to analyse examples of practice from the field
Introductory grasp of the history of these debates in the academic literature

Intellectual skills

Navigate complex theoretical debates and relate them to events and issues in practice
Compare and contrast narratives originating from different sources
Identify different methodologies and/or disciplinary orientations in academic literature
Reflect upon current events and actors with reference to a historical perspective

Practical skills

Information management skills, requiring evaluation, synthesis, and record-keeping.
Research skills, including planning, prioritisation of tasks, identification and location of primary and secondary sources, evaluation of findings.
Essay-writing skills related to the analysis of a specific question, construction of arguments, assessment and deployment of evidence, writing style.
Participation in seminar discussion and collaborative learning.

Employability skills

Other: 1. Editorial and analytical skills 2. Putting together and maintaining arguments (useful for a marketing/awareness campaign or business case) 3. Oral and communication skills - especially in terms of comprehending large amounts of information and drawing reasoned conclusions 4. Meeting deadlines 5. Working autonomously and in groups

Assessment methods

Assessment Task	Formative or Summative	Length	Weighting
Source Analysis	Summative	1000 words	30%
Essay Plan	Formative	1 page	0%
Essay	Summative	2000 words	70%

Feedback methods

Feedback method	Formative or Summative
Written feedback on assignments	Summative
Verbal feedback via seminars with students	Formative

Study hours

Scheduled activity hours
Lectures	22
Seminars	10

Independent study hours
Independent study	168

Teaching staff

Staff member	Role
Jessica Hawkins	Unit coordinator

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BSc International Disaster Management & Humanitarian Response