Bachelor of Science (BSc)

BSc International Disaster Management & Humanitarian Response

Develop knowledge about resilience and recovery relating to current disaster management.
  • Duration: 3 years
  • Year of entry: 2026
  • UCAS course code: VL38 / Institution code: M20

Full entry requirementsHow to apply

Overview

Course overview

  • Develop knowledge about the causes and impacts of disasters and how we can address contemporary global issues surrounding them.
  • Build a critical understanding of the process and practises of humanitarianism.
  • Explore the causes of contemporary conflicts, as well as the current debates about peacebuilding.
  • Gain valuable transferable skills for your future career through work placements.
  • Undertake fieldwork in emergency preparedness and response, recovery, and reconstruction
  • The University of Manchester is a world-leading institution, ranked in the top-50 globally across all of Arts and Humanities by Times Higher Education 2025.

Contact details

School/Faculty
School of Arts, Languages and Cultures
Telephone
+44 (0)161 509 2871
Email
Website
http://www.hcri.manchester.ac.uk/
School/Faculty overview

See: About us

Courses in related subject areas

Use the links below to view lists of courses in related subject areas.

Entry requirements

A-level

AAB including one essay based subject.

Practical skills are a crucial part of science education and therefore will be a requirement to pass the practical element of any science A Level taken. Where applicants are applying for science and related degrees, this is likely to be made explicit in the offer you will receive.

Applicants taking A Levels are normally expected to offer three full A Levels. If you’re taking more than three A Levels, these won’t be included in your offer. We will only make offers consisting of three A Levels.

A-level contextual offer

BBB including one essay based subject.

Practical skills are a crucial part of science education and therefore will be a requirement to pass the practical element of any science A Level taken. Where applicants are applying for science and related degrees, this is likely to be made explicit in the offer you will receive.

Applicants taking A Levels are normally expected to offer three full A Levels. If you’re taking more than three A Levels, these won’t be included in your offer. We will only make offers consisting of three A Levels.

Contextual offers are available for applicants who:

  • live in the UK and will be under the age of 21 on 1 September of the year they will start their course; and
  • live in an area of disadvantage or with low progression into higher education; and
  • have attended a UK school or college for their GCSEs or A-levels (or equivalent qualifications) that has performed below the national average over multiple years.

See our contextual admissions page for full details and to check your eligibility.

UK refugee/care-experienced offer

BBC including one essay based subject.

Practical skills are a crucial part of science education and therefore will be a requirement to pass the practical element of any science A Level taken. Where applicants are applying for science and related degrees, this is likely to be made explicit in the offer you will receive.

Applicants taking A Levels are normally expected to offer three full A Levels. If you’re taking more than three A Levels, these won’t be included in your offer. We will only make offers consisting of three A Levels.

UK refugee/care-experienced offers are available for applicants who:

  • have been looked after in care for more than three months; or
  • have been granted refugee status by the UK government or have been issued a UK visa under one of the Ukrainian schemes (Homes for Ukraine, Ukraine Family Scheme or Ukraine Extension Scheme).

See our contextual admissions page for full details and to check your eligibility.

International Baccalaureate

35 points overall. 6,6,5 in Higher Level subjects

Applicants studying the International Baccalaureate Career Related Programme (IBCP) should contact the admissions team prior to applying so that their academic profile can be considered.

GCSE/IGCSE

Applicants must demonstrate a broad general education including acceptable levels of Literacy and Numeracy, equivalent to at least Grade 6 or B in GCSE/IGCSE English Language and 4 or C in Mathematics. GCSE/IGCSE English Literature will not be accepted in lieu of GCSE/IGCSE English Language.

Please note that if you hold English as a second language IGCSE qualification, we may also require you to offer one of  our acceptable equivalent English Language qualifications  or achieve a higher grade in your IGCSE than the one stated above. Please contact the admissions team in your academic School/Department for clarification.

Other entry requirements

Other entry requirements exist for this course. You may view these by selecting from the list below.

Country-specific entry requirements

We accept a range of qualifications from different countries. For these and general requirements including English language see accepted entry qualifications from your country .

English language requirements

All applicants to the University (from the UK and Overseas) are required to show evidence of English Language proficiency. The minimum English Language requirement for this course is either:

GCSE/IGCSE English Language grade B/6, or;

IELTS 7.0 overall with 6.5 in each component, or;

An acceptable equivalent qualification.

Please note that if you hold English as a second language IGCSE qualification, we may also require you to offer one of  our acceptable equivalent English Language qualifications  or achieve a higher grade in your IGCSE than the one stated above. Please contact the academic School for clarification.

If you need to improve your English language skills to meet the entry requirements for your academic course, the University Centre for Academic English (UCAE) summer pre-sessional courses can help. Check if your academic course offers the option of taking a pre-sessional course on the UCAE page .

The UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) requires that every student requiring a visa to study in the UK must show evidence of a minimum level of English Language (common European Framework (CEFR B2 level) to be granted a Student Route visa (previously known as a Tier 4 visa) to study at undergraduate or postgraduate level.

In addition, our academic Schools/Departments may require applicants to demonstrate English proficiency above the B2 level. Further information about our English Language policy, including a list of some of the English Language qualifications we accept, can be found  here .

English language test validity

Some English Language test results are only valid for two years.

Your English Language test report must be valid on the start date of the course.

Fees and funding

Fees

Fees for entry in 2026 have not yet been set. For entry in 2025 the tuition fees were £9,535 per annum for home students, and are expected to increase slightly for 2026 entry.

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

Application and selection

How to apply

Apply through UCAS

Advice to applicants

If your qualifications do not include a humanities-related subject, at least 60% of which has been assessed by essay, then we may ask you to complete a written assignment on a relevant topic.

Home-schooled applicants

If you are a student who has followed a non-standard educational route, e.g. you have been educated at home; your application will be considered against the standard entry criteria of the course for which you are applying.

You will be required to demonstrate that you meet the specified academic entry requirements of the course.

We will also require a reference from somebody who knows you well enough, in an official capacity, to write about you and your suitability for higher education.

If you are a home schooled student and would like further information or advice please contact the academic School for your chosen course who will be able to help you.

Non-standard educational routes

Mature students are some of our most well-equipped learners, bringing skills and attributes gained from work, family and other life experiences.

Students come from a whole array of backgrounds, study every kind of course, undertake full-time and part-time learning and are motivated by career intentions as well as personal interest. There is no such thing as a typical mature student at Manchester.

The application process is the same as for other prospective undergraduates.If you require further clarification about the acceptability of the qualifications you hold please contact the academic School(s) you plan to apply to.

Further information for mature students can be found on our How to apply page.

How your application is considered

We are looking for applicants who have the predicted A-level grades (or other qualifications) for the relevant degree programme and whose personal statement demonstrates an enthusiasm for the subject.

All such suitable applicantswill beinvited for interview.

Returning to education

We welcome applications from mature students and value their contribution to our study culture and social life.

Mature applicants are given individual consideration and are normally interviewed.

Overseas (non-UK) applicants

Applications from overseas students are warmly welcomed.

Disaster and Humanitarian Studies have tradition of admitting suitably qualified international students.

Students from abroad find the Subject Areas to be a relaxed and richly diverse home from home, and tend to make the most of the cosmopolitan atmosphere of Manchester and its cultural and ethnic plurality.

In view of the diversity of overseas qualifications, we consider applications from overseas on an individual basis.

All students applying to the University of Manchester must satisfy the English language requirement.

For further information, please see our International pages .

Deferrals

We welcome applications for deferred entry and feel a gap year benefits many students.

We do ask applicants to let us know as early as possible if they are intending to defer. This helps us to adjust the number of offers we make, in order to achieve the required number of students in a given year.

Re-applications

If you applied in the previous year and your application was not successful you may apply again. Your application will be considered against the standard course entry criteria for that year of entry.

In your new application you should demonstrate how your application has improved.

We may draw upon all information from your previous applications or any previous registrations at the University as a student when assessing your suitability for your chosen course.

If you are applying for a place for the same year of entry through UCAS Extra, you should provide additional evidence of your suitability for the course.

If you are applying through clearing you are required to meet the clearing requirements.

In both UCAS Extra and clearing the places will be subject to availability.

Transfers

We will consider applications to transfer to Manchester from other universities and would normally ask for a letter explaining why a transfer was needed, relevant transcripts, a copy of the applicant's UCAS form and a confidential reference from one of the applicant's current university tutors.

We will consider applications to transfer from other degrees within the University of Manchester but applicants are required to have the A-level grades (or other qualifications) needed for entry to that degree programme.

Both of the above are subject to our having enough places to accommodate such applicants.

Course details

Course description

Disasters are so prominent in the media at the moment. I can study issues that are happening presently - one of my assignments was on the Grenfell fire.

I feel as if my work and the research done by the department is very important. If you're interested in making the world a better place, then take this great opportunity.

Catriona Spence / BSc International Disaster Management and 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.

Aims

  • 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.

Special features

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 and learning

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.

Coursework and assessment

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.

Course content for year 1

Course units for year 1

The course unit details given below are subject to change, and are the latest example of the curriculum available on this course of study.

TitleCodeCredit ratingMandatory/optional
HCRI10202 20 Mandatory
HCRI11021 20 Mandatory
HCRI11032 20 Mandatory
HCRI11071 20 Mandatory
HCRI10002 20 Optional
HCRI11081 20 Optional
MGDI10052 20 Optional

Course content for year 2

Course units for year 2

The course unit details given below are subject to change, and are the latest example of the curriculum available on this course of study.

TitleCodeCredit ratingMandatory/optional
HCRI20002 20 Mandatory
HCRI20011 20 Mandatory
HCRI20022 20 Mandatory
HCRI20211 20 Mandatory
HCRI20042 20 Optional
HCRI20220 20 Optional
HCRI20321 20 Optional
MGDI20061 20 Optional
MGDI20071 20 Optional
MGDI20232 20 Optional
MGDI20292 20 Optional
UCIL20081 20 Optional
UCIL20092 10 Optional
UCIL20112 10 Optional
UCIL20331 10 Optional
UCIL20592 20 Optional
Displaying 10 of 16 course units for year 2

Course content for year 3

Course units for year 3

The course unit details given below are subject to change, and are the latest example of the curriculum available on this course of study.

TitleCodeCredit ratingMandatory/optional
HCRI30001 20 Optional
HCRI30002 20 Optional
HCRI30021 20 Optional
HCRI30031 20 Optional
HCRI30042 20 Optional
HCRI30062 20 Optional
HCRI30072 20 Optional
HCRI30081 20 Optional
HCRI30111 20 Optional
HCRI30211 20 Optional
UCIL33501 20 Optional
Displaying 10 of 11 course units for year 3

What our students say

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

Facilities

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.

Find out more on the Facilities page.

Disability support

Practical support and advice for current students and applicants is available from the Disability Advisory and Support Service. Email: dass@manchester.ac.uk

Careers

Career opportunities

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Disaster Management at The University of Manchester

We have pioneering partnerships with national and international non-governmental organisations (NGOs). These shape the real-world focus of our teaching and offer strong links to key career destinations.

Your transferable and academic skills will appeal to employers including international organisations such as the United Nations and humanitarian NGOs such as The International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).

You'll also be well-equipped to enter a career in business and commerce, law, journalism, tourism management and teaching.

Additionally, there's the opportunity to continue your studies through our master's courses.

The University has its own dedicated Careers Service that you would have full access to as a student and for two years after you graduate. At Manchester you will have access to a number of opportunities to help boost your employability.

Regulated by the Office for Students

The University of Manchester is regulated by the Office for Students (OfS). The OfS aims to help students succeed in Higher Education by ensuring they receive excellent information and guidance, get high quality education that prepares them for the future and by protecting their interests. More information can be found at the OfS website.

You can find regulations and policies relating to student life at The University of Manchester, including our Degree Regulations and Complaints Procedure, on our regulations website.